The countdown to party season has begun. Whether you're prepping a look for your office Christmas 'do, for seeing your school friends back at home over the holidays, or for the big New Year's Eve blowout, now is the time to get creative with your makeup.
For lips that stay put through countless glasses of wine (and kisses under the mistletoe), and coverage that can withstand the sweatiest of evenings dancing to Mariah Carey, here are the products Refinery29 staff are applying to go out-out this season.
Georgia Murray, Fashion & Beauty Writer
Despite being a beauty writer, skincare obsessive, and the type of person to wax lyrical about makeup to friends, I have only recently become experimental with my own makeup. I have quite small eyes with hooded lids (hello, boys), and am not quite grown-up enough to maintain lipstick properly throughout the day, which has kept me firmly on the simple mascara, brows and coverage train. Watching videos by the incredible makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes, however, has taught me how to properly create cat-flick liner, and a recent drop of longwear lipsticks has meant I’m able to don colour on my kisser without fear of red teeth post-lunch.
So with my newfound knowledge, I’ll be going all-out this party season. I recently tried Chanel’s Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour, which has a beautiful non-drying finish and stays put through a 3am evening on the tiles. I’m going for the shade First Light, as I love an orange hue to offset my pale blue eyes. I don’t bother with lip liner as I'm trying out the kissed lips trend – I’ll dab with my finger so it’s not too precise. You can't look raggedy on the night bus home if your makeup was never perfect to begin with... Next up, I’m using Wunder2’s Super-Stay Liner in Essential Brown to create a smoky winged shape. I’ll buff the liner in using Zoeva’s 226 Blender Brush so it’s not too severe, before working the Wunder2 liner in Metallic Copper into my lids. Another buff up to my eye crease, and voilà: party eyes without the severity of black (perfect for paler eye shades).
For me, sheer, lighter foundations work best for party season – most people think heavier coverage will see you through sweaty dance floors but you can’t stop the makeup from melting, so I prefer to keep it as close to my real skin as possible. I recently got shade-matched for MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15, and it has changed the game. You can build up where you need to (for me, red cheeks and the chin), but you can still see pores and natural glow, which is vital for looking fresh-faced. I’ll conceal my inevitable blemishes (party season means hungover skin) with Laura Mercier’s Secret Camouflage Concealer. Finally, I warm Tata Harper’s Volumising Lip and Cheek Tint in Very Vivacious between my fingers and pat onto cheekbones for a healthy flush. It looks just as beautiful on lips, smells divine, and doesn’t push your coverage around your face. See you on the dance floor!
Tamar Riley, Marketing
I normally wear a dark lip in winter to feel dressed-up – and drink red wine lip stain-free. To avoid the 'I've fallen headfirst into my makeup bag' look, I always try to ease up on my eye makeup – just a slick of Charlotte Tilbury's Legendary Lashes – and instead go for an unseasonal bronze on my cheeks. I love NARS' Semi-Matte Lipstick in Dressed To Kill. So many dark lipsticks can be too purple for me, but this is just the right side of reddy brown. Chanel's Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base is a staple. It has buildable colour so it's perfect when I'm feeling slightly ghostly come November party-time and my skin needs a bit of warmth.
Anna Jay, Art Director
For party season, it's nice to be a bit experimental with makeup, and I love to try something bold while at the same time keeping the whole look really minimal. Something I've been loving this season is a simple, glossy eyelid with chunky loose glitter, pared down with neutral, balmy lips and subtle highlighter.
I start with my base, Tarte's Rainforest Of The Sea Water Foundation in Light Honey, as it's weightless yet creamy and gives coverage. Tarte's products are also cruelty-free, which is a big plus. Then I'll highlight my cheekbones with Winky Lux Strobing Highlight Balm in Radiant Pink, and a tiny bronze under the cheekbones with Dr. Hauschka Bronzing Powder.
For the eyes, I swipe Bobbi Brown Eye Gloss in Island Pink across the eyelid before applying individual pieces of Topshop Loose Glitter in Iridescent on and closely around the eyelid. While you need to be quite careful when applying loose glitter, I'm going for a sporadic effect which isn’t too symmetrical. Then I'll finish off with Eyeko Sport Waterproof Mascara (non-waterproof can be affected by the eye gloss and bleed). Then for the lips, just a simple application of Glossier's Balm Dot Com in Rose – let the eyes do the talking.
Jess Commons, Health & Living Editor
My party makeup is pretty much an extension of my regular makeup (Nude by Nature Perfecting Concealer, Vichy Dermablend Covermatte Compact Powder Foundation, Nude by Nature Translucent Finishing Powder and Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush) – mainly due to the fact that I don't know how to do anything with highlighter and/or eyeshadow. So I exaggerate my normal cat-eye liner (yes I know this look is out of date but I love it, leave me be) using a semi-permanent eyeliner. This used to be Seventeen's Tattoo Me 48 hour wear but since this has mysteriously disappeared from shelves, I've moved on to MILANI Infinite Liquid Eyeliner. Don't be fooled by the cheap-looking packaging – this stuff can outlast even the kind of face sweat that dancing to Tina Turner songs can induce.
Then I'll do a red lip because, well, I'm just that inventive. I use Chanel's Precision Lip Definer in Rouge Profond all over (the brush on the other end is marvellous for blending) and follow it up with Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Colour in Cherry. Then I fix it in place with my age-old pal Lipcote Original Lipstick Sealer which is, IMHO, still the best beauty invention ever for making lipstick stay on.
Happy partying!
Rose Lander, International Coordinator
As much as I love wearing makeup, once I'm out and having a good time I don't want to think about it anymore, so all my makeup is aimed to last all night. Smoky eyes and intricate contouring isn't for me. I like a classic, slightly Old Hollywood-inspired look, and once I find a product that doesn't need to be reapplied every two hours, I stick to it. For a night out I will upgrade from my standard BB cream to NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, or mix the two, and pay a bit more attention to Benefit Erase Paste. I apply it with a Real Techniques Foundation Brush and though it's a pain to remember to clean them, I end up with a lot less foundation on my clothes/towels/whatever I touch while doing my makeup. Giorgio Armani Loose Powder helps keep my skin looking fresher for longer.
I wear a subtle sweep of Bobbi Brown Sparkle Eyeshadow in Ballet Pink most days but I like to add a '50s eyeliner flick with MAC Liquidlast Liner in Point Black – that stuff will see you through the longest night out, and ups the glitter to give my eyes some glow. I used to wear fake eyelashes, but now I just can't be bothered. Benefit They're Real Mascara looks just as good in my opinion. If I'm really going all out, I'll also add Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Colour in Ruby for a soft, darker lip, or Rimmel London Lasting Finish By Kate in Retro Red for a brighter one, plus of course a coat of Lipcote Original Lipstick Sealer. This is totally party-proof makeup (or at least makeup that doesn't make me look like a panda at 2am).
Natasha Slee, Social Media Manager
This party season I'm going bright, and a bit vampy if the occasion calls for it. I only wear foundation on nights out, using the SURRATT Surreal Skin Foundation Wand. It's the only foundation I've used which doesn't shine a spotlight on dry patches, and the stiff brush makes it easy to blend. I shape and darken my brows with Benefit's Precisely My Brow Penci l, extending the tail of my brow to a point. Benefit Gimme Brow helps to toughen the harsh edges a little, and add fullness.
If I'm going for a low-key eyeliner look, I might spice things up a bit with the 3ina The Chubby Highlighter 400 on my cheekbones, nose and Cupid's bow. Otherwise it's straight into colour! I love the NARS Limited Edition Narcissist Dual-Intensity Blush Palette...on my eyes. The copper makes a gorgeous rich orange colour on my eyelids, blended above the crease with my fingertips. A few brushes of max impact mascara like Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara and I'm good.
BIG nights like NYE call for more: a monochrome look. Deep pinky red shadow from the 3ina The Eyeshadow Palette 102, made more intense with the 3ina The Eyeliner Pencil 610, and finished with Marc Jacobs mascara. Then the pièce de résistance: 3ina Longwear Lipstick 511. This stuff will see you through to the wee hours; it doesn't budge.
Louise Whitbread, Beauty Intern
This party season I'm tackling grown-up glitter with cream eyeshadows blended across my lids with my fingers. I love a brown smoky eye, as it's more flattering for my pale skin, so I'll be layering gold and bronze-hued shadows over taupes and chocolate browns. My go-to products are going to be Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow in Smoky Storm and Tarte Tarteist PRO Amazonian Clay Palette. I like to go for either bold eyes or bold lips, but I always create a feline flick using Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen in Brown. For Christmastime, I love playing with bold lip colours. My favourite is MAC Lipstick Matte in Ruby Woo for that classic red lipstick look.
I create a flawless base using Kat Von D 'Lock It' Liquid Foundation, with Bobbi Brown Instant Full Cover Concealer to hide any dark circles. I'll be adding colour to my cheeks with a longstanding favourite, NARS Blush in Orgasm, before finishing the look with Illamasqua Beyond Powder in Deity brushed across the high point of my cheekbones. A spritz of Urban Decay's All Nighter Setting Spray before I go out the door will ensure my look lasts all night.
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