It is possible to achieve work-ready makeup under 10 minutes. Follow this makeup expert’s step-by-step guide!

There have been many studies that show that having a polished appearance helps you get ahead at work and increases your chances at scoring a promotion. But hands up those of you who would rather sleep more on a weekday morning than spend a lot of time putting on makeup.

The good news is you don’t need a lot of time to achieve work-ready makeup if you have the right products to help you. We spoke to Lina Tock, Lancôme’s National Makeup Artist, who demonstrated to us how easy it is to get it right – and all in 10 minutes flat.

Step 1: Prep your skin

The skin, which is the canvas on which makeup is going to be applied, has to be prepped well for quick and easy application later. After cleansing, use a hydrating serum all over your skin. The Lancôme Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate helps plump up the skin and moisturise it thoroughly. It also has the benefit of eliminating signs of ageing on skin, promising visible results within seven days of usage, and we know good skin means better makeup adherence and results.

Estimated time: No more than 30 seconds

Step 2: Treat your eyes

Lina emphasises on the need to take care of your peepers. She applied the Lancôme Advanced Génifique Yeux Light-Pearl using its unique applicator that gives the eye area a good massage. This reduces the look of puffiness so eyes look more rested.

Lina says: I notice dark eye circles is a common concern faced by women in Singapore. Using products that help the eye area look brighter and less fatigued is an important step to help overall makeup look better.

Estimated time: No more than 30 seconds

Step 3: Apply sunscreen

Apply sunscreen right before you start your base application. Lina used the Lancôme UV Expert XL-Shield.

Estimated time: No more than 30 seconds

Step 4: Create flawless-looking complexion that appears natural

The star of the look is the Lancôme Blanc Expert Cushion Compact High Coverage SPF50+ / PA +++. Compared to the previous Cushion Compact launched by the French brand, this latest product comes with even better coverage, and in nine shades suited for Asian skin tones. The new technology features a “sieve” on top of the cushion and spiral-shaped fibres in the sponge that holds the formula, so that more product can be picked up, resulting in higher coverage that still looks natural.

Estimated time: No more than 4 minutes

Lina says: To hide dark eye circles, simply roll the puff with your index finger, and gently dab onto the area until you’ve achieved your desired coverage. If you have very serious dark eye circles, you can follow up with a concealer. Otherwise, those with normal skin will find that the Cushion Compact delivers sufficient coverage for the area.

Lina says: You usually see redness around the nose. Fold your puff into half to apply the product onto these hard-to-reach areas.

Step 5: Achieve a healthy glow

A rosy glow makes your complexion appear healthier. Lina recommends the new Lancôme Cushion Blush Subtil, which gives a soft and natural-looking glow and makes your skin feel hydrated and dewy.

Lina says: Using the puff that comes with the product, simply tap the blusher onto the apples of your cheeks. To locate the areas to apply, smile – the highest points are where you should focus on. The newest trend is to tap it lightly around your eyes to achieve a cute “big eye look”. As long as the intensity is moderate, the look can help you look more approachable, which is a good trait to be associated with at work.

Estimated time: No more than 2 minutes

Lina says: If you want the blusher to look more intense, consider tapping it on using your finger instead. Concentrate on the highest points of your cheeks to make your features look more defined.

Step 6: Complete the look with coloured lips

Lina applied the Lancôme Shine Lover on the lips. The bright colour brings a healthy-looking glow to the skin and its balmy texture ensures that lips look smooth and hydrated.

Estimated time: No more than 1 minute

Step 7: Optionally, apply mascara

If you have time to spare, open up your eyes with the help of your favourite mascara. Lina applied generous coats of Lancôme Grandiôse Smudgeproof Mascara.

Lina says: With a good mascara that volumises and lengthens your lashes, you could even skip the eyeliner.

Estimated time: No more than 2 minutes

And there you have it – work-ready makeup under 10 minutes!

This tutorial works on everyone!

We wanted to make sure Lina’s tutorial works on everyone of different skin concerns and skin tones. So we challenged her to replicate the exact same steps on Tiara Dusqie, who has a tanner skin tone.

And it works! Tiara noticed that the shade of the Lancôme Cushion Compact matches her skin tone perfectly and that it does a great job concealing problem areas like dark eye rings and blemishes around her jawline.

Lina’s tricks of the trade to remember

• Good skincare habits help improve skin’s quality so that you can work on a better canvas. You will also spend less time trying to conceal imperfections.
• Invest in a foundation product that offers good coverage. Lina’s main trick was to use the Lancôme Blanc Expert Cushion Compact High Coverage SPF 50+ / PA+++, which offers enough coverage to conceal redness, blemishes and dark eye circles. This way, she can skip concealing.
• Pick the right shade of foundation. The key to fuss-free work-ready look is in the base makeup, which gives you flawless-looking complexion. Look for a brand that offers a wide range of colours so that you can definitely find a colour that matches closely to your skin tone.

Look lively & radiant in 4 easy steps

Experience a customised 15-minute Lively Radiance by Lancôme service and see how your skin can look lively and radiant in four easy steps.

This four-step service include:
1. Step 1 – Prepare & Boost: Start with the award-winning Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate to both prepare your skin and boost the effectiveness of subsequent Lancôme products.
2. Step 2 – Target: The Blanc Expert Whitening Skincare range targets dark spots and uneven skin tone areas after.
3. Step 3 – Protect: The new UV Expert CC Cream is then used to protect you from the negative effects of blue light, dust pollution, as well as other harmful radiation like UVA and UVB rays.
4. Step 4 – Illuminate: Discover the new Blanc Expert Cushion Compact with the patented Polar Cushion Technology that provides more coverage, long wear and high UV protection for a fresh and velvety makeup result, and complexion that feels visibly replenished with radiance and vitality.

Finally, you’ll also take home a customised sample kit of your own, and experience it all over again.

This article is brought to you by Lancome.