Three weeks ago I had to make a major life decision. Do I bring my entire lipstick collection to college or just half of it? Do I really need five different shades of red lipstick or is one enough? I settled for two by the way because one is NEVER enough!
As a self proclaimed beauty addict I expected to wear very elaborate makeup looks on most days. “My classes start at ten,” I said. “I’ll have more than enough time.” So, my first day of college came and I did just that. I wore a gorgeous cut crease smoky eye, contoured my face, strobed my face (because who says you can’t do both), and wore a bold lip. It looked great and I got a ton of compliments (#HighlightOnFleek #EyebrowsOnFleek).
Then came day two and I remembered something very important about myself, I LOVE SLEEP! Because I am who I am, I refused to stop wearing make up completely. Instead, after long contemplation, I figured out how to cut my makeup time in half. Now my makeup only takes me fifteen minutes but it still looks like I spent at least thirty. Here are my tips.
1. Switch from Foundation to a Tinted Moisturizer
In my opinion, liquid foundation gives skin the best look. However, it also takes the most time to apply and blend. So, I made a sacrifice and replaced it with a tinted moisturizer. My favorite is the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. There’s less coverage but it blends a lot faster, looks more natural, and is best applied with hands, which is great because ain’t nobody got time for brushes.
2. Try a Pressed Powder Eather than a Loose Powder
It is a lot quicker and far less messy. I love using the Mac Mineralize Skin Finish Natural powder. By the way, if you have very dry skin you can totally just skip powder and instead sleep for an extra minute.
3. Bronze Your Face Instead of Contouring
 I go for the J-Lo Glow instead of the Kim K Kontour. I use a big brush, dip it into my current favorite bronzer (the Makeup Forever Pro Bronze Fusion), and apply it all over the perimeter of my face. Since it’s not a contour I don’t have to be super precise and careful, which saves a ton of time.
4. Use a Shimmery Blush Instead of a Matte/Satin Finish Blush
Doing so allows you to skip the highlighter. I almost always use my Nars Orgasm blush for this.
5. Try Brow Mascara Instead of an Eyebrow Pencil/Pomade
My brows don’t look as perfect but it is still enough to make them look defined. Not to mention, this cuts my eyebrow time by more than half. I love using the Tarte Color Clay Tinted Brow Gel for this.
6. Tinted Lip Balm All the Way
It combines lip balm, lipstick, and lip gloss into one fast and easy step.
There you have it, six ways to cut your college morning makeup routine in half. Just remember, only wear makeup if you love makeup and wear it for yourself, not for others. Makeup has no rules. So experiment, have fun, and find what works best for you!