Valentine's Day is the perfect time to experiment with bolder, brighter makeup looks. But the problem is not always a matter of what kinds of palettes and color combinations to try: it's a matter of how much time there is to actually get it all on. According to celebrity makeup artist Emily Kate Warren (who has worked with stars such as Jennifer Jason Leigh and Abigail Breslin), a quick, flattering makeup look shouldn't take longer than five minutes. So whether you have hot date-night plans or you're heading out on the town with your friends this Valentine's Day, start those stopwatches. Here are Warren's suggestions for getting an easy-peasy five-minute look, along with tips on creating 20- and 45-minute palettes.
To get a speedy, five-minute look . . .
Warren recommends applying a black mascara, a red lip stain (or a matte lipstick tapped on with the fingertips), and a bright, pink-toned blush.
And if you have 20 minutes . . .
Warren suggests applying full foundation, all of the products listed above in the five-minute palette, and highlighter on the cheekbones. You can also try adding a haze of bronze around the lash lines for a warm and glowy finishing touch.
And if you have 45 minutes . . .
Apply all of the above, plus half-lash strips, along with a black liner on top to conceal the lash bands. And for that extra pop of color? "A full-on red lip could work, as well."
Have you ever had a top on and thought, "Ew, this color is doing absolutely nothing for my complexion?" We've all been there. And the same principle rings true with makeup, particularly when it comes down to the old-school notion that warms must wear warms and cools must wear cools. 