Quick and Dirty - Work Makeup

Crap.  You just woke up, and you're running late for work.  Awesome.  You're not already late, so you could in theory do your makeup, but you only have about ten minutes - and you're not the best in the world with the makeup. Some people would say that is not enough time.

Those people are dumb.  Ten minutes is plenty of time.  Here's what I use to get my OH CRAP work makeup face on.  Roommate clocked me at eight and a half minutes, and I wouldn't say any of it is really that hard.  Ka-bam.

First thing I do is bust out the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (20.00 USD).  I like Sin, because it looks pretty on its own if I'm feeling super knackered, but any primer will work.  Don't have primer?  Put a bit of concealer on your lids with a finger.  HURRY UP YOU'RE RUNNING LATE.  

picture from urbandecay.com

While the primer is setting a bit (I don't ever put eye shadow directly onto just-wet primer), I put on Skin79 Hot Pink BB Cream (24.99 USD direct from Skin79, I paid 12.99 USD from a reseller on eBay).  

picture from skin79northamerica.com

I like this because it knocks out about 75% of my flaws in one go, it keeps my skin matte, and I've genuinely noticed a difference in how it helps with dark marks left by my cystic acne.  (I'll go more into BB creams in a later post, but until then, Musings of a Muse is the internet authority on them.  Go read for extra credit!)  You could also use a tinted moisturizer or face primer at this step.  A lot of it depends on how good your skin is.  Just rub that stuff on your face, focusing on your problem areas.

Hokay, we've got that spackled on.  Let's go back to the eyes.  For work in a hurry, we're not doing one of those five-shadow looks.  You've got places to be.  We're using two.  For me, I use Urban Decay Eye Shadow in Scratch (18.00 USD) all over the eye.

picture from urbandecay.com

You don't even need to use a little brush, a crease brush here will work (one of those bigger fluffy ones).  Screw it, use your finger if you wanna.

Done.  Now, for some fun and some pop, I use Sugarpill loose powder in Decora (12.00 USD).

picture from sugarpillshop.com

(Please note: I'm a pretty tan girl with big glasses.  If Decora's too much of a bright girl for you, you could also try Birthday Girl (12.00 USD) the same way.) Use the same fluffy brush and put that in the crease, going up as far as you want to toward your browbone.

You can curl your lashes, depending on how much time you have.  Slap some eyeliner on (I use Sephora's kohl liner in black because it's easy to apply in time crunches, and because it was 3.00 USD on clearance when I bought it.)  Put some mascara on - I use Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes! (19.00 USD) religiously because I don't have to curl my lashes when I'm in a hurry when I use it.

from tarte.com

Okay, eyes done.  Let's cover up the rest of my terribad face.  I use Benefit's Play Sticks in Tea Party (36.00 USD) since it's got good enough coverage to function as a concealer and a foundation at the same time. 

from benefitcosmetics.com

I just use this under my eyes and on any problem areas and then spackle it on with a densely packed brush.  You can use your fingers, depending on how big of a hurry you're in.  Slap on some powder to set it (any sort of translucent powder will do, but if you have awful skin like me, you can use some pressed powder with a fluffy brush - I use Hello, Flawless! by Benefit in Honey (34.00 USD)).

Okay, face done.  Blush.  When I'm in a hurry, the last thing I want to do is mess around with powder.  I use Majolica Majorca Blood On (I paid 12.00 USD on eBay), a sheer gel blush that makes me look naturally flushed.  I use it on my lips, too.

Speaking of lips - use a stain or if you're using a gel/cream blush, slap that on there.  If you're using a stain, pop some lip balm on there.  You're going to work, hooker, not the club.  Chapstick, whatever, just something to make your mouth look dewy.

BAM.  Done.  Hopefully it took you less than ten minutes.  NOW RUN.

My Holy Grail BB Cream - Skin79 Hot Pink

I haven't talked a lot about BB creams here before now.  I have a smallish collection, both Korean and US brands.  But honestly - and this is just my humble opinion - Asian BB creams are where it's at.

If you're a beauty novice, you may be wondering what in the world a BB cream is, which is understandable.  They're pretty new here Stateside.  Basically, it's a multitasking cream that was invented in South Korea for people post cosmetic surgery (or at least that's what I gather after reading Wikipedia).  It's shorthand for any cream that's going to do at least triple duty.  Most BB creams offer light to medium coverage for imperfections, sunblock, and moisturize.  Some go further and whiten (for dark spots and/or acne scars) or have anti-wrinkle properties.  BB creams are perfect for lazy people like me who maybe want to shave five to ten minutes off of their get ready in the morning routine.

Sounds awesome, right?  Sold you, yeah?  Well, American BB creams... don't seem to do this.  At least not that well.  They seem to just be tinted moisturizers - crazy light coverage, some moisture, maybe some sunscreen as an afterthought.  Fffff, whatever.  So, what BB cream do I use?

 This is my HG BB cream, my Holy Grail, my sun and stars - Skin79 Hot Pink Super+ BB.  It whitens (and I have noticed a reduction in the dark marks acne leaves behind on my face in the two or so years I've used this product), it has SPF 25, and it allegedly helps with wrinkles.  That last claim, I don't know - it's not like I take photos of my face on the daily.  But what I do know is that it also does help with oily skin.  This is a BB cream meant for people with oily skin and/or acne, and it really does help with shine.  And the coverage is far better than any other BB cream I've ever tried, and that includes most Asian ones.

Here's my left hand.  I've got a mole and a freckle there.  Let's see if we can't cover 'em up some.

 This is the approximate amount I'd use to cover my whole face,  just one pump of the BB.  I know what you're thinking - dear god, is it ever grey!  That's nobody's skin color anywhere!

You're still thinking it, huh?  How is this ever going to match my skin?  Well, most Asian BBs are like this - they oxidize a bit, eventually matching your skin tone.  If you've ever used a complexion matching foundation - Almay and Josie Maran make them - it's the same thing as that.

Here's what it looks like blended.  The mole would need a little concealer, but overall, this is what I use on my face on a daily basis.  Instead of doing primer + foundation + concealer + powder, I use primer + BB cream + concealer but only if I need it so not very often + powder to set.  BB also lets me skip moisturizing my skin in the morning so I can just use a face wipe if I overslept like woah.

And there we go!  My first BB cream post.  I've got like, five other ones to review, but I wanted to let you guys know about my favorite one first.  And if you're cringing at the 30.00 price tag - I've never bought mine direct from Skin79, and this is my third bottle.  Right now, I'm digging KoCo Mall who has it for 20.99 USD, but pretty much any Asian reseller will have samples for two to ten dollars depending on the size.  Get a generous sample before you get the huge size, make sure you like it.  Most of the big samples have enough for a week or two of use.

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by me.  No compensation was received. All opinions are my own.  I am not affiliated with this seller.