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high speed beauty
Don’t have time for high maintenance make-up? Katrina Lawrence reveals how to get high-octane gorgeous in a hurry.
The time is 8.55am. I’ve just done five sun salutations, had a shower, tied my hair up into a dripping bun, slipped on a dress, sent my puppy off to doggie day care (don’t say a word) and jumped in a cab, en route to my first day of full-time work at madison. Not only am I running late, but I’m not wearing a speck of make-up. Bad beauty editor!
I don’t know what the law says about applying make-up while you’re driving (I’m guessing it’s not a great idea), but luckily a back-seat beauty session is perfectly legal and acceptable. I smooth on tinted moisturiser, blend in concealer, flick on mascara (when the taxi has stopped, naturally) and dollop on some lipgloss. So, when I arrive at work to find that one of my first features is about “high speed beauty”, I feel pretty equipped to take on the story.
Disclaimer: in preparation for my first day at the office, I spent the weekend getting a facial, fake tan, manicure, pedicure and highlights. That’s the thing about getting ready in a rush. You can only pull it off if you’ve done the groundwork. And, unfortunately, you can’t rush that. The problem, as I discover during the coming weeks, is how to fit all your beauty commitments into an increasingly busy schedule. My weekends see me wanting to collapse in an un-exfoliated heap rather than crack open the salt scrub and body mud.
A few weeks later I’m on my way to the shoot for the photos you see on these pages. Again, my hair is up in a dripping bun. And again, I’m running late and barefaced as I race in a taxi (tinted moisturiser in hand) to pick up the Volkswagen Eos and then bunny-hop it over to the photo studio. The irony about our High Speed Beauty shoot is that it takes about six hours to perfect two photos. Anyway, it gives me time to get some quick beauty advice from the pros. I need it.
High speed skincare
“To pull off a high-speed beauty look, you have to have great skin to work with,” says make-up artist Natasha Severino, as she pops an SK-II face mask on our model Shanay. Severino recommends a monthly facial tailored to your skin’s specific needs, as well as a session of microdermabrasion, “It gives more amazing results than you
can ever get at home.” Before thinking about make-up, Severino advises cleansing for two minutes (“The massage action gives a nice glow,”) then smoothing on an anti-ageing booster or serum (“Some give such a good finish that you don’t need luminiser.”).
Next, Severino suggests using a tinted moisturiser with sunscreen; her favourite is Sheer Tint Moisture SPF15, $72, by Dermalogica, 1800 659 118. “It’s a fabulous three-in-one,” she says, noting that another great make-up multi-tasker is The Multiple, $85, by Nars at Mecca Cosmetica, 1800 007 844. “Use it on lips and cheeks,” she adds. “You’ll look so healthy and fresh that you only need a little mascara and you’re done.”
High speed hair
Our hairstylist, David Keough, is also all about having a great base, “A long, layered style is a classic cut and I love the urchin crop, where it‘s short in the back and heavier at the front. Both styles are really easy to manage and to grow out.” Of course, regular trims are part of the process, “You have to get a trim every six to eight weeks – it’s non-negotiable,” Keough insists.
He also recommends a weekly treatment (“Even a leave-in, which is nice and quick.”). If you find you’re often running out of time to style your hair properly, Keough suggests a weekly blow-dry, using dry shampoo to make your style last.
“It’s a wrap,” yells our photographer Ellen. I realise I have about -10 minutes to get ready for an after-work function.
High speed party look
“Freshen up your face with blotting paper and a skin spritzer,” says Severino. “And then do either a full-on eye or a statement lip.” If you’re a lip girl, Severino advises using a loaded-up lip brush to paint on one solid layer of colour. I, however, am an eye girl. “Line your inner rims with black kohl and shut your eyes tightly so it transfers to the upper rim,” Severino instructs me. “Then simply smudge it around the lash line with a cotton bud.” Voilà: sexy eyes in seconds.
As for my hair, Keough tells me to just, “Whip it up in a high pony – it’s a great way to lift and perk up features.” And indeed it is. In fact, I may have just discovered the speediest facelift around. What more could a tired beauty girl on the go ask for?
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