Shades of Spring: Seventeen-Minute Makeup and Hair

As the weather warms (albeit slowly this year, it seems) and the school year winds down (only three more Mondays to go, but who's counting?), I find myself having fun experimenting with various springy shades of makeup--particularly eye makeup.

Below is today's experiment for you to try on your own, a combination of purples, greens, silvers, and grays. The whole process--hair and makeup--took a mere seventeen minutes. You can see different angles of the hairstyle, as well as a step-by-step guide (and maybe even a video if I get high-tech) in an upcoming post, which will be called "Fast and Fancy Up-Do."

Eyes
1. Coat the eyelid from lash line to eyebrow in Mary Kay Creme Eyeshadow in Pale Blush. This cream eyeshadow can stand on its own, but is also an excellent primer for mineral eyeshadow.
2. Coat the entire eyelid from lash line to eyebrow with Mary Kay Mineral Eyeshadow in Moonstone.
3. Using a brush applicator to achieve a more subtle effect, apply Mary Kay Mineral Eyeshadow in Sweet Plum. (This color can appear very dark if applied with a regular sponge applicator.)
4. Apply the green shade of the Maybelline EyeStudio Green with Envy quartet (40) to the brow bone, just below the eyebrow, on the outer edge of the eye.
5. Apply the same green eyeshadow shade mentioned in Step 4 to the bottom lash line, in place of eyeliner.
6. Apply Mary Kay Mineral Eyeshadow in Silver Satin to the outside crease of the eyelid, under the brow bone. Draw eyeshadow out about as far as you plan to draw your eyeliner out.
7. To top eyelid only and using the thin side of the applicator, apply Mary Kay Gel Eyeliner in Jet Black. Begin at the innermost edge of your iris using the thin side of the brush, and draw a thin line as far beyond the lash line as you are comfortable, gradually sloping upward with your brush stroke.
8. Apply Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara in black to upper and lower lashes.

Face
1.  After applying moisturizer and sunscreen (I used Mary Kay TimeWise Age-Fighting Moisturizer and Mary Kay Day Solution Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 35), apply Mary Kay Mineral Cheek Color in Strawberry Cream.
2. Set with Cover Girl Advanced Radiance pressed powder in classic beige (115).
*Colors should be customized to work with your skin tone.

Lips
1. Apply your favorite chapstick. 

Fast Fitness Tip:  Think you're too busy to exercise today? Did you know that as few as ten minutes can make a difference? Even if your schedule is jam-packed, finding just ten minutes to do some cardio today can make a big difference. In fact, a quick ten-minute brisk walk, jog, or run can help immensely. Just get up ten minutes earlier and take a quick jaunt. Or, if getting up early isn't your thing, use ten minutes of your lunch break (before your meal would probably be best, to avoid an upset stomach). You probably won't even break a serious sweat before heading back to work, but you will have helped jump-start your metabolism and gotten your heart pumping.