Between all the waxing, straightening, and tousling, who has the time (or sheer energy) for some crazy-long beauty routine? Umm, not us. And not Hollywood pros, it seems. “I usually have 15 minutes, tops, to get Beyoncé out the door,” says makeup artist Mally Roncal. “That means I have to streamline my technique and do everything on the fly.”
Hairstylist Kevin Mancuso hears the same request from his celeb clients. “Stars are in such a hurry now that I need to do updos in half the time it normally takes but get the same great results.”
We figured that if the experts’ turbocharged tricks work for overbooked stars, then they certainly could shave minutes off our mirror time too. Here, the high-powered pros reveal their best new beauty shortcuts to make your eyes, lips, hair, and skin look fantastic in a flash.
Rub on a Rosy Glow
You can skip the hour-long facial but still make your skin gleam on the go. Hollywood aesthetician Sonya Dakar tells her star flock (which includes Drew Barrymore) to exfoliate with an ultrasoft face scrub that contains gentle buffing beads to dissolve dead skin cells. Slather on a thick layer of a hydrating mask next, and let that sit for about five minutes (during which time you can brush, floss, and rinse). Splash the mask off with water, apply your regular moisturiser, and…hello, gorgeous!
Speed Up Your Blowdry
A blowdry can take an eternity (especially on long hair), but using an extra wide round brush will hurry it up. “Not only can you cover more area quickly, but a larger barrel creates a smoother finish,” explains hairstylist Jimmy Paul. The biggest manageable brush we’ve found: Spornette 279 Prego Hair Brush, is 10cm wide.
Do a Mach-Speed Manicure
Cut the drying time of your nail polish in half by applying two very thin coats. “Most people throw on one thick coat to get it done fast, but that takes forever to harden and looks clumpy,” says manicurist Deborah Lippmann, who polishes up Reese Witherspoon and Hilary Swank. To ensure the lightest application of lacquer, wipe the brush against the neck of the bottle before painting a nail.
Hike Up Lashes Fast
Doing mascara on the fly requires a surgeon’s steady hands - or a makeup artist’s speedy strategy. “Always do your mascara first,” says makeup artist Carol Shaw who works on Nicole Kidman and Cindy Crawford. “If you mess up, which happens a lot, you can remove the smudge without wiping off everything else you already applied.” Her warp-speed wand move: Wiggle the brush into the roots of lashes before pulling it through, then hit the tips of lashes a second time to make them seem a mile long.
Boost Your Volume in a Blink
When Kimble wants to give Beyoncé ultravampy locks, she gathers large sections of dry hair (about 7cm in width) and rolls them around the barrel of a skinny curling iron (2cm wide or less). “This creates sexy hourglass-like curls, and because you’re grabbing large bits of hair at a time, you can easily do your whole head in about 10 minutes,” she says. Our favourite: Hot Tools 1’’ Tourmaline Curling Iron.
Revive Your Roots in Record Time
When party-hard celebs need to oomph up matted hair on the double, Shorter relies on this tip: “Rub a tiny dab of a light sculpting wax between your palms until you just see a bit of sheen on your hands, then scrunch up your roots,” she says. You’ll bulk up fine hair without weighing it down if you stick with a water-based wax.
Do One Thing
If you’re really in a rush, opt for red lipstick only. The look is bold without trying too hard, says Roncal, which suits us just fine. Plus, you’ll barely need to apply any more makeup. If your skin is fair, pick a bright fire-engine red to make your mouth pop. If you have a dark complexion, go for a warm brownish red. Try L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche in Retro Red or Scarlett Sillouette. Makeup artists are also stockpiling the new colourless lip liners since they help prevent any red from migrating beyond your mouth’s borders. Try Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lip Liner.
Flip Your Part and Take Off
One of the fastest styles you can create without a pair of scissors? A low side part. “It’s so dramatic and instantly glamorous,” says hairstylist Kim Kimble, who works with Beyoncé. “Plus, it’s great for all hair types and textures.” She parts hair about 10-15cm above the ear and sweeps strands back with the pointy tip of a comb like the Mason Pearson Tail Comb.
Rock and Roll Out of Bed
As any hipster will tell you, bedhead is a lifesaver for late sleepers. The key to making it cool, not just crazy, is to coat any problem areas (cowlicks, flyaways, creases from last night’s do) with a light serum to relax them, then blow-dry all over for a tousled effect, says Mancuso. He uses Kiehl’s Silk Groom Serum.
Try the 10-Second Towel Trick
After washing your hair, blot it with a thick towel to mop up excess water from your strands. You might say big whoop, but all the top stylists agree it’s a major time-saver, since sopping wet locks take longer to blow-dry. Just remember not to rub your head (since that creates frizz) but to press the towel firmly over large sections.
Inflate Your Lips in Seconds
For pouty lips worthy of an Italian film star, Dakar has an old-fashioned recipe: olive oil and salt. “These are the secret ingredients in my lip balm,” she admits. “The oil is supermoisturising, and the sodium makes your skin bloat up fast” (a good thing for your mouth, not your thighs). To get the effect, mix a spoonful of regular olive oil with a pinch of salt and dab it on your pucker.
Whip Out a Posh Ponytail
Think a fluffy ponytail takes hours to do? Nope. Kimble teases the roots around the crown to add volume, then pulls everything up and back with her fingers. “But don’t tug hair too tightly or you’ll kill the volume,” she warns. Secure with an elastic, then dress it up a notch by wrapping a few strands of your own hair around the band or covering it up with a pretty satin ribbon.
Outsmart Frizz
When a star’s hair is one big frizz-fest, hairstylist Babaii’s rapid solution is to tame the most obvious flyaways (usually in the front, near the face) by spritzing them with hair spray, then wrapping them around a curling iron. “The heat smooths the strands so your overall style looks more polished right away,” he says. Try Nexxus Comb Thru Natural Hold Design and Finishing Mist.
Bust Out Buff Nails in No Time
Lippmann often gives stars nude nails (for steamy bedroom scenes). Her fast secret is to slick on a base coat that contains proteins to fill in ridges on the enamel, and that’s all. Try ZEVA Nail Guard - Triple Protection Formula - Nail Strengthener, Base and Ridgefiller Nail Polish.
Lose the Fuzz in a Dash
To camouflage a little facial fuzz, dip a large dome powder brush into regular baby powder, then swipe it downward over any downy spots. This smooths the hairs so they lay flat and blends them in against your skin, says Dakar.
Shimmer in Two Shakes
Even if you’re only half awake, perk up your face with this mistake-proof trick: Pat your cheeks with cream blush, then dab any leftover amounts from your fingertips on lips and even eyelids, says Joanna Schlip, who does make up for Ellen Pompeo and Avril Lavigne. The Stila Convertible Color Dual Lip and Cheek Cream, flatters all skin tones.
Fake Perfect Brows
Warning: If you’re about to walk out the door, avoid tweezing at all costs (you’ll waste time trying to cover up that puffy, red unibrow). Instead, makeup artist Schlip plucks only the obvious strays and feathers brows with a gel matched to her client’s natural colour.
Prioritise for Speed
Hair sprays, gels, and mousses dry faster than pomades and creams. The new wunderkind all the pros are raving about: glossing mousse. It creates tons of shine but has lightweight texture so it won’t take a freaking hour or more for curls to air-dry (can you tell that we’re a tad impatient?). Try Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Cream.
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