All you need is 7 minutes

Anyone who knows me knows I am NOT a morning person. In fact, there are many things that I do to maximize my sleep time... For example:

1. I try to only wear the clothes in my closet that I don’t need to iron

2. I set my alarm with enough time to snooze 3 times

3. I visualize what I’m gonna wear before I go to bed so I can just throw it on

AND

4. I have perfected my 7-minute make up routine

So to all the busy women in the world, who are on the go and don’t have a live-in make up artist, I’m sharing my 7-minute routine that has been my go-to for years!

Here’s how it works (scroll all the way to the end for links to my favorite items):

First things first - Clean, clean, clean: You have to start with a clean and moisturized face! You also need to have clean tools. If you want your make up to go on smoothly and beautifully, you have to start with a clean palate. My favorite cleansing system is: https://yelleskincare.com

Next: Use a primer. Now, I have to admit, I don’t always do this! Deciding to put on primer depends on how long I need my make up to last. If I’m doing a quick beat for a client meeting, or heading to my kids' activities, then I don’t bother with a primer. But if I’m going to be out all day and I need it to last, then primer is a must.

Foundation is up next. Depending on the occasion, I typically select from two different types of foundation. I use my medium coverage foundation, when I want a flawless look that will last all day. I use my light coverage when I want to look effortless and not “made up”. Both do the trick as long as you use a good foundation brush and blend it into your skin, all the way back to the hairline.

Start from the top down - Brow beat. When I am applying my make up, I tend to work from the top down. So, after I’ve applied my foundation, I work on my brows next. I love using my NYX bow pencil to brush, shape and fill in my brows. This is my go-to!! In fact I love this product so much, I usually have 2 on my vanity so that when one runs out, I have a back up! When doing your brows you want to brush them out into their natural shape then use the pencil to make light, quick strokes into your brow to fill it in.

Bust out the shadows - eye shadows that is. For my eyes I always use a trio of colors. For my everyday look I tend to use a neutral/ natural palate. I also ensure only one of those colors is a shimmer, the others are matte. The shimmer typically goes on the inner corner of my lid, the medium color goes in the crease and then the deeper shade goes on the outer corner. This will give you an instant but subtle daytime smoky-eye-look. You can rinse/ repeat this same process with any trio of colors. TIP: to transition to a night time look, grab a black shadow and go over the dark brown brown to deepen the outer corner of your eye.

Mascara for the win! Mascara is a MUST! Once your shadow is complete go ahead and put mascara on your lashes - both top and bottom lashed. For the record, I have tried SO many mascara brands. Some were $30 and some were less than $10. The one that holds my heart is the less than $10 one. Loreal's Voluminous ALWAYS works for me. This is another item that I tend to stock up on when I am at the local CVS.

Last but not least... Lips! The beauty of a neutral, subtle smoky-eye is that you can go bold on the lips if you want to. Depending on my mood, I can go as bold as a red lip, or get a little vamp with purple or I can keep it simple and stay neutral. My favorite neutral look pairs a brown liner with a nude lipstick - it creates a bit of an ombre effect.

If you have more time, knock yourself out and add whatever else you'd like - blush, bronzer, contour, etc.

Check out some of my favorite items

A few of my favorite things!

on the AbsolutelyAyanna-Amazon Page