‘Tis soon to be the season of work parties and festive gatherings which means having to transform your 9-5 look into a dance floor-ready ensemble in a flash! This year, instead of a quick spritz of perfume and a shoe swap in the office loos, we’ll be undergoing a Cinderella-esque transformation thanks to these easy tips and tricks. After all, who needs a fairy godmother anyway?
1. THE NO-WASH HAIR WASH
Preparing to party when your tresses are falling flat is like getting ready to cook dinner without the right ingredients. Kind of. Basically, we’re saying that the first thing you should deal with when heading out straight from work is your hair! If you’re already on second or third day hair, or if your locks generally look a little blah after a day in the office, then keeping a can of dry shampoo at your desk is a great tip. Philip Kingsley’s One More Day Dry Shampoo is literally like a hair wash without any water required. Spray it at the roots, leave to sit for a moment, then brush through with your fingers (you don’t even need a brush!). It soaks up natural oils, doesn’t leave any white residue behind, and it adds texture and volume at the same time! Pull your hair up into a messy bun, whatever your hair length, and you’re good to go!
2. BRING THE GLOW
We love rocking a good highlighter all day every day, but if you’re a bit more reserved when it comes to your daily make-up then a post-work party is the perfect time to really bring the glow. For highlighting newbies, apply a little of Benefit’s High Beam to cheekbones and brow bones to add some subtle, soft pink, lustre to your high points (or add a couple of drops to your foundation if you’re touching up your whole face!). It suits every skin tone and it’s beautifully blendable – so there’s no fair of looking like the sugar plum fairy! Already fairly confident with your highlighting game? Laura Mercier’s Candleglow Luminizing Palette contains 2 highlighting powders and 4 shimmering eyeshadow so you can light up your whole complexion with a little more focus.
3. MAKE A STATEMENT
Chances are, you haven’t got much time between shutting down your computer and having to head out the door so you need to make a decision – eyes or lips. With the help of some highlighting, you can leave the rest of your face practically bare as long as you spend a couple of minutes perfecting one of these areas. Whether you go for a sultry red lip (we HEART Illamasqua Glamore in Virgin for a head-turning pout) or a bold feline flick courtesy of Eyeko’s Fat Liquid Eyeliner, choose one defining look and go with it! You’ll look perfectly polished in minutes.
4. FRESHEN UP
If, like the rest of us, you don’t work in a fancy office block with access to luxury showers then the best you can hope for is a quick splash in the sink and another layer of deodorant. But, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to still guarantee that you smell great! First up, grab yourself some face wipes. The Korres Milk Proteins Cleansing Wipes are enriched with milk proteins and amino acids so, unlike some wipes, they won’t dry out your skin – perfect for a quick wipe anywhere that needs freshening. Follow with a spritz of the Caudalie Beauty Elixir to cool down and refresh the skin, a couple of sprays of your favourite perfume, and you’ll be smelling sweet in no time!
5. THE FINISHING TOUCH
The secret to looking your best after a long day at work is faking that wide-awake look and, to do that, you need one thing – mascara! If you haven’t got time to do your whole face before heading for the door then adding another coat to your lashes (yes, even if it’s over this morning’s application!) will help to open up your peepers to leave you looking perkier than you feel. For times like this we want a mascara that does it all and So Susan’s Featherlash Mascara volumises, lengthens, and thickens lashes all at once. Even better? It’s packed with silk amino acids and moringa seed extracts so it won’t go flakey or clumpy.
– Mica Kelly