Tag Archives: party season

SPF for Party Season: Make-up Artist Shares The Best Ones

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Sunscreen is one of the best ways to protect your skin, and daily wear will help to minimise cumulative sun damage and accelerated signs of ageing. 

As part of Face the Future’s 366 Days of SPF campaign, survey results found that only 22% of the UK apply SPF daily, and only 8% reapply their SPF in a day.

We spoke to resident make-up artist at Face the Future, Rachael Divers, about how to wear SPF through party season…

What is party season make-up/how is it different to everyday wear?

Party makeup tends to be more dramatic and glamorous than your everyday routine. Think shimmery glitters, bold red lips, and smoky eyes in deep browns and rich jewel tones. For skin, party season makeup looks usually feature a fuller coverage foundation and more defined cheekbones with a healthy dose of highlighter. Tis the season to sparkle, after all! 

What trends for party season make-up do you think will be in this year?

Red lips are a timeless Christmas staple, so I’m sure they’ll be in high demand this year. They’re festive, flattering, and universally stylish. No matter your skin tone or type, there’s a perfect red lipstick out there for you! When it comes to eye makeup, I expect to see plenty of glittery and metallic eyeshadows this holiday season. For skin, a flawless and glowing complexion will be the perfect base for any makeup look. 


What is the best SPF for glowy party season skin?
For a ‘lit from within’ glow, opt for moisturising SPF formulas that have added illuminating pigments, like Hello Sunday The Illuminating One Glow Primer SPF50. This gorgeous glow booster gives your skin an ethereal glow that looks beautiful both on its own or under your makeup. If you want a rosy, healthy glow, Sand & Sky Tinted Glow Primer SPF30 is perfect. It’s infused with red seaweed to strengthen your skin’s protective barrier, and a Hyaluronic Complex for optimal hydration. 

How can you stop your SPF pilling under your make-up? How long should you wait before doing your skin?

To prevent piling, it’s important to prep your skin properly first to ensure you have a clean base. Start with a thorough cleanse using a gentle cleanser, before following with your favourite moisturiser – water-based formulas are less likely to pill, so opt for these over oil-based formulas. Next, add your water-based SPF on top. 

It’s important to allow time between layering your skincare products to ensure proper absorption of the formulas – a few to ten minutes is usually plenty of time. This can also help to prevent pilling as you’re not overloading your skin. 

Are there any application techniques / advise for how to apply your products for long-wear?

One of my favourite techniques that you can use to keep your base products in place all day and night is ‘baking’; this is a makeup technique that’s been around for years! In makeup setting terms, baking involves setting your concealer and foundation with a generous amount of translucent powder and allowing it to “bake” (set) on your skin for several minutes before brushing it away with a fluffy brush. This method can help to control oil, reduce shine, and create a smooth, long-lasting base for your makeup. It’s best applied using a dampened beauty blender to gently press the powder into place. If you worry that your powder will look too cakey on your skin, you can spritz it with a makeup setting spray for a flawless finish an extra hold.  

For party eyes, make sure to use waterproof formulas when it comes to mascara and eyeliner.

For lips, liquid lipsticks are a great choice! You can also use the baking technique on your lips. Simply apply two layers of your favourite lipstick, blotting in between each layer, then apply your translucent powder over the top and allow it to set for a couple of minutes before gently dusting it away. This technique can feel drying on your lips, so prep them well beforehand to ensure comfort and no signs of flaking. 

How/can you re-apply SPF throughout the day without redoing make-up?

To re-apply your SPF throughout the day without disrupting your makeup, it’s best to look for a spray-on formula. Hello Sunday The Retouch One – Face Mist SPF30 is ultra-fine and invisible, so it’s perfect for topping up your protection throughout the day.  Another great product us Ultrasun UV Face & Scalp Mist SPF 50 – it’s transparent and water resistant and gives high broad-spectrum protection from UVA, UVB, Infrared A and Blue Light. It also won’t leave a sticky feeling on your skin, so you’ll feel perfectly comfortable all day.

Which SPFs are best under makeup for matte finish?

Choose formulas that specify they have a matte finish or have ‘oil control’, like La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Oil Control Fluid SPF50+. This has an invisible, mattifying, lightweight texture that’s great alone or under your makeup.

A French Woman’s Guide to Dressing For the Party Season

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By Fanny Moizant, Managing Director, vestiairecollective.com, the luxury resale clothing site
A French Woman’s Guide to Dressing For the Party Season
In Paris we don’t have a big tradition of dressing up during the party season – it’s not that we’re humbugs exactly, of course we adore fashion, but you won’t find many groups of girls dolled up to the nines for the office Christmas party. I love the effort British girls make to look festive, it’s fun and celebratory, but there’s no denying that the showy ‘sparkles and sequins’ look year on year can get a bit tiresome.

Here are my thoughts on how you can inject a little Parisian ‘insouciance’ into your outfit to create a point of difference.

Minimal bling. As Coco Chanel, our unofficial French patron saint of minimalism famously said: “Before I leave the house, I always remove one piece of jewellery so I don’t look overdone”. A good amount of glitz seems only right at Christmas so at least one eye-catching piece of jewellery is a must, but ‘earrings and no necklace’ or vice versa is a good fashion mantra to follow.

Masculine tailoring. This is sure to make you stand out amongst the sea of sequins at the boss’s Christmas do. A crisp white shirt can look great tucked into a pair of tuxedo trousers or a bright silk vintage skirt. The more feminine you are, the more impact a masculine aesthetic can have. Keep it really feminine with bright red lips and a soft hairstyle.

A small chic clutch. An oversized Hermes bag can look smart while you’re out shopping but it isn’t right for the evening – you never want an accessory to overshadow an outfit. A small quilted Chanel-style bag on the shoulders or an envelope clutch will work with whatever style of party outfit you’re wearing.


Fashion Classics. The French may occasionally be criticised for being a bit too classic; we definitely don’t jump on new trends each season. I have a few classic little black dresses from different eras in the wardrobe I revive for parties, and love leopard print which is fun and timeless.

Experimental but muted. The French tend to favour blacks and navys for evening dresses rather than ‘look at me’ brights. We do however love to experiment with all shapes and styles, so if you’re wearing an evening maxi dress or jumpsuit then try keep it to a dark base colour and let your accessories or your sexy fur stole create a bit of added drama.

For more luxurious and vintage French party looks from brands from Isabel Marant to Maje, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and more, check out the partywear section on the homepage of vestiairecollective.com.

 

ShopStyle Christmas Giveaway

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Image from Shopstyle

Image from Shopstyle

With party season officially here, ShopStyle is on the hunt for someone who can create sparkle and shine with the ultimate festive party outfit.

Enter the ShopStyle Christmas Giveaway and you’ll be in with a chance of winning £1,000 worth of retail vouchers of your choice. The winner will also be invited to make an exclusive Editor’s Pick collection on ShopStyle based on your party style!

All you need to do is browse ShopStyle in order to produce a visual representation of your best Christmas party outfit, using products from the site. Whether you go for prim and proper or fun and flirty, we’re looking for a show stopper of an outfit. Your visual representation must be published within a blog post on your own blog. All of the outfits entered will be judged by POPSUGAR’s Fashion Editor, Gemma Cartwright, and the winner will be announced on the StyleNotes blog.

To enter simply email shopstyle@shopstyle.com with your name, email address, full postal address, phone number and a link back to your entry blog post. Entries must be received by midnight on 16th December 2013. Read further information about the competition here.

Don’t forget to share your Christmas party outfit on Twitter and ShopStyle’s Pinterest Board with the hashtag #ShopStyleParty.

Office To Party in 5 Minutes | Beauty

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Jourdan DunnFrom Office to Party in 5 minutes; Amanda Elias of Bravura London shares her DO’s and DON’Ts for an effortless transition from Day to Night this party season.

  • DO use a toner if you don’t have time to remove your make-up. Spritz over the face and blot away or gently wipe over with a cotton pad, this will remove any excess oil and the bulk of your make-up. Then apply your foundation and powder.
  • DO exfoliate your skin in the morning or use a product containing AHA; this will remove the dead skin instantly leaving your skin looking fresher and your make-up will go on smoother and last longer.
  • DON’T worry about having to tie back hair for work. Invisibobbles are plastic rings which allow you to tie your hair back without leaving kinks.
  • DON’T apply heavy makeup first thing. Keep your makeup light in the morning, that way it will be easier to touch up in the evening. Use tinted moisturiser or a BB cream and keep the eyes light or neutral.
  • DO apply a good primer in the morning as this will help your foundation last longer.
  • DON’T be afraid of hairpieces, for a quick and elegant updo they can really transform your look in minutes- just be sure to match your hair colour as closely as possible. If you’re not a fan of faking it, a bun ring can create an elegant look with minimal effort.
  • DON’T have time to fix your eyeshadow? Keep it neutral and apply a bold lip colour. If you have dramatic, bold eyes, keep your lips neutral.
  • DO give yourself a basic manicure the night before; polished and evenly shaped nails can really complete a look without much effort.
  • DO get those false lashes out, they don’t have to be overly long or dramatic. Popping on a pair of lashes can instantly transform your tired eyes to look brighter and sexier. If you’ve never applied lashes then practise, practise, practise- 5 minutes before you’re due to leave is not the time to try false eyelashes for the first time.
  • DO drink plenty of water thought the day and cut back on the caffeine, hydrated skin looks more youthful.
  • DON’T suffer in silence. If you’re nervous about how to apply make-up properly or fancy a new look, Youtube will become your new best friend! Pixiwoo gives the most amazing, easy to follow make-up tutorials.

Esteemed within the skincare industry, Mum-of-three Amanda is an expert when it comes to all things parenting, skincare and beauty