No time to prep before that big holiday bash? No worries, these tips will help you get ready in no time.
Edit Your Makeup
"You can get a great, polished look with just three products," says Jason Pike, makeup artist for Sephora's Pro Beauty Team: 1. Even out skin tone with tinted moisturizer, dabbing on a little extra over dark circles or blemishes. Choose one with SPF and you'll protect, hydrate, and add sheer coverage in one step, with no special tools. Try Mary Kay Tinted Moisturizer With Sunscreen SPF 20 ($18, marykay.com). 2. Swipe on a neutral lip gloss. "It makes lips look full and healthy and adds color so subtle, you don't even need a mirror to apply it," says Pike. Try Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Apricot ($13, department stores). 3. Finish off with a coat of brown mascara. Try Almay Intense i-Color Bring Out the Brown Mascara in Brown Topaz ($7.50, drugstores).
(Related: Beauty Experts Dish on Their Favorite Products)
Brighten Up
Add some cheek color. "A light dusting of peachy, apricot blush works for nearly all skin tones and brings your whole face to life," Pike says. His favorite universal shade: Cargo Blush in Rome ($24, Sephora).
Hide Roots
Need to disguise obvious gray roots or a few wiry white strays? If you can't get to your colorist anytime soon, says Donka Kuzmanovski, a stylist at Chicago's Siren Salon, try brushing brown or black mascara on the problematic strands. (Related: Make Going Gray Gorgeous)
Skip Shampoo
No time for the real deal? Try hair powder. "Apply a bit of tinted powder to your roots and it instantly sops up oil," says Kuzmanovski. Try Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder ($34, bumbleandbumble.com). Regular baby powder works as a degreaser, too - but use it only on blond or gray hair (it's visible on darker shades).
Sidestep Blow-drying
If careful styling is not in the cards, pull hair into a sleek, low ponytail. Essential step: Forgo the trusty-but-tacky scrunchie. "Look for a simple barrette," says Kuzmanovski. "You want something that will blend right into your hair." (Related: The Five Best Haircuts of All Time)
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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
