There is no need to go OTT with the party makeup, says Rosie Green – just enhance your usual look
Party ready: Jaime King and Taylor Swift
To be honest, I’m allergic to the idea of party makeup. Call me a bummer, but unless the invite says fancy dress, “fun” or “jazzy” aren’t adjectives I want to evoke with my makeup look.
No, I don’t believe you should deviate massively from your usual look just because it’s your job during Christmas or New Year’s Eve. Special occasion makeup is under so much pressure that you want to stick to what you know and what suits you. Just like on your wedding day, a brand new look is at best inadvisable and at worst unrecognizable.
That said, I think there’s a good reason to beef things up. If you normally define your eyes, definitely add more smoke. Apply a liquid liner to the pencil. Buy a full throttle mascara. If you’re more of a lip person, maybe invest in a more intense version of your color. And upgrade to outline them first – use the pencil to color the entire mouth before adding lipstick. This technique increases his endurance.
Longevity is key here, so opt for formulations that can take you from daybeds to carriages, or invest in a few minis for your tiny handbag (Charlotte Tilbury makes great small sizes of her Pillow Talk lipstick). Add a sample size fragrance – most companies now offer them – and a travel mascara (I like Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara, £14, cultbeauty.co.uk).
And my final makeup advice? Think about the lighting of your event and adjust it accordingly. Daylight always calls for a lighter touch.
MEGAWATT SKIN
This product bills itself as a – wait for it – shine enhancer, base and highlighter. Personally I use it as a base. It has a Vaseline-on-the-lens ability to gently focus your skin (essential during the festive season). Plus, it’s packed with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane, making it ideal for thirsty, mature skin, free of lines and wrinkles. It helps you shine in a good way. To make it last longer, mix it with a long-lasting foundation or lightly dust loose power over it.
Elf Halo Glow Liquid Filter in Neutral Peach, £14, elfcosmetics.nl
SEXY SHADOW
The founder of RMS Beauty’s makeup artist, Rose-Marie Swift, is 68 and her formulations are flattering on everyone from teens to the non-peer. Her creamy Eyelights are no exception. They add a flattering shine to the eyelids, which feels special and seductive. Swift says they’re “luminous” rather than “shiny, because shine means tiny particles, and on older skin that won’t look good.” They are also easy to apply with your finger. Expensive, but they come with a tool that helps you get every last bit out.
RMS Eyelights Cream Eyeshadow in Blaze, £29, spacenk.com
A-FRAME NAILS
I have white goods that are older than Hailey Bieber (model and wife of Justin), but she is my beauty inspiration in one area: nails. Her ‘glazed donut’ claws went viral on social media. They are transparent, shiny shell pink and classic with a sexy twist. Turns out they’re easy to get to, too. Just invest in Manucurist’s powder and press it onto a freshly painted nail with a foam tip applicator and your nails are now oh so. Cheap and impressive.
Manucurist glazed effect powder, £9, nl.manucurist.com
Beautifying rinse
Blusher is more associated with looking cute than sexy, but it’s the key to a standout look. This Vieve cream formula works well on older skin because it is not too shiny, absorbs well and comes in natural shades. Boost your blush look by tapping it on the top of the cheekbones and blending it upwards and outwards in an upward curve around your eyes. To enhance it even further, use a contour stick (I like Victoria Beckham’s Contour Stylus, £32, victoriabeckhambeauty.com, which doubles as an eyeshadow) blended under your cheekbones.
Vieve Sunset Blush Balm, available in four shades, £21, vieve.co.uk
GRABBELTON
The Dior Makeup Clutch (£270, dior.com) contains a lipstick and three refills, comes with a chain, and makes a great bag for a night out (at a fraction of the price of the brand’s fashion line versions).
‘I’m happy that people find me attractive, but it’s actually a matter of mathematics: the number of millimeters between the eyes and the chin’
-Paulina Porizkova
A REAL EYE-OPENER
Do you want everlasting eyeliner? This is brilliant if poor vision means you struggle to apply liner accurately or, like me, have limited time in the morning. I recently had my lash line tattooed by semi-permanent makeup artist Suzanne Martin. She used a mix of very fine needles to create a subtle line, which means I wake up every day with defined eyes. The process took 90 minutes, was a little scratchy but not painful, and there was very minimal downtime. It costs £1,400 over two sessions and lasts approximately four years.