Fast Beauty: 16 Smart Expert Tricks

Pros share their tricks for looking great whether you have one minute or 10.

Fast Skin-Care Tricks

Wash Wisely
European women are known to favor cream cleansers that you remove with a tissue or water over the gel type. And when it comes to speedy, efficacious nighttime cleaning, we could stand to learn from them. Since this kind of cleanser has a touch of oil, it can “dissolve everything in one pass—dirt, sunscreen, even waterproof eye makeup and long-wearing lipstick,” says Noella Gabriel, director of product and treatment development at the cosmetics company Elemis. “Plus, creams leave skin well moisturized.” If your skin is very oily, switch off with a gel cleanser in the morning. Try Lancôme Confort ($48, lancome-usa.com). Otherwise, skip morning face cleansing altogether.

“Cocktail” Your Creams
Consolidation is key to streamlining. Instead of using a moisturizer, a sunscreen, an antioxidant, and a foundation, switch to a multitasker that does it all (such as Miracle Skin Transformer, $48, miracleskintransformer.com). And pick an eye treatment that depuffs and covers dark circles (Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Roller, $13 at drugstores, is one). If you don’t have an all-in-one product, you can mix your regular individual creams in your palm and apply them together, rather than layering them one by one, when you’re in a rush, says Loretta Ciraldo, a dermatologist in Miami.

 

Spread Yourself Thin
It may be tempting to slather on face cream. But if you do, it will take at least 10 minutes for your skin to absorb the cream and be ready for a layer of makeup. So Susan Evans, a dermatologist in Beverly Hills, favors this technique: Dab just one pump or dime-size dollop onto your cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin to ensure even distribution, then blend.

Take a Smooth Shortcut
Experts generally recommend sloughing off dead cells three times a week with a gentle, granular scrub for more luminous skin. But in the absence of time, “tap clear lip balm or gloss high on your cheekbones,” suggests makeup artist Bobbi Brown.

Try a DIY Facial
Regular facials can improve the texture and the tone of skin. In a pinch, mix some flour with a couple of egg whites and smooth the mixture onto skin with your hands, says Ling Chan, founder of Ling Skincare and Spa, in New York City. Rinse after 10 minutes. “This can temporarily tighten your pores and refresh your face,” she says.