The party girl's guide to glowing skin: what to do before & after a night out

1. READY, PREP, GO

While you're contemplating where you'll have pre-drinks before you hit the town, you should also be factoring in pre-party prep for your skin. Party nights are fun but they can wreak havoc on our skin and bodies - resulting in both an unhappy you and an unhappy complexion in the morning.

An intensive and thorough skin prep routine before a big night out will not only ensure that your makeup looks perfect for the occasion but will help your skin recover the next day should you have partied too hard.

Your party skin prep should start the night before with a rejuvenating overnight mask, peel or treatment packed with active ingredients that will not only renew your skin but provide it with all it needs to look its best the next day.

Follow these tips:

• Before a big event or party, apply a hydrating overnight mask packed with hyaluronic acid or a detoxifying clay mask if you want your skin to look glowy and supple.
• Use a product with retinol or active vitamin C to resurface the skin and provide a brighter complexion that will take on makeup smoothly.
• The following day, apply a sheet mask after cleansing the face and before applying a primer. This will give skin an immediate boost and create the perfect base for your makeup application.
• Depending on what you need more of for the evening and your skin type, choose a sheet mask that addresses brightening, hydration, sensitivity or oil control.

BEAUTY BUYS TO TRY

1. Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment, 100g, R1,362
2. WBeauty Oil Control Sheet Face Mask, R55
3. Kiehl's Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate, 30ml, R800
4. WBeauty Brightening Sheet Face Mask, R55
5. Chanel Hydra Beauty Flash Instantly Hydrating Perfecting Balm, 30ml, R1,000

2. PARTY MAKE UP KIT

When it comes to party makeup, the most important thing you want to achieve is longevity. You should minimise touch-up sessions and ensure makeup looks great in real life and in photos.

Whether you're club hopping, dancing under hot strobe lights or having an intimate house party with a bonfire, you want your makeup to be budge proof.

Follow these tips:

• The first thing to remember is that layering is your best friend. Doubling up your makeup application by applying cream formulations and then setting them with a powder formulation will ensure makeup stays where you put it and also boost the colour payoff.
• For more festive alternative to sultry black eyeliner, use blue eyeliner in a navy or cobalt shade to add an element of playfulness.
• Quickly refresh coverage with a powder foundation in your shade and some spritz of setting spray to mattify an oily T-zone and avoid giving the face an overly powdery finish.
• Sculpting the face with contouring techniques instantly creates a more party-ready makeup look. Use a creamy contour stick for ease of application and a saturated colour payoff and then set with a contour powder in the same shade.

BEAUTY BUYS TO TRY

1. Smashbox Studio Skin Shaping Foundation, R560
2. Stila Shimmer & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow in Twig, R370 
3. Smashbox Step-by-step Contour Kit, R690
4. Sorbet Makeup Fix Matte Setting Spray, R170
5. Smashbox Always On Gel Liner in Bouncer, R295
6. Sorbet Powder to You Loose Powder in Medium Dark, R180
7. Dior Midnight Wish 5 Couleurs in 617 Lucky Star, R1,075

3. POST-PARTY RECOVERY

When the party's over and the bubbles in your champagne glass have disappeared, it's time to recover.

Drinking and all-night partying take a toll on your skin but no matter how lazy you feel, never go to sleep with your makeup on. Leaving makeup on overnight clogs pores and aggravates flare ups.

For nights when you're sporting a full face of makeup, make sure to go heavy duty with your cleansing routine by double cleansing.

Follow these tips:

• Start by using a makeup remover solution for lipstick and first layers of eye makeup.
• Apply cleansing oil on dry skin to remove all makeup and stubborn mascara. Use a water-based cleanser to remove impurities left on the skin such as makeup residue, sweat and environmental dirt.
• Alcohol dehydrates the skin and makes it look dull so a deep cleanse and adding moisture are priorities after a night out.
• Look for masks with detoxifying clay or mud to draw out impurities from the skin and rejuvenate. Lastly, intensely hydrate the skin using a booster or face mask with hyaluronic acid or lactic acid.

BEAUTY BUYS TO TRY:

1. WBeauty Makeup Remover Lotion, R110
2. Glamglow Bubblesheet Oxygenating Deep Cleanse Mask, R125
3. Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster, 30ml, R1,039
4. Exuviance Detox Mud Treatment, 100ml, R830