No need to fork out for party-specific buys - what you need is multi-functional makeup. Beauty Director, SJ opens up her day-to-night makeup bag
There is a brilliant meme circulating on social media along the lines of, "magazines made me feel that going from day to night was going to be an integral part of my life". The reality for most of us is that our evening makeup is just an elevated version of our daytime makeup. There is the addition of a bit of sparkle, gloss and glitter makeup and most definitely just more of it being slapped on.
If the above rings true to you then at this party time of year, I promise you don’t need to buy a whole host of new colours and sparkly bits that you won’t look at again until next party season. Instead, buy smart and go for makeup that works just as well for the office as your girls' night out. These are the day-to-night makeup buys I turn to and I promise they’ll work for you too.
The versatile base: Glossier Stretch Foundation, £34
If you like your base on the lighter side but still want a high level of coverage then this foundation is the perfect day-to-night foundation. During the day your skin will still look natural but there's enough coverage for night when you want your skin to look more done. It’s hydrating and not cakey in the slightest so you can simply go over your daytime layer with an additional layer for your evening look.
The flash of easy glitter: Revolution Festive Allure Chromatic Liner in Silver Flash, £4.99
I am very aware that in my intro I said you don’t need to go buying lots of new sparkly bits, but this is the exception. It is a budget-friendly glitter eyeliner that requires little-to-zero application skills and can be used as a wash of light sparkle over a bare lid or your favourite shadow to give it an extra party feel. While I’m not sure you’d wear it during the day, please feel free to. I have also put it on my young daughters when they’re playing dress-up and on my almost teenage niece for her school discos. So for under a fiver, you will get a lot of use from this little tube of sparkly joy.
The instant Instagram filter: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked, £86
“I defy anyone to try any of the Hourglass ambient powders (there are 29) to wonder why it took them so long. During the day they create the most insane and natural glowing-from-within effect, like you’re walking around with an Instagram filter. At night, they give off the most excellent shimmery highlight that looks chic, grown-up and sexy. This 2023 palette has six shades including a bronze, blush, highlighter and a glowy finishing powder. I promise you will use each one. It will be a palette you reach for every day making it worth the investment. The individual versions, start from £27 if you prefer.
The flush of colour multitasker: Ruby Hammer Cheek Colour, £24
If there’s anyone who knows about nailing versatile makeup, it’s makeup artist Ruby Hammer who has done just that with two balmy, creamy cheek colours in a red and a pink. During the day, one swipe over cheeks (and lips) delivers a wash of flushed colour. For the evening layer it up for a more impactful look that requires no brushes and little makeup know-how and they are small enough to fit in your evening bag.
The eyeshadow: Victoria Beckham Lid Lustre Eyeshadow, £33 8 shades
Sitting somewhere between a shimmer, glitter and pearlescent finish are these genius eye shadows, which can also be used as a topper to your regular shadow, are so creamy and user-friendly that you can pat them over your daytime neutral shade or apply straight on a bare lid, with your finger. They look better applied with fingers than when I’ve used a brush. There are eight glimmering shades, my favourite being the browny-pink shade, Mink. which, devastatingly, I have lost from my makeup bag and should have asked for in our Glossy Picks Christmas Gifts and sent on to my husband.
The easy day-to-night lip: L’Oreal Paris Glow Paradise Balm-In-Gloss, £9.99
Many would say that a classic red lip is the lip to wear during the festive season. And they’re not wrong. For that, try the Prada Beauty lipsticks are my standout buy of the year. But I find they come with a lot of upkeep both during the day and night. So that’s why I would steer you towards these clever glosses that come in eight wearable and more neutral shades instead. I’m not going to pretend they have the staying power of one of the best lip crayons, but you reapply them from the middle of the dance floor or the back of a cab without a mirror or precision application. Oh, they also have a slight plumping effect which is never a bad thing.
The smokey eye made easy: Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Shadow, 22 shades, £26
A great eyeshadow palette is a thing of wonder and joy, however, these nifty eyeshadow crayons make putting an eye look together a piece of cake. These come in 22 different shades. Some have a shimmer finish, others are metallic or more intensely pigmented. If you can buy two, a lighter shimmery shade for all over your eye socket and then a slightly darker matte shade to use as a liner. That’s your day-to-night eye look sorted.
The does it all bronzer: Merit Bronze Balm, £32
Whether you use it for contouring in cheekbones (I do) or for a soft wash of bronze glow over the face (also me) this creamy chunky bronzing crayon works whatever look you’re going for at whatever time of the day. Because of its nifty stick design, you can apply it straight onto the skin and use your fingers to blend in – quick and fuss-free.
The game-changing mascara colour: Maybelline Sky High Mascara in Burgundy Haze, £12.99
I love black mascara (and if it’s a budget mascara, even better, as much as the next person, but let me introduce you to burgundy mascara that will make any eye colour pop. On fair lashes, it makes eyes look super sparkling and is less harsh and more flattering than darker shades. On darker lashes, it creates a depth that you can’t get from black mascara. This is the best-selling mascara in the UK and for good reason, it lengthens and volumizes in just a few swipes and the formula is creamy without flaking and smudging. It's the perfect red-meets-puple-meets-brown and also has a very subtle sheen. You won’t look back once you’ve tried it.