Party Season Makeup Must-Haves

‘Tis the season to just party, fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.

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Either my Klout score has been skyrocketing or people that I know in real life (as opposed to followers; hi friends!) really like me this year because I have not one but like, five holiday invites this year.

I’m not prepared. Five? That means five different, new looks. I can re-use one from last year at best, but recycling dresses for all five parties simply isn’t do-able unless you want it to be documented across every social media platform, ever, forever.

Yes, this is the world we live in.

Peace of mind comes with knowing that though my wardrobe is in crises, my makeup regimen is not. Keep it simple, stupid is the general philosophy: if my face looks night IRL (and in pictures), then I’ll have detracted from my repeat outfits. At least she looks pretty, they will have said. I may even get a “like” out of it.

Here’s what keeps my face pretty and party-presentable:

A LONG-WEAR, SPF-FREE FOUNDATION

To be honest I often skip the whole base shin-dig. I have a phobia of looking too made up, for one, and chances are I’ll sweat it off anyway on the dance floor (I’ve realized that I need to go to more parties where my only job is to sip, nibble, and look petty so I can wear things—i.e., these-shoes-were-not-made-for-walking stilettos—and not have to worry about wardrobe malfunctions). If the rest of me is made up, I prefer to keep my skin bare for a little bit of balance.

If, however, I know it’s a particularly fancy soiree and decide to go for a simple winged liner or bold lip, I’ll even out my complexion with MUFE Forever Face & Body Liquid Makeup. It’s super lighweight (almost watery in texture, like its name suggests) and does wonders in perfecting skin whilst still looking natural. It’s actually the foundation I reach for when I’m performing on stage: it’s waterproof, it photographs flawlessly, and looks lovely in person. A thin layer is all that’s needed for application; I’d say it offers light to medium, buildable coverage.

I always finish with a dusting of MUFE HD Microfinish Powder to keep everything in place and my T-zone shine-free. Less is more with this product; while invisible to the naked eye, flash photography is not forgiving on a heavy hand or lazy blending job.

WATERPROOF GEL LINER + MASCARA

Panda eyes are cute only on our fuzzy brethren—waterproof products are essential. I love gel liner because of its versatility and matte, inky finish: classic cat eye or haphazardly smudged for a lived-in, Kate Moss/Olsen twin/Daisy Lowe vibe?

False lashes are pretty but a little high-maintenance for my liking. Again, unless I’m on stage, I prefer to keep things as natural as night-out makeup can get. You’re going to be face to face with people: you want them to fixated on the conversation (or whatever else you’re doing)—not the falseness of your falsies.

TAWNY BLUSH (A.K.A. “BL-ONZER”)

Again with the natural theme: this is a your-face-but-better product. The end goal of any getting-ready affair (and life in general) is to embody the essence of the Victoria’s Secret Angels. If it there’s one thing they do well, it’s this effervescent look of healthy, tawny, bronzed, glowing, natural perfection.

No matter how little or how much makeup I’m wearing, NARS Madly blusher never fails to help emulate that. So much goodness in one little pan that when placed in an oblong shape just under the cheekbones but above the hollows of the cheeks, it instantly brings warmth and definition to the face without need for bronzer or contour. Plus, it’s such a neutral shade that complements any makeup, bold or natural, incredibly well.

CONTOUR

Hi, it’s 2014, year of the #selfie and generation of Kardashian Kontouring™. You do not go to a party sans contour.

If you follow the tip above you could get away without, but the reality is that a little contour never hurt nobody. To keep things more wearable IRL (life is not viewed through an Instagram filter, for better or worse), I just blend a small amount of MAC’s “Shadowy” Sculpting Powder under the cheekbones, around the perimeter of the face, and if so inclined, along the sides of your nose for some enhanced definition. I’m not ashamed to admit that I love how a little—emphasis on little—goes a long way; it’s why I save it for special occasions only.

HIGHLIGHTER

As previously stated, the end goal is always to aim for VS Angel, so a glowing complexion is forever the ideal. A dewy complexion is a fail-safe even if your makeup (and overall look) is kept minimal: a light swipe of champagne highlight on the cheekbones, on the bridge of the nose, the inner corner of the eyes, and the center of the lids. Seriously: a good curl of the lashes and lengthening mascara topped with a swipe of lip balm and you’re golden. Literally.

The only highlighter I’ve yet tried is The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer. (If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.) Brownie points for the cute name, but seriously, this stuff is highly touted amongst the beauty community for good reason. It’s gives just enough shimmer for an amped up, candlelit effect, but not too over-the-top that it’s detectable (when used with a light hand) in person. It’s a lovely finishing touch for any look.

SETTING SPRAY

It’s the equivalent of hairspray, but for setting your makeup in place. Makeup has a habit of disappearing from my face given my predisposition for the dance floor but since jumping on the Urban Decay All-Nighter Setting Spray bandwagon, I’ve been saved since. Three spritzes—the top half/T-zone area, right cheek, left cheek—does the job.

It works. I don’t know how. I don’t want to know how, actually. But it’s pretty damn miraculous.

A STANDOUT LIP

Note that I find a standout lip, not “statement” lip, to be a party season essential. A bold lip—bright or vampy—is beautiful, but let’s be real: no matter how long-wearing, a statement lip isn’t exactly life friendly. Eat, drinking, speaking, moving, dancing, sweating, accidental brushing, kissing just simply cannot be done with ease (if at all) with lip color. I’ve always admired the girl who could wear a red everyday. I am not one of those girls, for better or worse. I’m constantly drinking (tea, water) or kissing (my boyfriend); there is no room for touch-ups.

That said, if I’m going to a cocktail party (where finger foods are a lipstick wearer’s best friend) sans lover, I’ll reach for a bright red, full-bodied red, hot pink, or deep burgundy. (It also must be said that I’ve only worn a bold lip once within the past few months, and it was the vampy shade.)

I love a your-lips-but-better (i.e., simply enhanced or slightly nuded out). Outline and fill in your lips with a natural lip liner and blend everything with a matte-finish balm like Tokyo Milk Dark’s Femme Fatale Lip Elixirs. I sometimes like to add a touch of Buxom’s “White Russian” Lip Cream just in the center for a poutier look that’s still kissable and live-able all the same.

PERFUME

It’s a bad day/night if I’ve forgotten perfume.

Okay. Maybe not terrible. It just doesn’t smell as good.

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xx