An LA Make-Up Artist Shares Her Top Party Products & Tips
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BASE
Prepping your skin with the right products is essential for extending the wear of your make-up looks – especially for a night out or special occasion. Bobbi Brown’s Vitamin Enriched Face Base is a great choice to use underneath foundation as it’s super moisturising and has the added benefit of being a primer too. It’s the product I use on all of my clients for events and red carpets to give their skin that perfect healthy and hydrated look.
For foundation, opt for a formula with buildable coverage such as Valentino Beauty’s Very Valentino 24 Hour Wear Liquid Foundation. I prefer to apply it using a flat-top kabuki brush for the best coverage, but if you like a lighter feel, use a Beautyblender. For a seamless look, we all know finding a colour that matches your neck is essential, but many people forget about the decolletage. Always blend the foundation down to achieve a cohesive finish.
To correct blemishes and erase dark under-eye circles, choose a matte concealer with full coverage such as Clé de Peau’s. For blemishes choose a shade that is the same tone as your foundation and apply it before. To brighten the under eyes, go one or two shades lighter and apply it after foundation to ensure you’re not overdoing it. Then use a translucent loose powder such as the OG classic from Laura Mercier to set everything in place. I like to use a small powder brush and apply on top of my under-eye concealer and my T-zone.
CHEEKS
Blush and bronzer add warmth, colour and life back into the face after complexion products. These have a strong impact in shaping the face too. For a party, don’t be afraid to go in a little heavier than you would day to day. I’ve been loving the Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Glow Blush in shade ‘52’. It’s the perfect pastel pink and looks so natural once applied, but also adds such a beautiful flush to the cheeks. I’m also a big fan of Patrick Ta Beauty’s Creme Powder Blush Duos. You can opt for a more dewy or matte cheek, or use them together for extra bold colour – ideal for an impactful finish.
A staple in my kit and personal beauty bag for years has been Tom Ford Beauty’s Shade and Illuminate cream contour palettes. I like to apply the contour shade in the hollows of my cheeks, sides and tip of my nose, and around the jaw and forehead to add some definition to my face. Illuminate is also great for highlighting. I’ll then go in with my NARS Laguna Bronzer for added warmth. Typology’s Glow Drops will add some glow. Apply them with your fingers or a beauty sponge to the tops of your cheek bones, bridge of your nose and right above your cupid's bow for the best results.
@KENDALFEDAIL
EYES
The best way to stand out at a party or a night on the town is to make your eyes pop. I typically go a little deeper with the shadows I use at night versus daytime. Dark taupes and browns will deepen the crease and elongate your natural eye shape. Opt for something like the Ethereal Eyeshadow Palette from Makeup by Mario for a great range of neutral matte shadows and some stunning shimmers.
A bit of sparkle in the centre of the lids is another way to draw attention to the eyes, plus it helps them appear brighter and slightly bigger. Tightlining is another trick too. I often use the Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner in ‘Black’ or ‘Cocoa’, applying it to my lower and upper waterlines. Tightlining on the top waterline gives the appearance of thicker eyelashes, while the lower waterline adds a more sultry effect – perfect for a night out.
A classic wing will give the appearance of more almond-shaped eyes. My favourite product to achieve this is the Make Up For Ever Aqua Resist Graphic Pen as it’s waterproof, which ensures no transfer or smudging. The pointed felt tip makes it so easy to apply and the colour payoff is a gorgeous deep black. I finish off the eyes with big, bold lashes. Lancôme’s Lash Idôle is particularly great as a lifting and volumising mascara. Two coats of this formula results in long, thick lashes without any clumps.
LIPS
Natural and nude lips are the most complementary for a dramatic eye look. They don’t have to be boring – just choose a liner a few shades deeper than your natural lip colour to contour and enhance the lips, giving them a fuller and more pouty appearance. The artist pencils from Make Up For Ever are a go-to in my kit thanks to their smooth and creamy consistency and wide colour range. My two favourite shades are ‘Wherever Walnut’ for a more pinky nude and ‘Anywhere Caffeine’ for a more beige or brown nude. I like to slightly overline on my cupid's bow and on my lower lip line for a subtle, plump look.
Lipstick comes next and my favourite consistency to work with is a classic creme – but I’ll occasionally go in with a liquid lipstick for a matte look instead. Charlotte Tilbury’s K.I.S.S.I.N.G. formula is one of the best with nude shades ‘Penelope Pink’ and ‘Yes Honey” being the most flattering (depending on if you want a warmer or pinker nude). As for matte lipsticks, my current pick is Glossier’s G-Suit in the shade ‘Lane’ which is a deep mauve-y brown. If you’re going for a gloss, go all out with a bit of sparkle this party season. Half Magic Beauty’s Magic Drip Lip Gloss in ‘Frosty b*tch’ is so beautiful – the perfect topper to any nude.
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TOOLS
Before a night out, I’ll usually treat myself to a face massage. After I apply my skincare, I’ll take the True Botanicals 3x Sculpt Facial Tool to tone and depuff. I like to focus on my jawline and cheeks to look as lifted and snatched as possible.
An essential tool in my professional kit and personal make-up bag is the ‘original’ Beautyblender. It can be used in so many different ways and with so many different products. I’d recommend using the pointed tip of the blender to blend concealer under your eyes and apply translucent powder to ‘bake’ after. I’ll use the rounded side to bounce over my foundation to pick up any excess product, as well as blend out any cream blushes, bronzer, contour or highlight.
No make-up kit is complete without a full set of reliable face and eye brushes. Morphe x Ariel does an affordable kit containing all the brushes you could need for a full glam look. Another personal essential is the Kevyn Aucoin lash curlers – a must-have for elevating your party make-up, making the lashes look more open and lifted. They make applying mascara a breeze too.
For more beauty inspiration follow @KendalFedail on Instagram.
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