Beauty hacks for a busy day

Taking too long to get out of the house in the mornings? Streamline your schedule with these nifty beauty hacks that will keep you looking great from day to night:

1. The “Hashtag” Smokey Eye trick - use patterns to get the right shape and effect

The use of hashtags is not reserved for only Instagram and Twitter! The idea of drawing symbols on your face as part of your routine may sound far-fetched but it does provide a guide to drawing your face. One such trick is the drawing of a hashtag shape (#) with your eyeliner at the outer and upper corner of your eyelid. Use a smudging sponge, if you have it on the other end of your eyeliner, to blend and smudge it across your eyelid to achieve instant, smokey eyes.

2. Instant bright eyes - look more energetic with a white eye liner

If your face is showing signs of fatigue from yesterday’s late night drinks with friends, perk up your look with a white eyeliner pencil instead of the usual black or brown. Underline the inner corners of your eyelids along the lower waterline with it to make your eyes look larger.

A make-up primer is also essential to perk up your look by evening your skin tone out. “An uneven skin tone makes you look tired and many Asians tend to have that because they are out in the sun a lot but skip putting on sunblock,” says make-up artist, Huimin Ng from PALETTEINC.

3. Business cards are great for perfectly lined eyes

The right tools can also be unexpected items that you can find lying around the house.

“Many people want to achieve a winged eyeliner, but cannot get the same shape on both eyes,” says Ng. “To make them equal, put a business namecard or a piece of paper along the outer corner of your eye and draw your eyeliner upwards according to the edge of the card.”

Business cards can also protect your eyelids from accidental smudges and blots when applying mascara and save you time from cleaning up. Place an unwanted business card atop and below your upper and lower lashes before swiping your lashes so any stains get on the card instead of on your eyelid.

4.  Let your make up tools work harder by multi- tasking

Just as business cards can be used for beauty purposes, your existing make-up tools can go beyond their primary function. A lipstick does not just have to be for your lips. If you have run out of blusher or need to look a little more presentable before that sudden afternoon meeting that has just been scheduled, the best solution lies in a matte lipstick. Draw a line along your cheekbone and smudge it out. In fact, you can also use it on your eyelids to add some colour to your face. And your lips, of course.

If you favour lip balm more than lipstick, rub the balm around your nails whenever you touch up your lips. This is a handy trick if you don’t have time to head to a nail salon as it can moisturize your cuticles. But Ng gives a reminder that lip balm is an integral part of any cosmetic kit.

“People don’t really pay attention to taking care of their lips, but using a lip balm or a lip mask helps to exfoliate and hydrate your lips and makes a huge difference,” says Ng.

5. Follow the “less is more” rule

Aside from lip balm, it is in fact advisable to have a clean look with little make-up. You can even go natural and sans lipstick, lip stains or make-up occasionally. “A lot of people think that the more they apply, the better they will look, but less is more and better. Make-up should be used to enhance your features rather than cover them up,” explains Ng.

Looking good also comes down to having proper nutrition and taking care of your health. For example, eating healthy foods will give you a better or more youthful complexion. More than beauty, being healthy is crucial to living well.