Makeup in Mini-Minutes

Do you ever rush out the door to a busy day, only to realize that you've done something horribly embarrassing that only overly rushed people do? Such as, for example, forgetting to put blush on your other cheek, or forgetting to blend that uber-heavy eye shadow so that you look more low-key hipster and less jet lagged call girl? 

Not to worry! Jordan is here with the panacea to your problems. Here are the complete details for a flawless makeup in mini-minutes beauty routine that won't only get you looking gooooood for your day/night, but will get you looking greater than great in five minutes or fewer. 

Step One: The Face

I don't care how tan you are, or how infrequently you treat yourself to that derma-delicious crema called sunscreen. You still ought to put it on as part of your daily routine. I, however, have developed a trick that combines sunscreen and brightening cream into one step.

 Put a dime-sized amount of a thin sunscreen of high SPF (30 SPF at least, 50 SPF if you can, and higher if possible) on the top of your hand, and then squeeze out a pea-sized amount of an illuminating cream onto the same hand. I recommend a slightly runny SPF, such as Chanel's UV Essentiel, and an illuminating moisturizer, such as fresh's Twilight Freshface Glow for this heavenly combination. With your finger, mix the pearly cream into the thin sunscreen and apply generously to your entire face. Once you subtly glimmer with a healthy, fresh, and lively glow, you'll know that you've applied your sunscreen to your whole face. 

You might soon ask yourself--how did I never know that applying sunscreen feels this good--and this beautifying?? Don't forget to apply some of this mixture to the area just under your brows. 

This step should take approximately 60 to 45 seconds to complete. 

Step Two: The Lash Line

To keep the look awake, flattering, and as close to au naturel as possible, use a pen eyeliner, such as Smashbox's Limitless Liquid Liner Pen, to darken your lashline. If you wing your lashes, only wing them slightly--and there is no need to end the line all the way in the inner, kitten corners of your eyes. Don't worry if you smudge it a wee bit.

This step should take 60 seconds.

Step Two: The Color

Mint Snow,
in the stick

This is the fun part--the color, the fun, and the sparkles! I recommend using two different Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour creamy shadows. I personally use the liners in Mint Snow (a pale, silvery blue) and Sapphire (a rich, shimmery, strong blue that can easily go very dark). Although the caviar eye sticks are called eye liners, they are not traditional eyeliners; they are in stick form, and cover more area than the strict lash line, when used. Since they are cream shadows, you have 30 seconds to blend and adjust the liner before it settles for long-lasting wear (a true godsend!).

Sapphire, in the center

 Choose the paler of your two compatible shades (Mint Snow) and swipe it along your lash line, from the inner corner of your eye until just after your base eyeliner line ends. When in doubt, add more. The color is light enough that your line can err on the side of being too large or too long, and nobody will ever notice. Immediately after, run the darker caviar shade from the middle of your lashline to the end. With your finger, blend any access dark color down into your lashes or toward the outer edge of your eye (this is when you'll appreciate the blendability of these Laura products). 

This step should take between 60 and 90 seconds. 

Step Three: The Lashes

To finish off your devilishly catching eyes, opt for a mascara that won't go nuts on volume, clumping, or obscene length. You simply want to give those lashes a little something extra--a bit of volume, a bit of length, and a bit of definition--to complete the look. 

This step should take approximately 45 seconds. 

Step Four: The Lips

Go for any lipstick that you love, as long as it's not too intense! If you're feeling creative, apply a quick layer of a shade just darker/pinker than your lips, and then apply another light layer right above it in a lipstick with a more orangey tone to the center of your lips. Press lips together, and voila!

This step should take 30 seconds. 

So, to add up the time needed for this wonderful Makeup in Mini-Minutes strategy...

Step One: 60 seconds    +

Step Two: 60 seconds   +

Step Three: 45 seconds +

Step Four: 30 seconds   =

Grand Total: 195 seconds (3 minutes and 15 seconds)

Enough said. Happy primping!

Yo Soy Feliz

Yo Soy Feliz is a fabulous accessories and clothing store from Italy. Sporting stores in Positano and Naples-- or Napoli, as it's named in Italian-- Yo Soy Feliz lives up to the high fashion expectations associated with Italy, Europe, and high profile destinations such as Positano. 

This store offers everything from colorful clutches, statement and fun bracelets, bold rings, and jewelry to posh scarves, multicolored clothing, and adorable wallets. Basically, it's a girl's best friend because these pieces have the unique, admirable, and universally coveted ability to complete, upgrade, and enliven anything. And by anything I mean anything ever. 

Yo Soy Feliz shopfront in Positano

If your wardrobe chronically suffers from Permanent Winter Syndrome--ie you wear sweaters with no color and pants with no color and old boots with, yes, no color (and yes, I know it, you wear these monotonous or colorless pieces under dull and dreary colorless outerwear)--Yo Soy Feliz will provide the fashionista panacea that your clothing has been begging you for for, probably, ever. If you are like me and always ensure that, if nothing else, your outfit is at least colorful (and hopefully cute and desirably happy-making), Yo Soy Feliz will dazzle you with its matte-yet-colorful options. And if you call yourself professional, serious, and mature and need an extra little something--maybe an extra little push, or mouthwateringly tempting incentive--to break out of your White House Black Market/ J Crew/ Nordstrom's comfort zone, Yo Soy Feliz can provide you with one of the world's largest collections of upbeat, perky, and colorful accessories. While statement pieces cover the shop's shelves and tables, a plethora of slightly more reserved pieces also abound in the store.

Finally, Yo Soy Feliz will definitely make you feliz before, during, and after shopping. The "before" is because the anticipation of entering the store will simply brighten your day. The "during" is because you know that you are buying wonderful things that you will use and wear for a wonderfully long, wonderfully fashionable time. The "after" is because you will always remember that you bought such wonderful things for a wonderful low price (the fashion power rings I was raving about were 3 euros each!).

One word--COLORS, ladies and gentlemen,

In case you weren't sure, "yo soy feliz" means "I am happy" in Spanish. Spanish, however, has two different verbs that both mean "to be". One such verb has a more temporary and transient meaning that is used to express emotions, readiness, and one's current location--things that are fleeting and often do not have a long duration (ex: I am excited. She is here.).  The other "to be" verb is a more permanent verb that is used to portray descriptors, such as personality attributes, occupations, and physical appearances (ex: We are tall. I am a blogger.). Therefore, if one were to follow this pattern, one would use the more transient verb to say "I am happy"because an emotion is impermanent. The phrase "yo soy feliz", however, uses the other, more permanent verb in its title. I like to think that Yo Soy Feliz knows that its customers will simply become happier people upon shopping there; and that is the extent to which you will adore this shop. 

Be sure to check out Yo Soy Feliz on Facebook by Facebook searching "Yo Soy Feliz--Abbigliamento di tendenza".  Enjoy!