How to achieve party-ready skin this festive season

I don’t know about you, but I genuinely love this time of year. The festive season means hot, steamy weather, yummy (often naughty) treats, (fingers crossed) lavish gifts, (seemingly) endless sleep ins, night swims with the kids and my favourite – some beloved beach time. And of course, catching up with friends and loved ones, which is without doubt THE highlight.

It also means putting up the Christmas tree. Yep, I’m hearing loud and clear your groans through cyberspace, and strangely, they are in sync with mine!  Over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that in order to avoid the appearance of my inner-witch, Christmas tree assembly requires a clear strategy, the first step either being to down a stiff drink, or to commit to the adventure (!) with early morning patience. Next, the Christmas carols are moved swiftly to the top of the playlist, ensuring the list is long enough to go the distance – there’s truly nothing more annoying than hearing carols on repeat during this process, I promise you. Then it’s a matter of appointing the battalion commanders (aka the overly keen children) to complete the mission. Then the battle, I mean Christmas tree assembly, begins.

I’ve found that erecting the Christmas tree is one of those tasks that the quicker you do it, the better. This is not the time for perfectionism people, that can come later once the army has been stood down. This is about getting in, making effective use of the help, and getting out.

Of course, failing all of this, I’d suggest to wait until the children are at school or in bed and enjoy the process in solitary confinement…

Anyhow, I digress! What I really had intended to share here was the fact that in the lead up to Christmas, there are fabulous parties abound, and for most of us, that means an opportunity to don the dancing shoes and indulge in a little glam. Whether it be getting your nails manicured or applying some endless, fluttery lashes, if your skin isn’t looking party-ready and looking your ethereal best, it’s likely to bring the mood down, and no-one wants that!

To keep your complexion looking radiant no matter what your plans this festive period, here are my top 5 tips:

1. Double cleanse and exfoliate your face a few hours before your event for smooth, makeup-ready skin. Make sure you remember the delicate lip area. We have some wonderful products in our Cleanse and Maintain range to get the job done beautifully.
2. For plump, rested eyes, a few hours before your event apply a layer of our Regenerative Eye Cream as a mask, and let absorb.
3. Add a small amount of moisturiser to your foundation for an extra dewy appearance. The addition of hyaluoronic acid in the Indira range of moisturisers helps plump the skin for an extra perfecting effect!
4. For a glorious subtle glow, apply some of our lip-to-cheek to the plums of your cheeks as a final touch to your makeup routine. The dusty pink shimmer makes this product a true delight to use.
5. Ensure you don’t test any new products on the day of your event, just in case you have a reaction or it’s not quite right. Go with what you know or make sure you test anything new the day before.

And my final advice, when the bubbles in your champagne glass have disappeared and you’ve arrived home, make sure you take time to remove your makeup before you slip into bed. No excuses!

As for the Christmas tree, this year I’m trying a bonus strategy – an array of extravagant and uber sparkly champagne-colored baubles. Perhaps they may allow for me to shine in this endeavor, even if only just once…