Ahhh. Fall semester is back, and you’re ready to be back with your friends...but not quite so ready to be hitting the books again. The workload will slowly pick up and the library will become your second home again—which brings me to the common thought many of you will have: When do I even have time to make myself look presentable?
Well guess what? You will have time. Can you still rock the effortlessly chic top bun that you spend (tops) 15 seconds on? Why of course. But here’s the twist: this time you’re going to pair the bun along with an effortlessly chic makeup look. Save your moans and groans for studying, because this look does not entail all you may believe it to.
Peep the list below for four products that can easily fit into your bag, and that can be applied anywhere:
1. Hydration Mist
With all the coffee you order from Starbucks, who knows how dehydrated you become. No one’s stopping you from drinking your daily cup(s) of Joe, but do stop yourself from having dry skin (one of coffee’s effects if you over-indulge). A hydration mist will have you energized before your face is physically hitting the books. And if you do happen to have some basic coverage on your face such as tinted moisturizer, foundation, BB or CC cream—a mist will help set it in from time to time. A few spritzes will do the trick, and you can apply as frequently as needed. Try Avene Thermal Spring Water (aveneusa.com, $18.50).
2. Mascara
Most people feel naked without mascara. It’s obvious—longer lashes widen anyone’s eyes, no matter how small. And what’s great is that with mascara, you can totally ditch the eyeliner and eye shadow. Easy. Plus, there are so many different cheap mascaras that can give you just as thick, long lashes, as your favorite high-end one. Try Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara in Very Black (Maybelline.com, $6.49) to really elongate and darken your lashes without them looking clumpy.
3. Eyebrow Brush/Pomade
You don’t have to be Cara Delevingne to rock killer brows. And as you know, when your eyebrows are on point, the rest of your day is on point as well. Since your brows are the focus of your face, your eyes can still pop without eye makeup. Not to mention, getting your eyebrows’ ish together doesn’t have to take more than 1 minute. All you need is a brush and pomade, such as Benefit Cosmetics Angled Eyebrow Brush & Spoolie ($20, ulta.com) and Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade ($18, ulta.com). The trick: Take concealer and lightly underline the bottom of your eyebrows. Then, using the brow brush with a dab of pomade on it—make three little marks on your brows: one at the start, one at the middle, and one at the end. Gently “connect the dots” and color it in.
4. Concealer
To look like a raccoon or to not look like a raccoon…that is the question. You don’t need a full face of heavy coverage to look like you’ve slept 8 hours (although that would help). Similar to how a good brow brush/pomade can let you skip out on eye makeup—the right concealer will let you get away with a bare face. The focus is on the eyes, so you want that area to look bright and glowy.
Some people believe that a concealer with more of a pink undertone will help them achieve that bright and glowy look. However, the key lies within the consistency of the concealer more so than the color. If it’s more matte, the color won’t matter—it’s going to look drying and matronly. So keep your eye out for a concealer that is more moisturizing. And when you do apply it, abstain from using your fingers to spread it, because you are then pulling on the delicate area around your eye. And that means wrinkles…(yeah, no thanks). Try NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (Sephora.com, $29).
