From festive parties to dinner plans with friends, ’tis the season to be jolly. And the more jam-packed the diary, the less time we have to spend on our skin – which is where make-up and clever skincare hacks come in. Here are some of our favourite tricks to reinvigorate your face now.
The daily de-puff
Sculpting facial rollers are easy skincare tools to incorporate into your routine, plus they are the perfect way to decompress after a crazy day. Reach for one of your favourite serums or facial oils and roll the tool upwards and outwards from the centre of your face. Relaxingly repetitive, this technique also helps loosen tight muscles in the face, increases circulation and promotes lymphatic drainage. If you’re looking to wake skin up, stick your tool of choice in the fridge the night before.
Serum sandwich
It’s no secret that the crisp winter weather can cause skin to feel dry. To combat this, try a serum sandwich. After performing your everyday cleansing routine, apply your usual moisturiser, followed by a serum of choice. Allow the serum to sit for a few seconds before following it with another coat of moisturiser or a SPF-infused cream. Creating a naturally radiant glow, this improves skin health while acting as a great base for dewy party make-up. Those with naturally oily skin can still benefit from this technique – just be mindful to use a light, non-comedogenic serum, as well as an oil-free moisturiser and mineral sunscreen.
Layer on the lip oil
A must-have clutch bag essential, lip oils are less sticky than a gloss, but still provide that all-important sheen. Our favourites for party season include Gisou’s glittery rendition – Cherry on the Cake is a sparkly deep red that goes down a treat – and Dior’s Addict Lip Glow Oil for a colourful pop that stays put.
A swipe of eyeshadow
A good quality eyeshadow palette is a party season life saver. Quicker and easier to apply than a traditional smokey eye, all you need is a small brush or your index finger to create show-stopping looks. If you’re a fan of matchy-matchy make-up, pick out a colour in your outfit or accessories and replicate on your eyes. Or, when applying make-up on the go, a trick to prevent glitter going everywhere is to spritz a tiny bit of setting spray onto your brush. This hack is also brilliant for eyeliner looks; grab a thin, angled eyeshadow brush and apply generous amounts of setting spray, then gently tap it onto your desired eyeshadow colour and swish it across your upper lash-line, following the natural shape of your eye. Et voilà, you’re ready to add a little bit of mascara or stick on your favourite falsies and go!
