4 Ways To Step Up Your Makeup Game This Party Season

Including the long-lasting foundation that will last well past midnight.

That noise? It’s the quiet hum of countless Christmas parties taking place across Australia. (For those who can’t hear it — it sounds a lot like Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees.) 

With December 1 marking the unofficial start to the party season, there are 101 reasons to throw on a nice frock, book in for a blow-dry and spend an extra five minutes on you. Why? Because when you look good, you feel good. It’s been a long year and you’re worth it.

When you’re getting ready for a big event, you want your makeup to a) stand out (did someone say glitter?) and b) last. Is there anything worse than your foundation melting off before you’ve even left the house? We think not. 

Here, four easy ways to step up your makeup game — just in time for your next event.

A Long-Wearing Yet Luminous Base

This season, skin is in. A foundation should never mask your skin; instead, it should enhance your natural beauty. We all have imperfections (hello pigmentation, acne and rosacea) that we’d like to downplay, but that shouldn’t mean overcorrecting the good areas, too. 

Our advice? Mix a few drops of the ultra-hydrating Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II with Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup for a your-skin-but-better effect. At the recent Gritty Pretty One Night Only Beauty Basics Masterclass in Sydney, makeup artist Filomena Natoli used this trick on fashion influencer Carmen Hamilton to create a flawless base that will last well past midnight — through heat, humidity or a non-stop social calendar.

As Natoli explained, Advanced Night Repair sheers out the medium coverage Double Wear, giving a youthful, dewy effect. Natoli uses Double Wear while on-set when she needs a foundation that will look just as fresh at the end of the day as it does at the start.

Using a foundation brush, start at the T-zone and gradually buff the product out; blending from the centre of your face ensures the makeup melds in seamlessly with your own skin and doesn’t creep into the hairline.

All That Glitters

Nothing says ‘party’ like a few carefully placed gold or silver stars placed along the eyelid and brow bone. A standard bag of star-shaped glitter should do the trick — you can pick up a bag from any party store. Or try In Your Dreams Chunky Glitter. Now, take a lash applicator and eyelash glue (we love M.A.C Duo Adhesive and M.A.C Lash Applicator) to carefully apply at your discretion. 

Too hard basket? We understand. Amp up the drama with a gold eyeshadow instead. MECCA MAX The Illuminati Metallic Eyeshadow in Gold Rush is a high-impact cream-to-powder colour. Apply with your finger, starting sparingly and slowly building up the product, for a hard-to-miss gold foil effect. 

Bronze All Over

This summer, take your fresh, sun-kissed vibe one step further with a bronzed monochromatic look. First, put down your matte bronzer and invest in a golden formula with a luminous finish — in our not-so-humble opinion,  Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer is in a league of its own. Apply as per usual — along the cheeks, temples, chin, nose and jawline — using a fluffy brush. Now, take an eyeshadow brush and use the same bronzer to add a wash of colour across the eyelids as well. The result? You will look bronzed and glowy and outrageously good.

High Shine Lips

Forgo the office drama at your work Christmas party and create drama with your lip colour instead. Revlon Ultra HD Vinyl Lip Polish has the colour payoff of a lipstick and the high-shine factor of a gloss. The best part? This ultra-nourishing formula won’t dry out your lips the way a liquid matte lipstick will. 

Tell us, will you try a new makeup product or two over the silly season? What are your favourite hacks?