Oh the festive season – it seems to be so busy this year right? I don’t know about you but I’m already exhausted! Therefore this year I am going to need a little extra pampering to get in the festive spirit and also to get myself ready and glowing for the slew of festive parties on the calendar next month. I love to get ready to go out but only when I have the time and make it into a ritual – this means pouring myself a glass of nice Shiraz, putting on Pop Chillout on Spotify and drawing a bath to start the ritual. I like to relax before I party – some people are the opposite but I’ve always been into relaxing rituals before going out. I’m going to talk about all the products I am using this season to get party ready and revive before it’s party time!
Aromatherapy Associates Rose Exfoliating Cleanser
Good make-up needs a good smooth base so it’s all about exfoliating to prep the skin. If you like exfoliating but find it too harsh for the skin then you might like this Aromatherapy Associates Rose Exfoliating Cleanser because it’s quite a gentle one. I also love the smell of rose so this product is right up my alley. I really like to do a double cleanse with this one – first to remove all my make-up and then another double cleanse just to make sure I’ve removed everything and to really polish and tone the skin. You don’t have to use this product every day but it’s nice to use twice a week to help buff away dead skin cells.
Caudalie The des Vignes Shower Gel
To get some energy before going out I need an uplifting scent! I’m a huge fan of Caudalie in general and I am also a big believer in a shower gel that smells amazing. The scent of this shower gel is really invigorating with jasmine, ginger and orange blossom with a natural base of grape water. It’s gentle and smells wonderful!
Comfort Zone Sacred Nature Eye Cream Gel
I love a gel eye cream. They are just so soothing. My eye area sometimes gets irritated and puffy so I find that when my eyes have just had enough that putting an eye gel around the area really helps. I like to keep this one in the fridge so that the soothing and cooling sensation is doubled. This absorbs really well and it contains both natural and organic active principles to improve eye puffiness, dark circles and wrinkles around the eyes. And if you put it in the fridge and apply before going out, you will certainly look more energetic!
Elemis Pro Collagen Hydra Gel Eye Masks
I love a good cooling eye gel mask. I use them when I’m tired and starting to show my age! I also love them for long-haul flights and for pre-party prep. These Elemis Pro Collagen Hydra Gel Eye Masks are brilliant at de-puffing the eyes and also hydrating. When my skin is dehydrated the fine lines around my eyes are the first things to show up so I find that applying an eye mask or eye gel on the area helps to restore the plumpness. If you need an instant fix then these are actually amazing and smoothing the entire eye area – I really love them and use them for special occasions or when my eyes are feeling particularly dehydrated.
Kissed by Mii Instant Shimmer Tanning Lotion and Mitt
This Kissed by Mii Instant Shimmer Tanning Lotion is great to apply to skin if you want an instant glow and shimmer. I would recommend this for any swanky Christmas parties or New Year gigs that you might be going to. The formula dries quickly and leaves a lovely shimmery glow to the skin. You can use it to enhance a current tan or you can just apply it as is for a hit of glow! It’s great paired with a sparkly dress!
Jessica Nails Phenom Precious Gift Set
I love gel nails but don’t want to pay for a new set every week! I like the shine and the feel of them and I think they make my nails look glossy and pulled together. This set from Jessica Nails is really great to use if you want to save money at the salon and do your nails at home. The polish is really fast-drying and you just need to apply the Reward Base Coat, the coloured nail lacquer and then the Finale Shine Top Coat. Really easy and the polish really does last! The gold shimmery colour is also perfect for the holidays.
Natural Spa Factory Anti-Aging Gold Face Mask
I absolutely love a face mask and this one is pretty special because it contains GOLD! Pearl and gold extract work on firming and creating a glow. I really do love a good face mask and find that it’s the perfect pamper treat before going out if you want to look GOOD. I find that a luxury face mask does wonders at perking up my skin when it is feeling particularly dehydrated and dull which tends to happen a lot in the winter. Great for pre-party prep!
Thalgo Absolute Radiance Concentrate
I’ve used the Thalgo Absolute Radiance Concentrate previously when my skin was going through a particularly dehydrated phase. All you have to do is open one of these little capsules and apply it all over the face. You can use it as a booster or as a serum depending on the level of moisture that you want to achieve. It’s a 7 day treatment, with 7 little vials of Hyaluronic Acid which delivers 24 hours of moisture. I first used this after a particularly dehydrating trip to Africa where the sun and heat literally parched my skin. I used these little capsules to recover the moisture levels in my skin and they did a really great job so if you are feeling dehydrated in the skin this is a fantastic moisture-boosting treatment! So if you have an event that you need to get ready for just start this 7 days before for super hydrated, glowy skin by the time the event rolls around.
Nimue Skin Refirmer Moisturiser
The skin loses firmness as we age and I notice that my skin looks a little bit more deflated in the winter. I had not heard of this brand Nimue prior so was really excited that I have been given the opportunity to test this product out. I’ve started using this as my night cream and I like it because the cream sinks in really easily so if you use this before putting on make-up it’s ideal because it absorbs easily.
Spongelle Buff & Glow Cleansing Sponge
This sponge is seriously the bomb! I’m so excited to use it for the party season. It’s infused with shimmer and body wash already so all you have to do is wet the sponge and apply to skin in the shower. A sponge that makes you glow? It’s genius!
Comfort Zone Tranquillity Blend
This is a wellness blend which I absolutely love and am so happy I had the chance to try. The Comfort Zone Tranquillity Blend is an amazing blend of aromatic and essential oils that actually pass through the olfactory system to reach the limbic system and give you a sense of deep well-being. The smell is so calming and is amazing for de-stressing. If you feel stressed all you need to do is apply a few drops of this on the wrist and the neck – the oil smells amazing – I want to soak in it. The oil contains rosewood, vanilla, rose, cedar, palmarosa and orange and I felt particularly calm breathing it in. I love oils like these because I do think they work and they encourage mindfulness in that moment. Highly recommended! Especially if you want a moment of calm before a party.
Oh you had me at truffles. I am a bit of a truffle snob so anything with the word ‘truffle’ in it I am automatically obsessed. I love Temple Spa products in general – they feel super luxe and have amazing consistencies – think rich, thick and soothing. All the products smell amazing too. I actually want to live at Temple Spa someday – no joke. So the Body Truffle is just amazing – it smells fabulous and feels fabulous. The cream gives you a lovely sheen once applied so as this is a luxe product I would save it for when you are planning to bare your legs. Body Truffle also works on firming, boosting collagen and conditioning the skin – it’s basically an anti-aging face cream but for the body. It’s just what you need on one of those gray days when your skin is feeling dull. As they say, treat yo’self.
In the winter my hair tends to get a little bit drier on the ends and oily on the scalp. I like to call this overcompensating! But sometimes overcompensating isn’t always a good thing. This ESPA Pink Hair & Scalp Mask not only rebalances the hair but it’s also pink which makes it totally Instagram-worthy! It feels really soothing on the scalp as well – just what you need for a Friday evening after a frazzled week or before a big event. This mask uses mineral-rich red clays and also contains watercress and apricot kernel which nourishes the scalp while the red clay stimulates circulation on the scalp. This is really good if you want to grow your hair out after a bad haircut! Or if your hair is feeling particularly damaged and dry it’s a great weekly treatment.
What do you use to get ready? If you are looking for more professional treatments at a salon check out The Good Spa Guide here for recommended treatments like facials!
Shop my favourite pre-party prep picks here: