So here’s the deal, sometimes I’d rather spend an extra 30 mins in bed catching up on my beauty sleep than actually working on my beauty (aka. makeup). When I’m short for time, I take a 2 min shower, put my face in 10 mins, tousle my hair, set it with hair spray and run out the door.

The look I'm suggesting here might sound like a lot of makeup, but I find this is the best combo to help me feel and look pulled together. I could skim it back even more but I find doing so means my makeup fades by day or that I don't feel like myself. Hey - I'm just a full face of makeup kind of girl!

You'll see that I use a lot of light colours to brighten my complexion but also because they’re more forgiving and require less blending time. I should also mention that practice makes perfect with speedy makeup and if you don't get this look down in 10 minutes the first time, keep trying and modify it to suit your needs. 

Xo, Nathalie

1. MOISTURIZE
I like using a fast absorbing moisturizer in the morning because I don’t have time to wait for it to soak into my skin. Consonant Skincare makes my all time favourite one - it’s natural and organic and absorbs in no time!

2. PRIME
Nivea’s Post Shave Balm for men (sensitive skin formula) is the new holy grail of primers. I slather it all over my face, eye lids and neck, even if I’m short on time because it helps my makeup last. Otherwise, what’s the point in even wearing makeup if it’s just going to fade? (Don't worry, that manly scent will fade so you don't have to smell like a like a dude's armpit all day.) 

3. COVER, CONCEAL & SET
If I'm in a rush I ditch the Beauty Blender and reach for a foundation or BB cream that I can apply with my fingers. If I want more coverage I go for the Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water. For sheer coverage I like Kiehl's Skin Tone Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream with SPF. Both are excellent. For my severely dark under eyes, I always use Becca’s Under Eye Brightening Corrector. The light reflecting salmon shade erases the blue under my eye and preps the skin for concealer. Then I use Kat Von D’s Lock-It Concealer, which has excellent coverage and looks natural. Again, I just pat it in with my fingers. Finally to set my face, I lightly dust the best powder I've ever used, Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder, with a large fluffy brush. 

4. EYES
I like using light pinks and sheer purple shadows to help brighten up my tired face and have been loving Pixi's Mineral Palette in Amethyst Aura. I have olive skin and I never thought I could wear cool shades, but I tried it after watching a tutorial from Jaclyn Hill. It totally brightens the complexion so give it a try! For eyeliner, I use a waterproof black pencil, which is easier to apply and more forgiving than reaching for liquid liner if you make a mistake - Lancôme and Marc Jocobs make excellent highly pigmented, smudge proof liners. After, I curl my lashes and add a coat of mascara. Finally for brows, I love the NYX pencil in Chocolate for speedy arches.

5. CHEEKS & LIPS
Here I skip the contour and add a light dusting of bronzer on the hallows of the cheeks and forehead for warmth. On my cheeks I like a pop of pink blush for some colour. Finally lips - a cocoa pink lipstick like KVD's Double Dare will pull the look together for that fresh-face glow. And that's it! Now you're ready to conquer the day!