I’m not one of those crazy girls who tries to put on makeup in the car while I’m driving in to work, mostly because I’m not the greatest driver to begin with, so I don’t want to create even more challenges for myself.  But on some mornings, I find myself hitting the snooze button one too many times, and I’m frantically running around to try to put myself together. 

If I’m short on time, I usually stick with some eyeliner and mascara, and with a few simple swipes of a brush, my face is made up and I’m ready to step out into the world.  Here’s everything you need to know about how to master the quick-apply, five minute mascara.

The secret behind five minute mascara is to nail down the techniques right the first time to avoid going back and having to do any clean-up and make corrections.  Let’s face it, sometimes if you’re wearing eye shadow and the stray mascara doesn’t flake off after it’s dried, you’ll have to get out the makeup remover and go back a few steps and reapply everything.

When it comes to my lashes and the art of the five minute mascara, the first thing I do is make sure my eyelash curler is clean from any mascara or any debris that might have been stuck to it.  A makeup artist friend once told me she takes a blow dryer to her eyelash curler before she uses it, so the heat can give lashes a more defined curl that will hold longer.  If you follow this #ProTip, just be careful you don’t accidentally burn yourself.  There are also a lot of battery powered heat-up eyelash curlers on the market that you can use, too. 

As a part of my five minute mascara routine, after I curl my lashes, I then apply some of Lancome’s Oscillation Power booster Mascara Primer. The brush has a button to create a vibration when being applied directly to the lashes and it boasts to enhance lash thickness. I’ve also found this magical stuff to make my lashes grow longer.  It’s also a great primer before putting on mascara, as it’ll help with lash extension once I apply the real deal. 

While it’s a little pricey, it’s definitely my one go-to secret weapon in getting five minute mascara.  After putting on the primer, I use two coats of mascara, but in order to minimize corrections and messing up my five minute mascara routine, I use a small piece of thick, stock paper (like a business card) to cover my lids, and apply mascara directly against the paper, so that no excess mascara hits my eyelids if it misses a lash.  It gives me the ability to give full coverage to my lashes and lay on the coats evenly, without messing up the curl or making a mess on my eyelids.

And with that viola, I’m done.  While I might not have time for a full on make-up application, with the five minute mascara technique, I can easily put on a little something before going out without looking like I dragged out of bed, and step out with bright eyes and a fresh face.  Try this technique out for yourself and you’ll see what I mean.