My Morning Make-Up Routine: Quick, Predictable and Polished

Good morning to half of the world !!! :) And to those who are getting ready for their lovely beds to wander  through dreamlands --- please go ahead and have your lovely beauty sleeps, ladies =)

The morning rush often kills our good vibes (if we let it). For women who had to go through the lengthy process to prettify or at least look decent for the corporate world out there, the RUSH shortens our me-time (THE bath) and even demands that we cut the “make-up window” to 15 minutes or less. Oh well, here in Manila, we can blame it on EDSA's snail-paced traffic and this weather of late which has got more mood swings than a woman.

We (women) have so little time and so much to do (and we're not talking about anything beyond skin-deep yet). We cleanse, tone, moisturize and mind our sunblocks. At the very least, we have to swipe on some lipstick or pat some powder on our faces. And the hair?!! Not to mention the closet dilemma of what-to-wear which we have to survive every time. I envy men on this aspect --- they can just have a two-minute bath, comb their hair, pick up another pastel-colored polo shirt (with that who-cares-if-I-wear-the-exact-shirt-once-a-week attitude) and breeze through the door with no handbag in tow. How in the world do they survive with that?

If you're another woman reading this post, how do you keep your morning routine quick, predictable and polished? Military style, yeah. 

Despite all this negativity about the weather and traffic, I just want to say that I love the seven o' clock sunshine. At least in this part of the world, and this part of the building, I get it best consistently at this exact time: 0700 hours. I get the best natural lighting and I'd sometimes sneak in some mug shots of random stuff on my table, just because... Eventually, these 7AM shots led me to this Morning Routine post --- Please don't expect something really fancy ('cause I am not a make-up maven), just the simple basics for that short “make-up window” to be quick, predictable and polished. =)

Here's a quick "helicopter" shot of moi's morning arsenal:)

Clockwise from left to right, moving inward:

Dermstrata Clindamycin Solution

Snoe Here Comes the Sunblock

VMV Armada Face Cover

Olay Moisturizer

Benefit Fake Up

Snoe Lippy Cheeky Tint

Snoe Poudre Phenomenon

Fanny Serrano Lash Curler

Carmex Lip Balm

Benefit Brow Zings

The Body Shop Kabuki Brush

L'Oreal True Match Powder Foundation

Suesh Eyebrow Brush

MAC 187 Stippling Brush (travel-size length)

Please read on.

A portrait of an ideal morning make-up time :)

But here's the real deal:

All lined up (just before THE bath) so they're ready when I come back.

“Ha-ha-ho-hum”...(after THE bath :)

Time check : 0700

My hair (which is going through some little improvements this year in terms of strength and manageability) is de-tangled using a wooden comb (The beauty experts say that a wooden comb is best for wet hair to prevent the static and breakage)...

Acca Kappa wooden comb

And then I leave the hair to air-dry (as much as possible) and keep it away from my face in preparation for a fuss-free, “short and sweet” (the theme of this year) make-up window.

I trust my Evita Peroni accessories (the clamp has traveled with me for probably three years) and the blue lacy band, given by my best friend Shirley, to do this neat job.

Keeping the hair strands away

I take a deep breath and smile. One second to tell the world that no one and nothing will take away my sunshine today. =)

Time check : 0702

For those days when I feel those little bumps, pimples or whiteheads on my face and neck, I use Dermstrata's clindamycin solution. Very mild and with zero sting (just apply a few drops --- no more than three).

Dermstrata Clindamycin Solution

Moisturizer time - ding! I got freebies from my BPI debit purchases so I think I have enough supply of Olay moisturizers to last me for months (yay, savings). Tiny dots are all I need; slathering it on your face like lotion will not do any good, right? Less is more.

Olay Moisturizer

Time check : 0704

When I want to cut time further, I mix the moisturizer with my sunblock, instead of applying them separately. I only trust VMV Armada for sunblocks (though a bit pricey --- I try to buy on the very rare 25% off sale-days). I tried Snoe's singkamas version but as you'll read in my review here, I decided to use that one for the body instead. My second best is Belo, which is a bit more affordable than VMV and still with an effective formulation. VMV just wins hands down because the formulation suits my sensitive skin.

VMV Armada Face Cover

While waiting for the creams to sink in and be absorbed, I swipe my Carmex lip balm. Putting it on ahead gives it more time to do its minty wonders on my usually chapped lips. I leave the tricky lipstick part for the office.

Carmex Lip Balm

Time check : 0706

A new entrant to my skin care: Thanks to Pond's for coming up with this smartly packaged eye cream. The white part (right) is for the upper lids and the gold part (left) is for those under-eye woes like fine lines and eye bags. Swiping these is soo easy now (they are mini roll-ons) and more hygienic vs. the pink-and-white creams in a jar.

New entrant: Ponds eye cream

Looking up...I swipe and pat away the under-eye concealer. I'm using Benefit's Fake Up. Another clever dual-purpose product: the concealer's inner core is fitted in with a moisturizing outer core. With this, I can even skip the Pond's eye cream (and leave the latter for my night time routine).

Benefit Fake Up

Time check : 0708

With the heat ready to melt away your make-up efforts, I prefer cheek tints. Lovin' this Lippy Cheeky Tint from Snoe. It smells like berries, too. I dot the tint on the apples of my cheeks and blend them outward with a brush. With just the right layering, I can make this last for more than eight hours (still there for after-office get-togethers :)

Snoe Lippy Cheeky Tint

Time check : 0710

I cannot leave without proper brows, hahaha. Benefit's Browzings have done me well for the past five months. There's the wax to define the eyebrows' shape and the very light brow powder to fill in sparse areas. And I believe this kit will last me for years (It took me two years to use up my The Body Shop brow kit before and they're almost of the same size).

Browzings brow kit

I curl my lashes with my Fanny Serrano lash curler (this trusty one has been serving me for more than three years; I only change the replaceable pads at least every six months). This is affordable, works great and is Philippine-made :)

Fanny Serrano Lash Curler

And with more time, I play with the neutral eyeshadows (obviously, these are the last on my list 'cause I wear very minimal eye make-up, and may decide to skip it on most days). 

Eye makeup: My conservative take

Sidenotes on the picture above:

• Instead of the mini brushes that come with the Browzings brow kit (which work just fine though a bit short for an efficient application), I use my Fanny Serrano brush (black brush, above) for my Browzings' wax and my Suesh brush (grey and peeling :(, above) for my Browzings' brow powder. 
• Obviously, by the looks of my Suesh eyebrow brush (the skin peeled away when it met a still unknown accident of the chemical spillage kind earlier this year), I do need to replace it. But since the brush still works, I'm sticking it out. 
• And the OC me labels my eyeshadow pallette, hahaha (line, crease, etc.)

Time check : 0712

I brush loose powder (I'm using Snoe's Poudre Phenomenon) over my brows and eye make-up (if any ;) and the under-eye area (to help seal in the concealer). 

Snoe Poudre Phenomenon

Time check : 0713

Using The Body Shop's kabuki brush (this one has been serving me well, too --- at least four years), I dot and blend powder foundation over my entire face and neck. The bronzer brush is the "alternate"  during kabuki's wash days :)

The Body Shop brushes: bronzer (left), kabuki (right)

I love L'Oreal's True Match simply because it is indeed my true match. There are loads of shades to choose from (I believe that my shade changes from season to season so I make sure to test and select the more flexible in-between shade). Plus the compact is refillable. So there.

L'Oreal True Match Powder Foundation

Time check : 0715

Once more, I brush loose powder all over my face and neck...Of all my powder brushes, it's only MAC's stippling brush that works well with my Snoe Poudre Phenomenon (the loose powder is like cornstarch but with a nice silky texture). The other brushes (Suesh, The Body Shop kabuki or bronzer brushes) tend to disperse the powder all around me and I'd end up coughing :(

MAC 187 Brush

The mascara comes last (so it doesn't absorb any of the stray powder dust from the eyeshadow, foundation or loose powder)...Any mascara will do for me as long as it's waterproof (I love Maybelline but I'm using up my Revlon right now).

Time check : 0716

And I'm done!!! With the heat, I again reserve the scents for the office where there is proper air conditioning.

Another day to conquer. 
As I'd often sign in my emails before: I live each day as if it's my only lifetime. 
Life is short and beautiful my dears. 
Let's brave that traffic and show the world our most beautiful selves so Little Miss Mean Negativity will die with envy. 

P.S. The military times indicated above are not meant to be strictly followed but only to serve as a workable guide. So please don't stress your selves dearies =) 

Disclaimer: I am not a beauty blogger. I do not recommend or rate products per se. I only share my experiences while using them and the whole thought process behind getting, using, falling in love or hating the product. I leave the beauty blogging to the experts; in fact, I go back to their reviews from time to time though I may not necessarily agree with all of these --- What's good for her may not be necessarily good for me. I am a confessed novice in every way --- I only try to view each experience with "new eyes" and reflect some more on how beauty can be a gift that should be experienced rather than seen. So don't take my word for it --- What works for me may not necessarily work for you --- but go ahead and take that adventure! The risks we take do make our lives interesting. =)