Easy ways to show a face back in the office
With the lifting of restrictions and a return to the workplace we’ll be digging out our make-up bags again. It’s doubtful any of us will want to put too much effort into it as face masks will be around a while longer, but there some brilliant ‘shortcut’ buys that do the job perfectly.
No one has time in the morning for anything too involved, so getting a face base on quickly is made easy if you use a powder or stick foundation. The former is the fastest. Powder foundation has plenty of pigment for medium coverage. They are mostly water and oil-resistant and can be thrown in your bag. The best buys are from Shiseido, Bobbi Brown and Estée Lauder’s Double Wear. L’Oréal Paris Infallible is a great budget option.
For stick foundation, look to Westman Atelier, bareMinerals, Hourglass, and YSL. The beauty of a stick is it can be used for every level of coverage, sheer to full. Simply swipe on and blend with your fingers adding more where needed. Out on its own, for now, is Lancôme’s Teint Idôle Ultra Wear All-Over Concealer, it’s a long-wear concealer in a foundation formula. Truly unique, this offers super fast coverage and all-day wear. It costs €30/17 shades.
Use a lip stain if you want colour without it rubbing off on your face mask
With an easy base applied, you can carry on with face colour in stick form. One of last year’s biggest beauty trends was monochrome make-up with eyes and cheeks, even lips, all in a single shade. That’s an easy look for the office or workplace as everyone can carry off a copper, peach, or pink. In stick formula, simply swipe on once more and tap into place. Best buys come from Glossier SolarPaint, Lancôme, Stila, NARS, Trinny London, or Clarins. Choose the shade according to your skin tone. Paler skin works well with light peach or pink, deeper skin tones look great with hotter pops of colour in pink and orange.
Mascara hasn’t any real shortcut options, it is what it is, but you can skip wearing it if you dye your eyelashes. There are salon services that will last up to three months, and there are pharmacy options that cost €10-€12 and are easy to do. In the morning, curl your lashes and go.
Face masks will hamper lip colour for a while longer, but if you really want to wear lip colour and stop it from being rubbed off under a mask, use a lip stain. These sink into the skin for long-lasting colour, and while they won’t have the perfection of a lipstick they offer good colour. Finish with a lip balm for comfort. Lip stains are ideal for lipstick lovers and they’re a good option until masks are no more.