The holiday season is in full swing, bringing christmas parties, new year’s eve celebrations, and endless social gatherings. With all the late nights, rich food, and many appointments, it can be tough to maintain healthy skin. But don’t worry—you don’t need a glam squad or pricey products to achieve a glowing complexion.
This guide will help you create party-ready skin with minimal effort. Whether it’s a big event or a casual gathering, these top tips will have you feeling radiant, confident, and ready to shine.
Head to Toe Schedule
The overall getting ready is mostly aligned around how much time I have. If I have the luxury of spending an entire day, I will really enjoy a full pampering session and have an everything shower.
If time is a bit more limited, a regular shower will do. There are many times in this situation where I will do most of my makeup before my shower, I don’t know why, it just works. 😅
As for hair, it also depends how busy I have been and what outfit I am wearing. For my outfit, I learned the hard way it’s better to have a solid reliable outfit as back up, just in case what you want to try does work out.
It can really vary from year to year. But my rule of thumb is no experiments!😅It’s better to be basic, feel confident and have a fun night than try something random, and spend all evening feeling awkward.
3 Hours Before the Party: Prep Your Skin for Success
This is the perfect time to lay the groundwork for flawless makeup and a natural glow.
- Hydrate Inside and Out: Start with a glass of warm water with lemon or green tea to detoxify. Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to achieve healthy skin.
- Double Cleanse for Radiance: Start with an oil-based cleanser to remove makeup residue or excess oil. Follow with a gentle cleanser suited to your skin type.
- Exfoliate for Smooth Skin: Use a gentle exfoliator to slough off dead skin cells. This ensures a smooth canvas for your makeup application.
- The Power of a Face Mask: Apply your favorite sheet mask or face mask mask to nourish your skin.
- Best bet: Choose a mask with hyaluronic acid, or masks with soothing, plumping and mild ingredients for radiance.
- Don’t Forget Your Lips: Prep your lips by exfoliating with sugar and honey, then apply a lip balm for a perfect pout.
2 Hours Before the Party: Enhance Your Glow
At this stage, it’s all about prepping for instant results and sculpting your face to bring out your best features.
- Facial Massage: Use a jade roller, gua sha tool or your hands, to massage your face in upward motions. This boosts circulation and creates a natural glow.
- Target Specific Areas:
- Freshen up the eyes with cucumber slices or gently press cold spoons on the eye area,
- Apply eye cream to reduce puffiness and brighten under-eye dark circles.
- Use a hydrating serum on areas prone to dry skin for a boost of moisture.
1 Hour Before the Party: Create the Perfect Base
Now’s the time to lock in your prep and ensure long-lasting makeup.
- Prime and Ice for a Flawless Finish: Wrap an ice cube in a cloth and press it onto your skin to tighten pores and prep for makeup application.
- Prep Your Skin: Apply the right moisturiser for your skin type (let it absorb for a few minutes). For a smooth canvas, follow up with a primer that minimizes pores.
- Give your under eyes some extra love: This is a great time to add under eye sheet masks while you start your eye makeup.
30 Minutes Before the Party: Master Your Makeup Routine
Your makeup should enhance your natural glow while being party-ready.
- Enhance Your Eyes: Add a bold eye makeup look—smokey or glittery options are perfect for the festive season
- tip: if you’re going for a very dark eye or glitter, I would do the eyes FIRST. That way you don’t ruin your foundation or concealer if you clean any fall out during application.
- Build a Flawless Makeup Look: Start with a dewy foundation for a glowing complexion. Use bronzer to contour and add a highlighter to the high points of your face for an illuminated finish.
- Brows: Complexion products can get in your brows and make them look undefined. Give them a brush with a spoolie and fill them in as desired, followed by your favourite eye gel or wax to set them.
- Complete the Look with Lips: Go for a bold lipstick or festive gloss, ensuring your lips are moisturized with a lip balm beforehand.
5 Minutes Before You Leave: Final Touches
As the day of the party approaches its countdown, focus on the finishing details that pull everything together.
- Set It: Use a setting spray to keep your party makeup look intact through long dinners and dancing of the holiday season.
- Touch ups on the go: Gather your absolute essentials to take with you. That could be powder or blot papers, lipstick, compact mirror and mints.
- Final Checks: Ensure your outfit is in place, brush your hair, and add your favorite perfume.
Pro Tips for the Festive Season
- Drink Plenty of Water: Hydration is your skin’s best friend during this time of year.
- Plan for Sensitive Skin: Use gentle products to avoid irritation before a big event.
- Try a New Product Beforehand: Don’t risk reactions on the day of a party! Always patch-test a new product days in advance.
Glow with Confidence
Now that you’ve followed this pre-party skincare routine, you’re ready to own the room with radiant, party-ready skin. From fresh fruits to nourish from within to ice cubes for instant results, these tips are designed to give you a glow with minimal effort.
Your glow-up is worth celebrating because you are a true work of art! Share your best get ready tips and tricks in the comments.
