We all know the struggle of running late to something. You just hopped out of the shower, your hair is still in a towel, and your legs are half shaved. Maybe you got the time of an event wrong, or maybe you just got caught up with your day. Regardless, running late is the worst. And nothing is worse than doing your makeup in a rush. In a dream world, we would have hours to perfect our eyeshadow, curl our hair, and plan out the perfect outfit- with some added time just to admire ourselves in the mirror.

But unfortunately, that is usually not how things play out. For those days when our alarm clocks go off late, we need to know how to do our makeup swiftly, and still have it look decent. We all run late sometimes, so for those ill-fated days, here are 5 time saving makeup tips for gals on the go:

1. Go Light on the Face Makeup

When you are running late, the last thing you want to spend all your time on is your face makeup. You need something that you can apply quickly but will still provide coverage, like a tinted moisturizer or sunscreen with bronzer. Light face makeup is better for your skin and will even out and brighten up your complexion. Plus, you don’t have to use makeup brushes with these, your fingers will get the job done perfectly fine!

2. Use Bronzer as Eyeshadow

If eyeshadow is an important part of your makeup routine that you can’t afford to skip on even the busiest of mornings, no worries, just use bronzer as your eyeshadow! Use a bronzer with shimmer already in it and quickly sweep it over your eyelids. You will look sunkissed and ready to go in no time.

3. Nix the Liquid Liner

I know, liquid liners can really complete a look, but when you are pressed for time, it has got to go. Liquid liner takes time and practice to perfect, and often requires multiple tries until you get it just right. That is not what we are looking for on a busy morning. Stick to eyeliner pencil, simple eyeshadow, or just mascara.

4. Lipstick Can Double as Blush

This is actually an amazing and incredibly useful hack for girls on the go! If you need to quickly do your makeup in a car or public bathroom and want to add some color to your face but don’t have blush, just use lipstick. Dab a little bit of lipstick onto your cheeks and rub it in. And do not worry about breaking out, lipstick and blush actually tend to have a lot of similar ingredients. Just try to use a more red or pink lipstick as that will look more natural.

5. Always Add Lip Gloss

Lip gloss can make you instantly look more put together. It is also easy to apply, so it is ideal for girls on the go. Just keep a lip gloss in your purse so you can always have it on hand to apply when necessary. And if you do not have time to put on lipstick, a colored lip gloss will do more than enough. Try to use a gloss with a plumping effect to make your lips look more luscious. 

We should not have to sacrifice makeup for time. There will come a day for all of us when the alarm just goes off too late and we do not have time to do our usual makeup routine. Running late is the worst, but that does not mean you can’t do your makeup routine at all. You just have to be smart with it. Cut some steps out and combine others together and you can cut your time in half. These 5 simple tips will make you look like you have your life together, even if you really do not.