The One Make-Up Product I Cannot Go Without

I love playing around with make-up. On some days, it feels like art - another outlet for my creativity. On most days, however, I'm just too lazy. The only times I wear a full face and spend more than a few minutes getting ready are for events and photoshoots.

My daily make-up routine barely extends beyond three minutes. I spend two of those dabbing a generous amount of sunscreen on my face. The next one minute is spent in using the one beauty product I cannot go without. If you guessed eyeliner or lipstick, well, you need to guess harder!

Before we delve into my make-up regimen, here's something I have to confess: I majorly lucked out with skin. I have near-flawless skin with no acne, breakouts or scars. Yes, my teenage was hard, but somehow, all the pimples never left their marks (or maybe it was the daily application of raw aloe vera extract my mother insisted I apply).

A huge credit for this goes to my mother and grandmother who have beautiful skin even today. My mother also instilled in me the habit of taking some basic steps to care for my skin. I drink around 3 litres of water each day and sleep for at least 7 hours. I also make sure to wash my face before sleeping each night and do a tone+moisturise routine. On weekends, I apply raw aloe vera extract on my skin and cucumber juice around my eyes.

My work look leans towards a natural, fresh finish without too many colours and sparkles. The only make-up product I use on a daily basis is an eyebrow pencil.

Eyebrow pencils are underrated, and I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said my make-up regimen changed completely after I started using one. I love sporting strong, fully-filled brows as they give definition to my face and make my eyes stand out.

This comes in especially handy because I have extremely sensitive eyes that don't let me use eyeliner on a daily basis. Oh, if I'd only known how much an eyebrow pencil can change your look, it would have saved me so many years of shedding tears over burning eyes and leaking mascara!

The product I use is the Maybelline Total Temptation Eyebrow Definer Pencil. I have naturally brown hair and my complexion is between fair and medium. The shade that suits me the best is Soft Brown. This eyebrow pencil is affordable (less than $10) and super easy to use. All you need to do is brush a few strokes along the contours of your brows and Voila!, your face is transformed!

The tip is chiselled, making it the perfect choice to give your brows the precise, hair-by-hair definition without spending hours in front of the mirror. If you're in a hurry, you can also use the broader part of the tip to get fuller brows in a single stroke. The texture is smooth and doesn't flake, making sure your brows look perfect all day long. The pencil is super-handy and easy-to-use. This makes it my go-to choice for having well-defined brows.

On most workdays, this is all I do to get ready. For more special days, I also add a dash of pink lipstick and some kohl underneath my eyes to make them stand out. That's it, three products, and you can go from looking like you just woke up to being photoshoot-ready.

I'm happy I discovered the transformative power of an eyebrow pencil. It makes me feel confident without looking like I spent a lot of time perfecting my looks. An added bonus is that - to an untrained eye, your brows look unmade - as if you were born with them. While I don't believe any woman should resort to make-up to feel confident and this glow should come from within, there's nothing wrong if some products help us get there, is there?