Ed. Note: The following content was provided by Sally Van Swearingen who is a client of KHTS AM-1220.

Sally Van Swearingen, cosmetologist and owner of A-List hair and makeup studio, sat down recently to provide some tips for Santa Clarita women on applying makeup quickly and creating the perfect look with less makeup.

“I’m always talking about how women beyond a certain age should pull back on their makeup.” Van Swearingen said. “So, I’m asking women to wear less makeup, to wear less than they’re comfortable with.”  

Her cosmetics line, Studio Essentials Cosmetics, seeks to help women do more with less.

Another advantage of less makeup is speed.

Van Swearingen also claims that there is a cut-off point for makeup. Just like accessories, she believes that “five is the perfect number. I feel that way about makeup.”

“Four, maybe five items. stick with that. That will give you the most flawless, natural look,” Van Swearingen said.

“Throw out your foundation and switch it for a tinted primer,” she said. “Every woman should have (a primer).”

Some of the advantages of a primer are that “It’s on top of the skin. it does not go in (your pores) it protects the skin (and) gives you luminous finish,” she said. “It’s not heavy. You can actually see the skin. When you’re close to somebody, you want to see the skin, not the foundation.”

The next thing, and one equally important, is the concealer.

Related Story: Santa Clarita Makeup Specialist Gives Women Advice

“We use a concealer, but we forget we need something to highlight our eyes, to bring them out and pop,” Van Swearingen said. “I highly believe every woman should have an eye area concealer: a highlighter concealer that brings out and lifts the face.”

Once those are on, “you can almost run out the door right then,” she said.

“But if you’ve got a couple more seconds, I’d like you to put on a bronzor,” she continued.

Van Swearingen recommends her personal choice, Bronze It Up Congo Bronzer, for its cute design and ease in applying.

“You take a large brush, and you actually circle your whole face with it,” said Van Swearingen.   

She claims this ease of use is essential in all makeup, and that women should not “have to sit there in front of your vanity and concentrate. You just have a sweep…and you’re done.”

Her last step to minimalist makeup is mascara.

“Everybody’s looking for a perfect mascara,” Van Swearingen said, “you want to be able to take that mascara off pretty easily.”

For women coming home from the day and taking off makeup before bed, not having an easy-to-remove mascara means “pulling at your eyelashes.”

If done right, Van Swearingen said women can be “gorgeous with just a few items.”