It’s party season: Essential looks to bring out your inner party girl

06 December 2022 - 12:30

Channel the vibrant, unapologetic allure of club kids with attention-grabbing makeup trends that only require emphasis on one focal point.

1. DARK ANGEL

Call it your villain era or inner siren, but a swipe of lipstick in black, navy, deep brown, or burgundy is the perfect way to channel baddie energy. As seen at the Annakiki, Drome, and Ntando XV shows, dark lipstick is making a comeback. Go for a saturated stamp of matte-black lipstick for old-school gothic vibes or opt for an ombre effect with a black or brown lip liner applied to the lip edges and diffused into the centre, topped with a clear gloss.

Try: Revlon Super Lustrous Glass Shine in Black Cherry, R160; MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolor in Caviar, R390.

2. BLEACHED OUT

Blame Doja Cat or the runways of Givenchy, Marco Rambaldi, and Prada, but bleached brows are taking over this season. Blocking out or bleaching brows creates a stark, alien-like look and opens up the eye canvas. For a browless look, block out eyebrows by using a clean mascara wand dipped into a cream concealer in your skin shade and brush on, or apply a cream concealer about 2-3 shades lighter than yours to create the illusion of bleached brows.

Try: RefectoCil Blonde Brow Bleaching Paste for Eyebrows 15ml, R125; Schwarzkopf Got2b Glued 2in1 Gel for Brows and Edges 16ml, R150.

3. NIGHT LUXE LINER

Once a big no-no, the look is imperfect, like you sweated it off on the dancefloor or cried it off at the bar. Grab a classic black kohl or cream eyeshadow stick and line the lower lash line. Use a small blending brush to smudge out the liner and layer with a matching eye shadow to create an even more diffused look. Finish off with glitter pigment along the under-eye area.

Try: MAC Dazzleshadow Liquid in Diamond Crumbles, R420; Byredo Makeup Colour Stick in Destroyer, R595; Dream SQNS Glitter in Insomnia, R125, dreamsqns.com

4. KALEIDOSCOPE HALO

On the Etro catwalk, colour did party girls proud. Eyeshadows and blushes in various colours were used to contour features and wrap colour around the temples, eyes, nose bridge, and high planes of the cheeks to create a halo reminiscent of multi-coloured LED club lights bouncing off the skin. Don’t be afraid to mix oranges into pinks or purples into blues — there are no rules. The key is to blend the colours into a seamless veil, with no hard edges.

Try: Huda Beauty Lovefest Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette, R510; Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush in Daiquiri Dip, R465, arcstore.co.za

BEAUTY ROAD TEST: HIGH BROW

If we’re being honest, brows are the true MVPs of 2022. From naturally bushy or disco embellished, try these five trends:

Au naturel:Put down those tweezers — simple and minimal is the way to go. Bid farewell to the overly defined Instagram brow and go for a clean brow that is simultaneously unstructured and natural. Lightly fill in for slight definition and only where volume is needed, brush up with a tinted brow gel, and off you go.
Bush baby: Perfect for the summer and laid-back days, feather brows are in. Think fluffy, with no pencilling and minimal maintenance. All you need is a clean spoolie brush, dampened with setting spray and run lightly through soap. Brush up, out, and down in the direction of your brow growth to create definition and flick the brows out for a lightweight, airy look.
Straight cool:The straight or boy brow, inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s classic brow shape, is back. This not only gives the brow a severe look but can also create the illusion of a more elongated eye shape. Fill in brows with a medium-brown eye pencil, creating a minimal arch to the brow and a straighter brow tail.
Disco brows:Add some disco elements by mixing an eyeshadow shade of your choice with setting spray and brush onto the brow hairs. Give things a festive glint by brushing up the brows with a clear brow gel and dusting a fine, loose glitter over the hairs. Brush up again with the clear brow gel to set in place.
Skinny 90s: For those who aren’t blessed with super-thick brows, the skinny brow of the 1990s is right up your alley. Work with what you have as the sleek, thin eyebrow makes a comeback, featuring a low arch and overall slimline look.

• This article is adapted from one originally published on SowetanLIVE. Visit the SMag section for all the latest lifestyle news.