‘Tis almost the season for champagne glass ASMR, GRWM montages with your favourite playlist in the background and sending the ‘yes’ text to friends for a night of fun-filled adventure.
Before we dampen our make up sponges (and pull out those full glam palettes), let’s get the glowdown with our lessons in pre-party skin care prep — whether you’ve two days, or ten minutes to transform into your sparkliest self yet…
Want to keep the bathroom touch-ups to a minimum?
Well, before primer, colour corrector and all the rest, it’s important to start with a refreshed base for your skin care heroes. Enter: Youth To The People’s Superfood Cleanser, a lean, green, bacteria-fighting machine. Powered by phytonutrients and cold-pressed antioxidants, this foaming favourite helps support your skin barrier with hydration.Next,it’s all about your moisturiser. What better to put your best, dew-drenched face forward than with Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream?Forming a plumped foundation for your make up routine, this air-whipped cream (enriched with olive-derived squalane) acts as a primer for your actual primerand boasts a gel-like texture that leaves your face and neck feeling recharged with moisture.
Don’t want to put limits on yourself?
No, you’re not indecisive, you just love having — insert star emoji — options. That’s where Shiseido’s Vital Perfection Uplifting & Firming Cream enters the chat to give your skin a silken touch. Like a sensorial signal urging tired skin to wake up, this toning formula helps address fine lines and pigmented areas with a nourishing boost. Honorary mentions go to the KURENAI-TruLift complex, a blend of safflower extract, Bulgarian rose water and odokiro botanical extract AKA the most hydrating heroes.
Because we’re big believers in besting the base before your base, we know that Drunk Elephant’s Lala Retro (Mama and Cub) has everything you need for top-tier moisture. A duo you’ve no doubt herd about, these ceramide-packed creams have been designed to support your skin’s barrier with cushioning comfort — home and away.
Got a bit more time on your hands?
Start using a super-charged overnightmask two or three days prior to the ‘big night’, alternating between products to ensure that you tackle everything from loss of lustre to fine lines. Alpha-H’s Beauty Sleep Power Peel is brimming with both glycolic and retinol to kick-start sluggish cells and refine the look your skin’s texture while you snooze. Not in the mood to mask? Enter: Medik8’s Advanced Night Restore, an antioxidant-rich night cream that helps to combat free radical damage and form a nourishing ‘top coat’ for your favourite retinol serum so you can usher in pillow-soft skin come morning. Rumour has it Cinderella was spotted somewhere wishing she had these heroes as part of her getting ready routine before it was time to go the ball…
Want all eyes on you?
Unlock scene-stealing radiance withGlow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops — the TikTok fan-favourite that instantly highlights the skin with a reflective glow. Free from glitter or sparkle, this skin-strobing serum creates a glow-giving base for the rest of the magic to take place. Go the extra mile and mix this vitamin-rich fusion with your favourite foundation or skin tint for a unique, luminous finish.
No time for a facial appointment?
No problem — that’s where FOREO’s BEAR 2 Facial Toning Device Fuschia comes to save the slay (and your skin). Designed to tone, lift and contour your face without you needing to leave to comfort of your bathroom, this microcurrent device helps create the taut effect without tapes to pull back your face. Like a fancy-shmancy gua sha that you need to charge every so often, this spa-like staple takes your getting ready regime to the next, face-lifted level.
Et voila, the pumpkin-turned-taxi awaits to take this Cinderella for a night out on the town…
SHOP ALL SKIN CARE >>> 
