How to Do Makeup: A Natural Makeup Order That Takes 15 Minutes
Makeup is done by applying complexion products to moisturized skin first, followed by eye and lip products; in practice, it takes 15 minutes. The complexion layer takes about 6 minutes, eyes 5 minutes, and lips and setting 4 minutes. When this order breaks, products don't sit on top of each other properly and break down during the day.
What shortens the time isn't working fast; it's keeping the number of products fixed. More than eight products adds a few minutes every time. Lining up products from left to right in the order you apply them also eliminates the time spent picking products in between.
What Should the Makeup Order Be? The Right Sequence of Products
The makeup order should go from thin textures to thick ones: moisturizer, primer, tinted complexion product, concealer, powder, blush and contour, eye products, lips, setting spray. The most common mistake among people looking up the step-by-step order is using powder before concealer; this reversed order makes concealer look textured.
- Moisturizer and primer
- BB cream, CC cream or compact foundation
- Liquid concealer, then compact powder
- Blush, contour and highlighter
- Brows, eyeshadow, mascara and a lip product
How to Do Everyday Makeup: The Short Morning Version
Everyday makeup is done in four steps made up of a single-shade complexion product, concealer, brows and mascara, and it's done in 6-7 minutes. Multitasking products like a hydrating BB cream combine moisturizing and the complexion step in one layer, shortening the morning routine.
For everyday use, concealer goes only where it's needed: the under-eye triangle, the sides of the nose and any red spots. A single brush-through for brows and a single coat of mascara for lashes is enough. These four steps leave a layer light enough that it won't need a touch-up by late afternoon.
How to Do Natural Makeup: A Clean Look with Fewer Products
Natural makeup is done in shades close to your skin tone and in thin layers. Instead of applying a complexion product all over the face, it's enough to apply liquid concealer only to red areas, brush through the brows and apply one coat of mascara. A satin finish is preferred over matte, and sheerness over high coverage.
When choosing a shade, the reference point is where the face meets the neck, not the jawline. When you're between two shades, choosing the lighter one is safer; a darker shade leaves a line in daylight. Testing by a window shows the difference at first glance.
What makes a look natural isn't the number of products but the amount. Using half the amount of the same product makes a bigger difference than switching to a different product.
How to Do Makeup at Home: Lighting and Prep
At home, makeup is done facing a window in a spot that gets daylight; yellow bulbs are misleading for shade selection. Before application, cleanse and moisturize the skin, then wait 2-3 minutes. When the cleansing routine is skipped, products can't grip the surface and separate by midday.
What Makeup Essentials Do You Need? The Core Products of the Routine
The makeup essentials needed for a 15-minute routine are: tinted moisturizer or compact foundation, concealer, powder, blush, brow pencil, mascara, a lip product and setting spray. On the application side, a single multipurpose brush and a sponge cover most of the steps.
Before adding to this list, check whether your existing products already do two jobs. Blush in stick form can also be used on the lips; highlighter can stand in for eyeshadow on the inner corner of the eyelid. Every dual-purpose product cuts about a minute from the routine.
How to Set Makeup: The Final Step for All-Day Wear
At the end, makeup is set with setting spray sprayed from 8-10 inches away from the face. The spray is applied as a fine mist and left to dry without touching. On oily areas, using half an amount of powder first and then spray extends wear time. The Ready in 15 Minutes edit lists the products in this order together.
Touching your face before the setting spray dries is the one mistake that undoes all the work up to that point. Waiting 30 seconds after spraying is enough. During that time, you don't need to avoid talking or smiling; just don't touch it with your hands.