The festive season is fast approaching and it is definitely time to start thinking about prepping for your Christmas Ball. As we all know, Exeter isn’t exactly known for dressing up on a night out (we’ve forgotten what it’s even like to wear heels), so a fancy Christmas Ball with your favourite society is the perfect opportunity to get glammed up. For us here at HCX, Christmas is an excuse to don a crazy amount of sparkle (we’re talking dress, shoes, makeup, nails…) and go all out. You want to feel fabulous on the night, so here’s a few things we recommend doing in the few days before the big event…
Hair
Having dull, dry looking hair is definitely not our aim for a festive party, so we like to use a nourishing hair mask to ensure our hair is looking super shiny and healthy. There’s loads to choose from for every hair type, but our personal favourite is Aussie’s 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor Deep Conditioner – soft, glossy hair that smells delicious? Yes please.
Whether you’re planning a fancy up-do or just adding a few curls, it’s good to remember to wash your hair the day before the event; your hair will be less fluffy than if you wash it on the day and it will hold the style better. If that isn’t enough and your hair is still lacking texture, we love to use a texturizing spray to add volume and bounce. We adore the Oribe one, but Charles Worthington do a version that’s just as good and is around a third of the price. Once your hair is styled to perfection, give it a quick spritz with a shine spray and you’re good to go.
Face
Pampering the skin a few days before the event is a must to create the perfect base to apply your make up onto. We love to use a face mask – our favourites are the ones from Lush (Oatifix is great if your skin is feeling dehydrated and Cupcake is amazing if you’re suffering from a breakout). We all know that Christmas is the perfect time to treat yourself, and we really recommend going to get a heavenly facial from Longbrook Salon in Exeter if you want both a relaxing experience and skin that feels fabulous.
In terms of make up on the big day, we think you can’t go wrong with a classic red lip. It’s sure to make a statement and in case you’re worried about it being too difficult to maintain all night (we know there’ll probably be a lot of eating and drinking), we’ve tried and tested Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Hot Pepper and can confirm it will not budge. We also think some shimmery eyeshadows are always a winner at Christmas time – we adore the Urban Decay Naked Palettes for this, or if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, MUA at Superdrug have some almost exact dupes for only £4.
Body
Chances are, you’ll have chosen a dress that shows off your fabulous legs. To make sure they’re looking their best, we recommend getting a wax at Longbrook Salon – the team are highly skilled and very friendly, providing the perfect waxing treatment- you won’t risk those pesky cuts you can get from shaving and your legs will stay smooth for weeks. If you’re not feeling like embracing the paleness of the winter months, fake tan is always a good option. St Tropez has some great ones or if you’re feeling slightly less brave then you could go for something more subtle such as Garnier’s Gradual Tan (we swear by this).
It’s always nice to add some extra sparkle on the night, and for this we like to sweep some highlighter onto our shins and shoulders – MAC’s Soft and Gentle is great for this. Remember to use a light hand, we’re aiming to look like we’re subtly glowing from within rather than sporting an Edward Cullen-esque dazzle.
Nails
No one wants to have chipped nail varnish for their Christmas Ball, so giving yourself a manicure (and a pedicure if your shoes reveal your toes) is essential. Better still, head to Longbrook Salon for gel nails – your perfect nails will last for ages and feel far more luxurious than doing it yourself. The real decision here though is what colour to go for: red (oh so festive), neutral (will go with everything) or sparkles galore (need we say more…?)
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