How To: Apply Makeup in 5 Minutes

Cleanse your face quickly but thoroughly and follow up with moisturizer.

Use foundation only where you need it to even out your overall skin tone. Focus on your chin, the sides of your nose, and around your eyes, all areas that can be prone to redness or dark shadows. Dab it on using your ring finger.

Mascara (a black shade is universally flattering; brown is a good choice for the particularly fair) opens up the eyes and makes you look refreshed. Sweep on one coat from root to tip. No need to pump the wand; doing so lets air into the tube, promoting bacterial growth.

Apply blush to the apple of each cheek (the roundest part when you smile), sweeping back toward the ear. On your lips, use color with a sheer or gloss finish, which requires less precision (and time) than a liner-and-lipstick combo.