How to Get Holiday-Party Ready in 3 Minutes or Less

[Samuel Haylen]

Between catching up with friends, making time to see family, grabbing drinks with your work wife at the office holiday party, and running around to make sure everyone on our shopping list is accounted for, everyone's got a full schedule these days. I reached out to two of Allure's favorite makeup artists to get their tips for amazing party looks that take less than three minutes. The best part? They can be done at your desk, in a public restroom, or even in the back of a cab.

Tinted moisturizer is your new best friend.

photo:elegant evening dresses

While I tend to favor a more matte finish of foundation over the dewy complexion that tinted moisturizer offers, I’ve been convinced to jump ship for touch ups. Makeup artists Vincent Oquendo and Robin Black recommend keeping one handy, since it's sheer but still gives a little bit of coverage: perfect for when you're on the clock. To finish it off, Black recommends lightly dotting a concealer, like Nars Creamy Radiant concealer, with your index finger to cover up any discolorations.

Skip the contouring.

You don't have time for allover contouring/strobing/Lord-knows-what. Instead, to get the light to reflect off your skin just right, Oquendo loves the Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Moon Beach. "I'm addicted," he gushes. "I would pop it on the cheeks and lips to add some color" for a quick fix.

Pay attention to the eyes.

There's no need to fiddle with seven brushes and three palettes for a bold smoky eye. Instead, Oquendo loves using the Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Shadow Stick in Tuxedo to create the perfect red-carpet look in a pinch. It's easy to apply, blends well, and is long-wearing. Black agrees: "Never underestimate the power of the classic eyeliner pencil. They often get overlooked in favor of fancy liquid or gel formulas, but a great pencil is best for creating a dramatic eye in just a few minutes." Black is a fan of the Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner in Santal, a perfect deep bronze. She recommends drawing it across the top of your lash line and then quickly smudging with your finger.

Looking for a more dramatic look? Try Black's under-three-minute rock and roll smoky eye. "Here’s a trick I learned back in the day while doing music-video makeup for heavy-metal bands," she says. "Take a greasy black eyeliner pencil, like Charlotte Tilbury's Rock 'n' Khol in Bedroom Black. Rub it all around the eyes, including the inner rims. Then wet your fingers and press them over your closed eyes, gently tapping. Wipe off the bits that have run too far and what you are left with is a stage-ready smoky eye. "The best part about this look is that it actually looks better as the night goes on," Black says.

Skip the red lip.

"I love a bold red lip, but bouncing around in the back of an Uber is not the right time to apply one," Black says. "Instead, I reach for Marc Jacobs New Nudes, a sheer lip gel that comes in multiple shades and suits a wide variety of complexions. It glides on so easily that you can do it without a mirror." The final look is polished, pretty, and—most importantly in dry winter weather—moisturized.

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