Beauty & the Brush: Quick makeup tips

Maria Saadat shares some of our favour­ite time saving tips to keep you fabulo­us as you text, bbm your way out door.

As much as we love pampering ourselves, sometimes we just don’t have the time to be massaged, primped and spoiled at our local beauty salon. Like other women of 2011, we’re always on the go and have to use shortcuts to look our best in a flash. Here, we share some of our favourite time saving tips to keep you fabulous as you text and bbm your way out the door.

Makeup:

Have dry, flaky lips that are accentuated by lipstick but can’t fit in an exfoliation? Smear your mouth with ample balm or Vaseline before beginning your makeup routine. By the time you finish your eyes, the moisture will have sunk into your lips. Blot the balm and apply your favourite colour.

Waking up for work some mornings is absolutely torturous. Line the inner rims of your eyes with a white liner - you’ll appear fresh and awake and your boss will not have to know how late you stayed up the night before.

Skincare:

If you battle puffy eyes in the morning, keep your under eye cream in the fridge over night. Any swelling from a late night working or partying will disappear thanks to the cold and your product’s ingredients working together.

Do you miss your fresh summer skin? Maintaining a dewy look in the winter doesn’t have to be difficult - just your skin moisturised. Apply your lotion as usual before makeup application, then, once you are ready to go, spread a little more face cream on your fingers and gently pat into your skin. This will replenish any moisture lost from using foundation and will calm any flakes or dry areas.

Nails:

We all adore the gleam of our nails after a manicure. However, the shine tends to fade after a few days, leaving digits looking dull - and who has time to go back to the salon? Preserve your colour and keep your nails looking glossy by reapplying your topcoat every other day. Be sure to use a thin layer to avoid peeling.

If you can’t fit regular manicures into your schedule but still want to look polished, keep your nails neatly filed and be sure to moisturise your cuticles. Massage a little olive oil to the base of your nails at least two nights a week. This will help your nails grow while getting rid of the unsightly dry circles around your digits.

Hair:

Our worst fear is having our hair frizz out with no products or tools at hand. Avoid a poufy hair do with a little bit of hand lotion - squirt a little into your palm along with a drop of water and run your fingers through your hair. Twist your hair into a low bun for a few minutes. When you remove the hair band you will see smoother hair.

Ready to walk out the door and see your hair has fallen flat? Don’t bother getting back in the shower. Spritz a little root booster (or hair spray if that’s all you have) near your scalp. Then, blow-dry your hair for a few minutes with your head flipped down. You’ll find your tresses bouncy and volumised.

Maria Saadat is author of the popular desi beauty site Lipstick Masala.

QUESTION TIME

Do you have a question about make-up? Can’t figure out a hairstyle for an upcoming wedding? Do your attempts at smoky eye make-up leave you looking like a raccoon? Have no fear! E-mail your questions and issues to [e-mail] and Maria Saadat will respond to them in an upcoming column.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2011.