The “I'll Be Ready in 10 Minutes” Festive Makeup Lie

“I'll be ready in ten minutes.”

Probably one of the most confidently told lies during the festive season. Right up there with “I'm leaving in five minutes” and “I don't think this outfit needs ironing.”

The outfit is still on the bed, you're looking for the earrings you were absolutely certain you kept somewhere safe, and someone has already called out three times asking if you're ready.

And your makeup? Well, that's not even started.

The funny thing is, getting your festive makeup done in ten minutes isn't actually impossible. What's impossible is trying to squeeze your usual forty-minute routine into ten minutes and expecting it to work.

Because if you've only got ten minutes, perhaps now isn't the time to attempt that elaborate eyeshadow look you saved on Instagram six months ago.

The First Mistake Is Trying to Do Everything

There's something about Diwali and festive functions that makes us feel like we should be doing a little extra.

A little more foundation. A little more shimmer. Maybe winged eyeliner because, well, it's a special occasion and before you know it, what was supposed to be a quick makeup routine has turned into a full-face project. But here's what we think: festive makeup doesn't necessarily need more steps. It needs a little more thought about which steps matter to you.

If you love doing your eyes, spend those extra minutes there. If you're a lipstick person, put on your favourite shade and let that do the work. And if blush is the one thing that makes you feel instantly more put together, you know where to start.

You don't have to do everything just because it's a festival. Although if you've planned your entire day around spending an hour doing your makeup, please enjoy every minute of it. We're certainly not going to tell you otherwise.

You Probably Don't Need as Much Base Makeup as You Think

When we're in a hurry, there's a temptation to apply foundation quickly, blend it out, add concealer, set everything with powder and move on. Except rushing through your base is often when things start going wrong. You end up with foundation that hasn't blended properly around your nose, concealer sitting in places you didn't really need it, or far more powder than you intended.

If you're doing a quick festive makeup look, start by looking at what your skin actually needs. Maybe a little concealer under your eyes and around your nose is enough. Maybe you'd prefer a light layer of foundation. Or maybe you're perfectly happy with your skin as it is and would rather spend that time on your eyes.

If you're using foundation, work with small amounts and blend before adding more. A damp makeup sponge can help diffuse liquid or cream products without leaving obvious edges. And don't powder your entire face automatically. If your forehead and nose get oily but your cheeks don't, set the areas that need it.

The time you save by not doing three unnecessary layers of base makeup is time you can spend on something you actually enjoy.

The Easiest Way to Look Festive? Pick One Thing to Play Up

This is probably our favourite approach when we're short on time. Rather than doing a little bit of everything and feeling like none of it is quite finished, choose one part of your makeup to give some extra attention.

Say you have five minutes left after your base - you could spend those minutes doing a softly smudged kajal, adding mascara and keeping everything else fairly simple. Or you could skip the eyeshadow entirely, apply a little blush, put on a beautiful lipstick and be done.

And if you want a little shimmer because it's Diwali and you fully intend to sparkle, press some onto your eyelids, blend the edges and leave it at that. You don't need four different eyeshadows to make one shimmer look good.

The idea isn't to make your makeup look like you've spent an hour on it. It's to make the most of the time you actually have.

There's a difference.

Okay, But What If You Really Have Only Ten Minutes?

Let's assume you've already done your skincare (and sunscreen if it's daytime), your makeup is in front of you and you aren't simultaneously searching for safety pins. A realistic ten-minute festive makeup routine might look something like this -

The first two minutes: Even out your base wherever you want coverage. Concealer, a little foundation or nothing at all. Whatever works for you.

The next two minutes: Add colour to your cheeks. A cream blush is particularly handy here because you can blend it with your fingers, a brush or a damp sponge. Start with a small amount and build if needed.

Three minutes for your eyes: Pick one thing. Smudged kajal, a single eyeshadow, mascara or a quick combination you already know how to do. This is not the moment to learn how to create the perfect wing.

One minute for your lips: Put on the lipstick you already know looks good on you. You can experiment with a new shade when the entire family isn't waiting by the door.

The last two minutes: Set the areas where you need powder, check the edges of your makeup, and make any small adjustments.

Ten minutes.

Will you look like you've spent an hour getting ready? Maybe not.

Will you look like yourself, just a little more dressed up? Absolutely.

And sometimes, that's exactly the look you're going for.

A Few Things We'd Leave for Another Day

If you're running late, there are some makeup experiments that can probably wait. Trying a completely new foundation on the day of a big function, for instance. Or attempting a complicated cut crease when you've never quite figured out how to do one.

The problem with trying something new when you're short on time isn't that it won't look good. It's that if it doesn't work the first time, you've now got to spend another ten minutes fixing it. And suddenly you're running late, your eyeliner isn't matching and someone's asking why you haven't come downstairs yet.

Our advice? Stick to the techniques you already know and change the colours or intensity if you want something more festive.

A deeper lip colour, a little more blush or some shimmer on your lids can make your usual makeup feel different without requiring an entirely new routine.

And What About Making Your Makeup Last?

Getting ready quickly is one thing. Making sure your makeup still looks decent a few hours later is another. Especially when the evening involves going from an air-conditioned room to a warm balcony, helping with the diyas, taking photographs and eating approximately your body weight in festive snacks.

There's no single trick that guarantees your makeup will stay perfect through all of that. But a few things help.

Don't apply more foundation than you need. Give your cream products time to blend and settle before adding powder. If you tend to get oily, set those areas lightly rather than waiting until you're already shiny.

And when you're touching up later, blot away excess oil before adding more powder. Otherwise, you're just layering fresh makeup over whatever has already been sitting on your face for hours. Not necessarily the festive glow you were going for.

If you're carrying a small bag, take the things you're most likely to need: your lip colour, a little powder or blotting paper and perhaps your blush.

You don't need to pack your entire dressing table for a Diwali dinner.

This Is Also Why We Love Makeup That Doesn't Need Too Much Fuss

One of the reasons we made Butter Up Blush Stick was to have something that fits into the kind of makeup routine you actually have time for.

It's creamy when you apply it, blends easily and sets to a soft matte finish. You can use your fingers to blend it out, which is particularly helpful when you don't have time to find the right brush. And since it's buildable, you can keep the colour soft for a daytime puja or add a little more when you're getting ready for an evening celebration.

We've got three shades - Butter Be Pink, Butter Get Mauve-ing and Too Brown to Butter Down, so you can choose the kind of flush you enjoy wearing.

If you're unsure which shade to pick, you can find your Butter Up shade here using our blush finder.

Because your makeup should fit into your day, not require you to reorganise the entire day around it.

And If You Take Twenty Minutes Instead?

That's fine too. Some days, getting ready is half the fun. You put on some music, lay out your makeup, try a new lip combination and take your own sweet time.

Other days, you're doing your mascara while someone is shouting that the guests have arrived.

Both are perfectly normal.

The point of a ten-minute festive makeup routine isn't to prove you can get ready faster than everybody else. It's knowing what you actually need, what you enjoy wearing and what you can happily skip.

And if you promised everyone you'd be ready in ten minutes but emerged twenty-five minutes later?

Well, atleast your blush looks good.