As an intern, you quickly come to realize that for all of the perks, having an internship means long hours, strict dress codes and a daily commute. You’re bound to be spending a lot less time at home, and when Friday rolls around, you can’t be bothered with stopping home before heading out to celebrate another successful week in the office. Luckily, you can transform your beauty look from work to play in a single step. For an amazingly easy touch-up, pick from any of these one-step options for a bold and beautiful nighttime look.
Fresh Faced Intern
Start the day off simply with a clean, glowing complexion. Using your fingers, apply a tinted BB Cream (try Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Perfector BB Cream, $12.49 at Drugstore.com) to your entire face, and if your skin is feeling naked, a cream blush to your cheeks. Ready for an expert tip? For an extra-natural from-within glow, apply your blush first, let it set and then apply the BB Cream. Next, draw a thin, light line of black eyeliner on your upper lid and add a few soft coats of mascara to your lashes. Finish off your look with a tinted lip balm and reapply it hourly (or as needed) to maintain a moisturized pout. By rocking a natural-but-polished look all day, any one-step addition will result in a major nighttime-ready beauty transformation.
Head Turner at Happy Hour
1. A Foundation Fix
Does your perfect nighttime look revolve around a flawless finish? Most BB creams can be worn alone or under foundation, meaning your dewy day complexion can serve as the perfect priming base for more heavy-duty makeup. The BB cream from your workplace look keeps your skin moisturized, meaning that when you apply a quick coat of foundation after work, your face will be free of cracks, creases or flakes. You’ll be free to glow all night long, without the weight of multiple layers of foundation.
2. Thicken Your Liner
If your style is more sultry, darken those daytime eyes! With an eyeliner pencil, trace over your original liner on the upper lashline for a deeper black. Next, line your lower lashline. Last, carefully line the waterlines on the inside of your eyelid, making the overall liner appear thicker. The dark color works wonders in contrast to the whites of your eyes, meaning your gaze will be bright and unforgettable all night.
3. Glitter and Glam
Who says being glamorous isn’t easy? With the help of a sparkly cream eyeshadow (try Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo Eyeshadow, $6.99 at ULTA) you can go from simple to shimmering in seconds. Simply swipe the shadow over your lids until the color is deep and evenly spread. Thanks to this morning’s BB cream, your eyes are already primed to last the evening.
Can’t make it through the workday without some shadow already in place? No problem. Begin the day with a neutral shade, such as a light gold or beige. When 5 o’clock arrives, pat on a darker shade (deep golds, browns and metal tones work best) on the outer corners of your lids for a two-toned smokey eye.
4. A Popping Pout
You might not be able to get away with a bold lip in the office, but when it’s time to head out, nothing is stopping you from glossing on that magenta lipstick you’ve been daydreaming about. Since the rest of your face will be kept simple, feel free to experiment with some unusual shades: oranges, fuchsias, and purples are all game when the sun sets. And after prepping your pout with a moisturizing lip balm all day (try Vaseline Lip Therapy Lip Balm Rosy Lips, $1.79 at Walgreens), your lip shade is bound to glide on silky smooth. After all, nothing’s worse than realizing your lips are too chapped for color when it’s too late to fix them!
5. The Multitasker
If you’re looking for one step with double the transformation capability, try this handy multitasking trick. Take your creamy nighttime lipstick (in a pink or beige shade) and use it as impromptu blush. Spread it on your lips and cheeks for a rosy finish. The color will highlight your cheekbones, giving you a sleek and subtle look for a night on the town.
Alternatively, use an earthy cream lipstick for some quick contouring! Add dramatic definition to your features and a sexy shade to your smile simultaneously.
How do you transitition your look from professional to party-ready, collegiettes?