No one quite tells you how difficult it is to be a working woman. Waking up at 7:30 am, putting together an outfit that doesn’t consist of pajamas and looking presentable, if not chic, is difficult enough without having to worry about make up to tie your whole look together. For most sub-continental women their morning beauty routine consists of a swipe of kajal and some lipstick but let’s be honest, the look leaves a lot wanting. Not only are black rimmed eyes high maintenance (raccoon rings in summer anyone?) but black liner is also ageing as it highlights any fine lines around your eyes. And of course the lipstick vanishes by lunch time, leaving behind outlined lips that look clown-like. Feeling like you need to update your everyday look without adding an hour to prep time? Look no further as we bring you three simple ways to give your beauty routine a much needed make over.

Ditch your liner for mascara

While kajal and black liner are known for their eye defining properties they can actually make your eyes look smaller without mascara. If there’s one beauty product we swear by, it’s the magic mascara wand. Waterproof/smudge proof black mascara is a great alternative to liner - it defines your eyes and makes them pop while looking less made up than liner. If you’re willing to push the envelope a little further, how about some coloured mascara for a subtly funky look that is guaranteed to garner compliments? Blue mascara is extremely flattering and can make tired eyes look bright (the blue counteracts any redness) and purple mascara looks great with brown/green eyes. Brown or sable is also a great option if black is too stark and blue too perky for your taste. You can easily find coloured mascara in your favourite make up brands.

Coloured liners instead of boring black

If you feel too bare-faced without a customary lashing of liner switch to a soft smudge colour pencil instead. Shades of brown or grey will also define your eyes while more electric shades will inject oomph without taking up any extra time. It’ll also save you a gasp when you finally check your reflection mid-afternoon and find black streaks around your peepers. Blue liner like blue mascara makes eyes look bigger and brighter while green and violet also suit the sub-continental complexion. You can use a white or pearly beige pencil on your inner waterline instead of kajal as light colours applied on the inner rim will instantly make your eyes look
bigger.

Tip: If you use a concealer pencil it can easily double as your waterline shade as well.

 

Replace your lipstick with a lipstain

Lipstains are the new generation of lipsticks, longer lasting and less obvious. A berry coloured lipstain is a fresh take on the classic red lipstick that’s bound to get on your teeth or look a little worse for wear by the end of the day. Lipstains are easier to apply and give a natural flush to your lips that lasts all day. They also come in great colours from rosy pinks to shades of peach and orange. What’s great about lipstains is that you can layer them on for lighter or darker colour intensity depending on the look you’re going for.

Here’s where we throw in a pro tip: red and pink lipstains also make for great blush. Apply a dot on the apple of your cheek and blend it in for flushed cheeks that look like you just ran a mile.