Please help me get ready faster

[DukeOfEarlGrey]

I take far too long to get ready and need to speed it up! I’ve been the same since I was a teenager - it takes me the best part of an hour to do my makeup. It’s not elaborate - no false eyelashes or anything! - but I am very pale, with blonde eyebrows/lashes and incredibly dark circles under my eyes (can’t be shifted) and without full make up I look ill, to the extent that people comment. On top of that my hair is really thick and takes ages to dry.

I’ve tried all sorts - brow and lash tint, just bought a Dyson hairdryer - but still can’t get out of the door in the morning in under 2hrs. It’s never been great but I recently got a new job with a longer commute and the lack of sleep is killing me.

Can anyone help with new ideas to speed up my makeup and hair drying??

Wipe crusty sleep from eyes.

Done.

@Sarahlou63 😂 That’s me on a Sunday at least!

Like the idea of eyeshadow sticks, smudgy eyeliner brush and powder foundation.

This could be bank-breaking!

I second the foundation cushion idea. I use this too and it is super fast. Ref the bobbi brown eyeshadow sticks mentioned above, I have recently cut some time out of my own makeup routine by using the Kiko version of these. They are about £6 each and over a bit of eye primer, last me from 0630 until I remove my makeup at night. The shades are also fabulously flattering for pale redheads 😍.

Get thee to a makeup counter and get made up. That takes a max of 15 min and you'll get better colours & techniques out of it which will both serve you well at home.

Get a lash lift and tint and a brow shape and tint.
Use a well matching foundation you can apply quick with fingers and concealer Undereye.
I'm interested how undereye concealer can take a long time?
Pencil liner so much easier and just one shade of eye shadow blended on.
Cream blusher.

God 45mins and that is three kids up and gone with brekky in them too. Hair the night before - mine takes 5 mins then for a respritz and wax and ready. Great foundation match - slap in and then cover circles / spots. This takes seconds - there is no reason why covering dark circles should take more than a second. Same product, same place every time! Quick slick of eyeshadow then mascAra and eye brow mascara. Lipstick/gloss ans slick if blusher and all done. If it takes more than ten mins you are over spending

Not fake fan, but tanning drops. I have terrible dark circles and I get very pale and ill Looking especially in winter. Someone recommended tanning drops on here-I use Isle of Paradise that I got in Boots. You add drops to your moisturiser. Start with one drop then build up as needed. Gives a subtle colour and doesn't smell biscuity. It's the only thing that has helped me with my circles really.
Other than that a bit of primer, (something a bit light reflecting so you can cut out highlight), foundation, one colour eyeshadow, mascara, blush. My brows also take the longest-but still only a minute or so. For work I go with less Is more-so light feathery strokes with a pencil. Easier to correct if it goes wrong. At weekends I might do a slightly heavier brow which takes longer and I've been known to use a stencil as a guide. (NOT to get slug brows mind).

Are you wearing the right colour clothes for your colouring? The wrong colours against your face will make you look ill and the correct ones will bring out the glow automatically . This is particularly true for lipstick.

I was thinking that as well SpeckledyHen.
I had my coloured redone as a Christmas present, and it really brought home to me just how much wearing the wrong colours can drain you.

Yes, I second Speckldy Hen. Having my colours done before my wedding was life changing.

Also I don't necessarily think a corporate environment calls for full make-up including eyeshadow and brows. Clean, well cut hair and something to enhance yes but no more than: foundation, mascara, blusher, lippy is necessary surely. I'd be mortified if colleagues were judging me based on clothes and make-up rather than my professionalism and performance. Honestly, nobody who matters will be looking at yoyr eyebrows.

Really good lash extentions. I get nova lash. I used to do my make up every day but now wear none on a daily basis, but that's because of my job. I always had to do my eyeliner as I have very little eyelashes, now I never wear eyeliner.

5 minute routine:

BB or CC cream all over. Few dabs of under eye if I need it, but not every day.
Hula light over cheeks and eyelids.
Eyelash curlers and mascara.
Gimme brow
Lippie

It's mostly about coming up with a stripped down routine. Mine is Shower - 5 mins, leave in conditioner (curly hair), brush teeth, moisturiser, deodorant, perfume, foundation, powder, blush, eyes, lipstick ... takes me around 10 mins so 20 in total, 5 mins to throw on clothes and I let my hair dry naturally. Once you have kids you learn to be super quick

Yes, I’ve had my colours done and absolutely agree that it does wonders - but even the colour consultant conceded that I look better with my invisible eyebrows pencilled in 😂

I’m inspired by all this advice though - I’ve just done without foundation for the second day this week and haven’t missed it at all! I’ve also realised that the gel liner might be a poor choice - am paying attention to where I spend my time - and definitely think getting a pencil or something smudgier so I don’t need to be precise is a good idea.

For those asking how under eye concealer can take time - tbf it isn’t the most time consuming bit, but the answer is that I use three products to cover the circles: corrector, a heavily pigmented concealer that I dab on very carefully so as not to look caked and then a thin layer of liquid concealer with reflective pigments.

I realise writing it out and reading some of the comments that I sound as though I absolutely plaster myself with makeup every day, but I swear I spend ages to end up looking really quite natural! I think that’s half of it - it would probably be much easier to just slap it on with a towel 😂

Get eyebrows tattooed on, google ombre brow. Mine are super fair and I spent ages pencilling them in. Massive difference now - i don't spend any time on them.

lash tint.

MAC Kajal - close your eye and sweep it between lids, and you have a perfect makeup in 5 seconds.

Are there any redheads/v pale people on here who have had brows tattooed on? I love the idea butane can so easily look severe that I’m scared to take the plunge - would love to hear about any good experiences/recommendations from people needing very light shades for brows.

@KatharinaRosalie MAC kajal looks good, thank you - will give that a try!

I'm a natural blonde and have invisible brows otherwise.

Are there any redheads/v pale people on here who have had brows tattooed on?

I've not had it myself but the lady who does my nails had it done before a holiday. It did look good to be honest, but I'm not a big brow fan.

I'm pale with invisible eyebrows and having mine microbladed tomorrow at long last! I'm looking forward to saving several minutes every morning painting them on.

I have micropigmentation

Sorry Client but you look better in the first picture. Picture 2 is a little overdone.

@Ginfordinner it will because it is about 5 seconds after she finished, they soften a lot and I also had a second appointment. They look different now a few years on