Makeup Tips For When You're In A Rush

Sometimes the meeting runs over, traffic is heavy, or we just plain oversleep — basically, we don't always have the time we need when it comes to getting ready, and we just need some time-saving beauty tips to make life easier.

One of my greatest secret pleasures is the meticulous process of spending several hours getting ready. There's a certain satisfying zen about taking your time in the shower, meticulously applying moisturizer and foundation, and creating a detailed eye and cheek look, all while your hair has been neatly washed and dried.

However, the reality is that there's seldom actually time to do this, and more often than not I'm just in a huge rush. At the same time, I definitely dislike the feeling that my makeup is sloppy or noticeably hastily applied. When I choose to wear makeup, I just want to feel confident and put-together, not wonder if people are staring because I look like a rushed clown.

If you're at all like me — as in you like to feel confident in your makeup, but are often too busy to devote more than a few minutes to makeup application, here are nine makeup hacks for when you're short on time that should majorly help.

1. Use A Tinted Moisturizer

In an article for TotalBeauty.com, celebrity makeup artists Nick Barose recommended using a tinted moisturizer in place of moisturizer and foundation. Barose said to try a tint "a little bit darker [than your skin tone]. It adds a warmer glaze to your skin and makes [it] look better in an instant." And as a bonus, most tinted moisturizers also include SPF coverage, which means you're actually combining three steps in one.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer Tinted Moisturizer, $9.60, drugstore.com

2. Get Combo Products

In an article for Dailymakeover.com, Revlon global artistic director Gucci Westman said, “Everyone should have a great fuchsia cheek color that they can pop on their lips and cheeks." She said the color should work on everyone, pale or darker-toned, and recommended choosing a “a creamy, opaque pink with a bit of gold in it to brighten the face."

Lip and Cheek Velvet Stick, $16, TheBodyShop.com

3. Dry Shampoo Is Your Friend

In article on ELLE about ways to get ready faster, beauty writer Taylor Barringer highly recommended the use of dry shampoo. When you don't have time to wash and dry your hair, you can breathe new life into it with a quality dry shampoo product, as well as give it needed texture for styling. My personal favorite brand at the moment is Klorane Dry Shampoo Powder, as it does an amazing job of absorbing oil and gives your hair a light, voluminous look.

Korane Gentle Dry Shampoo With Oat Milk, $15.54, amazon.com

4. Use An Eyebrow Pencil

OK, you're probably thinking that an eyebrow pencil seems like more work, and definitely doesn't sound like a makeup basic essential. However, not only are they super fast to use, but they provide shape and definition when you haven't necessarily had time to pluck your brow line. And according to an article on time-saving beauty advice on Cosmopolitan, "neat and tidy brows really make a big difference in pulling your look together fast."

I again can personally vouch for this one. I had never even used an eyebrow pencil until my aunt happened to regift one to me last year, and it quickly became one of my makeup staples because of the dramatic and super quick difference it makes.

Wet n Wild Twin Kohl Eye, $1.99, www.walgreens.com

5. Cut Blow Drying Time

Blow drying can be a major time-suck, but it doesn't have to be with a few tricks. In an article for ways to cut blow-drying time in half on YouBeauty.com, hair stylist Nicole Pascual recommended towel drying your hair with a microfiber towel. Because microfiber towels are incredibly absorbent, it “already gives you a head start and ensures you won’t be drying your hair forever,” she said.

Beauty Editor Diana Crisan at Makeup.com also recommended investing in a spray specifically designed to cut down on blow dry time, like L'oreal's Blow It Dry Quick Drying Primer Spray. Products like these, "offer protection from heat as well as ensure lasting volume, shine and less breakage," she said.

L'Oreal Paris Advanced Hairstyle Blow Dry It Quick Spray, $3.97, Jet.com

6. Forgo Foundation

YouTuber and beauty vlogger Jaclyn Hill forgoes foundation altogether when she's in a rush, and instead just opts for concealer in the most necessary places. She recommended focussing on the under eye area as well as the red spots around the nose for an instantly brighter and clearer complexion. She also noted that applying and blending with your fingers is totally fine.

7. Submit To The Power Of The Headband

I have often found that it's the times when I have the least time to style my hair and am forced to desperately slap on a headband that I get the most compliments on my look. There's something about a classic band that just ties an outfit together. In an XoVain beauty vlog on YouTube, beauty editor Alle Connell showcases sophisticated and simple headband looks that work great for when you're in a rush but still want to look pulled together.

8. Don't Stress The Lips

Lips are probably the easiest way to save time when you're in a rush, as there are so many products out there that quickly provide both color and moisture, and also because you'll likely be reapplying it throughout the day or evening anyway. In an XoVain 5 Minute Makeup Tutorial, Connell recommends a large, bright lip pencil since they go on so easily and provide great shine.

Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stain, $5.69, Target.com

9. Have Q-Tips On Hand

Jaclyn Hill recommended having Q-tips on hand for the inevitable mascara or eye liner smudges that happen when we rush. For those times when you get mascara above or below your eyes, she advised to just let it dry for at least 60 seconds and then gently rub it off with the end of the Q-tip. There's no need to get frustrated when this happens!

You don't need hours to get ready in order to feel totally confident about your makeup. Just have a few basic supplies on hand and you can feel just as awesome and put together as when you spend the whole afternoon getting ready.

Q-Tips Cotton Swabs, $2.69, Target.com

Images: Pexels