FOTD: Easy Makeup Look for a Halloween Hen Do

I could be accused of playing it a little safe when it comes to makeup. Generally, my goal is to look like a better version of myself, so I favour neutral colours and quite a ‘vanilla’ approach in my day to day life. So sometimes it's really fun to go all out and make a big switch up.

My friend Holly’s hen night in Chester was the perfect chance to get a little wild with colour. It fell on Halloween weekend, and although I chose not to do a full-on costume, my outfit was a little play on the idea of a ‘Fashion Victim’, so the classic ‘Instagram look’  with the statement skirt, slogan tee and cliche ‘blogger favourite’ accessories like the Chanel bag and Rockstud-style shoes. If you added some fake blood and FX makeup (to play up the ‘victim’ in ‘fashion victim’) this could be a good costume idea!

This graphic, smoked out cats eye and popping purple lip seemed like a winning combination for the time of year - something that just took my everyday style one step further. It’s sort of a playful nod to online gurus, who are such big fans of winged eyes and bright lips as well! With such a bright lip, you need a strong eye, but one without lots of other colour going on. This look had balance without being too overwhelming.

Here’s what I used and how I got the look:

That Perfect Skin Finish

When it comes to makeup that you want to last, it all begins with a quality primer. Your perfect match depends very much on what you want to achieve with your skin. For me, it's all about erasing those fine lines and getting an airbrushed finish, and I’m in love with Hylamide HA Blur Prismatic Skin Finisher, which uses an unique powdered form of hyaluronic acid that just makes skin look incredible. Its definitely my holy grail primer!

Then it was time for the first stage of face shaping, carefully layering cream products under the foundation to add some natural dimension to the face. I used NYX Concealer Jar in the Orange shade to help disguise dark circles, topped with my regular concealer - Tarte Shape Tape. Then I added a dark contour with a cream crayon - the PS Pro Concealer Crayon in a dark shade. This is so creamy and easy to work with.

Then, I opted for the Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation. I've had my issues with this formula before - it's very full coverage but also can be quite flat and chalky, and without the primer it settles into lines dreadfully. But when applied with a decent primer and a damp Beauty Blender, it is good for when you want a base that will really go the distance and outlast you on the dancefloor!

To lift some of the flatness and add a sheen, I mixed in a couple of drops of Beauty Pie Pro Glow Super Strobing Drops. I love these because they add a flattering, candlelit finish without being all glittery and making you look like a disco ball!

Now comes the interesting part - I’m a recent convert to the ‘buffing technique’ coined by SoniaXFyza, where you use a domed brush to work pressed powder into the skin after all your other makeup. It sounds bizarre, but it doesn’t shift the other makeup around and it does give a gorgeous, soft-focus look. It's a little too much effort for every day, but definitely something I do for a night out. I used the NYX #NoFilter pressed powder for this.

After this, I added back in a little contour using the Nars Contouring Blush in Paloma and a little of the Kylie Kylighter in ‘Salted Caramel’ (I’m so in love with this shade right now…). Layering powder and cream contour really locks it in and makes the look last.

Smoked Out Cat Eyes to Kill

Although I've talked about skin first, I actually began the process by doing my eye makeup. As I was working with some darker colours, I wanted to make sure that any fallout didn't ruin my base once it was done.

With any major eye makeup look, an eye primer beforehand will make sure that all that work with a blending brush lasts, so I prepped my lids with the Urban Decay Anti-Aging Primer Potion before getting to work.

I must have been on a UD trip this time, because I also used shades from the Naked Smoky palette to create my eye look. First, blend a light flesh colour like ‘Thirteen’ all over the lid and brow bone. The goal here is just to even out any discolouration on the eyelid and create a nice, clean, blank canvas for the rest of the look. Then, use a pale taupe shade like ‘Combust’ just to deepen the socket line slightly with a very fluffy brush and create some dimension - this is subtly contouring the socket, you don't want to add any colour on this part of the eye.

Next, load up a pencil brush with a deep, dark brown shade - here I used a mix of ‘Smoulder’ and ‘Black Market’ - and start to build the cats eye shape on your lower lids. Sometimes you can use tape as a guideline (surgical tape is better for this than any other kind). Buff the shadow well as its this process that creates the pretty, diffused smokey look. Build up the intensity by layering on the black shade closer to the lashline, adding over the top of the dark brown and blending together. Use a clean brush to soften the line right down.

Then I went back in with a cream eyeliner - another from Urban Decay, their Super Saturated Cream Liner. Use this to create a thin black line to the lashes and also to tightline if you want to. You need to have a little patience for this look, as building the layers up and buffing them out is the secret to this look and it's quite time consuming. Pointed cotton buds are also really useful for tidying up!

I finished off with a coating of Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara and some beautiful Eylure Luxe Lashes in the style ‘Solitaire’. These are great because they are ‘mink effect’ lashes. They have the same light, fluffy appearance as mink lashes, but with the added bonus of not being an animal product (they’re made of a very light, synthetic silk) and although they are double the price of standard lashes, they’re half the cost of actual mink ones. So a really good halfway house and they’re made with a strong, reusable band so you should get a few wears out of them.

With such a strong line on lids, you also need a well defined brow. I’d actually had my first experience with the Maybelline Tattoo Brow Gel Tint a day before, so all I needed on the night was to sharpen up the lines a little with some Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade.

Purple Pout

I wanted my lip colour to be a bit out there and chose a fun shade- this bright purple is the shade ‘Fatal Attraction’ in the NYX Slip Tease Full Colour Lip Oil. It’s such a unique product because its soft and conditioning on the lips but you still get that really pigmented punch of bright colour, which is amazing. I haven’t tried anything like it before.

I’m a little obsessed with purple lips anyway, and this look was such fun to wear. I’d definitely wear it on any night out.

Do you love a bold makeup look on a night out, or are you more au naturel? If so, you might like my quick easy natural glow look.