How to create the hottest hair and make-up party looks
Want the perfect Christmas party beauty look? Team LBD has it covered! When shooting our seasonal Party Dress Lookbook, we asked the lovely, and very talented, Richard Harvey to create some hair and make-up looks that would be a hit this party season. As one of the UK's leading hair and make-up artists, Richard has worked with some of the best models, photographers and celebrities around the world, including Bjork, Hugo Boss, Bourjois and of course, LittleBlackDress.co.uk. ‘Christmas gives us all an excuse to vamp up and go bold and really set the party season off with a bang,' he said. Using Art Deco make-up, Richard shows us how to create three easy-to-follow party looks.
HOW TO CREATE... Flawless skin
'There is no point having an amazing make-up look without perfect skin so I'm going to start by explaining some simple tips for achieving the most flawless base. With dramatic party make-up looks, it's important to keep your base coverage light and natural. Got blemish prone skin? It's much more flattering to use a good concealer over the top of a light/ medium foundation base, rather than using a heavy foundation. And know your skin type: if you have oily skin, then a matte base will help to absorb the oil; if you suffer from dry skin, then a foundation that leaves a dewy finish will brighten your skin, making it look healthy and hydrated.'
HOW TO CREATE... Knock-out smokey eyes
'Smokey eyes are a classic party make-up look and a must-have for the Christmas party season. Paired with a nude lip, a glamorous, sultry eye will draw attention to your main feature: the eyes,' says Richard. 'A lot of girls ask me for the simplest and quickest way to achieve a smokey eye without having to use an extensive amount of brushes and products – and you can, it's easy.
When applying eyeshadow, you need to know that there are three main parts to the eye: the lid, the brow bone and the socket (the crease of the eye). Start by applying a waterproof, black kohl eyeliner around the eye (a grey or brown/black creates a softer look). The thickness of the eyeliner depends on how dramatic you want your smokey eye to be. Then take the clean tip of a flat eye shadow brush and softly blend the eyeliner in soft sweeps. This will start off the smokey effect. Next, take a medium-tone eyeshadow – I used a grey in the shot above – and using the flat side of the brush, place all over the eye lid. You may find that you are happy with this look, which will give you a blended smokey liner with lid wash.
For the more adventurous, blend in your darkest eye shadow colour along the crease of your socket, starting at the outer edge. The higher and further across you take it the more dramatic your look will be. Add a little bit of highlighter on the brow bone (use a light coloured eye shadow) to softly lift the eye and prevent a sharp line where the eyeshadow stops on your lid.
I added a simple nude lip for this look using a nude liner, softened with my finger, and then lipstick. If you want to stay on trend, try a balm effect or a nude matte colour. Always apply blusher after you've created your smokey eye as you don't need as much.
Finishing touches: Once the look is complete, I like to go back and add a bit more eyeliner and mascara. For the eyebrows, use a touch of brown shadow to fill in any gaps and gently brush them through. A cotton pad with a drop of non-oily makeup remover will rectify any little drop downs or mistakes.'
Top tips:
'The red lip is a traditionally glamorous look and one that frequently appears on the catwalk. Holding associations with Hollywood screen sirens on the red carpet, the bold and sexy crimson lip took off in the 20s and 30s and, just like the little black dress, continues to be a classic today. Here are some simple tips for creating a smudge-free, longer-lasting and kissable red lips.
If you don't normally opt for a bold lip, a bright red shade can take a while to get used to, just like when you have a new hair style. My top tip is to wear it around the house a few times first. This will also allow you to perfect the art of application! I think it's a shame when a girl puts on a gorgeous party dress, but just does her every-day, minimal make-up look. So be adventurous and add a bit of fun and sexiness to your party style.
First, find the perfect red shade to suit your complexion. Remember, there are blood reds, blue-tone reds, and coral/orange tone reds. If you're unsure on a shade to suit you, don't be afraid to ask the beauty consultants on cosmetics counters. When trying something new, it's worth trying a few different shades first and maybe even taking your dress with you too! A shimmer lip gloss can also soften a bold red lip.
Buy a shade that lasts. The glossier or more moisturising a lip product, the faster it slides off. I have found two tricks that work for me on set: Firstly, seeing as a matte finish is on-trend, I use a red lip pencil all over the lips and then add a touch of lip balm for hydration, as lip liner is the longest lasting lip product. Secondly sharpen your lip liner before each application for a more precise line.
Finishing touches: Use a clean lip brush to blend the inner lip line, avoiding any hard edges, and then add a matte finish lipstick. Finally blot with a tissue. For a lipstick alternative, lip stains are available in most beauty stores, which create a more natural touch of red, perfect for a daytime look.
Top tips:
'This is a modern day, classic hair style. The best way for your hair to hold the curl is if you wash your hair the morning or night before. When curling with straighteners or curling tongs, section the hair and curl half way up each section for more of a relaxed look. Try not to pull at the curl whilst still hot, as this causes it to drop straight away. Once you have tonged or straightened all the way through, use a fine comb to backcomb the top of the hair. You should start to see the look really coming to shape now. At this point, the hair is probably looking a little too curly. This is better as you can shake it out just before you leave the house. Using your fingers, add a touch of shine oil once you have achieved your desired look and finish with of hairspray so that you will have gorgeous, tousled curls all through the night.'
The deconstructed up-do
'The humble hair bun or ring/donut has been around for years, worn very neatly by flight attendants and nurses. Recently this trend has really been reborn, and is great for holding your hair firmly in place all night long. Hair rings and donuts come in a selection of different sizes and can be used in a variety of ways, for example as a top knot, side, low or middle bun. You can create a more relaxed look by leaving sections out of the ring. If you wear hair extensions, add them to your bun for a bigger, more voluminous style. In the image above, I took the model's hair into a high, tight ponytail. I then pinned in the ring securely, and divided her hair into about eight sections, lightly backcombing them to prevent the sections from separating. Next, I added a touch of hairspray and purposely placed the sections in a random zig-zag pattern across the bun, pinning securely as I went along so as to achieve an imperfect finish. On the last section of hair, I took it around the bun to hide the pins and curled the last bits around to frame and add softness to the face.'
Top tip: YouTube has lots of how-to videos, so learning how to style your hair has never been easier!
'There is no point having an amazing make-up look without perfect skin so I'm going to start by explaining some simple tips for achieving the most flawless base. With dramatic party make-up looks, it's important to keep your base coverage light and natural. Got blemish prone skin? It's much more flattering to use a good concealer over the top of a light/ medium foundation base, rather than using a heavy foundation. And know your skin type: if you have oily skin, then a matte base will help to absorb the oil; if you suffer from dry skin, then a foundation that leaves a dewy finish will brighten your skin, making it look healthy and hydrated.'
HOW TO CREATE... Knock-out smokey eyes
'Smokey eyes are a classic party make-up look and a must-have for the Christmas party season. Paired with a nude lip, a glamorous, sultry eye will draw attention to your main feature: the eyes,' says Richard. 'A lot of girls ask me for the simplest and quickest way to achieve a smokey eye without having to use an extensive amount of brushes and products – and you can, it's easy.
When applying eyeshadow, you need to know that there are three main parts to the eye: the lid, the brow bone and the socket (the crease of the eye). Start by applying a waterproof, black kohl eyeliner around the eye (a grey or brown/black creates a softer look). The thickness of the eyeliner depends on how dramatic you want your smokey eye to be. Then take the clean tip of a flat eye shadow brush and softly blend the eyeliner in soft sweeps. This will start off the smokey effect. Next, take a medium-tone eyeshadow – I used a grey in the shot above – and using the flat side of the brush, place all over the eye lid. You may find that you are happy with this look, which will give you a blended smokey liner with lid wash.
For the more adventurous, blend in your darkest eye shadow colour along the crease of your socket, starting at the outer edge. The higher and further across you take it the more dramatic your look will be. Add a little bit of highlighter on the brow bone (use a light coloured eye shadow) to softly lift the eye and prevent a sharp line where the eyeshadow stops on your lid.
I added a simple nude lip for this look using a nude liner, softened with my finger, and then lipstick. If you want to stay on trend, try a balm effect or a nude matte colour. Always apply blusher after you've created your smokey eye as you don't need as much.
Finishing touches: Once the look is complete, I like to go back and add a bit more eyeliner and mascara. For the eyebrows, use a touch of brown shadow to fill in any gaps and gently brush them through. A cotton pad with a drop of non-oily makeup remover will rectify any little drop downs or mistakes.'
Top tips:
- Lighter, shimmery eyeshadow will enhance the size of your eyes, whilst dark and more matte shades tend to minimise the eyes.
- If you have blue or green eyes, using warmer shades like gold and brown will create a beautiful contrast, making your eyes appear brighter. Brown and hazel eyes should opt for cooler tones like blue/green and pink/purple to really lift the eyes and make them appear bigger.
'The red lip is a traditionally glamorous look and one that frequently appears on the catwalk. Holding associations with Hollywood screen sirens on the red carpet, the bold and sexy crimson lip took off in the 20s and 30s and, just like the little black dress, continues to be a classic today. Here are some simple tips for creating a smudge-free, longer-lasting and kissable red lips.
If you don't normally opt for a bold lip, a bright red shade can take a while to get used to, just like when you have a new hair style. My top tip is to wear it around the house a few times first. This will also allow you to perfect the art of application! I think it's a shame when a girl puts on a gorgeous party dress, but just does her every-day, minimal make-up look. So be adventurous and add a bit of fun and sexiness to your party style.
First, find the perfect red shade to suit your complexion. Remember, there are blood reds, blue-tone reds, and coral/orange tone reds. If you're unsure on a shade to suit you, don't be afraid to ask the beauty consultants on cosmetics counters. When trying something new, it's worth trying a few different shades first and maybe even taking your dress with you too! A shimmer lip gloss can also soften a bold red lip.
Buy a shade that lasts. The glossier or more moisturising a lip product, the faster it slides off. I have found two tricks that work for me on set: Firstly, seeing as a matte finish is on-trend, I use a red lip pencil all over the lips and then add a touch of lip balm for hydration, as lip liner is the longest lasting lip product. Secondly sharpen your lip liner before each application for a more precise line.
Finishing touches: Use a clean lip brush to blend the inner lip line, avoiding any hard edges, and then add a matte finish lipstick. Finally blot with a tissue. For a lipstick alternative, lip stains are available in most beauty stores, which create a more natural touch of red, perfect for a daytime look.
Top tips:
- When applying a lip liner, take a freshly sharpened pencil and starting at the cupids bow, make small movements whilst slightly tightening your lip. Keep a cotton bud and makeup remover at hand for any mistakes, then simply neaten up with the tip of your foundation brush.
- A common makeup rule is to not wear dramatic eyes and a bold lip together, but a soft flick with a liquid liner can give you a really vintage look. For an edgy, rock chic look, use an off shade kohl eyeliner blended with a clean brush to create a smokey line. To glam it up, a sparkly, nude eye shadow will create a subtle wash of colour.'
'This is a modern day, classic hair style. The best way for your hair to hold the curl is if you wash your hair the morning or night before. When curling with straighteners or curling tongs, section the hair and curl half way up each section for more of a relaxed look. Try not to pull at the curl whilst still hot, as this causes it to drop straight away. Once you have tonged or straightened all the way through, use a fine comb to backcomb the top of the hair. You should start to see the look really coming to shape now. At this point, the hair is probably looking a little too curly. This is better as you can shake it out just before you leave the house. Using your fingers, add a touch of shine oil once you have achieved your desired look and finish with of hairspray so that you will have gorgeous, tousled curls all through the night.'
The deconstructed up-do
'The humble hair bun or ring/donut has been around for years, worn very neatly by flight attendants and nurses. Recently this trend has really been reborn, and is great for holding your hair firmly in place all night long. Hair rings and donuts come in a selection of different sizes and can be used in a variety of ways, for example as a top knot, side, low or middle bun. You can create a more relaxed look by leaving sections out of the ring. If you wear hair extensions, add them to your bun for a bigger, more voluminous style. In the image above, I took the model's hair into a high, tight ponytail. I then pinned in the ring securely, and divided her hair into about eight sections, lightly backcombing them to prevent the sections from separating. Next, I added a touch of hairspray and purposely placed the sections in a random zig-zag pattern across the bun, pinning securely as I went along so as to achieve an imperfect finish. On the last section of hair, I took it around the bun to hide the pins and curled the last bits around to frame and add softness to the face.'
Top tip: YouTube has lots of how-to videos, so learning how to style your hair has never been easier!
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.