The only 5 minute makeup routine you need on holiday

Here’s a quick and easy makeup routine that’s perfect when you’re on holiday and want to make the most of your day

By Alyssa Dhaliwal - 11 May 2016

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If you’re anything like me, holidays are all about the time spent ticking things off your to-do list. Whether that involves sightseeing, bar-hopping, or even just laying on the beach, you don’t want to be spending an hour just putting your face on. There are only 24 hours in a day, and i’m sure you all know the feeling of a good holiday just flying by.

In line with packing light and bringing multipurpose products to save space, here’s how you can make the most of your makeup, so you can be out the door and doing all the things you want to in just five minutes.

Get your base right

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The quickest way to get your skin looking even-toned and healthy is to go with a tinted moisturiser. One that contains SPF is an even bigger time-saver in the day. Something with light-to-medium coverage is enough unless you’ve got many problem areas you wish to cover up. With a five-minute routine, however, it’s best to keep things lightweight and natural.

Go in with a concealer and lightly apply it only where necessary. You don’t want to be highlighting or strobing with your concealer, only concealing things like redness, dark eye circles and any scars or blemishes. The heavier your concealer, the more time it will take to get it looking natural.

Once that’s done, always set your concealer and base with a translucent powder to keep your makeup on as long as possible. We tend to stay out all day when sightseeing in a new country, and locking the pigments in with powder is the best chance you have at your makeup still looking good while you’re out to dinner.

Some colour on your cheeks

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You don’t want to spend time contouring if you’re in a rush, because if you mess up you might take a long time to fix the too-harsh contour. Blusher and bronzer are your best bet, depending on whether you’re going for a fresh-faced or sun-kissed look. It should take you all of 30 seconds to apply, and you can even use lipstick in a pinch for blush if you’re saving on space in your makeup bag. Just remember to use all liquid and cream products before the translucent setting powder to avoid any cakiness.

Easy and lasting eye makeup

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If you’ve got oily eyelids, always use a primer if you want to keep your eye makeup looking perfect all day. I love Urban Decay’s primer potion because it has a slight beige tint that cancels out some redness and hides my veins. Eye shadow is optional, but unless you’re a pro at blending, I highly recommend a single nude all-over shade and an eyeliner in a versatile brown hue. You can opt for a pencil or smudged crayon eyeliner if a sharp liquid wing takes too long to execute with perfection. Mascara is optional, but who doesn’t want longer fuller lashes in their holiday pictures?

Fuss-free lips

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When it comes to holidays, I’d rather not be worrying about bright red lipstick on my teeth, staining my clothes or even smudging out of my lip line. Unless I’m wearing one of those painted-on liquid lipsticks that won’t budge (which are not ideal for five-minute makeup routines), I’d prefer a more natural lipstick or tint. Something your-lips-but-better, like a pinky, peachy, or neutral nude, will work depending on your skin tone. The best part? You can even apply them without the help of a mirror. Simply pat on with clean fingers and you’re done for the day.