Take your makeup from day to night in a matter of minutes using a few key products to switch up your look. There’s no reason to wash your face and start fresh when a few small changes is all you need to make your look more nighttime appropriate — especially if you’re running short on time. (And who isn’t?)
If you’re going straight from the office, be sure to stash these products in your bag so you can make your changes before you head out. Since you aren’t starting from a bare face it shouldn’t take long and you’ll be ready to go before you know it.
Lips
lipstick
Lipstick is one of the easiest, most impactful ways to switch up your look. Go from nude, subtle pinks to a bold red or burgundy for a more dramatic, nighttime look. If you need some encouragement, read our post on How to Fearlessly Rock Bold Lipstick.
Tip: Use a nude lip liner to outline your lips, creating a guide before you go in with lipstick. When wearing a bold lipstick, wobbly edges tend to be more noticeable. A lip liner will help keep your edges looking clean, but if you want to go the extra step and clean up any mistakes, you can go in with a concealer to perfect those edges and make them extra sharp.
Cheeks
blush
When going out at night, be sure to sweep some extra color on your cheeks for that youthful, rosy glow. Use a soft, fluffy brush to deposit the color on your cheeks evenly. Apply a little more than you would for a daytime look; nighttime and dim lights tend to wash you out, so a little extra color will give your face some life. Try the Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso, a peachy toned blush that compliments every skin tone. The touch of shimmer will add a glow to the face to make you look positively radiant.
contour and highlight
If you have the time, nothing elevates a look like a good contour and highlight. Carve out those cheek bones with a matte bronzer like the Hoola Bronzer from Benefit. A matte bronzer is key for a natural looking contour. Apply it in the hollows of your cheeks and on the perimeter of your face to add some dimension and structure. Apply a highlight like BECCA x Jaclyn Hill’s Champagne Pop on the high points of the face, like the cheek bones, the bridge of the nose, and the Cupid’s Bow for a beautiful glow when it hits the light.
Eyes
eyeliner
Eyeliner is an easy way to transform your look, adding instant drama to an otherwise boring look. Opt for a bold winged liner or smoke out the eyeliner that you’re already wearing for a bold, grungy look.
A small angled brush and a gel liner like Maybelline New York Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner will get you perfect winged liner every time.
Tip: Use translucent powder to map out the angle of your wing before applying product. Start at the corner of your eye and go toward the tail of your brow as if you were continuing the angle of your lower lash line. Once you are satisfied with your angles and you find both eyes symmetrical, you can begin applying your eyeliner.
Using a small, angled brush, draw a line next to the guide line you made with powder. Then, take your brush and drag it from the middle of that line, in toward the middle of your eye to create the wing. This will leave a small triangle on the outer corner of your eye that you can fill in with your product. Apply a thin line from the inner corner of your eye and connect it with the wing you just created. This will define your inner lash line without having too thick of a line, which makes your eyes look smaller. Brush away the translucent powder with a fluffy brush and you’re done!
There are two things to remember when it comes to winged liner:
- It’s like an animal and can smell fear. Be confident and make sure it knows who’s boss. (You!)
- Don’t rush it! Creating a wing is an art. If you don’t have time, a smokey look is a safer bet.
To smoke out your look, use a short, stiff, flat brush and run it back and forth over your eyeliner until it has a soft edge. You can also apply some brown or black eyeshadow to help the process along. Once you’ve smoked it out, add a lighter, nude colored eyeshadow to help blend things out seamlessly.
Follow these tips and you’ll go from natural, daytime makeup to nighttime glam with ease. Since you’ve already got a base, it won’t take much. Also, don’t forget to bring along some powder for touch ups throughout the night and you’ll be good to go!
For more makeup tips, check out our posts on The No Fail Method to Applying Eyeshadow and Biggest Beauty Trends of 2017.
Photo credits: Kristen Love
