How to Do Makeup in Ten Minutes or Less

Fabulous makeup doesn't have to take hours to apply. You can get the right look in less than ten minutes with a few simple makeup techniques and a collection of basic cosmetics. Whether you're putting on a face for a day at the office or a night on the town, the basic makeup techniques are the same.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Eyeliner or Eye shadow pencil
• Mascara
• Loose face powder
• Lipstick
• Petroleum jelly

1. Start with a clean face. Wash your face well with gentle foaming cleanser and follow up with a light application of everyday moisturizer. Apply the moisturizer with quick, light upward strokes using just your fingertips, making sure to apply to the delicate skin under the eyes and the eyelids.

2. If your complexion is uneven, apply a very light cover of foundation in the appropriate skin tone. Use the five dot method - tap a dot of foundation in the center of the forehead, the tip of the nose, the center of each cheekbone and the tip of the chin. Use your fingertips to lightly smooth the foundation over your entire face, blending it well.

3. Using an eyeliner pencil or eye shadow pencil a shade darker than your lashes, and starting 1/4" from your inner eye, draw a very thin line along the base of your upper lashes. Draw a second thin line along the top of your lower lashes, starting just below the pupil when looking straight ahead.

4. Place a clean fingertip at the corner of your eye and gently smudge the eyeliner up toward the outer edge of your eyebrow. Very lightly brush back and forth over the smudge until it is barely noticeable.

5. Apply mascara to upper lashes by rolling the mascara brush from the base of the lashes to the tips. Keeping your eyes wide open, touch the tip of the mascara brush to the tips of your lower lashes, moving from the center to the outer corner of the eye. Wait 30 seconds, then dust lashes with a very light coating of loose face powder. The best way to do this is to hold the powder puff close to your eye and bat your lashes against it.

6. Apply lipstick, blotting with tissue to avoid color bleed. Smooth on a light gloss of petroleum jelly or slick lip gloss.

7. Apply a second coat of mascara to upper and lower lashes, using the technique outlined in step five.

[joanhaines]

on 6/22/2009 I tried the five dot method, and it works. Thanks for the tip.