TV and film actor Enuka Okuma, 35, was born in Vancouver and now splits her time between Toronto and Los Angeles. She appeared in the film Larry Crowne, directed by Tom Hanks, and has more than 45 television roles to her credit, including Traci Nash on Rookie Blue. In 2011, she wrote, directed and produced a short film, Cookie.

On the days when I’m not working with a stylist or makeup artist, I’m not going to lie—it takes me way too long to get ready. It always starts with some good music. I crank it up and throw too many clothes on the bed while trying to figure out what to wear, then do my hair and makeup with only half the outfit on. I’ve been getting ready this way for as long as I can remember, and I always come home at the end of the night to a bedroom that looks ransacked.

For my hair, it always depends on how much time I have to get ready. If I have enough time, I’ll get out the curling iron; if not, it’s the flatiron. As for makeup, I change it up, but I will never go without foundation, mascara and defining my eyebrows. Hands down, my favourite mascara is Mary Kay Ultimate in black.

I never have the patience to sit through the time it takes for a home manicure, so I’ve worked out a system: My base coat and first coat go on the night before. I wake up in the morning and the first thing I do is swipe on the second coat and then the topcoat right after. Voila! Nary a smudged nail.