Unless you’re Beyoncé, we’re pretty sure that you didn’t wake up with razor sharp cat-eye flicks and the perfectly coiffed hair on a Monday morning. But don’t worry, because we’ve all had days where we walked into work sans make up, looking dead tired, even though we’re probably feeling wide awake. And, don’t get us started on the number of times we’ve tried to put on some mascara in the local train, only to poke ourselves the next minute. Your commute to work is probably not the safest or the best time to do your hair and make up, but if you must, here’s how you can go about it.
1. Do: Speed up the process at home
Not only are you super late for that important meeting, but your hair won’t behave and your skin feels thoroughly parched for your matte-finish foundation. We suggest you at least slather on some moisturiser before you head out of the door, to help your make up be smoother and work a leave-in conditioner into your hair to make it more manageable for that adorably quick and easy hairdo, which you save for emergency situations.
2. Don’t: Carry your entire make up bag
I think it’s quite safe to say that even our most natural make up looks require a chockfull of products and so, it is only natural to be tempted to pick up your entire make up bag while rushing out of the door. But here’s an easy way to cut through the hassle of tagging along a massive beauty arsenal – invest in sample-sized products. Lipsticks are easy enough to carry around, but it’s definitely not sensible to tag along glass bottles of foundations and a massive palette of your favourite eye shadows. Several make up brands offer gift sets which comprise of mini versions of their original products. And here’s a bonus: they look super adorable, which seems like reason enough, right?
3. Do: Apply eye make up and lip liner at a stop
Kohl, mascara, lip liners – all these require applications with precision, and so, make sure to do them only when the signal is red. These are also fairly easy to do in a moving train since train rides aren’t bumpy. Just make sure you don’t poke your own eye or your neighbour’s eye out.
4. Don’t: Go for heavy looks
Save your contouring for days when you have the time to do so. When in a rush, simply stick to the basics – light eyeliner, sheer base and a lipstick. Throw in a pot of cream blush that you can easily apply with your fingers and you’re good to go!
5. Do: Multitask with your products
This one is a no-brainer, but did you know that your lipstick can double up as a blush? Or that mixing a bit of your concealer with your face cream can give you just about enough of sheer to medium coverage and hydration? This way, you don’t have to carry multiple products and you’re saving time.
6. Don’t: Do your make up while you drive
Just don’t. There’s nothing more hazardous than trying to apply mascara while trying to change lanes on the road. It’s a lot more easier to do when someone else is driving. And so, know that it is okay to walk into office without any make up every once in a while. We’re sure that your boss understands that you’re perfectly capable of seizing the day without your picture perfect eyeliner.
