4 Clever Secrets To Streamlining Your Makeup Routine

For a lot of us, applying our makeup is an ‘every single day’ habit… think about how much time that means you spend putting your makeup on throughout your life! Scary, we know. We’re all as busy as ten women, but we still like to face the world looking like a slightly more polished version of ourselves. And so, the solution is clear: we need a makeup routine that’s been streamlined to ensure it’s as simple and as speedy as possible.

Sure, there are occasions where you might want to go all-in on an elaborate eyeshadow look or a multi-layer blush and bronzer combo, but for the routine we’re committing to on a daily basis, we’re all just looking for a few steps that enhance our features and leave us feeling confident for the day ahead.

So, in the interest of getting a little time back in said day, here are our top tips for streamlining your makeup routine…

Secret #1: Find multipurpose products

If a product serves just one purpose, it probably doesn’t belong in your everyday makeup routine. At least not if you’re striving to streamline it! Reach for a bronzer that doubles as an eyeshadow, a foundation-concealer hybrid option, and a tinted lip balm you can take onto cheeks as well. You’ll want your products to be multipurpose in terms of their formulas, too: for instance, the Dermal Therapy Tinted Lip Balms ($8.99 at Chemist Warehouse) will give you the care and the colour you’re after without having to go through a multi-step lip balm, then lip colour process. You’ll halve your routine time even by limiting the time you have to spend digging around for different products. Here’s the best news: they offer the same formula as the brand’s Lip Balm Original (which we all know and love), so they’ll be every bit as handy in the hydrating stakes as they will be for polishing off your daily face. The tinted balm offers just the right amount of colour, moisture and gloss, making the final step of your daily makeup routine as efficient and easy as it possibly can be.

Secret #2: Prioritise the feature you love most

It’s long been said that choosing one feature to play up at a time is the most foolproof way to build a beauty look, and for an everyday one, we totally agree. Not only will it nix the time you’re spending on other areas of your face, but it’ll mean all eyes are drawn where you want them to be. Think about which specific feature you love most about your face: perhaps you want to commit to winged liner to show off your eyes, a fresh flush to highlight your cheeks, or a little bit of glossy lip colour to enhance your lips. We must say we’re partial to the ‘play up the pout’ option – it’s both the easiest option (swiping on a tinted lip balm takes literal seconds) and the one that’ll have the most effect and longevity (especially with a nourishing formula like the Dermal Therapy one).

Secret #3: Choose a flattering colour palette

We’ve all done it: applied a new shade we’ve been wanting to sample only to discover that it’s not necessarily the most flattering option on our faces. And hey, we’re all for trying exciting things, that’s one of the best parts about beauty! But when you’re in a rush and you need to get your look right in limited time, we’d recommend sticking to the shades you know suit you. That doesn’t mean you have to wear the exact same colour combo every day either – Dermal Therapy’s Tinted Lip Balm comes in three shades: ‘Peach Nude’ ($8.99 at Chemist Warehouse), ‘Rose Pink’ ($8.99 at Chemist Warehouse), and ‘Cherry Red’ ($8.99 at Chemist Warehouse) – you might find that a specific one makes your complexion come alive and choose that as your daily staple, or you might trial all three and be able to rotate them through the week, in full confidence that they’ll never let you down.

Secret #4: Limit your tools

There’s definitely a place for that luxurious eyeshadow brush kit you spent your savings on last Christmas – but it isn’t in your everyday makeup kit. Store those fussier tools for special occasions (when you need a particularly flawless finish) and switch to using the OG beauty blenders on the daily: your fingers. You might just be reminded how useful they are for nailing the natural look we’re all chasing – the warmth from your fingers will help to spread product evenly, ensuring every product melts seamlessly into skin and never looks OTT. Of course, anything that comes with a built-in applicator is even better – no time will be wasted digging around for the right tool when it’s right there on the tube. The Dermal Therapy Tinted Lip Balms, for example, have a slanted applicator that allows the perfect amount of product to hit lips every time. It also makes blending the colour in a cinch if you prefer that ‘blurry’, buffed out lip look. See, a streamlined makeup routine doesn’t have to be boring! It just has to be smart.

Main Image Credit: Getty

Do you have a time-saving beauty hack? Do you already have a favourite Dermal Therapy Balm?