To say my usual skin-care regimen is precious is an understatement. On a normal day, I apply six products on my face before I even think about makeup. Then I apply primer, three different concealers (YES, I KNOW), tinted powder, cream blush, highlighter, brow gel, lip balm, lip color, and usually eyeliner or shadow.

With my iPhone timer set to exactly 15 minutes, I turned into a Michael Scott GIF. I limited myself to four skin-care products, because SACRIFICE. Applying toner, serum, oil and sunscreen took about a minute.

My heart literally raced as I rushed to put on Missha Signature Essence Cushion (much faster than three concealers), a product lingering in my archives; a little DiorDiorskin Star Concealer under my eyes (because old habits die hard); Glossier Boy Brow and Cloud Paint; Beauty Pie One Powder Wonder; Hourglass Strobe Lighting Powder highlighter; and Clinique Chubby Stick Baby Tint Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm. Seven minutes.

I was pleasantly surprised to have just under seven minutes left, so I half-assed some curling iron waves. With only a few seconds to spare, I smeared on a beige NYX Cosmetics Hot Singles Eye Shadow with my finger and threw the compact on the counter like someone had just told me it was a grenade.

The final product wasn't perfect but I felt pretty certain that no one would know I was cutting corners in the beauty department.

Image courtesy of Katie McCarthy

Now, I know there are a few of you reading this and saying, "So what? I get ready in 15 minutes all the time." Well, you're in the minority.

When measuring the amount of time the average woman takes to get ready, the British retailer Marks & Spencer found it ranges from 21 minutes (a typical morning) to 59 minutes (a special night out). The Today Show and AOL conducted a poll a few years ago indicating that women spend 55 minutes a day on their appearance. Whatever the number is, it's way more than 15 minutes.

Today, I discovered that if you want to limit your mirror time to 15 minutes, good luck showering in the morning. After makeup, I blew out my baby-fine bob, but it wasn't fully dry by the time my 15 minutes were up.

I was able to pull off the same makeup look as yesterday, minus eye shadow, plus some sloppy cat-eye liner, which made me pretty impressed with myself. But going to work with wet hair on a cold day sucked hard.

Image courtesy of Katie McCarthy

Before I started this challenge, my boyfriend was way too excited to get this rolling — see the iMessage exchange at right. He's actually the most supportive partner I've ever had, and he has spent many mornings patiently entertaining himself on his laptop while I curl my hair or apply eyeliner.

But his reaction told me something important: If I was working overtime to look pretty for the guy, I was kidding myself. If I'm not getting gussied up for my boyfriend, then whom?

It's hard to find the line between what I do for my own gratification and what I do because I think it's expected of me. But expected by whom? Everyone? No one?

Today, I'm working from home. I'm also wearing a shirt that says "My Dog Is My Co-Pilot," which tells you everything you need to know about my plans for the rest of the day. In other words, having 15 minutes to get ready was just fine.

Image courtesy of Katie McCarthy

I've realized that 15 minutes is sufficient time to put on a little makeup and do a little something with my hair. Unless I try to do it all while I'm watching "Transparent" — then, I'm screwed. Check out my oily roots and try not to gag.

Something I also realized is that de-prioritizing beauty isn't just about spending 15 minutes or less in front of the mirror. I'll readily admit that I've put plenty of time and money into my appearance that doesn't get factored into my daily routine.

In the past six months, I've gotten IPL photofacials for the sun damage on my face and driven to Canada twice to get my pale blond brows microbladed. I get balayage highlights about every five or six months, but I'm at the salon for four to five hours every time.

After I snapped this photo, I went to get my eyelash extensions touched up, which takes about an hour every three to four weeks. And don't even get me started on how much time I spend masking every week.

In other words, spending less than 15 minutes at your vanity table every day doesn't exclude you from the High-Maintenance Club.

Image courtesy of Katie McCarthy

On average, I spend four out of every five of my Saturday nights at my place or my boyfriend's, playing video games and getting buzzed. But this Saturday night, I went downtown to grab some dinner with my boyfriend and celebrate a friend's birthday at a bar.

This meant I would be putting the 15-minute rule to the ultimate test: the GNO. No, not a girls' night out — a gay night out. Could the stakes be any higher?

In the end, I blew the time limit. I couldn't stomach the thought of hitting a gay bar without curling my hair and putting on some lipstick. Not surprisingly, it was the best I looked and felt all week.

A 15-minute beauty routine should be saving me some effort each day, but my race-against-the-clock mentality is starting to feel like a fucking lot of effort. It takes away all the fun.

Image courtesy of Katie McCarthy