Trust me – step away from the glitter

No need to go OTT with the party make-up, says Rosie Green – just amp up your usual look

To tell the truth, I’m allergic to the idea of party make-up. Call me a killjoy, but unless it says fancy dress on the invitation, ‘fun’ or ‘jazzy’ are not adjectives I want my make-up look to elicit.

Nope, I believe you shouldn’t deviate massively from your usual look just because it’s your work Christmas do or New Year’s Eve. Special occasion make-up is so pressured you want to stick to what you know and what suits. Just like on your wedding day, a whole new look is at best inadvisable and at worst renders you unrecognisable.

That said, I think there’s a good case for amping things up. If you usually define your eyes, then by all means add more smoke. Layer a liquid liner on top of pencil. Buy a full-throttle mascara. If you are more of a lip person, then maybe invest in a more intense version of your shade. And upgrade to lining them first – use the pencil to colour in the whole mouth before adding lipstick. This technique ups its staying power.

Longevity is important here, so either opt for formulations that can take you from canapés to carriages or invest in some minis for your teeny clutch bag (Charlotte Tilbury does great dinky sizes of her Pillow Talk lipstick). Throw in a sample-size fragrance – most companies offer them now – and a travel mascara (I like Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara, €15.80, cultbeauty.com).

And my last word of make-up advice? Think about your event’s lighting and adjust accordingly. Daylight always necessitates a lighter touch.

Invest in some minis for your teeny clutch bag