Five-Step Makeup Routine for Busy Students

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Tatiana Perez

This quick five-step makeup routine is all you need to look and feel your best in the morning.

Catalina Gonella, Contributing Writer

Between 8 a.m.s and internships, most NYU students have jam-packed schedules that don’t exactly lend themselves to hour-long morning beauty routines. In a city as fabulous as New York, we always want to look and feel our best. Here is a budget friendly five minute makeup routine that is guaranteed to make you feel beautiful, confident and ready to face the day:

Step 1: First things first — wash and moisturize your skin. Use Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanse ($10.39)  to wash your skin and leave it feeling smooth and refreshed. After patting it dry, use CeraVe Am Facial Moisturizer ($12.99) to hydrate your skin and protect it from the sun.

Step 2: Foundation. When choosing foundation, everybody is different depending on their skin. For a quick application, the trick is finding one that is lightweight enough so that it blends in without too much effort. A good bet might be Loreal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation ($12.99), as it provides great coverage and is still light enough to quickly swipe on using your favorite brush or sponge. You could also use a powder foundation if you’re really in a time pinch, since they’re usually a little bit faster to put on and even out. Neutrogena’s SkinClearing Mineral Powder ($13.49) does a great job at covering up blemishes and evening out skin without clogging up pores.

Step 3: Eyebrows. The fastest and easiest way to do your eyebrows is to use Loreal Paris’ Brow Stylist Designer ($8.99) to dot your eyebrow with color, making sure to pay attention to areas with less hair, and then use the brush to blend in the color. Remember, they don’t have to be absolutely symmetrical — eyebrows are sisters, not twins!

Step 4: Eyes. When in a rush, it’s important to not pick colors that require time or precision. Natural, warm colors will always be your best bet. NYX’s Natural Shadow Palette ($7.50) offers some great colors to work with. First cover your entire lid with one of the middle tones, then apply one of the darker ones to the outer corners of your lids and blend together using the tip of your finger. For eyeliner, use Sephora Collection Long Lasting Eyeliner ($12.00), as the precision brush allows for quick application. Start off drawing a really thin line along the top eyelid. You want to be sure to start off thin and then build up a little if needed. If you start off too thick it will take twice as long to take it off and start over! For your eyelashes, use Sephora Collection Full Action Extreme Effect Mascara ($12.00). Because it provides thickness, you’ll only need to apply it once, again saving you a bit of time.

Step 5: Lips. Again you want to choose a color that doesn’t require a lot of time, nothing too dark and definitely not red! Pick one of the Sephora Collection Rouge Cream Lipsticks ($12.00) in a natural, toned down shade and swipe it on.

A version of this article appeared in the Feb. 16 print edition. Email Catalina Gonella at [email protected].