Indoors or outdoors, day or night, we can all use a few beauty hacks to help us feel great throughout the season for socialising. Whether you're prepping for the party or recovering from a little too much fun, here's how to get your glow on (or back!).
Indoors or outdoors, day or night, we can all use a few beauty hacks to helps us feel great throughout the season for socialising. Whether you’re prepping for the party or recovering from a little too much fun, I’ll help you get your glow on (or back!).
GET THAT SPECIAL OCCASION GLOW
If you can’t escape to the spa before a big event, treat your skin to some TLC at home. One of the best ways to get skin glowing in a hurry is to create a flower infused facial steam. This indulgent beauty ritual helps to soften skin, boost circulation, and make skin more open and receptive to masks and oils that you can apply afterwards.
Get started by thoroughly removing all makeup and cleansing your skin with a gentle facial cleanser. Place two tablespoons each of dried rose petals and dried calendula flowers into a large tempered glass or ceramic bowl. Add two cups of boiling water and cover the bowl with a clean dry towel, leaving the flowers to steep two minutes. Uncover and lean towards the steam, then drape the towel over your head and the bowl while remaining at a comfortable distance. Be sure to use caution while steaming, the air within the ‘tent’ should be soothing and warm, never uncomfortably hot.
Immediately afterwards, while your skin is still soft from steaming, apply an ultra-hydrating facial mask or follow with a gentle facial massage using an oil such as rosehip, carrot seed, or sweet almond.
DAY-TO-NIGHT PARTY PREP
Freshening up at home isn’t in the cards? You can make the transition from workplace to party face in just a few minutes. Feel radiant and ready-to-glow!
Be sure to stash a few extra beauty essentials in your bag before heading to the office when you have an after-work event to go to. Bring a bottle of rose or lavender hydrosol toning mist along with your favourite facial oil. Once the workday is done, mist your face generously, then with clean hands, press four or five drops of oil onto skin. This will add glow-giving moisture that may have evaporated throughout the day via trans-epidermal water loss. After your skin feels more awake and refreshed, you can move on to makeup.
Amp up your look by strategically placing a swipe of skin-illuminating highlighter to the tops of cheekbones, down the bridge of your nose and on the inner corners of eyes. It’s also lovely to add highlighter to collarbones. Drier skin types will prefer an iridescent liquid or cream formula, while oilier types may favour a pressed powder.
OVERCOME A LITTLE OVERINDULGENCE
If you’re feeling less than energised after a night spent celebrating, think about whisking up a verdant green matcha latte rather than a strong coffee. Matcha contains a therapeutic trio of chlorophyll, antioxidants, and caffeine (albeit, about 50 percent less caffeine than your average cup of coffee), which works wonders to counteract the next-day effects of an overindulgence. Where coffee can further dehydrate you, a generous serve of unsweetened, ceremonial-grade matcha powder mixed with warm cashew milk will help to replenish vital antioxidants to get you feeling back to your best ASAP.
Can’t quite stomach a warm drink? You can also enjoy matcha in the form of a hydrating matcha lemonade: Blend freshly squeezed lemon juice, matcha powder, mint leaves, and coconut water. Now we’re talking!
SOOTHE THOSE SUNKISSES
Lamenting your time spent in the sun? It’s true that excess sun exposure is an express ticket to premature skin ageing. Nourishing your skin immediately after a day in the sun can help to minimise the damage. When your skin’s protective barrier function is compromised it has trouble retaining moisture, so the best way to care for your skin post-sun is to focus on hydration.
Aloe vera is the gold standard in after-sun care for its ability to cool the skin while also delivering anti-inflammatory benefits. If you don’t have an aloe vera plant in your garden, look for a product that’s as close to 100 percent aloe vera gel as possible.
WIND-CHAPPED RECOVERY
If your skin is truly parched, one of the best (and yes, most Insta-worthy) treatments is a jelly peel-off alginate mask. While these can be done at home, they require some know-how and finesse, so treat yourself to the care of a skincare pro for this one.
Alginate is a natural sugar derived from the cell wall of brown algae and is extremely calming and hydrating. Jelly masks are exceptional for wind chapped skin because they form an occlusive layer and help boost ingredient penetration. When the mask is peeled off in one fell swoop, you’ll be left with skin that feels supple, fresh, and moisturised. A word of advice: often these masks are 100 percent vegan friendly, but can sometimes contain bee propolis or lactic acid, so make sure to double check with your aesthetician just to be sure.
