I'm a Style Director and a New Mom—Here's How I Look Put Together When I Only Have 5 Minutes to Spare

Marie Claire's style director Sara Holzman is no stranger to a chaotic schedule. Between squeezing in press meetings, running to shows, hitting deadlines, and attending client dinners, her days are akin to a puzzle board. Add a new baby into the mix, and the puzzle becomes much more complicated.

"My life currently exists somewhere between runway shows and nap schedules," Holzman jokes.

While no two days are the same, Holzman tries to keep her mornings as routine as possible. She wakes up a little earlier than her family to enjoy a few quiet moments alone before launching into a full sprint. This includes getting her daughter Margot ready, diving into work—whether that's prepping for a shoot, tracking fashion news, or writing and reporting on trends—and of course, trying to put herself together, too.

"There's no such thing as perfect balance, but I've learned to embrace the chaos a bit," Holzman says. "No two days look the same, which keeps it exciting—and occasionally keeps me humble."

With a different, more complex schedule, many new moms understandably forgo their own personal needs to make room for their baby's, but Holzman acknowledges that taking some time for herself makes a huge difference in her confidence.

"I've always lived and breathed fashion, but motherhood has completely reframed how I think about getting ready," she tells me. "Now it's less about perfection and more about intention: what actually works, what lasts, and what makes you feel like yourself, even on very little sleep."

This includes her makeup routine. As a style director, Holzman admits that beauty isn't something she experiments with; instead, she wants to enhance her natural look. She needs the formulas to be uncomplicated and actually deliver. Bonus points if the products include some skincare benefits.

"My makeup routine needs to be under 10 minutes—five is the dream—and I'm really looking for products that do more than one thing," she says. "I want skin to look like skin, just slightly better, and everything else should enhance rather than cover."

As a beauty director myself, I was excited to introduce Holzman to Revlon's new PhotoReady™ collection. With lip liners, lip serums, skin tints, brow gels, and more, this line's formulas were specifically created with "derm-level tweakments," so you're not just covering, you're brightening, smoothing, and highlighting your features. The goal is ease, which is why Holzman jumped at the chance to try the products.

To achieve her five-minute face, she started by applying the PhotoReady™ Lift & Fill Skin Tint in shade 100, which gives sheer yet buildable coverage to even out your complexion, blur any imperfections, and brighten your skin overall.

Formulated with Stevioside and squalane, it's also designed to plump, hydrate, and add life to your skin while targeting fine lines and wrinkles in as little as two weeks.

"This gives that ideal sheer, glowy coverage where your skin still shows through, [it's] just more even and alive," Holzman comments. "It blends quickly with your fingers, which, in my case, is essential. I don't have time to wash makeup brushes!"

To accentuate her eyes, she brushed on the PhotoReady™ Lifting Brow Gel in Soft Taupe. I can attest that getting the brows right is one of the hardest parts of a makeup routine, but this gel makes it foolproof. Holzman used the two-sided brush to brush and fluff her brows, making them look fuller and darker without having to finagle with a brow pencil. The formula uses Provitamin B5 to condition brows, which is a nice added touch.

"This is exactly what I want from a brow product—it holds everything in place without stiffness or flaking. It's a quick swipe that makes you look more put-together instantly."

For the finishing touches, Holzman swiped on the PhotoReady™ Instant Blur Liner in Dewy and the Instant Plump Serum in Fill Her Up. Both products work to soften and smooth the lips, but the serum also includes a Fire & Ice Complex™ to help plump your pout.

"It feels like skincare first, makeup second—[it's] hydrating, comfortable, and it gives lips that soft, healthy flush without looking overly done. It's the kind of product you can reapply without a mirror," Holzman notes.

"I've really learned that being a good mom starts with feeling like yourself," Holzman concludes. "Even small moments—getting ready in the morning, putting on a little makeup, choosing an outfit you love—can shift your mindset. It's not about carving out hours of time, it's about finding those pockets in the day that are just for you. You can't pour from an empty cup, and sometimes that 'refill' is as simple as five uninterrupted minutes in front of the mirror."