On days where you don't have much time to worry about your makeup, you’re only going to be running errands but you don’t want to be barefaced or you just generally don’t wear a lot of makeup the five minute face is an important routine to have in your arsenal for when you need it. 

BASE | For base when you’re in a rush it’s best to keep things simple. Skip a foundation as they take a bit of work to buff into the skin and instead opt for a tinted moisturiser/BB cream/CC cream type product, these are much lighter on the skin and so take next to no time to apply. I’ve recently been enjoying using the Bourjois CC Cream - full review here. Although you could skip a base altogether.

CONCEAL | When you don’t have a lot of time a quick all-round concealer is the way to go. The Rimmel Wake Me Up is one of my all time favourite concealers as its good for under the eyes and any blemishes, it also blends into the skin quickly and easily.

BROWS | The quickest way to fill in your brows is with a pencil as faffing around with powders or pomades takes far too long when you’re strapped for time. I love the Soap & Glory Archery Brow Tint & Pencil, the pencil side is waxy so sets your brows as well as fills them in and the pen side creates a natural looking brow as you can create individual looking hairs.

EYES | If you’re in a rush there’s no time to mess around with shadows or liner so just a good coat of mascara will see you through - don’t forget to curl those cases though. My mascara of the moment has been the Maybelline Lash Sensational - full review here.

CHEEKS | Forget about contour and bronzers and instead just opt for a cream blush. It’s quick and easy but adds a youthful and fresh look to the face. The Bourjois Cream Blush in 01 Nude Velvet is a beautiful coral shade which will suit most skin tones.

LIPS | For lips just opt for a lip balm, no one has time for to worry about a red lip in a hurry.

What are you 5 minute makeup go-to’s?

~ Jade xx

Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder | To combat oily skin I have to use a powder but often that comes with having an over-matte base which leaves your face looking dry and having exaggerated pores. With this powder though that doesn’t happen. Your makeup is set, your face is matte but you still have a radiance about your skin and pores are left looking invisible - full review here. 

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil | This was a recommendation from Lucy and one that I was very weary of. Having oily skin the thought of putting oil on my face terrified me but it removes makeup like nothing I’ve ever used before and leaves the skin feeling nourished and moisturised, but not greasy.

Barry M Quick Dry Nail Paint - Eat My Dust | I’ve been obsessed with this shade since I picked it up all the way back in March. It’s the perfect pastel blue that isn’t too pastel and the formula is fast drying for any impatient people out there like me - full review here. 

Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Pencil - East End Snob + Revlon Moisture Stain - London Posh | As of late this has been my favourite lip combination. The Rimmel Lip Pencil is another recommendation from Lucy and the colour is a great pinky nude with the formula being long wearing but not drying, I had to go back and pick up some more shades - full review here. I’ve had the Revlon Moisture Stain since last year and loved it when they first launched but it became lost and buried in my makeup collection. I was recently looking for a nude gloss though and digging through my stash found this beauty. The texture is unlike any other gloss product but isn’t sticky and sticks around a long while. I like to put East End Snob all over my lips for colour and add London Posh to the centre of the lips to add dimension.

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream | Recently I was on the hunt for a summer base that was light in feel but still had coverage - quite hard to come by. I picked up this CC Cream from Bourjois to test out and ended up loving it - full review here.

What are your current favourites?

~ Jade xx

“Apricot pigments for anti-fatigue, green pigments for anti-redness and white pigments for anti-dark spots with 24Hr hydration and SPF15 to create a luminous and flawless complexion in one step.”

I’ve been on the hunt for a good summer base recently. For me, tinted moisturisers don’t cut it as I need something with coverage as my skin is my biggest concern but I also don’t want anything that’s too heavy because heat and a heavy base don’t mix very well and will create a melting, sweaty mess. Enter, the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream. I picked this up the same time I repurchased the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation - which is another favourite base of mine, review here - and decided to road test it and see if my perfect summer base was sitting on the high street all along.

Starting with the positives, although this is a CC cream - or correcting cream - it packs serious pigment. I had heard it gave good coverage compared to others like it on the market but I was pleasantly surprised at how much coverage it gives. It isn’t quite medium coverage but will cover any smaller breakouts you have going on at the time with ease. It’s fairly thick in consistency but blends out easily - I’ve applied this with a damp sponge, brush and my fingers, all blending out perfectly. The finish is luminous and glow-y without being overly so - I like to powder it due to my oily skin but normal-dry skinned gals will be fine - it leaves a natural summer glow look without anything being glittery like some high street aluminising bases can be. The colour correcting system really works too as my hyper pigmentation is covered as well as the redness around my breakouts - I’m lucky and don’t suffer with dark circles so I can’t comment on that front unfortunately.

However, I’m not a fan of the packaging. I would prefer a pump although the product is perhaps a little thick for that but the tube is one of those where you take the lid off and the product starts to come out without you applying any pressure and can get a bit messy if you aren’t careful. Personally, I think the price is slightly high too at £9.99, which although compared to higher end brands is cheap, for the high street it’s definitely at the higher end of the scale considering this isn’t a foundation. The staying power isn't the best however I do have oily skin - I find I need to touch up a couple of times throughout the day - so it may wear longer on someone with a dryer skin type. The shade range - as with all Bourjois products - is disappointing too as there are only four shades so if you’re a deep skin tone or someone who likes a tan you’d be best to steer clear this time.

What’s your summer base pick?

~ Jade xx