I’ve recently gone back to school after seven years of not being in school, and it’s been an adjustment getting ready earlier in the morning, and looking put together everyday. When I first went to college when I was 18, I did not care about looking put together. We wore jeans, or even sweatpants, and a t-shirt everyday. I didn’t wear makeup very often unless I was going out in the evenings or weekends.

Now that I’m in hair school, we have a dress code and we need to look put together, like we are ready to work in a salon. This requires having my black dress pants ready, as well as my school shirts, and doing my hair and makeup every morning. When I do my makeup to go to a freelance appointment, or even to go out somewhere, I take my time to do my makeup. When I’m getting ready at six in the morning, I need to get it done within 15-20 minutes.

I’ve thought about some tips to look put together in a short amount of time over the past week of trying to get ready quickly:

-Think about what you want your look to be the night before so you have a game plan. It saves time wondering what you’re going to do that morning.

-If you don’t need foundation, skip it! Use concealer on a few spots you need to cover and leave the rest of your skin to breathe if you have great skin.

-Use shadows for dual purposes. Use a darker eyeshadow to line your upper lash line. Defining your eyes with shadow means if you make a mistake it’s a bit easier to blend it out, and you’re saving having to use yet another product when you’re rushing. You probably have a darker colour you can use in a palette. That’s another good idea – use a palette that all the colours you’ll need are in one spot! Try to use one palette a day to save a few seconds here and there.

-Use a natural colour on your lips to prevent having to get the perfect line you require when wearing a dark or bright colour.

-If you’re trying to look nice and presentable in a hurry, don’t go overboard with contouring and highlighting. It’s not necessary for everyday. Stick to eyes, lips, and an even skin tone.

I hope these help with a new routine, or one you’re already trying to shorten. It’s been what I’ve been doing this week and it’s helping me get ready a little quicker, while still looking polished!

About the Author

Tina Michelle is a freelance makeup artist in Oshawa, Ontario. She loves to help others feel better about themselves by teaching them to use makeup as a tool at their disposal to bring their best face forward. She never wants you to feel like makeup is something that you have use to cover yourself up so you are considered pretty. You already are beautiful! Tina hopes to help you discover that makeup is fun and can be playful, and doesn’t have to be another chore on a to-do list. You can find her on Facebook here: (www.Facebook.com/MakeupByTinaMichelle/) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/MakeupByTinaM.com/) or Instagram: (www.twww.instagram.com/MakeupByTinaMichelle/)