I like to live my life on a minute-by-minute basis. I moved every year in middle school, but now I’m set in New York, so I like to live life on the proverbial edge. This works mostly in my favor. I’ve gone to concerts five minutes before the band takes the stage, traveled to Japan with a couple-day notice, and ended up at a party filled with more beauty vloggers than normal people.
This means I’ve got to be ready to switch up my workday look quickly. Once the clock strikes 6 pm, I’m sick of my rosy lipstick and liner-less eyes. I need a little refresh to take my look to the next level without taking my makeup arsenal with me to the office. (I have a very small purse. I can’t afford that kind of real estate.) Luckily, most of your purse’s makeup staples can be used in more than just their typical way, so if you’re stuck with just one, I’ve got you covered.
Lipstick
I’m not going to insult your beauty intelligence and tell you to use lipstick as blush. That is the oldest trick in the book (and if you didn’t know, now you do). However, did you know that in a pinch, you can use lipstick as eye shadow to give your eyes some fun dimension? Paired with the same lipstick in its normal place, you’ll achieve an awesome monochromatic look.
1. Create a less than/greater than sign on the outer corner of your eyelid with your lipstick of choice. The ones with a bit of shimmer work really well for this technique. I used Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Birkin Brown.
2. Blend the product inward with your ring finger while keeping it in the general outer corner area.
3. With that same ring finger, rub the excess product on it along your lower lash line.
Lip balm
If you don’t have lip balm on your person, how do you survive? Do you at least have one on your desk? I sincerely hope you do. I like to keep a minimum of three in my vicinity at all times because I hate the feeling of bare lips. I must keep these things covered 24/7.
You probably don’t have a highlighter in your purse though. But that’s okay, because popping some lip balm on the tops of your cheeks is an easy way to amplify the dewiness that is already happening on your face from the wear and tear of the workday. Milk Makeup is basically selling this as a product now and calling it Face Gloss, so I swear I’m not making this up.
1. Deposit a pea-sized amount of your favorite balm onto the back of your hand. My go-to balms are Fresh Sugar Nourishing Lip Balm and Vaseline Lip Therapy.
2. Dot along the top of your cheekbones to make sure the product is evenly distributed.
3. Tap the product into your skin, connecting the dots, so it’s less sticky and wet looking. (Or don’t if you like “That Wet Look.”)
Eyeliner
If you are one of those forward-thinking, intrepid people who remember to keep eyeliner in your bag, do I have a tip for you! (Honestly, I should have written this post as “What the Makeup You Keep in Your Purse Says About You.”) Use it on your lips! The color you have in your purse probably isn’t work appropriate, but it’s definitely free-time fierce.
1. Line your lips like you typically would with a lip liner. Because the color will probably be black or blue, you don’t have very much room for error. Hopefully you have a steady hand and didn’t just drink your fifth cup of coffee of the day. I used Maybelline Eye Studio Master Graphic Liquid Liner because the chisel tip makes it super easy and quick to use on lips.
2. Fill in the lines you made.
3. Dab some lip balm in the center, so your lips don’t feel super dry and tight.
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