As the holidays are finally approaching and Christmas parties are in full swing, you often find yourself in situations where you don’t have the luxury of heading home and freshly applying glamorous, night-appropriate makeup. But whether you’re heading straight from your desk to the office Christmas party, having a girl’s night out after a long shift or just too lazy to start your makeup look from scratch, these tips and tricks will help you easily turn any look day to night.
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Emergency red lip
Secret time: I always keep an emergency red lipstick in my bag, you know, just in case. It is honestly my favourite way to make any look appear more dramatic, with very little effort involved. Firstly, line your lips with a nude or red lipliner as close as you can to your natural lip shape to prolong the wear of your lip colour and ensure that it doesn’t feather throughout the night. Then using a lip brush or your finger to dab your favourite red lipstick onto the lips. I adore blue-toned red lipsticks such as NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam ($12.95 from Target) or Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 10 ($11.95 from Priceline), as the cool tone of the shades make your teeth appear whiter.
Instant dramatic eye
If you crave your usual smokey eye that you usually rock on a night out, a creamy pencil eyeliner can provide a similar effect in just seconds. Using an intense black waterproof pencil liner such as Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Black ($9.95 from Priceline) or a black-brown pencil like Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Damsel ($26 from Mecca), swipe a generous amount as close to your lash line as possible. With a clean finger quickly blend, and slowly fade the colour onto the eyelids, but stay underneath the crease. Repeat the same technique on the lower lashline and waterline.
Focus on false eyelashes
This is an absolute, no-brainer way to glam up your day look. Applying false eyelashes takes only a few minutes, but its transformative effect appears like you really made an effort without even trying. Ardell Professional Natural Lashes ($9.99 from Priceline) in the styles 110 and Demi Wispies are my absolute ride-or-die favourite lashes. The invisible, clear band of the lashes means that (if applied correctly) they look virtually undetectable. Make sure you bring along lash glue, tweezers to apply the lashes and an eyelash curler to adhere the real and fake lashes together.
Go glittery
Adding glitter to your eyeshadow look is a festive way of jazzing up an entire look. Not to mention that shimmery eyes look mesmerizing in photos! The best way to apply metallic eyeshadows on the go is to use products that don’t require vigorous blending or any additional tools to get the job done. I am currently obsessed with Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadow ($22 from Mecca) as they provide the most majestic sheen to your eyelids, and blend out seamlessly with just the warmth of your fingertips. Loreal Color Infalliable Eyeshadow ($19.95 from Priceline) are highly-pigmented pressed pigments that achieve a similar look.
Images via priceline.com.au, target.com.au, mecca.com.au, tumblr.com, stylecaster.com, flare.com, josiemarancosmetics.com
