The 30-Second Makeup Routine (Seriously!)
There’s nothing quite as stressful as the a.m. frenzy when you’re trying to get the kids out the door, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and figure out where the hell you left your keys. Who has time to slap on a full face of makeup?
We get it, because we live that same daily drama, which is why we asked Shen Lead Makeup Artist Samson Smith to put together a full makeup routine that will only take you 30 seconds to do. Six products, half a minute, totally put-together — promise.
“If you don’t have 30 minutes to do a ritualized makeup routine, it’s really beautiful to have things that are super portable, really user-friendly, and mistake proof,” says Samson. “It’s important to give yourself at least 30 seconds in a day to love yourself and apply things that make you feel good and look good.”
Keep reading for his ridiculously quick, so-easy-you-can-do-it-in-an-Uber, morning makeup routine.
The Products:
Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick
Westman Atelier Lit Up Highlighter Stick
Kosas 10 Second Eyeshadow in Globe
Westman Atelier Eye Love You Mascara
Kosas Wet Oil Lip Gloss in Jaws
The Routine:
Step One: Foundation
“The Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick is made to control redness and is easy to just swipe on and go. I apply in a triangle shape under the eye, a dot on the center of the forehead, a little bit down the nose, and the center of the chin. Then I blend it with my fingers, starting from the inside of the face and blending outwards. You can either tap it in, which will give you more coverage, or do a sweeping motion to give it more of a blend. If you have blemishes or undereye circles to hide, use it as your concealer by putting your finger directly on the stick and then tapping on the area you want to cover.”
Step Two: Blush
“I like to apply Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick on the cheek, aligning it with the pupil of the eye and then blending upwards and out, like a little Nike swoosh. I use the bottom of my palm — my palm butt, if you will — to blend because it makes sure you don’t leave any fingerprint marks.”
Step Three: Highlighter
“Swipe Westman Atelier Lit Up Highlighter Stick from the tail of the brow to the hollow of the cheek — in a kind of a crescent moon shape. That will give you a really beautiful lit cheek. Always pat with your highlighter to work it into the skin — a tapping motion is actually pushing the product into the skin, rather than smearing it all over.”
Step Four: Eyeshadow
“Place a dot of Kosas 10 Second Eyeshadow on each eyelid in the center, but not too close to the lashline — it’s a liquid and you don’t want it to drip — and then just blend it in a circular motion with your ring finger. It’s kind of like a watercolor and it blends itself and is soft, so there are no hard edges. That makes it look like a really blended application of shadow instead of a messy creamy thing. And it doesn’t separate — it dries down into a layer on your lid, so you don’t get those creasy lines that we hate. I like to use the Globe shade because it’s the most natural-looking.”
Step Five: Mascara
“You should always look down and put your chin up when you apply mascara — it flattens the eyelid and makes sure you don’t get any mascara smears above or underneath your eye. Take Westman Atelier Eye Love You Mascara and put the brush at the base of your lashes and wiggle it up. I also wait two to three seconds for my mascara to dry before looking back up.”
Step Six: Lip Color
“Take Kosas Wet Oil Lip Gloss and dab a little bit on the center of the lips, gum them together, and you’re good to go. It gives you a really nice, sheer flush. I like to use Jaws — it’s not as bright red as it looks in the tube. It’s more of a just-bitten stain.”
And there you have it — Samson’s patented “Looking super-polished but not trying too hard” makeup look. See, told you it was quick and easy. We really wish we could help you with that whole lost keys situation...