Applying your make-up doesn’t have to take long! You can achieve quick make-up looks and still look just as fabulous as if you had spent hours doing it.

Foundational routine

The key to any quick make-up look is a great foundational routine. There’s nothing more satisfying than reaching the point where prepping your face is quick, intuitive and effective. The looks we’ll be featuring don’t include contouring and specialised techniques. These looks are for the girl on the go.

10 – 15 seconds: Dot and distribute your fave primer across your face, concentrating on your eyes, cheeks and lips. You can totally skip the areas that won’t be layered with pigmented products, if your skin allows.
30 – 60 seconds: Apply your foundation or mild coverage BB/CC cream, again skipping the bits that don’t need it. Using a beauty blender, you can blend any cross-over areas to ensure the product evens your skin tone and doesn’t have hard lines.
10 – 15 seconds: Pop on some setting powder, making sure to sweep a light dusting across your eyelids. Focus on your shinier areas – these tend to be the forehead, bridge of the nose and chin, but it can differ.

Products to try:
1. Clarins SOS Primer
2. Essence Pretty Natural Hydrating Foundation
3. Black Opal Invisible Oil Blocking Loose Powder

All things blush like Ash Walker

Sometimes all you need is a pretty moment with blush tones.
 
40 – 60 seconds: Sweep and blend a matte pink or peach shadow (depending on your skin tone) across your eyelids with a fluffy brush, leaving your brow bone bare. For a touch of extra dimension, opt for a fine shimmer shadow.
10 – 15 seconds: Swipe a lengthening mascara along your top lashes. For a more doll-like look, touch your mascara wand to your bottom lashes. Use your lash comb or a spoolie to remove excess and separate all your lashes for a clean look.
5 – 10 seconds:Dot and blend a tiny amount of highlighter into the tip of your nose and into the corners of your eyes.
10 seconds: Here a little pink or peach gloss or tinted balm is a treat.

Products to try:
1. Maybelline FaceStudio Master Strobing Stick Illuminating Highlighter
2. MAC Powder Kiss Eyeshadow
3. Maybelline Lifter Gloss

A fuss-free smokey eye look like Simone Asshley

A soft and subtle smokey liner is an easy way to achieve instant glamour. It’s a fuss-free and versatile look that works really well as a day to night face.

40 – 60 seconds: Sweep and blend a matte, neutral shadow across your eyelids with a fluffy brush, stopping at your crease.
10 – 20 seconds: Gently run a gel liner or angle brush dipped in primer and your choice of shadow along your top lash line. Then use your finger or a small shadow smudging brush to diffuse the colour into a smokey line.
10 – 15 seconds: Run a dark gel liner along the outer two thirds of your lash line to further define your eye shape.
5 – 10 seconds: Use a soft angle brush to drag a tiny bit of smokey shadow below your lower lash line, tapering it off halfway along your eye. Don’t go crazy, all you want is a touch of colour to soften the overall look of your eye.
10 – 15 seconds: Swipe mascara along your top lashes with a back and forth wiggle to coat and separate your lashes. You can go through your lashes with a lash comb or spoolie if it looks oversaturated and clumpy.
10 – 15 seconds: Sweep a light, shimmer-free blush across your cheek bones. Try not building the pigment, your smokey liner will be the main attraction.
5 – 10 seconds: Dot and blend a tiny amount of highlighter onto the tip of your nose and into the corners of your eyes.
10 seconds: Fill your lips with a neutral lip liner and swipe a
tiny touch of balm over it to blend and hydrate your lips. Remember that your eyes anchor this look so sticking to a neutral, hydrating balm or lippie is best.

Products to try:
1. Revlon Colorstay Glaze Shadow Stick 
2. Nuxe Rêve de Miel Lip Stick
3. Kiss RK Large Eyeshadow Brush

A dusty neutral look like Zoë Kravitz

While it follows a rather linear and traditional technique, the finished result is complex, versatile and demure. Taking it from day to night is as easy as a quick swipe of bronzy shimmer shadow, especially paired with a rich neutral toned lippie.

40 – 60 seconds: Sweep and blend a matte brown shadow across your eyelids and into the crease with a fluffy brush. Leave your brow bone bare.
10 – 20 seconds: Gently run a soft, dark brown liner along your top lash line and below your bottom lash line. Then use your pinky finger or a small shadow smudging brush to diffuse the colour into a controlled and subtle smokey line. This is for definition, not intensity so try not to overdo it.
10 – 15 seconds: Swipe a lengthening mascara along your top and bottom lashes. Use your lash comb or a spoolie to remove excess and separate all your lashes for a clean look.
10 – 15 seconds: Dot and blend a tiny amount of highlighter into the tip of your nose and into the corners of your eyes.
10 seconds: A hydrating nude gloss or tinted balm will complete this look.

 
Products to try:
1. Pretty Eyeshadow Palette Wind 
2. KULTURE Define Mascara in Black 
3. L’Oreal Paris Infallible 36H Grip Gel Auto Eyeliner

Winged eyeliner and red lippie like Lashana Lynch

Is there anything more classic than pairing a black winged liner with a  red lippie? A classic that suits many skin tones and face shapes, this look adds drama without flinching.

40 – 60 seconds: Sweep and blend a touch of brown, neutral shadow across your eyelids and into your crease with a blending brush.
5 – 10 seconds: Dot and blend a tiny amount of highlighter on the arch of your brow bone.
20 – 60 seconds: Gently run a liquid liner along your top lash line from the outer corner inwards. Start thin and build towards your flick without pulling on your skin. Remember your wings are meant to be sisters, not twins.
10 – 15 seconds: Swipe curling or volumising mascara along your top lashes with a back and forth wiggle to coat and separate your lashes. You can go through your lashes with a lash comb or spoolie if it looks too dense and cakey.
10 – 15 seconds: Sweep a light, shimmer-free peachy blush across your cheek bones. Try not building the pigment – your winged liner and lips are the focal points.
5 – 10 seconds: Dot and blend a tiny amount of highlighter into the tip of your nose.
15 – 20 seconds: Line and fill your lips with a neutral or brick-toned lip liner and anchor the entire look by swiping on your favourite shade of red matte lippie. From bright red, to deeper colours – a red pout is the rose to your face. 

Products to try:
1. Yardley Precision Liquid Eyeliner 
2. MAC Matte Lipstick 
3. Rimmel WonderLast Brow Tint

Words by Stefanie Titus-Petersen 
Photography: Gallo/gettyImages, Photo by BKA photos/Pexels, courtesy images
All products available at selected Foschini stores and foschiniforbeauty.co.za.