All About the Base: Party Skincare & Makeup Tips

The festive season is HERE! We’re so excited and we just can’t hide it. If you’re here for party makeup inspo, you’ve come to the right place.

Today on The Dose, we’ve enlisted professional makeup artist, Sarina Kaur for her top tips on how she gets clients occasion-ready.

How can I prepare my skin in advance for party makeup?

One thing every beauty trend has in common is healthy-looking skin, and here at Skin + Me we’re all about confidence and accessorising with a smile.

If you’ve been loyal to your Daily Doser over the last few months, now’s the time to enjoy the benefits. If you’re just starting out, the best is yet to come. Get your skin feeling fresh to face the festivities and when the party starts, you can have fun with makeup to enhance, rather than conceal.

An MUA’s Top Tips 

“You could use the world’s most expensive makeup but good skincare will always come first.”

SARINA KAUR

Skin + Me: We love a look with staying power! How do you prepare skin for party (or daytime!) makeup with mileage?

Sarina: I use a face mask to prep for party makeup. It gives your skin an instant boost of hydration, followed by a facial massage (like gua sha) to get the blood flowing. Finish your look with your favourite moisturiser – hydration is key to a long-lasting makeup base!

Skin + Me: Base sorted. What products or tools do you use and recommend?

Sarina: Great brands featured in my kit for my clients (and myself!) range from Charlotte Tilbury to NARS and Laura Mercier. 

My favourite party products to use are NARS Radiant Longwear Foundation. It suits multiple skin types and will give you a flawless base to take you through the night! 

I love Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks as their formula is super long-lasting. A setting spray will also ensure your makeup is long-lasting too, I never finish a special occasion look without it!

Skin + Me: Do you have any party skin makeup tips for when you need to look fab, fast?

Sarina: You can get a quick after-hours look with eyeshadow sticks. They’re a great way to dial up the eyes with minimal effort, and you don’t even need a brush. Simply swipe and blend the shade with your fingertip and then finish with lashings of mascara.

If you’re short on products in your bag just take your favourite lipstick and pat a small amount on the cheeks to add colour.

Skin + Me: Vampy? Super-glam? Lit-from-within? What’s your favourite party skin look?

Sarina: Glowing skin, always! My favourite product for this is Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter!

Skin + Me: How do you keep skin looking fresh all evening, all night (and perhaps into the morning)?

Sarina: Try to keep a pressed powder and powder puff in your handbag. Apply across your T-zone to take away any excess shine and it will keep you looking fresh.

Skin + Me: From baking the under-eyes to never-smudge liquid lipsticks, how do you remove heavier makeup than usual?

Sarina: Always double cleanse. I use an oil-based cleanser to break down heavier makeup and then cleanse away using a damp, warm flannel. I follow that with a foaming face wash for a second cleanse to remove any excess impurities from the skin or pores. I love to have my skin feeling extra clean. 

“My skincare rule? No matter how much fun you’ve had, never sleep in your makeup – your skin will thank you in the morning!”

SARINA KAUR

Skin + Me’s Camera-ready Skin Tips

First things first, start with a well-hydrated base. Choose the right moisturiser for your skin type: Soothe + Smooth Light for oily, combination and acne-prone skin or Rich for dry, balanced and sensitive skin. Support with a hyaluronic acid serum if you need to, and drink plenty of water.

If you have time for a little pampering, prepare the skin and boost circulation with a facial massage or gua sha tool. Keep it in the fridge for an extra de-puffing treat. 

Don’t try a new product for the first time the night before! Start using active ingredients a few weeks, or even months before your big party, and give your skin a chance to adjust – this minimises side effects. If you’re new to your Daily Doser, you’ll likely be on lower ingredient concentrations as a starting point, and build up as you go.

Get into good habits with your new routine. Behaviour Change Specialist, Dr Heather McKee tells us, “Small is powerful. Building habits improves self-esteem. Each time you engage with a desired behaviour change you show yourself that you’re the type of person who follows through towards their goals.”

Set up an easy evening regimen that you’ll stick to. Remove makeup and sunscreen, cleanse and rinse your face, pat your skin dry with a soft, warm flannel. Pop on your personalised solution, spend ten minutes doing something that enhances your evening or simply brush your teeth. Then gently moisturise to finish before you turn into your evening. 

What’s worse than a hangover? Waking up with last night’s mascara on your silk pillowcase! Take off that load and cleanse before you get into bed – Purify + Prep Hydrating for dry, balanced or sensitive skin, or Clarifying for oily, combination and acne-prone skin. If your regular cleanser is out of reach, then we’ll allow a makeup wipe, just this once!

A Daily Doser’s for life, not just for Christmas. You may have great results by New Year’s Eve, but there’s still more to do. You’ve started 2024 off strong, so keep up the good work, and keep applying your Daily Doser to keep breakouts, flare-ups and fine lines at bay!

Most importantly, enjoy yourself! However you choose to spend your holiday season, we’re wishing you health and happiness (and healthy, happy skin to boot). Keep things simple and you’ll be just fine.