I don't mean to alarm anyone, but we're rapidly approaching the end of October, which means one thing—party season is coming. Yes, the office do is officially in the calendar, and there have already been murmurings about Christmas dinner reservations from my more organised friends on WhatsApp. Plus, with beauty advent calendars selling out daily and celebs revealing the party dress brand to know, it seems like there are already plenty of people out there getting ready to embrace the festivities.
And, between you and me, I'm pretty excited too. When it comes to beauty, party season is definitely one of my favourite times of the year to experiment with my makeup and hair. Despite my usual style being fairly pared-back, when November hits, I don't need any excuse to throw on a sparkly eye shadow, glossy red lip or an extra spritz of volumising hair spray.
After spending years rolling out the same party look year after year, however, I decided it was about time I got some help from an expert. Enter celebrity makeup artist and the king of glow, Patrick Ta.
Probably most well-known as the man behind Gigi Hadid's most beautiful makeup looks, Ta actually has an impressive roster of A-list clients. In fact, from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to Constance Wu—as well as Gigi's sister Bella, naturally—you'd be hard-pressed to find a celebrity who hasn't stepped onto the red carpet after time spent with Ta.
Luckily, Patrick was only too happy to spend a bit of time chatting all things party makeup with me, in preparation for the season ahead. Keep scrolling to discover the top party makeup mistake that he thinks we've all been making and to shop the products he swears by.
The key to longlasting party makeup
Personally, the thing I find most challenging about party makeup is how to get it to stay in place all night. I asked Patrick how he guarantees longevity when he's getting celebrities ready for the red carpet or industry partie,s and he had one major recommendation—a setting spray. "Using a setting spray is key," Ta exclaimed. "It can be difficult to create a long-lasting glowy look, so I love sprays that both set and create a dewy effect."
Patrick's setting spray of choice comes in this radiance-boosting mist that can be used before or after makeup for glossy-looking skin.
I recently discovered this setting spray, which not only smells amazing but leaves your skin looking dewy (as the name suggests) without veering into oily territory.
Brimming with active coconut ingredients, this hydrating mist manages to both nourish skin and set your makeup in place for up to 24 hours.
The ultimate party makeup look
When it comes to creating the ultimate party makeup look, I was keen to find out from Patrick if there was a magic formula that he always relies on. Turns out, brows + red lip + highlight = a foolproof party look in Ta's eyes.
"I love a bold brow and you definitely need something to keep your brows in place through the night," Patrick told me. "A red lip is definitely my party go-to, but instead of matte, I love pairing it with a gloss. But highlight is the most important finishing touch!"
"The most important step for any look I create is setting the brow in place to make sure they don’t budge," said Ta. "Iconic London's Brow Silk is a staple in my kit because it creates volume and shape with incredible hold, and never sets with the crunchy feel that traditional soap can sometimes create."
"I like to go for a plumping formula for natural fullness," Patrick said of his penchant for a red, glossy lip for party season. I've found that this one from Too Faced is one of the best for creating an instantly fuller-looking pout.
"I apply my Patrick Ta Major Glow Highlighting Mist to the highest but flattest part of the cheekbone for the dewiest finish," explained Ta.
The #1 party makeup mistake
Let it be said that Patrick Ta is a nice guy. When I asked him about the most common mistakes that people make with party makeup, he was keen to point out that he thinks anything goes. "I'm loving that everyone is really taking a risk with their makeup these days," he told me. "It's great to see people expressing their individuality and having fun with their makeup."
However, there is something Patrick thinks that we're all neglecting when it comes to creating the perfect party look: our eyebrows.
"Brows are everything," said Patrick. "They frame the face, so the way you style them can completely change a look. You can adjust the shape or sharpen angles to soften or highlight your favourite features. I have two highly requested brow looks that are quite different—full and fluffy, which creates a youthful and soft effect, or sleek and angular, which I love for a more polished glam."
The 2019 party makeup trend
So, besides his classic party makeup look, what does Ta predict we'll be seeing celebs wearing on their faces during the festive season this year? "I'm loving all the glitter looks inspired by Euphoria for the holidays," he revealed. "A really quick way to add some glam to your look is applying rhinestones to your eyes. Place them along the lash line or the inner corners for a super fun, flirty look."
A cream-to-powder formula made from crushed pearls and light-reflecting pearls to give all the glitter of a rhinestone-adorned eye but without the faff.
These Urban Decay eyeliners are a party season favourite of mine. They come in tons of glittery colours and have a super-fine brush so you can wear a subtle pop of shimmer or a full-on sparkly eye.
These new formulas from Marc Jacobs mimic the effect of sequins on your eyelids thanks to the combination of intense colour and glitter particles.
Next up, I spent an hour with Victoria Beckham's brow expert—here's everything I learned.
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