The most useful article I’ve read recently came from a simple living how-to site about keeping a tidy home. It offered a 5-minute bathroom-cleaning routine to do everyday that flowed effortlessly into your morning – and prevented the eventual marathon-cleaning session.

In that spirit, I came up with “5 Minute Glamour” using five beauty must-haves that will help you look fab in a flash. You can be the envy of many a frazzled mother when you show up to the kid’s activities or to work looking impeccably pulled- together.

It only requires a little forethought and a couple items to streamline your beauty routine!

5 Beauty Must-Haves

1. Get a couple Beauty Blenders – these will shorten makeup application time.

2. Choose a creamy formula under-eye concealer that hydrates.

3. One signature strong-point is really all it takes to “get noticed”. A Brazilian Blowout can guarantee you great hair without the blow dry time, or consider eyelash extensions for a fun, sexy look with no makeup. For the more daring, semi-permanent brow makeup or lip color guarantees that you always have a sexy pout – or a beautiful arch even if you’re really late for your wax appointment.

4. Root Touch-Up Powder – Bottle blondes and salt & peppers rejoice! Just dust on a little of this miracle product and say “sayonara” to those giveaway strands that started invading a few weeks after your last hair appointment.

5. Keep a makeup bag in your handbag to hold key makeup items. I suggest:

• Small mirror
• Liquid or pencil eyeliner
• Mascara
• Cream bronzer
• Lip gloss
• Makeup remover wipes

Ok… Once you’re stocked up with the above you’re ready to doll it up!

5 Minute Glamour – Makeup Routine

1. Cleanse and exfoliate face in the shower while hair is conditioning

2. Apply Moisturizer & SPF to towel-dried skin

3. Apply moisturizing under eye concealer with finger or brush. Also dot it on upper lid to work like a base eyeshadow color.

4. Apply foundation or tinted moisturizer or BB cream with beauty blender (if you’re in a rush just grab the beauty blender and put on “yesterday’s makeup”- I always keep my beauty blender in its own sanitary spot just for this type of emergency use.) A second beauty blender can be used in the same way for blush.

5. Get going! Don’t waste your precious morning minutes – if you expect to spend time waiting in the car, wait and use that time to apply liquid or pencil eyeliner, mascara, and gloss. Optionally, you can then touch up cheeks by applying cream bronzer with finger and using makeup remover wipes to touch up eyes and clean your hands.

Now blow a kiss out at your adoring fans…. ooops nevermind, I guess little Ema and Edgar are trying to play paddy-cake, not clapping at your mind-boggling ability to multi-task. Se la vie…. anyway, you look gorgeous, girl!