9 Genius Beauty Hacks For The Party Season

Have you ever wondered how Chrissy Teigen and Bella Hadid look just as good leaving the after-party as they did arriving on the red carpet? Or how you can look glowing IRL but not shiny in photographs? We called upon Hollywood’s top makeup artists – from Nikki DeRoest (who Rosie Huntington-Whiteley relies on pre-party) to Mary Greenwell (who has made up red-carpet royalty such as Cate Blanchett and actual royalty, Princess Diana) – for their tips on how to look your best all night long.

Sometimes your highlighter can end up giving you shiny skin in flash photography rather than a beautiful glow. “To avoid looking super-oily in photographs but still glowing in real life, apply your highlight in a small ‘C’ shape just around the outer corner of the eye, rather than down the whole cheekbone. It gives you a pop without too much flash-back,” says red-carpet makeup artist Nikki DeRoest.

“If your skin is feeling dry, my favorite hack is to mix in a drop of super-nourishing La Mer The Renewal Oil with your foundation,” says makeup artist Mary Phillips, who often creates beauty looks for Kendall Jenner and Hailee Steinfeld. “It instantly plumps and brightens the skin, making you look glowing from within.”

Create a fuller-looking pout by rubbing your lips back and forth together after applying your lipstick (make sure it’s a creamy formula rather than a dry, matte liquid) to push out the color. “It gives you the biggest lips possible, as they just expand, plus it looks more natural than over-lining the lip,” says makeup artist Mary Greenwell.

“Whether you add a little shimmer to your eyelids, a frosting of highlighter on the inner corners of the eyes or a slick of lip gloss, adding some sparkly little touches will transform any makeup look into instant party glam,” says Instagram’s ‘Queen of Glow’ Nikki Wolff.

“Use a lip liner all over the lips as your base first,” says DeRoest. “Then put on your lipstick, use a big powder makeup brush to pat on a small amount of loose translucent powder, and finish with a final layer of lipstick.”

“A red lip is classic, but if you’re going to have a wine glass in your hand all night, avoid the ugly lipstick marks by wearing a stain or a matte formula that dries, rather than a high-shine or satin lipstick,” says Greenwell.

“Diffuse a little of your usual bronzer around your eyeshadow into the crease of the lid,” says Wolff. “Use a small fluffy eyeshadow brush and blend it all out – it just makes everything look better.”

Do your last-minute makeup checks “in lighting that mimics where you’re going,” advises DeRoest. “If you’re going to be in a bar where there’s dim lighting, check how everything looks when it’s dark, or if it’s a pool party or BBQ, make sure everything looks balanced and blended in natural outdoor lighting.”

“A translucent powder is great for blotting oily skin, but I tell all my clients to take a powder foundation with them instead,” says Wolff. “It prevents shine, touches up your makeup, hides redness and just a small amount pressed into the skin with a sponge can repair tons of makeup mishaps.”