All Aboard the Beauty Express …

Mon, 2 July 2012 10:16AM

I’m back! After two months spent covered in a variety of baby fluids (I won’t go into the icky specifics), where many days saw my face wearing little more than large dark sunnies and my hair a delightful mix of natural oils and dry shampoo, I have finally scrubbed up my act and again look the part of an editor of a beauty site. At least, I hope.

And, boy, was this morning a masterclass in how to groom on the go. Having been warned by another beauty editor that doing hair and makeup in the car will soon be classified as an illegal activity (I can’t seem to find a source that verifies this, but I do admit that trying to conceal and contour in rush hour would probably not be the wisest move), I decided that, every morning, I have to be 100% ready, hair coiffed and makeup immaculate, to run out the door at 8 o’clock. All this after breastfeeding Otto, showering and dressing Noah, and organising breakfast for five hungry mouths (my dog included).

But back to my power bathroom session. Here’s what I did:

• Popped my washed-and-blow-dried-last-night* hair into a shower cap.
• Covered myself in body oil. Currently using Lovely Lanolin Herbal Treatment Body Oil, $28.95, from Priceline.
• Jumped into the shower.
• Massaged an exfoliating cleanser into face; left on to work its magic for a minute or so. FYI I love all sorts of acid cleansers, but one of my classic buys is Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser, $13.99, from pharmacies. Clears up congested skin like you wouldn’t believe.
• Shaved legs and pits during said minute. Said body oil gave me enough slip to be able to skip the usual shaving gel step.
• Washed off cleanser.
• Lathered up the body gel. Rinsed off.
• Jumped out of shower, towelled off. Enough oil left on skin to forgo body cream.
• Worked moisturiser into still-damp complexion.
• Mixed foundation with L’Oréal Paris Lumi Magique Light Concentrated Primer, $29.95, from pharmacies, an illuminising lotion (= DIY glowifying tinted moisturiser); smoothed over face and neck; patted some more onto cheeks to tone down redness.
• Blended concealer around eyes. Followed up with an illuminating dash of YSL Touche Eclat, $55 from department stores, every tired girl’s best beauty friend.
• Curled lashes, flicked on a coat of mascara, positioned them into place with a spoolie brush. I know the spoolie brush seems like an extra why-bother step for on-the-go girls, but here’s why it’s worth taking the time to bother.
• Swept shimmer shadow across lids, using pinkie tip for a wash effect. I swear by Stila Kitten, $38 from Mecca Cosmetica, every time I want to visually wake up my eyes up.
• Slicked clear balm on lips (and brows, to keep them in submission).
• Smeared some red lippie onto middle of lips, then again used pinkie to even the colour all over mouth, for a subtle, stained effect. Try Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in #10, $9.95, from pharmacies
• Shook hair out from shower cap, spritzed with salt spray, scrunched with hands, misted on shine spray.
• Voilà! All this in just under ten minutes.

But here’s the thing. You can only look good in a hurry if you:

1) are Lily Donaldson

or 2) have spent the previous few days prepping yourself to this state of oh-I-practically-roll-out-of-bed-looking-like-this.

Here’s what I had to do during the past week to allow me to be able to get ready so quickly this morning …

Have a Treatment. Confession: I usually could care less about salon hair treatments. I’m such a stickler for at-home conditioning masks that my hair is in pretty good nick. But after two months of newborn-induced neglect, I decided it was time for some serious tress TLC (not to mention me-time time-out). So how lucky that the lovely folk at Kérastase had invited me to Sydney salon Revo, to road-test their new Fusio-Dose – a collection of ultra-repairing solutions that are mixed-and-matched and so tailored to your hair’s specific needs – worked into strands before a blow-dry. And, to top it all off, I also got to give the new L’Oréal Professionnel SteamPod (rolling out into salons right now) a whirl. Basically, here’s what happens: a keratin-rich lotion is massaged into hair, which is then given the once-over with a steam iron; the steam opens cuticles so that the keratin sinks right into where its reparative powers are needed, while the ironing action, obviously, gives a smooth effect. This finishing touch is also meant to make your blow-dry last a heck of a lot longer than it otherwise would. Me? I got five days of bouncy fabulosity out of mine.

Have a Trim. You might know by now I am obsessed with fringes. On a fashion front, they give you a swinging sixties kind of an edge. On a practical front, they’re the cheapest alternative to Botox you can get. Thing is, they need constant care and attention. That’s why, between major styling cuts, I pop into my salon every now and then for a quick trim. Tip: ask for a dry-cut so you can have your hair cut to exactly where you want it to be that day (not where you hope it will be in a month’s time).

Get a Facial. There’s little I love more than a good old extraction, followed by a pampering facial mask and massage. Add in a brow tint and tidy-up, and your face will hold up well for a good month.

* Pre-Wash Hair. Sigh, I remember the days when I had time to spend an hour each morning on my hair alone, getting new inspiration from the latest red carpet and catwalk looks. Something has got to give on busy mornings and, for me, it’s usually my hair. So the only way I can ensure I leave the house looking respectably coiffed is to wash and blow-dry it before bed the night before. Or failing that, there’s the ponytail or top knot option.

The Night Before … To make the morning beauty routine that much less stressful, there are two other night-before beauty moves I swear by. Removing makeup goes without saying, of course. But there’s also retinol. A tried-and-true anti-ageing classic, little peps up dull or ageing skin like a good ol’ dose of vitamin A. I’ve been using La Prairie Cellular Power Charge Night and loving. It’s $660, from David Jones. A splurge, sure. For a budget-friendly vitamin A fix, check out the RoC range, from pharmacies. As for my second pre-bed beauty secret: mix self-tanner into your night cream. You’ll get just enough colour by morning to hide minor blemishes or general blah, plus a natural-look dose of glow.

When all else fails on crazy-busy mornings? Layer up that red lipstick. There’s nothing like it for being the centre of attention – and taking attention away from tired skin or less-than-perfect foundation or hair. Here’s your inspiration, thanks to Cat Deeley:

 

So, Primpettes, what about you? Got any tips for how to look good in a hurry?

What treatments do you take time out for in order to look your best?

And, fill me in, what exciting events have you been up to these past two months while I’ve been holed up in nappy land?

 

Kat xx

Posted by: Katrina Lawrence

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Tags: bangs, body oil, botox, Cat Deeley, dry shampoo, exfoliating cleanser, fringe, hair treatment, kerastase, la prairie, lily donaldson, loreal paris, loreal professionnel, neutrogena, quick trick, red lips, retinol, rimmel, stila, ysl