How to Put Makeup on While Driving

Everyone knows you shouldn't be dealing with other distractions while driving, especially while you're on the fast-paced freeway. But in a world where there's so little time and so much to do, sometimes you don't have a choice, you have to drive and in this case, put make up on while you're doing it. It is known as a bad habit, but necessary to do at times. After all, if you're not looking your best when you get to wherever you're going to, what's the point of getting there at all?

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Multitasking Abilities
• Sturdy Makeup Bag
• Tissue or Paper Towel
• Makeup (Including Makeup Brushes)
• Superior Hand/Eye Coordination

1. Make sure you have all necessary makeup items stored away in a makeup bag that you can carry with you from your house to car and vice versa. In addition to that, make sure you have all the items you think you will need with you stored away in that bag. Makeup artists and fashion magazines usually recommend you carry the essentials with you, instead of items that take up space -- however that doesn't apply to this situation, as carrying essentials is a good idea for your purse, not while you're trying to put your face on so you don't scare people in the office away first thing in the morning. Place your makeup bag on the seat next to you -- train your hand to know where things are so you are not looking down -- you are just reaching over and finding things in the bag just by touching them. If your makeup bag has a pocket, keep all your brushes and eyeliners in there, as these are the hardest to find, especially when you're rummaging around a makeup bag in traffic. Pull down or open your mirror and keep it open.

2. If you can, put on your moisturizer and foundation on at home. Trying to cover all areas of your face evenly while you're trying to keep an eye on traffic is a bit trickier than putting on eyeshadow, concealer or lip gloss, since you have a bigger area to cover. As an added bonus, completing these steps at home allows your skin not only to absorb the moisturizer properly, but lets the foundation set on your skin.

3. Your next ambitious endeavor in the world of driving while putting on makeup will consists of applying concealer. If you have picture perfect skin, you can, as usual, skip this step. For the rest of us however, this makes or breaks our overall look. The easiest type of concealer to put on while driving is liquid concealer that comes with an applicator wand built in to the tube. Pot concealers are difficult and not recommended for this purpose as it applying them while in the car might cause you to take your eyes off the road for longer periods of time and this in turn, can be quite dangerous. Start by dabbing on the concealer in quick movements on appropriate areas of your face while taking turns between each dab to look at the road. After all areas are covered, start by blending the first one you dabbed, first. Use your index or middle finger to slightly dab and blend in concealer into the skin. After every spot is blended, pause for a moment and just drive. Remember, you shouldn't be in any rush, as you have more than one thing to concentrate on. After all spots are concealed, reach over to your bag and grab your powder, as well as your brush. Keep in mind that you are not taking your eyes off the road while you do this - you are just reaching over and grabbing the essentials. Let your hands be your makeshift eyes. In three of four quick sudden movements, dust powder over your face, but do not close your eyes. You shouldn't have to powder the brush more than two times maximum.

4. With your skin tone evened out and your blemishes concealed, the next step is to bring some color to your face. Although you might usually use a separate brush for blush and another for powder, it might be a good idea to use one brush for those in this case - it saves time and effort and doesn't make much of a difference, especially since you're putting on colorful blush after a colorless powder. Start by smiling - this helps you find the natural lines in your face and also gives you some depth, so you don't necessarily have to be looking in the mirror to be doing this. A couple quick glances is probably all you need. Apply the brush in swift movements, only going back to powder the brush once, between cheeks. Put the products next to the bag on your seat, not in it, so you can look for other items with ease.

5. Next comes eyeshadow. It's best to apply eyeshadow while you're stopped at a traffic light or in heavy traffic, as your eyes need to be closed more than usual. Start by sweeping on a natural beige shade as a base, this can be a matte color or shiny - either way, this is what needs to go on first. This can be done using your finger, or a small brush. Do one eye at a time and take long pauses between each eye. The key is to divide your attention as evenly as possible on the road and on your makeup. After your base eyeshadow has been applied, you can layer on darker shades, using the same method or skip straight to eyeliner. In applying eyeliner, use the same philosophy you would for applying eyeshadow, quick swift movements and long pauses between applications. Putting on eyeliner while driving is a bit ambitious, so I wouldn't recommend this for first timers -- you might feel safer putting eyeliner on after you park your car.

6. Mascara is the next step and this should be one of the last steps you should complete, as it is the most dangerous and trickiest. This is best applied when in heavy traffic or after you have exited the freeway. Keep the tube between your thighs, while you hold the wand in your left hand and apply the mascara. Do not ever fully close your eyes. Again, if you feel that you cannot handle putting this on and driving at the same time, it might be best to save it for when you reach your destination.

7. After you're looking more like a person and less like a zombie, it's time to put the finishing touches on with lip gloss or lipstick. This step is much easier after your bout with eye makeup, so much so that you don't need a mirror for it really. I recommend using clear gloss (either in a tube or a pot) as it won't make much of a difference if you slightly go out of your lip lines. Do not attempt to put dark lipstick on while driving, such as red or grape shades. You'll only end up looking like your 6-year-old niece was your makeup artist for the day. Besides, you shouldn't even be putting these shades on during the day any way in most cases. Clear gloss is your best friend.

8. After you've successfully completed putting on your face while driving, do a final check in the mirror once you've parked, to see if something doesn't look right to you. Congratulate yourself. You've managed to look great by cheating time. This is an amazing feat you've completed and you should feel proud of yourself. Try not to make it a habit, as it can be quite risky doing this on the road.

Tips & Warnings

• The less bulky clothing you have on while applying makeup, the better, so do not drive with your jacket on.

• Do not drive with clothes that you are afraid to get slight specs of makeup on - this is inevitable. This includes light clothes or delicate fabrics.

• Keep a tissue on your lap at all times.

• Remember, it might be a better alternative to just watch up 20 minutes earlier so that you can put your makeup on in the comfort of your own home.

• Putting on makeup in the car is best done when you are in heavy traffic.

• Do not leave your makeup bag in your car at all times, as if it gets hot your makeup will most definitely melt. Carry it to your house and your car the same way you would your purse.

• Be warned: This is a dangerous and risky maneuver that might cause you to get in an accident. Be responsible. if you feel like you can't put makeup on and drive, then don't.

• Be prepared for stares from other drivers who will scoff at your behavior - putting makeup on while driving is not condoned in most of the world.