I Finally Found the Perfect Makeup Palette — and It Saves Me Tons of Time

If you divide the beauty community into two groups — those who accumulate palettes and those who don't — I'm in the latter camp. I always have my eyes on alert for the next highly pigmented, easy-to-use, multiuse palette that will put my others to shame, simply so that I can replace the old with something better. When it comes time to make the switch, I'll only do so if I have found something that really saves me time. That means fewer items on the counter to begin with, fewer steps to take, and fewer things to put back before I leave for work in the morning. (Before you cast me aside as a "lazy girl," I'd like to tell you that my commute is 90 minutes, so anything I can do to save precious minutes in the morning, I'll try.)

A few weeks ago I found Laura Mercier's Laura's Luxe Eye & Cheek Palette ($65) and it has since become my go-to. This Nordstrom exclusive is as simple as it gets — eight shadows and two blushes — but it has completely trimmed down my morning routine. Here's how I use it: I use an angled brow brush and use Cashmere to fill in my sparse brows, apply Steel Pink on my lids, Brushed Bronze into the crease, and then — here's where I save even more time — I dip an eyeliner brush into water and use Minx on my lash line. There's no opening and closing of various pencils and brow gels; it's all here in one place. I then apply both bronzers to my cheeks, and my face is done. All that's left is for me to grab a mascara and give my lashes a couple of coats. Not only is it hyperefficient, but there's less clutter and cleanup.

If you're looking for a time-saving palette that can do eyes, lids, brows, and cheeks, check out this limited-edition collection.