A Flawless Look in Just Minutes

If you follow along on Instagram or Snapchat, then you saw that we enjoyed a quick 30-hour trip together in Toronto this weekend. Since Bo needed to be there for Friday meetings, it was easy for me to fly up Friday morning, work remotely from the hotel and then enjoy Friday night and Saturday in the city together.

We posted the above picture online Friday night, while enjoying the views from one of Toronto’s landmarks, the CN Tower. A couple of people immediately commented on the picture, saying that my hair and makeup were perfect. What they didn’t know was that I rushed to transition from a sweaty, gym outfit to this outfit in just 30 minutes. Since that time included shower, drying my hair AND doing my makeup, I wanted to share the six beauty items that made this quick transition possible.

I’ve been using the below items for over a month and in this short time, I’ve recommended each of them to multiple friends and even ordered two of them, the lip gloss and concealer, for my mom!

Make Up Forever HD Invisible Cover Concealer – This is one of the best concealers I have ever used. The wand applicator is easy to use anywhere, without requiring any other accessories, and the small, pen like size allows me to easily toss it in my purse or makeup bag. It comes in more than fifteen different shades so you should be able to find one which blends easily with your coloring. I use this under my eyes, on my scar and on any blemishes that pop up overnight.

Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gel in Pomegranate Delirium– My mom has always said that just a quick swipe of color to the lips adds brightness and life to a tired face. It has taken years for me to embrace this but finally, after discovering this easy to apply lip gel last month, I’m a believer. Every day I swipe on this rosy, plum gloss before leaving the house and it instantly wakes up my face and provides a more finished look. Unlike many other lip glosses on the market, this one isn’t drying, doesn’t have a strong smell and is not sticky. The vibrant color stays on my lips at least a few hours and at the $14 price point, I can afford to try different colors.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eye Liner – Similar to the lip gloss, a quick application of eye liner, right along my upper eyelid instantly makes my eyes pop even when I’m exhausted. When we are going out in the evening I apply a thicker line, which makes more of a statement.

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder – Until last month I’d never tried a setting powder. But, after being convinced by a very persuasive Sephora sales associate that this would help my makeup stay in place all day, I bought the travel size. To say I was skeptical was an understatement. Why the heck did I need one more powder in my life, much less on my skin. But, after using it just a few times, I was convinced. People commented that my makeup and skin looked flawless, every bit of makeup stayed in place ALL day and my face had less shine come five o’clock. It hides blemishes, helps my blush and bronzer blend and leaves me with a luminous finish. Even though it is a white powder, it goes on translucent and will quickly become your favorite makeup item!

Bumble & Bumble Hairdressers Oil – Even though I have naturally straight hair, it tends to have a mind of its own. If I don’t tame it properly with a few different potions then it’s a frizzy mess due to the curly nature of my bottom layers. This light oil has made a huge difference in the time it takes to do my hair as it has eliminated the need for a flatiron. I use two pumps for my long, thick hair and apply one pump to the bottom layers and another pump to the ends before blow drying my hair. Unlike Moroccan oil, this doesn’t weigh my hair down or leave my hands feeling greasy.

Drybar Sparkling Soda Shine Mist – Always a fan of the blowouts I get at Drybar, I’d actually not tried or purchased their products until recently. I am now the proud owner of four of their products, this one being my favorite! After a quick blow dry, I spray this all over my hair before one final hand smoothing. The result is a high gloss, flyaway free hair hair style that will last all day even in humidity.

Your turn: What is your favorite beauty item these days that you recommend to everyone? 

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes beauty items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!