When an invite drops into your inbox, the immediate consideration is usually what you’re going to wear. But what is a lamé/velvet/embellished dress without a similarly silken face? If you haven't the time or money to see a facialist regularly (recommended every 4-6 weeks, FYI), the secret is to do it yourself and emulate the professionals from the comfort of your own home.
Caveat: You can’t get the lasers, the tools and the potency of active ingredients at home as they aren’t available to consumers, but with science-led, well-formulated products, you can give yourself a more-than-effective pre-makeup facial in less than an hour. The more often you do them, the better – it takes consistency to get skin in peak condition – and you should always take all skincare down to your décolletage. Detail is everything.
Try this facial the day before an event to allow your face time to calm down afterwards, then pep skin up with a sheet mask on the day. Soirée skin sorted.
Step one
It probably comes as no surprise that you’ve got to start by cleansing. “It’s extra important to double cleanse, especially if you live in a heavily polluted area and/or wear makeup regularly,” says skincare specialist Debbie Thomas, whose in-clinic DNA facials are second to none for achieving perfect skin. A double cleanse – the first cleanse to remove makeup and surface grime and the second using a targeted cleanser (ie. for congested or dry skins) for a deeper clean – will take skin into clean canvas territory, ready for the next part of the facial.
Look for oil-based cleansers for your first cleanse as they’re the most effective at dissolving every little bit of grime or makeup sitting on the face; if you’re feeling flush, try La Mer’s Cleansing Oil, £70, which is one of the best for a quick cleanse without disrupting the skin’s chemistry. Alternatively try de Mamiel’s wonderful Restorative Cleansing Balm, £39, an organic, nourishing balm that contains manuka honey to fend off bacteria, or Eve Lom’s new Gel Balm Cleanser, £45, which is a lighter, less buttery option than their original cult classic.
As for the treatment cleanser: “What you really want is to find one that does more than just remove the day,” says Thomas. “I like those that contain renewing acids, like glycolic or salicylic, because they help increase cellular renewal.” The more skin cells can renew themselves, the healthier and more radiant skin will look and feel. Some great options are Mario Badescu’s Enzyme Cleansing Gel, £13, Anthony’s Glycolic Facial Cleanser, £19.50, and MZ Skin’s Cleanse and Clarify Dual Action AHA Cleanser and Mask, £56.
“Massage the formula into skin for at least a minute,” says Thomas. With medium pressure, use your middle and ring fingers to move cleanser in upward, circular motions over the skin – it will help get the blood flow going. “Finish by rinsing with warm water or a muslin face cloth and then pat skin dry with a tissue,” she recommends.
Step two
This is where you slough off dead skin cells, tighten and clean out pores, smooth out fine lines and basically make skin as ready as it can be to absorb ingredients in the serums and masks that follow. You’ve got two choices: a physical exfoliant – ie. a grainy scrub – or a chemical exfoliant, like the renewing acids we mentioned before.
Dr Lancer, top dermatologist and the man responsible for many red carpet glows – Victoria Beckham and Beyoncé included – has created one of the best scrubs for pre-event skin. The Method: Polish, £60, contains both chemical and physical exfoliants, with pumpkin and pomegranate enzymes alongside quartz and sodium bicarbonate crystals. The result is extremely smooth and perky skin. Alternatively try Origins Never A Dull Moment Skin-Brightening Face Polisher, £26.50, or Aesop’s Purifying Facial Exfoliant, £35. Thomas’ advice when using a grainy formula? “Don’t go too mad scrubbing your face; the aim is only to try and dislodge loose dead skin.” You’ve been warned.
Chemical exfoliants can be a lot gentler and are, on the whole, easier to use. If your skin is more acne-prone or becomes inflamed easily, these are a good choice for you. The best are Zelens PHA+ Bio-Peel Resurfacing Facial Pads, £65, as they’re made with a whole host of acids, including salicylic, that are gentle enough to use every day and help take down angry spots. Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, £25 is the go-to for troublesome skin – every beauty editor swears by it – and Vichy’s Idealia Peeling, £20, is perfect for even the most sensitive of skins, thanks to the soothing mineral water it contains.
Step three
Before you start attacking your face – which, let’s be honest, is inevitable despite any advice you might read here – there are some simple rules to follow to avoid making the situation 10 times worse. Thomas points out that seeing a facialist is the only way to deal with any breakouts in a safe way: “Doing them yourself can make spots much worse,” she says. That said, they are (one of) the keys to clear skin, particularly if you’re oily.
To make it easier and, most importantly, less painful, try steaming pre-extraction. “Steam helps to soften up the plug of hardened sebum which causes blackheads,” advises Thomas. All you need to do is add boiling water to a large pot and then lean your face over it – a non-burnable distance away – with a towel over your head. Three minutes should do.
After, wrap a tissue around each forefinger, ensuring you cover your fingernails, and gently apply pressure to blackheads. Avoid extracting anything other than a blackhead because it will make skin much worse, particularly pre-party. And if your blackhead refuses to budge? Leave it be.
Step four
Here’s the relaxing bit and a chance to really get skin in the mood for whatever event you throw at it. Because this is a serious at-home facial, no prisoners will be taken with the number of masks deployed; pick and choose as you see fit but know that this is the opportunity to really feed the skin whatever it needs.
Post-extraction and steam, when pores are open to the world, it’s always a good idea to use a clay mask to lift out impurities and detoxify the skin. Three good ones are Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque, £23.50, Chantecaille’s Detox Clay Mask £73, and Dr Dennis Gross’ Clarifying Colloidal Sulfur Mask, £34. Apply generously, let it set – though don’t let it get to the crumbling phase – and then use a muslin cloth to remove every last morsel.
“Now you need to get the radiance and hydration back into your skin,” says Thomas, who recommends using a thick, creamy mask. They don’t get much more thick and creamy than Sisley’s Black Rose Mask, £99, a beloved staple in every beauty fiend’s cabinet thanks to the black rose and magnolia essential oil combo, which leaves skin fuller, softer, fresher and 10 times better than before. It’s expensive though, so for a cheaper alternative, try Avene’s Soothing Moisture Mask, £11.50, or Bioderma’s Hydrabio Mask, £15; you really can’t beat a French pharmacy classic.
Instead of just leaving it on for 20 minutes and wiping off, this is the perfect time to give yourself a vigorous, skin-lifting face massage, says Thomas: “Use the heels of your hands to carry out firm upward and outward movements,” she says. Then it’s on to the pinch. Start in the centre of the face and move outwards, pinching the skin using enough pressure to encourage a pinkness to the face; try keeping it up for 5-10 minutes and you’ve got yourself increased blood flow (a.k.a. radiance) and more sculpted cheekbones.
To stimulate the face’s circulation further, which will get skin even more radiant, Thomas has a trick: “Rub an ice cube all over your face and keep it in constant motion,” she says, or do as Kate Moss does and dunk your head into a basin of icy water. It’ll get cheeks glowing, minimise any inflammation or redness and, of course, tighten up pores.
The day of the event, 30 minutes before applying makeup, a good sheet mask will get skin ready to go. Who to call on other than the king of pre-event skincare and treatments, Dr Colbert? The man responsible for getting the Victoria’s Secret Angels ready for the show has a great skincare line, which includes the Illumino Anti-Aging Brightening Face Mask, £85 for five. It bumps up skin’s brightness by at least 10 points in just 15 minutes. If your skin gets flushed easily during the build-up to the big event, try popping Erno Laszlo’s Soothe & Calm Hydrogel Mask in the fridge – the serum it's infused with contains honeysuckle extract, which helps calm skin while evening out skin tone.
Step five
Next up it’s serum time. Serums essentially deliver a higher concentration of active ingredients to skin, so have the power to really change and boost how the skin looks.
Pre-party, your main aim is to get skin as bright, even, plump and lifted as possible, so serums that help achieve that are advisable. “Hydration is one of the simplest ways to plump up skin,” says Thomas. And for that you need hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid is a molecule that can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water. It already exists naturally in the skin but applying a good hyaluronic acid serum daily helps it hold even more water, leading to plumper and more even skin. We love Dr Barbara Sturm’s Hyaluronic Serum, £230, Dr Dennis Gross’ Clinical Concentrate Hydration Booster, £59, and Omorovicza’s Instant Perfection Serum, £80.
A popular professional treatment at the moment is microneedling, which isn’t nearly as scary as it sounds. It involves rolling a tool, which has a head covered in tiny needles, over the face to create tiny punctures in skin that propel it to repair itself – cue collagen production (plumping) and better skin texture. After the microneedling, a relevant serum is applied (for different skin concern or skin type) and because of the punctures, is absorbed straight away.
There are at-home devices you can use, too, although we don’t recommend these on the day of an event. The only difference between the at-home devices and in-clinic is the needle length (in-clinic have much longer needles, from 0.5 to 3mm), so at-home devices are fine to use the day before. GloPro’s MicroStimulation Facial Tool, £199, is really easy to use and totally pain-free, and will take your at-home facial to the next level.
Step six
When you’ve layered mask upon mask, serum, toner and so on, there really isn’t much need for more moisture – you’ve probably already hydrated enough. The main point of moisturising to finish your DIY treatment is to seal it all in.
You can use an oil or a cream. An oil will penetrate deeper into the skin, help regulate the amount of oil your skin produces and ensure you wake up with a glow (provided you use the right one); a moisturiser, on the other hand, is probably a better base for makeup or for daytime and is best for those who simply don’t like the feel of an oil on skin. Avene’s A Oxitive Water Cream, £24, is packed full of skin-defending antioxidants and By Terry’s Hydra-Eclat Daily Care, £68, is anti-pollution thanks to the dipeptide it contains. A good oil all-rounder is Rodin’s Lavender Absolute Luxury Face Oil, £105, which smells like heaven, or Votary’s Neroli and Myrrh Facial Oil, £65.
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