It’s the holiday season so the likelihood of going from “Desk to Drinks” has increased tenfold. While your minimal makeup look might be very well suited to your daily work life, you’ll need to amp it up a little to get your drink on with coworkers and besties alike. Unless you’ve had ample warning, you’re probably only carrying makeup basics in your bag, and have just about 10 minutes to go from Clark Kent to Superman. Master these five looks and no one will know it only took a few minutes.
Ol’ Blue Eyes
Not many people can pull off a smoky eye when they have only 10 minutes to perfect it. The next best thing is a sultry eye, which can be achieved using a navy blue liner, your fingers, and mascara.
Using face powder, dust eyelids to get rid of any excess oil that may have accumulated on your lids.
Line the top of one lid, then close your eye and use your finger to smudge the liner at the base of the lash and a little up onto the lid. Repeat on the other eye.
Line the bottom water line, look up, and then use your finger in a gentle back and forth sweeping motion to smudge the liner at the bottom. Repeat on the other eye.
If it’s too dramatic, blend with your finger to lessen intensity.
Apply a fresh coat of mascara, your favorite neutral lipstick, and you’re ready for the world.
Best Blues To Try:
Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil in Minx ($20)
Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Bluefin ($20)
CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil in Indigo Flame ($7)
Deranged Snow Bunny
With this look, the goal is to overemphasize the cheeks and lashes. It’s all about uber-flushed cheeks and longer-than-long lashes.
Start by patting down face to rid of excess oil. Try a blotting paper like NYX Blotting Paper ($4)
Applying blush and blend into the apples of the cheek, sweeping almost into the hairline. Slowly build to an exaggerated flush. It should be a bit more blush than you normally wear. Try these blush picks: L’Oreal Visible lift Blur Blush in Berry ($13), La Prairie Cellular Radiance Cream Blush in Berry Glow, and Chanel Le Blush Creme de Chanel in Chamade ($38).
Pat lids with basic face powder and apply a dark liner to the base of lashes. Apply two coats of mascara on top and bottom lashes. For super wispy lashes, reach for Cherry Blooms Mascara Brush On Fiber Eyelash Extensions ($59). The two-step mascara makes lashes look as good as faux.
Apply a nude lip to complete the look, like one of these beauties from The Buffs by Color Sensational Lipsticks Collection ($8).
Double Cat Eye
Perfecting the cat eye takes practice but once you’ve got it down, you can do a bold cat eye on a moving train while texting your mom and holding your morning coffee. Admittedly, the double cat eye sounds like it requires major skill, but our little trick gets you from drab to fab in under five minutes.
Start with shine-free skin. Use a blotting paper to blot away excess glare.
Touch up your daytime blush.
Do a neutral lip like Nivea Kiss of Color in Coral ($5).
Reach for a black, felt tip liner like Urban Decay Ink for Eyes ($20). Draw a straight line from the inner eye directly across the base of the lash and extending just past the outer corner of the eye. Repeat to get desired intensity.
Go back to the corner of the inner eye and start the line again. At about 3/4 of the way across the eye, start to angle the pencil slightly upward so it separates into two lines. By the time you get to the outer corner of the eye, you will have two expertly drawn cat eyes.
Red Alert
The quickest “Desk to Drinks” look you can pull off is a bold, statement-making red lip. To pull off this quick look, all you need is your favorite red lippie.
If your lips need a little exfoliation, grab a paper towel and apply lip balm. Next, lick your lips, then gently rub lips back and forth with the paper towel to slough away any dead skin. Sounds somewhat gross but it definitely works.
Dust your face all over with a finishing powder to reduce shine.
Apply red lipstick and you are good to go! Top red picks include a Lipstick Queen the Metals in Red ($24), Napoleon Perdis Mattetastic Lipstick in Marlene ($25), and Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Mattes in Siren in Scarlet ($8).
Eyes That Sparkle
Nothing says holidays like glitter – and while a little glitter on the lid is common practice for many, how about glitter on the tips of the lashes? You might not have glitter mascara in your purse but you can grab some at your local drugstore and apply it in the cab. Sparkly lashes can be combined with a red lip to give an extra pop on the eyes; after all it’s the holiday.
Complete the steps from the Red Alert look above.
Apply gold or silver glitter mascara, like these from E.L.F ($2), on half of the lash so it’s visible at the very tip.
A lack of time is never a reason to look drab, especially around the holidays. With just ten minutes to spare, the right products, and the proper technique, you can go from Desk to Drinks like a pro.
-Felicia Walker Benson is the founder of ThisThatBeauty.com