Face Makeup Tips

The new year marks another year of birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and sweet 16s. What are the latest trends for Party Perfect makeup? Which one is going to suit YOU? Every personality is different, and here we highlight two personality types – the First Lady, and the Pop Princess.

The First Lady

We have seen a lot of glitter lately, but I am a stickler for all things timeless and classic, even when it comes to showing up at the trendiest places in town to celebrate the end of the decade and the beginning of the new year. If you’re anything like me, and find yourself in calm candid conversations at parties and galas, and feel best holding your drink in long-stemmed crystalware, you might be a First Lady too.

You can’t quite go wrong with amped-up neutrals or plums and seductive smokey eyes. To make it party worthy, slick on a thin line of liquid eyeliner in black, extending it out to create a cat-like effect a la Audrey Hepburn, and pile on the mascara. Make it a point to find the mascara of your dreams this year, and throw out any rancid stuff you may have tucked away at the back of the dresser drawers. To keep the look young, sweep some shimmer shadow under the eyebrows and the same on the inner corners of the eyes around the tear-ducts. White works well for this, through you may blend some cream if it appears ashy on your skin.

Find a bright pink blush that will give you a sweet flush on the apples of your cheeks. Just remember to tap off the excess from your brush before sweeping it with a light hand over the tallest extrusions of your cheeks and outward.You can always tone it down with a fine powder after. This will give a lovely translucent effect.

With neutral colours on the eyes, you can get creative with the lips. Match your dress here, going a couple of shades darker or lighter so it’s not too matchy-matchy. And remember to dab on a clear gloss for the ultimate party pout. Put that and your lip colour in your purse for a quick pick-me-up once the drinks have started going down!

The Pop Princess

Fun is a priority in your life, and parties fill up your schedule every year. Everybody wants to invite the life of the party and you’re IT! You cannot get enough of glitter, but perhaps only fear it sticking to the wrong places! Yes, you are the Pop Princess!

For the next one, you might like to go for a blue-to-pink eyeshadow. Sweep on a matte pink over the whole eyelid and blend a glittery blue from the outside in. It doesn’t matter what shade, depending on how dramatic you want to go… but the effect should leave you with a purple parting in between the two colours once it is blended. An eyeliner will help define the eyes and get a mascara that will leave your upper lashes looking longer than ever. Apply neutral nude in matte to the browbone, blending down towards the rainbow colours.

Keep cheeks a tangy peach colour and use a peachy gloss on the lips too. This look is perfect for the cooler months (and to get up and get out there on the dancefloor).

Have you ever pickup up a lipstick or blusher-stained white blouse at your favourite boutiques? Ugh. Or worse yet, have the embarrassment of turning one in at the fitting room! It doesn’t take a genius to know how to prevent the guilty feelings of messing up a dress you don’t intend to buy. It just takes a little preparation before heading out to the mall. And by this I literally mean just a LITTLE preparation. In this case, the rule LESS IS MORE definitely applies.

Skipping the foundation altogether is of course the surest bet in practicality. Go bare if you dare, but this does not mean you need place a bag over your head when the hottie you’ve been eyeing happens to walk by.  A smidgen of concealer under the eyes and a dab of it with a small wand on the dark spots will leave your skin looking fresh and flawless, without the heaviness. A good concealer should blend right into your skin. If you have a tinted moisturiser like Stila’s Tinted Moisturiser with SPF 15, all the better. Apply and use your fingers to pat away any excess. Once it sets, check using a dry tissue that it won’t smear.

You can play up the eyes with white or a shimmery nude eyeshadow in the inner corners of the eyes. Using your fingers or a taut eyeshadow brush, blend in a tan matte shadow just on the lower outer corners just behind your eyelashes. Line the eyes with smudgeproof eyeliner, and finish them off with tubing mascara such as Blinc or waterproof mascara in dark brown or black.

Skip the cheeks to prevent any accidents, but drink lots of water and a cup of juice to keep you going throughout the day and keep your skin hydrated and in the pink of health. Use cherry or watermelon lipgloss, fix your hair in an easy high-ponytail or something fuss-less, and you are ready to go!

For the day out at the mall, a little goes a long way to perfectly practical yet pretty! Have a guilt-free shopping trip and go have fun with your girlfriends!