holiday hustle

Surprise! We all blinked and now here we are, a week out from Thanksgiving. If we're being honest, it's actually not much of a surprise. We know the drill. September through December flies by in two seconds flat, and January through April takes 800 years. So. In honor of these speedy holiday hours, minutes and seconds, I'm here today with beauty tips to help you make them count. As in, tips that will give you the ability to completely change up your look in less than 5 minutes.
Four occasions, four easy looks. Gentlemen, start your engines.

I would say, out of all the holiday engagements, the family gathering is the perfect time to look the most like your natural self. Your healthy, shining, OMG-I-totally-got-8-hours-of-sleep-last-night, self. Great Aunt Mildred likes to see that you're taking care of yourself, and your skin, so now's the perfect time to use the products that will make you glow until you remember to get better at drinking more water every day ...

First prep with a swipe of Pixi Glow Tonic, and a few spritzes of Pixi Glow Mist. They have a cult following for a reason.

Brush the bronzer side of the E.l.f. Bronzed Beauty Set across your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline, then circle the blush on the apples of your cheeks. I like to dab Nuxe-Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil Shimmer across my cheekbones and eyelids. And if you're into cleavage, I bet it would look great there too. Finally, a swipe of NYX Extra Creamy Lipstick in the color Harmonica. Don't worry about eyebrows, or lashes. This look is about your skin.

Speaking of focusing on the skin, I must interject here to say that I recently obtained my very first set of makeup brushes with the E.l.f. Luxury Brush Collection, and it's pretty much been a game changer for me. It's one of those things where you THINK you're doing fine on your own before you have them, but then after you do, you're like, wow I really could've used that concealer brush like 10 years ago. Still have yet to find a use for the fan-shaped one though.

To hustle the no-fuss, "family gathering" look into a night out with your boo ... or bae, I guess is the word now ... you'll need lashes and a matte lipstick. I love these Sonia Kashuk Full Volume Lashes with a helping of mascara on top if you're feeling bold, and then this E.l.f. Matte Lip Color in Tea Rose. It's a very Kylie Jenner color, that doesn't look like you're trying to be Kylie Jenner if you don't have Kylie Jenner lips -- a pro or con depending on what you're into. Bottom line, it's stinking flattering. And the matte is very now, darling. 

Bonus points for a date night turtleneck. Embrace your inner Keaton.

I don't know if you believe in holding a "friendsgiving" before actual Thanksgiving, but I find it to be a lovely notion and think that if you're willing to bake two turkey's in one week, then high five you!

For a dinner party with friends, I think it's easier to get away with a bolder look. Probably won't keep your son from asking you what happened to your face, but your friends will totally love it. I stuck with a neutral palette, keeping my lips nude and doing a warm bronzy blend with NYX Love in Paris Shadow Palette in Merci Beaucoup.

I prepped my eyelids with Nuxe-Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil Shimmer and then used a wet shadow brush to give the color application more intensity.

It is so weird to see yourself with that much eye shadow on. But it's the holidays people, why not.

Next on your list of engagements? A holiday party. You are obviously super popular, so of course you would have a friendsgiving and a holiday party to attend back-to-back. What a beauty conundrum. But have no fear, your make-up wipes are here.

To switch over to more of a deck-the-halls vibe in less than 5, grab a dry wipe and rub all your eye shadow off. This is actually impossible because you're using a dry wipe, but that's sort of the point. You'll be left with a slight bronzy highlight around your lids, that just needs to be topped off with a swipe of your favorite dark lip color.

I love this Sonia Kashuk Velvety Matte Lip Crayon in Mulberry Nude, that you can use as-is, or layer over top of a deep brown to give it a really pretty, rich hue.

And there you have it. Your face is totally ready for anything this next month has to throw at it. Unless you have an occasion that requires a cat-eye. Then you're on your own.

This post is brought to you by Target Style. Shop the new Beauty collection in stores and online.