How to Get Ready Faster, According to Makeup Artists

In a perfect world, we’d all have time to put on a face full of makeup every morning, if we so desire. But between work, kids, and everything life throws at us, that just isn’t always possible. However, just because you're in a rush doesn't mean you have to skip out on your makeup routine altogether. You just need a new strategy. Here are five tips to help you get ready faster in the morning, according to makeup artists. 

Declutter Your Makeup Stash

It’s faster to get ready if you know where everything is. So start by decluttering your makeup collection. Get rid of any makeup that's expired or that you don’t wear. 

Then rearrange your makeup into different drawers or organizers, separating your work look from your night-out look. This way you don’t need to sort through your smoky eye palettes when you’re trying to put on light neutrals and beat rush-hour traffic. 

Organize Your Products the Night Before

Another option is to lay things out the night before, explains Brittany Lo, professional makeup artist and founder of Beia. “The more you can do in advance to prepare for getting ready quickly in the future, the better. It takes prep work, but if my space is organized and my products are easy to grab, I find I can get ready so much faster. Sometimes, if I know I will be rushing to get ready, I lay out all my products in advance so I can quickly move from one to the next, and I worry about putting them away later.”

Start with the Eyes

Makeup artist Ashley Gomila tells me you’ll save time by applying your eye makeup before your foundation or anything else. “Starting with eye makeup keeps a clean slate to eventually apply primer and foundation. If you do the eyes last, it can slow down the process because of eyeshadow fallout or smudging.”

Avoid Time-Consuming Products

If you’re in a rush, Gomila advises against doing anything too complex or technical like a winged liner. Lo suggests avoiding dark colors because they can take a while to blend. “If I’m in a rush, I tend to go for the simplest applications that can be swiped on without having to worry about perfection,” Lo says.

Choose the Easier Option

There’s a fast way to do things and a slow way. For example, Lo recommends skipping the liquid liner and using a soft pencil instead. Contouring is another thing that can take a while, but that doesn’t mean an alternative can’t give you a similar look. “Instead of contouring, use self-tan drops and a setting spray to give yourself a natural glow. If you have time, you can even use self-tan to contour your face the night before and rinse in the morning.”

Learn a Five-Minute Makeup Routine

Remember, makeup isn’t all or nothing. Sometimes a few key products can help you look put together. If you typically wear a full face of makeup, practice a quick version that you can achieve in just five minutes.

For a five-minute makeup routine, focus on easy applications that have a big impact. “Curling eyelashes and a quick coat of mascara is especially effective when looking for big impact in a little bit of time,” Gomila says.

Gomila's quick routine: she curls her lashes and applies mascara, followed by fluffing and filling in brows, then finishing off with a brow gel. Then she puts on a little concealer and applies tinted moisturizer on a damp Beauty Blender. Finally, she finishes with a bold lip, which you can always apply on the go. 

Lo has a similar approach, but says it's OK to skip the eyebrows if you're in a hurry. “I feel like as long as you can swipe on concealer, blush, mascara, and lipstick, it looks like you’ve put yourself together well. This will even out your skin tone, add color, brighten your eyes quickly, and make a noticeable transformation.”