The 5 Minute Face

Woke up late? Only have 10 minutes to get ready? Perfect, that's 5 more than you need! Most college girls don't have much time to get ready in the mornings, between finishing up essays and studying for the next quiz, spending 30 minutes applying makeup just isn't practical. Not to mention spending tons of money on products that magazines claim you have to have. Most of us don't have that kind of time, or money. Luckily, you don't have to! With some cheap drugstore products and about five minutes, you can achieve a look that lasts all day with hardly any effort, and it only takes 4 steps.

1. First, foundation is the key. A good foundation and an even skin tone is what makes the basis for all your makeup. It's the quickest way to look awake and bright, even at 8 in the morning. I prefer Neutrogena's Clear Skin Liquid Foundation. It evens out your skin tone, and fights breakouts at they same time. Use just a few drops sparingly on red and dark spots, and it will leave you feeling light and weightless.
2. The second most important thing is eyelashes. Long, luscious eyelashes are the key to looking feminine and sweet, and make you look like you're wearing more makeup than you actually are. I prefer Covergirl's Lashblast mascara to get dramatic, lengthy eyelashes on both your top and bottom lashes, and a good eyelash curler will just add to the effect.
3. Add a quick sweep of black eyeliner to your top lash line. Simple and sweet, this will make your eyes look big and draw all the attention to them. I prefer Revlon's liquid eyeliner for a dramatic look, but a pencil or cream eyeliner will give it a more daytime feel.
4. The final step is adding a bit of color to your lips. Covergirl's Outlast Lipstain lasts all day and comes in a variety of colors, from dramatic reds to sweet peaches. No matter what kind of look you're going for, color on your lips makes them pop and creates a polished look.

Altogether, it will look something like this:

5 Minute Face by Catherine Cotton is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at picasaweb.google.com.

Could you have guessed it only took a few minutes and products you can find at any CVS? Don't let the magazines fool you, makeup doesn't have to be a chore and it definitely shouldn't break your bank account!

The Basics

For the first post in my guide to dressing cute and comfy for college, I wanted to show how I dress on a normal, average day here at Trinity, just to provide a general overview of what I want to share with you before getting into any specifics.

Dress The Part by Catherine Cotton is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at dressthepart-catherine.blogspot.com.

Something I want to draw your attention to is the balance between hot and cold. Because it's the end of summer in San Antonio, it's definitely not cold outside, so a romper and some sandals are really appropriate to wear when trying to beat the hot weather. However, all the classrooms are about negative 20 degrees, so if you're going to wear something short like this, I've learned cardigan or cover up is a must have!

When I first started classes here, I liked to wear dresses and little heels. After a few weeks, I've learned it's just not practical, especially climbing up the Trinity hills! Settling for a romper like this, which has the look and feel of a dress without the lack of comfort, is a great alternative. Some great places to find cheap and cute rompers for the warm days at school are Forever 21 or Urban Outfitters.  You can find these at North Star Mall, or The Quarry. I would recommend Forever 21 first, because it's the cheapest and fits all body types a bit better.

Looking for cute accessories to pair with that romper? No problem! Just hit up American Apparel at North Star Mall for some funky accessories, including a variety of colors in bows and hair accessories. I also highly recommend Charming Charlies as well. In this picture, I have a big white bow in the back of my hair, which also keeps it out of my face during classes and only took a couple seconds to style, giving me plenty of time to sleep in.

In my next few posts, I'll be addressing hair tricks, makeup secrets, and how to budget money when shopping, thanks for Dressing The Part with me today!