It’s Saturday! This means sleeping in for most of us true college students– I, too, woke up at 1PM today with no guilt. Unfortunately, many of us find ourselves having a hard time adjusting back to the weekday schedule, sometimes waking up 15 minutes before class. This won’t be a problem for most boys and beautiful girls. The boys can throw on a t-shirt and run to class. The naturally beautiful do not have to worry about looking scruffy, either– they always look as if they had 12 hours of beauty sleep.
However, some of us (especially I) can’t just present themselves in public right after jumping out of bed. Here’s the good news: Even under the pressing time limit, there is a way to look fresh and hide the marks of sleep deprivation and not be late for class.
Control the Brows (~30 seconds)
Don’t sigh at the unruly brows anymore. Even after a rough night’s sleep, they can be tamed. All you need is a brow gel and twenty seconds! Clean brows are essential for well-put-together look, especially when there is not my eye-make up to divide up the attention. Unruly eyebrows pointing in all directions can ruin the overall impression of a person. Brush up starting from the inner corners then outwards with Maybelline Brow Gel.
maybelline.com
Erase the bag of under-eye dark circles (~50 seconds)
benefitcosmetics.com
The most important feature of one’s face are the eyes. If the eyes look haggard and puffy with dark circles, it’s impossible to look fresh, regardless of how many millimeters of make-up is applied to other parts of the face. I have been using Benefit’s Ooh La Lift every morning since junior year of high school– when the exhausting all-nighters started. Several pats and ooh la la! The pink brightening balm with is perfectly blended with any skin tone, upgrading the whole complexion. More reasons to love Ooh La Lift: it contains raspberry extracts and light-reflecting pigments that feel and smell soothing when applied. If you aren’t a big fan of $22 beauty experiments, try using any bright-colored shadow (non-shimmer/glitter) you already have– who says that eye shadow is only for eyelids? Instant complexion perk-up guaranteed.
*When used with eyeliner, under-eye brighteners and concealers give a nice contrast, kicking the eyeliner into full effect.
Give Color Where It’s Needed (~30 seconds): Cheeks and/ or Lips
We’re not talking the brown eye bags or the red acne. Fresh face cannot be discussed without the perfectly subtle rosy cheeks. Say goodbye to dull face with your favorite easy-application blush! For many people, a hint of peach is the go-to tone for tired face– it gives the skin a swipe of healthy, young glow. The NARS blush in Orgasm has won many beauty awards for its subtle peachy hue that complements any skin color and just enough highlights.
sephora.com
Not a blush kind of a girl? Freshen up those colorless lips! Skip the shimmery, super reflective lip gloss for the rushed mornings. Dramatically voluminous lips and no eye-make up look unbalanced together. Lip tints are perfect for natural and quick-fix color effects. Benetint from Benefit is the true queen of lip tints– one sweep over the lower lip and press for a stain that will last over six hours. Covergirl’s Lip Stains are great, too– they have more color options.
*Bonus: Benetint can be used for the cheeks too!
*Do not EVER apply lip tint excessively– as you can tell from the name, it will stain your lips and NOT come off, no matter how hard you rub your lips with tissue. (Confession: I’ve had embarrassing days from this.)
covergirl.com, benefitcosmetics.com
Voila! You can look more like this in less than three minutes! Fresh and natural without looking like you tried too hard or not at all!
**Don’t forget that the above steps would only be most helpful with healthy, clear skin. Make sure to use concealer or light foundation, depending on your skin’s needs.
Jina Lim
Co-Editor in Chief
