Cute Makeup Tips

Mornings are harsh (and yet I'm up after midnight writing this!). There's just not enough time in the day to do everything I want to accomplish. My day starts in the wee morning and it ends in the wee morning. You'd think spending half the morning in a drowsy state and getting sick would teach me a lesson.

Being able to put makeup on or style my hair is a luxury these days with two little ones. Applying my makeup in a matter of minutes is a must! Here are the products I currently use on a daily to look fresh faced and somewhat presentable in 5 minutes!

Top Row:

Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector ($19.99 CAD): You'd have to be hiding under a rock if you haven't heard about the latest craze in beauty. BB Creams, a beauty secret from Asia, is now hitting North America. What is a BB cream and why all the buzz? BB creams is an all-in-one skin perfecting product that  combines skincare with makeup. Some are even made to improve acne overtime. 

I first learned of it when my brother's girlfriend from Korea was visiting us. She said she loved because it improved the overall appearance of her skin and lightened her skin too. Making my skin lighter really didn't appeal to me so I brushed it off not really thinking it would make its way here. 

Brands like Garnier have included all the skin nourishing properties minus the skin lightening ingredients. I've heard Marcelle's is really good and I tested Estee Lauder's version. I found it to be drying for my skin and the shade was too light. I've been testing out Garnier's for a few weeks now and so far I'm liking it. Here's what I like about it: evens out my skin tone, diffuses my wrinkles and fine lines, makes my skin look radiant, and is ultra moisturizing. It also has sun protection. It's a cinch to put on especially if you're in a hurry!

The shade I received is medium-dark. It seems to match me pretty well, but it has a slight pink undertone. After it sets, it just looks like my skin. The coverage is like that of a tinted moisturizer. I'm not really sure what sets it apart from some TM's that also offer anti-aging ingredients, SPF, and coverage. Possibly BB creams offer higher anti-aging ingredients? All in all, I really love how my skin looks after. I get decent coverage in a matter of seconds. Available January 2012. 

Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener ($18 USD): A staple! An eye brightener and concealer all in one. Read my full review here. 

Anastasia Brow Duality ($23 USD): A multi-purpose highlighter for brows, eyes, cheekbones, and even the top of your lips! I like to wear this in the inner corner for a brightening effect. Read my full review here. 

Shu Uemura Eye Lash Curler ($26 CAD): I never go a day without this! This lash curler gives my lashes the most perfect curl. 

L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Waterproof Mascara ($12 CAD): For the longest time I was using Covergirl LashBlast Waterproof Mascara, then I moved on to various ones from L'Oreal to Maybelline to some high end ones. The drugstore near me had a sale on L'Oreal mascaras so I picked up this one. I hadn't really heard reviews for it but I picked it up anyways. It's a great waterproof mascara with minimal smudging. I'm able to get my lashes full and long with lots of curl (waterproof mascara is the only thing that can curl these straight lashes). The only downside, not a huge one, is that my lashes look crunchy and hard rather than soft and fluttery. 

tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner ($18 USD): Finally an eyeliner that actually doesn't smudge! For subtle definition I like to smudge underneath my top lash line very close to the base of my lashes. Read my full review here. 

Bottom Row: 

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Pink Blossom ($7.99 CAD): Tinted lip balms are the easiest lip products to wear. You get a little colour and it hydrates at the same time. I love Burt's Bees tinted lip balms. They are inexpensive and give just enough colour. Pink Blossom is a soft pink, but surprisingly it really shows on the lips! I think it's the perfect shade of pink - not too red and not too pale. I also love Tiger Lily for a peachy nude lip. Read my full review here. 

Korres Cherry Picked Cherry Oil Lip Gloss ($17 USD): When I want a little glossy shine, I love wearing these glosses from Korres! For a pink nude lip, I like layering Light Purple 23 over top of Burt's Bees Pink Blossom. Read my full review here.

Becca Beach Tint: I think a flush of colour on the cheeks is the perfect perk-me-up. These lovelies don't budge and give the prettiest glow. Thanks to ebeauty.ca, I was able to add Guava, Grapefruit and Peach to my collection. Read my full review here. 

Benefit PosieTint ($36 CAD): I like to go between a few cheek tints and this is definitely one I reach for. Read my full review here. 

Revolution Organics Beauty Balm ($34 CAD): When I want a really dewy finish and when my skin is screaming for moisture I love dabbing these puppies on. For a really quick look, I use Bronzed on my eyes, cheeks and lips. I own all three in Blushed, Sunkissed, and Bronzed. Read my full review here. 

When you only have 5 minutes, what are your go-to products? 

Summer time fun is no fun when your makeup is melting off your face or looks caked on. Here are a few face savers that have been in heavy rotation in my kit! 

1. Make Up For Ever HD Complexion Travel Kit ($34 CDN): If you want to achieve an HD ready face on and off camera this is the kit for you. Set includes 3 best-sellers: HD Elixir, HD Microperfecting Primer, and HD Microfinish Powder. 

The Exlir is a gel serum designed to boost the skin's moisture by 520% in 15 minutes. I really love this serum. My skin is pretty sensitive and without a moisturizer feels really tight. I tried the serum without a moisturizer and my skin felt well hydrated. Only a small amount is needed to cover the face.

The HD Microperfecting Primer is fantastic! It has an oil-free formula that glides onto the skin. My skin feels so smooth with the combination of the Elixir and primer. Makeup blended perfectly onto the skin and lasted all day. It has become one of my new favourite primers!

The HD Microfinish Powder is made with 100% mineral Silica powder. I love the soft focus effect it gives your skin. It works for all skin-tones and definitely helps the staying power of the makeup. Overall, it's a great sample kit if you've been wanting to try these products.

2. freshMinerals Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 ($25 USD): Absolutely loving this tinted moisturizer for many reasons. This all-natural mineral tinted moisturizer gives the skin a beautiful healthy glow and protects your skin from the sun. It's tinted but it definitely gives the skin good coverage and it's water-proof. However, if you have a blemish or pimple it won't be enough to cover it. My favourite feature is the twist top foundation brush. I've used similar products and the brush always made a mess. When you squeeze the tube an excess amount doesn't spurt out. You get just enough and the on and off twist top prevents messes and wasting product. There are 5 shades to choose from - I'm Sand and works great from my bronzy skin.

3. Benefit POREfessional ($34 CDN): If you suffer from big pores suffer no more! I am so loving the silky smooth balm that instantly minimizes the appearance of pores and primes the skin. It is oil-free, extremely lightweight, and can be used over and under your makeup. Makeup just glides on effortlessly and keeps your makeup looking flawless all day. It's also great at mattifying the skin. Available July 2010. 

4. LUSH Colour Supplement ($13.95 CDN): LUSH has makeup?? This mineral-oil free multi-purpose base can be used in many different ways. This base offers full coverage but if you prefer a lighter coverage mix with your favourite moisturizer for a lighter, dewier finish. It also works amazing as a concealer. Made with red rose petal infusion to calm redness and glycerine to help retain moisture, it gives the skin a beautiful finish. It is available in 4 shades: Light Pink Colour (lightest shade and most versatile), Dark Pink Colour (darkest), Light Yellow (pale or ivory skins), Dark Yellow (olive and yellow skins). The Dark Yellow works great for my skin tone. The only downside is that since it is an all-natural vegan product, the shelf-life of this is about a year and since it comes in a jar you'd have to use a spatula to avoid contamination. And beware, it may melt! 

5. Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Roller ($19.99 CDN): I'll be honest, I was prepared to be disappointed by this product. I've tried tinted under-eye products before and all have been a complete fail. I was pleasantly surprised by the coverage and how the mineral pigments instantly brightened my death circles! The cool feel of the roller ball also soothed my puffy tired eyes. The combination of the caffeine gel formula and the roller ball help energize and stimulate circulation. The lemon essence is known for its clarifying properties and brightens the eye area. I was afraid it would alter the colour of my concealer but it didn't. In fact, I ended up using less concealer! The shade is a shimmering beige and is supposed to be a universal shade. It says that it offers "flawless coverage for most skin tones" so it probably is too light for you dark-skinned beauties, however, may work underneath your concealer or foundation. Available August 2010. 

6. Cover FX Conceal FX ($27 CDN): The lovely team over at Cover FX held a flash mob outside Toronto's Eaton Center back in April. After the crazy mob of people died down, I luckily went home with a full-size sample of their popular Conceal FX! It erases under eye circles, blemishes, sun damage, redness, tattoos, birth marks, and even moles. I love how opaque yet emollient the concealer is. I've been finding my Benefit Erase Paste is a little too creamy for this humid weather, but Conceal FX doesn't feel heavy and stays put. It is also water-proof and HD friendly. This is a must-have concealer! 

7. Skindinavia No More Shine Makeup Finish ($12.50-57 USD): I haven't actually been using this on myself because I don't really have a problem with excess oil. Instead, I've been using it on my brides at bridal trials to see how well this spray actually works. I sprayed this on prior to foundation then once again after all the makeup had been applied. The verdict? There's no question the makeup lasts longer, but my brides did notice the shine creep up after 3 or 4 hours versus the 16 hours that it claims to do. However, the amount of oil and shine that appeared was a lot less and kept the shine at bay a couple more hours longer than without. But even with a bit of oil, the makeup did not smear or melt off. Only touch-ups required was a little blotting. If you have oily skin I'd recommend trying the smallest size before committing to a full size bottle. Overall, my brides were happy with the results! 

Have you tried any of these products? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em? What must-have face products have you been using for the hot weather?