Body beautiful
Nothing says party like smooth, glowing, bronzed skin, but with winter upon us, any colour is likely to have to come from a bottle. Prepping the perfect party body should start a few days before any big event; tanning should take place at least 24 hours before the party, and hair removal and exfoliation should be performed at least a few hours before that to ensure best results. Dawn McDaid, Co-Founder of HotHouse Brands, creator of St. Moriz, says: “Avoid shaving for 24 hours before you tan and don’t bathe or shower immediately before tanning, as this will open pores and can lead to a patchy finish. You should always remove all make-up and deodorant prior to tanning.” Skin should be well prepped with exfoliation to remove dry, dead skin, and oil-free moisturiser massaged into areas prone to dryness like elbows and knees to prevent streaks. When it comes to applying the tan, McDaid recommends: “Start from the feet upwards to avoid crease marks from bending over. You should apply a 5p piece amount of tan to your tanning mitt (a must-have essential) and work in circular motions, taking your time. Don’t go too heavy on your joints; lightly wipe the product over bent knees and elbows to avoid crease lines forming and go easy – your tan will develop over time so don’t be tempted to add more! Leave hands until last and apply in a sweeping motion from wrist to fingers, and after tanning wear loose dark clothing to avoid marks.” If mistakes do happen and streaks appear post-development, don’t panic. “These can usually be rectified with post-tan exfoliation or by using a little lemon juice or whitening toothpaste mixed with a little bit of water,” advises McDaid.When it comes to selecting the right product for them, customers should take into account their experience, skin type and desired length of wear. McDaid says: “If you’re looking for a long-lasting tan, go for a developing product such as the St. Moriz Lotion, Mousse or Mist. The lotion is best for dry or mature skin and the mousse works best for those with an oilier complexion. On the day of the party if you’re looking for something with a bit of festive sparkle and a slimming effect, we’d definitely recommend the St. Moriz Instant Shimmer.” A line of illuminating product like a highlighter or body oil can be blended down the shins to help legs appear longer and leaner, or across the collarbones for a glamorous gloss.
To extend the life of their tan over the festive season, McDaid recommends that customers moisturise daily with an oil free moisturiser, and top up colour with an instant product like St. Moriz Instant Wash Off Tan between applications.
Mandara Spa Bali Santi Glistening Body Oil features an evocative blend of coconut and sweet almond oils to leave skin feeling moisturised and looking radiant. Leaving a subtle and flattering gold shimmer, it’s perfect for adding sheen to the legs and décolletage, while the coconut oil, spice and floral fragrance leaves a subtle scent. RRP £6, Mandara Spa, mandaraspa.com.
St. Moriz Instant Shimmer Tan instantly upgrades your glow for the festive season. This gorgeous wash-off self tan gives an even bronze finish without streaks, and leaves a subtle sparkling sheen to skin. It should be applied in circular motions with a tanning mitt, after exfoliating and moisturising with an oil-free moisturiser. The product can be used alone, or over a fake tan to add a 3D effect. RRP £4.99, HotHouse Brands, stmoriz.co.uk.
Complexion perfection
As winter takes hold, the cold weather and constant temperature changes (from the cold outdoors to artificially-heated indoors) can play havoc with skin, so skin care routines should be adapted to take this into account well before any big event, which will ensure make-up looks and applies better – and less will be needed! Paula Begoun, founder of the Paula's Choice skin care and cosmetics brand (known as ‘The Cosmetics Cop’), says: “The foundation of any gorgeous holiday make-up look is good skin care. How you take care of your skin and prep it for make-up has a big impact on how your make-up applies, looks and wears.” Daily use of a cleanser and moisturiser, and regular use of an exfoliant suited to their skin type should be the backbone of customers’ skin care regimes, but adding in some extra steps will give skin a party-perfect boost ahead of the festive season.Noella Gabriel, Director of Product and Treatment Development at Elemis, advises: “During the winter months it is wise to introduce an extra layer under your daytime moisturiser to help the skin adjust to the challenges it faces. Regular exfoliation (twice a week) to slough away dead skin cells will keep the skin responding and functioning at its peak, and prevent it from looking dry and depleted.” Opt for a hydrating serum or light face oil to lock in moisture and nourish skin deep down. On the day of the party itself, performing a home facial will get customers in the party mood as well as ensuring a radiant complexion that’s ready for make-up. Gabriel suggests: “While sinking in the bath, place a warm compress over the face to warm the skin, then apply a face mask like Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel and leave on for five to six minutes. Remove with a warm flannel, then break open a Celluar Recovery Skin Bliss Capsule, warm between the hands and perform a simple facial massage. Don’t get obsessed with technique; move the tips of the fingers along the face, along the jaw and up to the eyes. Place gentle pressure on the third eye [between the eyebrows] then ’play piano’ on the forehead with the tips of your fingers; this will deliver immediate skin radiance, and is a wonderful pre-occasion routine to deliver the wow factor to skin.”
Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel is an award-winning, high performance treatment exfoliator that is perfect for giving skin a pick-me-up before a party. Combining the renewing properties of papaya and pineapple with the antioxidant protection of seaweed actives, and moisturising vitamin E and sunflower oil, it leaves skin soft and smooth with a radiant glow. RRP £31, Elemis, elemis.co.uk.
Balance Me Radiance Face Oil plumps and smoothes dull, dehydrated skin and adds a radiant, dewy glow. Formulated with eight handpicked oil extracts including Amazonian buriti nut, camelia and rosehip oils, it helps to reduce redness, address uneven skin tone and minimise the visible signs of ageing and scarring. Meanwhile, a healing blend of yarrow and benzoin along with English chamomile plump and soothe skin. RRP from £9.50,
Balance Me, balanceme.co.uk. Make it up
Smoky eyes and perfectly polished pouts were made for the party season! Encourage customers to go to town when it comes to party make-up, and offer them some tips to take their look from day to night if they’re heading straight out after work. Zoe Peplow, Brand Ambassador for Illamasqua, says: “By picking a base for the eyes that will remain perfect through the day and night will mean you can layer over products after work so you can get straight out of the door for cocktails! Illamasqua Vintage Metallix give a beautiful natural wash of colour for the day and are effortless to build a more intense look for the night. Mixing up textures in your make-up will also make your look stand out from the crowd in minutes. Achieve this by adding a simple matte black liner to your upper lash line. I always turn to Illamasqua Precision Gel Liner for this.”
If a classic smokey eye is your customer’s party beauty weapon of choice, Peplow offers the following step-by-step guide to creating the look: “Start by applying a shimmer crease-proof eye base. I like to use Illamasqua Vintage Metallix in Bibelot as this helps to hold your shadow through the night and intensify the shimmer over the lids. Next, buff over the base a rich bronze eye shadow – Illamasqua Powder Eye Shadow in Tango is perfect for this. It’s a deep autumnal colour and will provide the depth needed for this look. Load up your lash lines with a black gel liner and buff up and outwards to create a sultry smoky eye. Illamasqua Precision Gel Liner is ideal as its super smooth texture glides over shadows with ease. Finally, apply your favourite set of lashes to the top lash line for extra wow factor to your party look. Add small sections of lashes to the outer edges of the lower lash line too for maximum impact!”
If a bold lip is more up your customer’s street, offer them this application advice from COLLECTION Cosmetics Make-Up Artist, Francesca Neill: “A bold lip always adds a bit of glamour to your look. Red is a perfect colour for the party season, but you want to make sure it lasts, so make sure you prep your lips with a simple exfoliation; an old toothbrush works really well. In addition, keep lips hydrated with a good lip balm (Sisley is a favourite). Always use a lip liner if you want your lipstick to last; this stops the lipstick from bleeding and provides a good base for your lipstick (Charlotte Tilbury’s is great), then apply COLLECTION Deluxe Lipstick in Silent Movie for the perfect party red. Blot lipstick then re-apply for longer-lasting hold.”
To make sure their make-up goes the distance, advise customers to invest in good face, eyeshadow and lipstick primers to lock colour in place, and setting spray and lipstick sealant to keep it there all night long. The party look should be completed with nail colour; rich jewel tones, glitters and metallic shades all work well throughout the party season, while feature nails complete with studs, gems or nail art go the extra mile to pack a party perfect punch.
Clarins The Essentials Mineral Eye Make-Up Palette contains ten wearable eye shadows in harmonious shades from vibrant gold to sultry grey, in a variety of matte, satin and pearl finishes, perfect for creating any party eye look. The pressed mineral powder shadows, which can be used wet or dry, offer lasting, silky and blendable colour for even the most sensitive eyes. The compact contains a double ended applicator for defining and shading/blending, and a mirror. RRP £35, Clarins, clarins.co.uk.
Burberry has unveiled its party-perfect Festive Collection: nine new and current collection products packaged in limited edition gold casing for Christmas. The new products are: Luminising Powder, an illuminating golden powder subtly perfumed with ‘My Burberry’ fragrance notes; Complete Eye Palette Gold No. 25, a quartet of densely pigmented, coordinating eye colours; Lip Glow Gold No.25, a light-reflecting, moisturising lip gloss; Lip Mist Gold No.217, a sheer lip colour; and Nail Polish Gold No.447. The range also includes the Beauty Charm, a handbag or key accessory in the signature Burberry House check featuring a solid lip gloss in Cameo Pink. The existing products re-packaged in gold are Fresh Glow Nude Radiance No.1, Lip Glow Oxblood No. 23, Lip Mist Oxblood No.214 and Nail Polish Oxblood No.303.
RRP from £15, Burberry, uk.burberry.com.Heavenly hair
Winter weather can cause frizz, tangles and dryness in hair, so some extra TLC in the days leading up to a big event can make a huge difference to the overall appearance of hair on the night. A shampoo and conditioner suited to your customers’ specific hair needs, followed by a light oil, serum, mousse or gel before styling and a weather-resistant finishing product will keep locks looking luscious. Adding an intensive weekly treatment or overnight masque once a week will further soften and smooth weather-beaten tresses.For the party itself, preparation will depend on whether an up-do or hair down is your customer’s chosen look. Trevor Sorbie MBE, multi-award winning hair stylist, says: “The hardest time to style your hair is when it’s freshly washed (apart from if you’re setting hair in rollers for a big blow dry effect). For any up-do, the best thing you can do is wash the hair the day before, then on the big day try adding texture and volume to the hair with products, such as mousse, hairspray or dry shampoo. These will also add bulk to the hair, which makes it easier to mould into a style and set in place.” Sorbie cites the ponytail as a key trend this party season that looks set to stay. “Experiment with using different textures to update your standard ponytail – so salt sprays and dry shampoo for a matte look, or shine sprays and serums for a sleek, elegant finish,” he advises. For a failsafe relaxed party pony, Sorbie recommends this technique: “Curl the hair the day before using a wand or tong (if you don’t have a natural curl), then on the night of the party, use your fingers to pull the hair back into a ponytail at the back of the head. Use a tie, bungee or similar to secure the ponytail. The key thing is not to slick the hair back; you want to have as much natural wave and texture in the hair as possible, so spray the hair liberally with salt spray, then pinch the hair between your thumb and fingers to loosen the ponytail and add some height to the look. Finally, loosen some layers from around the hairline to soften the finished look.” For a glamorous down-do, customers can’t go wrong with curls. Award winning hairdresser Lee Stafford advises: “For upcoming Christmas parties it's all about the big fat sexy 70’s hair – volumised curls with a messed up feel. If your hair is naturally straight, simply curl one-inch sections of hair with a My Long Tong all over the head, holding each curl in place with grips. Let the hair set for at least 15 minutes and then brush out and tease the curls. It should look light, quirky, and glam. If your hair is naturally curly, never brush hair while you are drying it as this will lead to serious frizz and zero shine. To achieve smooth, well-defined curls, simply wash hair using my Here Come The Curls Shampoo and Conditioner, leave it wet then apply a curl crème. Make sure to massage throughout wet hair and gently twist with your fingers to form curl perfection. Leave your hair to dry naturally or gently dry with a diffuser. A top tip would be to do this style the night before you are due to go out and sleep on it to get that second day look."
Remington Big Style is a versatile styling tool that gives the ultimate blow dry look at home. It comes with a selection of 15 detachable, self-grip rollers in three sizes to suit your style, along with a thermal brush for adding extra height at the roots and a concentrator to help you achieve the perfect blow dry, all stored in a convenient purple bag. RRP £44.99, Remington, remington.co.uk. 
Trevor Sorbie Salon Approved Volume Range gives fuller hair with body and bounce, perfect for the party season. Volume Shampoo and Conditioner are formulated with Keratix, a unique ingredient that helps to repair the hair’s natural keratin balance while strengthening and protecting hair from environmental damage. For ultra-fine hair, Volume Leave-In Conditioner boosts volume without weighing hair down. Volume Thickening Spray is formulated with polymers and wheat proteins to give natural hold and volume. Finally, the matte-effect Volume Big Hair Powder adds texture and volume to hair, prepping it for an up-do or backcombing. RRP from £5.40, Trevor Sorbie, trevorsorbie.com.
Fragrant fancies
A good scent is the perfect finishing touch to any party look. Customers can ensure their scent lasts longer by layering their fragrance with the matching body care products like shower gel, body lotion and deodorant. At this time of year shelves are heaving with good-value coffrets that often cost the same as or less than a frangrance alone, so encourage them to invest in their favourite to keep them smelling great throughout the party season.When it comes to selecting the perfect scent, tastes will obviously vary from customer to customer. Michelle D’Vaz, Brand and Marketing Manager at The Perfume Shop, says: “A good party scent is one that makes the wearer feel confident. Scent is very individual and not everyone likes the same perfumes, so the key to a good party scent focuses on how you feel when you’re wearing it. At The Perfume Shop, our experts recommend pairing your scent with your outfit, so if you’re looking for something to match your glitzy Christmas party number, go for a scent that makes you feel like a million dollars.” However, there are a few trends that D’Vaz has identified to help give a starting point for fragrance recommendations: “Gourmand and Regal Opulence are the two key scent trends for this year’s festive party season. The gourmand category has been extremely successful this year due to delicious notes such as cinnamon, vanilla, coffee, chocolate and nutmeg – all very recognisable and representative of Christmas. Regal Opulence is also perfect for Christmas as like Gourmand, it’s about not being scared of being bold and extravagant in your scent choice. This trend embodies the multi-sensorial fragrance, highlighting how it isn’t just the scent that needs to be sensational, but also the aesthetics of the bottle – think bold, think gold!”
Gucci Guilty is a warm yet striking oriental floral scent that’s perfect for the party season. Top notes of mandarin and pink pepper lead to heart notes of lilac, geranium and peach, and base notes of patchouli and amber. The bottle is a sleek fusion of muted gold metal and glass, encased in an elegant black carton. Christmas coffrets include EDT 75ml Gift Set with Body Lotion and miniature EDT; Miniatures Gift Set with one Gucci Guilty mini and two Gucci Guilty Black minis; EDT 30ml Gift Set with Body Lotion 50ml; and EDT 50ml Gift Set with Mirror. RRP from £38.50, P&G Prestige, gucci.com.
Boss ma Vie Pour Femme draws on the pleasure the Boss woman feels when ‘she chooses to step out of her day-to-day routine, slow down, loosen up and simply enjoy a moment for herself’. An ideal day-to-night fragrance for an after-work party, the scent opens with top notes of cactus blossom accord, leading to heart notes of pink freesia, jasmine petals and rose bud, and base notes of sheer woods and cedarwood. Encourage customers to layer the scent by investing in a Christmas gift set; the EDP 30ml Gift Set and EDP 50ml Gift Set both come with Body Lotion 100ml, while a Gift Set comprising EDP 50ml, Body Lotion 50ml, Bath & Shower Gel 50ml and make-up pouch with three brushes is also available. RRP from £35, P&G Prestige, fragrances.hugoboss.com.
Post-Party Recovery
The party season can leave skin and hair looking dull and dehydrated. Begoun explains: “For all its delights, the holiday season and its excesses can leave you looking and feeling less than your best. Late nights, rich food and consuming more alcohol than you’d like to admit can leave you with puffy eyes, dark circles, a dull complexion and even breakouts.” Removing make-up thoroughly before bed is absolutely crucial, so advise customers to keep micellar water and cotton pads or facial cleansing wipes beside their bed in case full cleansing just seems too much of chore! Dehydration is largely to blame for post-party beauty problems so they should also drink a pint of water before bed and upon waking. Begoun adds: “Add retinol to your evening skincare routine to help replenish dehydrated skin and increase firmness the next day; this anti-ageing superstar can interrupt the free radical damage that causes skin to look and act older. It can also refine pore size and help with breakouts.” The new breed of overnight beauty treatments are also ideal for damage limitation; moisturising face and hair masks that replenish while you sleep will help to put back what partying takes out with minimum effort.
Faust’s Potions Recovery Pack is a hard-working duo designed to take the sting out of a post-party hangover. The Asleep Potion is a berry flavoured bedtime tonic that helps you slip into a peaceful, restorative post-party slumber, with rehydrating electrolytes, 5HTP to boost serotonin to regulate digestion and ease anxiety, N-Acetyl Cysteine to tackle toxins, and honey to stimulate alcohol elimination from the bloodstream. Faust’s Awake Potion, to be taken before the party or the morning after, is an orange-flavoured energising tonic with green tea to boost liver funcion, gurarana to settle the stomach, energy-boosting ginseng and vitamins B and C. RRP £5.50, Faustian, faustspotions.com.
Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask replenishes tired, dehydrated skin with soothing, nourishing moisture and strengthens its ability to lock in hydration. The no-rinse formula fends off irritation from oxidative stress accumulated daily, and works through the night to replenish skin with intense moisture. With aloe barbadensis leaf water to improve hydration and calm skin; murumuru seed butter, wheat bran and olive extracts to repair and strengthen the skin barrier; and algae extracts to calm irritation and protect against environmental aggressors, it leaves skin softer and more supple.
RRP £30, Estée Lauder Companies, clinique.co.uk.
