Every woman likes to look good when they walk into the world. A little self-confidence and even a side of sass are an added bonus. But since I became a mom, all things beauty have dropped down on my priority list significantly. When every 15 minutes of the day is pocket of time to get something on the to-do list checked off, perfecting my eyeliner doesn’t usually make the cut. That’s why I was so excited to learn about the new make-up line lilah b. The entire mantra of the 18-month old line is to declutter, minimize and simplify. I’m all for anything that makes my life simpler these days.

The collection is great for three reasons. One, there aren’t 50,000 products. Instead, lilah b. designed the essentials – exactly what you need to have gorgeous skin, a little fun with the eye, a pop of color on the lip and you’re done. Number two, the packaging is just stunning. The compacts are designed to look (and feel!) like river rocks and I’m obsessed. Number three, I love that they’re a local bay area company, started and owned by woman with a passion and a dream. But more to come on that in a sec.

Lilah b. offers the make-up essentials that help you do your whole face in five minutes. I recently visited their home offices in Sausalito to put the five-minute face idea to the test – and I thought I’d share my mini-makeover with you. Here is my before pic.

My goal was simple. I need an quick and easy make-up routine that will help me look a little more pulled together, refreshed and awake, but not made up.

Thankfully, lilah b. can accomplish that without any fancy contouring tricks or professional makeup skills. Aka my speed. Here are the steps:

1. Prime. They prepped my face with Aglow Face Mist to optimize moisture.

2. Conceal. The Virtuous Veil concealer in b.bright is a miracle worker. You can layer it with your finger or a brush. They dotted it under my eyes, around my nose, on my forehead and of course on my lovely spots. Gotta love post-partum skin.

3. Create flawless skin. The Flawless Finish Foundation is a powder that can be layered. They focused more coverage on my t-zone with a lighter dusting on my cheeks in light circular motions.

4. Bronze. The artist used Bronzed Beauty duo to add a little glow to my cheekbones, nose and forehead.

5. Freshen the eyes. They used the eye quad in b.stunning on me. The artist used the dark shade to fill in my brows (brows are a total makeup artist secret – filling them in gives you an immediate facelift). She then used the lightest shade in the inner crease of my eye for a little brightness. The medium brown shade was dusted in my eye’s outer crease for a little definition. She also used the darkest brown along my lash line.

6. Add some color. The artist applied the Divine Duo Lip & Cheek in b.fearless on my lips. The color builds intensity as you layer it. You can apply it with your finger but a brush helps creating definition. I love the pop of cheery red. It helps me look less tired!

A final spritz of the Face Mist to set everything and voila! I felt human.

The other reason that I really love lilah b. is because it is founded by a woman who was chasing her passion. After years a marketing consultant, founder Cheryl Yannotti Foland relocated from NYC to San Francisco and realized she wanted to make her own mark on the  beauty industry.

The other reason that I really love lilah b. is because it is founded by a woman chasing her passion. After years a marketing consultant, founder Cheryl Yannotti Foland relocated from NYC to San Francisco and realized she wanted to make her own mark on the  beauty industry, while also helping busy women look and feel great.

As she explains, “Our philosophy is “With less, you are more”. I created lilah b. after many years of working in the cluttered world of beauty —there were too many products and it was way too confusing. I wanted something that would simplify my own beauty routine, and I believed it would resonate with all women who wanted ease. With lilah b., you only need a few of our multitasking, high-performance products to achieve a flawless, finished look. Our stone components round out the collection with a modern, clean aesthetic. They’re portable, accessory-like, and will always look fabulous when pulled out of your handbag!”

And Cheryl puts her money where her mouth is. Taking her philosophy “with less, you are more,” to the next level, when you place an online order, you will receive a prepaid return label with to send back not only your used lilah b. packaging, but any other brand’s products. All of the packaging is recycled in Southern California. That is something I can really get behind.

But I really love that I now have a fool-proof makeup routine and I’ve been able to ditch the pounds an pounds of make-up I’ve stored up over the years. Thank you lilah b. for making me look and feel great!

For more of my best beauty tips & tricks CLICK HERE.

original photography for apartment 34 by emily scott