A beauty expert weighs in on how to look flawless fast

How we wish we had an hour to get ready every day. The reality? There’s normally 10 minutes at a push. Beauty expert Nadira V. Persaud shares her expert tips and tricks on looking perfected and polished in five minutes flat.

Photograph: Alisa Connan

Nude Perfection (5 minutes)

You don’t need an army of products to create a perfectly polished complexion. Nadira says that the key is to focus firstly on the base. She uses 35 Thousand All-In Day Serum to help even out skin tone and help skin look ‘well-rested.’ She then uses a multipurpose blush to add color to the face. “Check out ELF’s Monochromatic Multi-Stick,” she says, “Which can be dabbed onto eyelids, cheeks and lips for an easy 'glow and go' effect.” Available in four skin-pepping shades, it breathes life into cheeks and helps make eye whites look whiter.

If you only have a few minutes to spare then Nadira suggests reaching for a great volumizing mascara like Benefit’s Bad Gal Bang Volumizing mascara which gives lashes length and impact in one coat.

Finish by defining lips with a nude liner such as Rimmel 1000 Kisses Stay on Lip Liner in Nude (for pale skin tones) or NYX Professional makeup Slim Lip Pencil in Natural  (for mid/ warm skin tones) or in Coffee (for deep or darker skin tones) and you’ll be ready to face anything.

The Glamour Switch-up (5 minutes )

We all know what it’s like when the day has drained the life out of your face, you’re heading out for dinner and you need a glamour switch-up, fast. Firstly, bring the life and hydration back to skin with a spritz of 35 Thousand  Refresh & Revive Mist, which is deeply hydrating and will reenergize tired skin. Next, Nadira suggests adding some definition to your face with a product like the Kiko Milano Sculpting Touch Creamy Stick, which is a contouring stick with a matte finish. Nadira suggests subtly applying under cheekbones, on the bridge of the nose, upper forehead and chin. Smooth and blend in using fingers, then opt for either a bolder eye or a stronger lip which is more sophisticated than both at once.

If you choose to elevate your lips, Nadira suggests you “Apply your lipstick first to make sure nothing else is overplayed. Apply a bold or bright lipstick like Cosmetics a la Carte Matte Velvet Lipstick in Pachino. If you want a more high-glamour defined look, then Nadira suggests applying a similar lipliner over the top. If you’d prefer a softer look, she suggests lining lips with a nude lipliner.
If you choose to dial up your eyes over your lips, Nadira is a fan of Avon True Colour Glimmersticks, which she says ‘Offer an easy smoky eye by gliding along the upper and lower lash line.” Nadira also says you can use them on the inner waterline for dramatic impact which will really bring out the shape of your eye. Her top tip is to “Smudge the outer edge using a cotton bud to create a sultry, smoky look before pairing with a natural or nude lip."
 
For other expert tips on getting ready on the fly check out our beauty editorial here
Check out Nadira’s Instagram for more beauty tips: @nadiramakeupandhair