How to Skin Prep for Party Season

The last few months of the year always bring events, parties, and social gatherings that fill up our calendars. Late nights, cold weather, and a slightly unhealthier lifestyle over the holidays can cause some distress to our skin, which is less than ideal when you have lots of parties to prep for.

To combat unwanted skin issues over this busy time of year, it’s a good idea to try switching up your winter skincare routine to help tackle dehydrated skin. When you have a special event or outing coming up that you want to look your absolute best for, there are some extra skin prep tip tips you can follow here…

When it comes to prepping your skin for an event or just prepping it for makeup any day of the week, we probably all have the same goals in mind.

Smooth and clear skin can make putting makeup on such a dream and saves you from needing to go in with heavy concealer. Hydrated skin is also what you want to aim for when prepping your skin for makeup. Plump, hydrated skin means makeup goes on smoothly and doesn’t look cakey or flakey.

If like us (and most people), you don’t have flawless smooth hydrated skin all of the time but want to prep your skin for makeup and any upcoming events, then we have some fail-safe skin prep tips for you below. Incorporating some of these into your routine leading up to party season will help get your skin red carpet ready.

If you’re looking to make your skin glow overnight and get in a boost of hydration for healthy happy skin pre-event, then these are the skin prep tips to follow.

When you’re double cleansing or applying your serums, we can’t recommend enough adding in some facial massage, especially if you can use a gua sha.

Learning how to gua sha is easy, and the benefits are huge. By massaging your face you’re helping stimulate blood flow and of course, encouraging lymphatic drainage. This results in brighter skin and reduced puffiness – two big wins before a big night out.

When gua sha-ing, it’s key to use a good oil or serum to help it glide over your face. This means you can easily cover two skin-prepping steps in one here by using a super hydrating oil like the Bubble Skincare Soothing Facial Oil with the By BEAUTY BAY Jade Gua Sha. You’ll be hydrating, de-puffing, and helping your skin to glow all in one step. Skin prepping for the party season is that simple!

Keeping your skin hydrated is a year-round essential to keep your skin glowy, plump, and non-flaky. So, whatever time of year your events are – stepping up your skin hydration game is a non-negotiable.

Having well-hydrated skin will leave you glowing and party-ready, plus it will make makeup application far easier – it really is the key to skin prep success. There are the basics for keeping your skin hydrated, like moisturising day and night. But to step it up a notch we recommend adding in a hyaluronic acid serum into your routine. You will see the benefits of hyaluronic acid when you use a product like The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum – layering this into your routine will make all your other hydrating products work harder because it draws moisture into your skin. This results in brighter, plumper, all-round healthier-looking skin. 

Another great skin prep tip is to use a hydrating face mist – these aren’t just good for a little refreshing spritz in summer, they should be used whenever you want to help add in a boost of moisture for a fresh glowy look. 

You can use a face mist after sheet masks or on top of serums to help further boost their moisturising ingredients. We love the By BEAUTY BAY Hyaluronic Acid and Sea Moss Face Mist, for keeping our skin hydrated and event-ready all year round. 

When it comes to the night before the big event, treat your skin to a rich hydrating overnight moisturiser like the Revolution x Sali Hughes Drench Rich Moisturiser. You could even use an overnight hydrating mask instead for a mega moisturising boost. Go for the Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask to reap the benefits of overnight hydration and the soothing and calming effects of the cica. Expect to wake up with hydrated, happy skin!

If it gets to the day of your event and you want a last-min hydration boost, then make use of a good sheet mask. For hydration we love the Corsx Ceramide Cream Sheet Mask, leave this on whilst you have a well-deserved pre-party chill – you’ll have baby-soft skin once you’re done relaxing.

If glowy skin is your goal, then all the hydration tips above are a great place to start. For an extra helping hand to get your skin glowing before an event, try some vitamin C skincare. To see the full benefits of vitamin C we recommend adding it into your routine at least a month before your event. The results should be a natural healthy glow to your complexion, which will make your makeup look even more amazing than usual.

A great product to start building into your routine ahead of time is the Bubble Skincare Vitamin C and Niacinamide Serum. Layer this under your moisturiser for glowing and radiant skin. 

If you haven’t had time to think about skin prep ahead of time but want to make your skin glow overnight, then reach for a sheet mask like the Holika Holika Strawberry Sheet Mask, which is packed full of complexion-brightening ingredients. 

If you’re prepping for a big event but know you are prone to breakouts, then having some effective spot treatments in your skincare supply is a must. Whilst it can be difficult to achieve clear skin in two days if you’re in the midst of a breakout, using some targeted spot treatments can be a big help.

It’s always a good idea to have a spot treatment in your skincare stash so you can start treating any unwanted spots whenever they appear in the lead-up to an event. For a strong overnight treatment, you can’t go wrong with the By BEAUTY BAY Blemish Paste. 

For a whole face treatment to help keep breakouts at bay before a big party, go for a blemish-targeting mask. The Zitsticka Press Refresh Kit Mask is perfect for putting on whilst you work or watch TV. Let your skin soak up the moisture while exfoliating acids keep your breakouts under control. 

Exfoliation is probably already a regular part of your daily skincare routine, whether you use a chemical exfoliator or a physical scrub. Whilst you don’t want to stop exfoliating altogether before a big event, it’s important to not go overboard, especially if you have breakout-prone skin. 

If you’ve not already been exfoliating, start off with something gentle – using an extra strong exfoliator just before an event might risk irritating your face.

Exfoliating is a key part of skin prep – it removes dead skin cells, meaning your other products absorb better and makeup applies a lot smoother. If you’re new to exfoliating, try using a more gentle chemical exfoliator like the Beauty of Joseon Plum Refreshing Toner, which will work to plump and brighten skin as well as exfoliate.

Look out for products containing mandelic acid as it’s a gentle alternative to stronger acids like glycolic acid and salicylic acid. The By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid Skin Prep Water is a great choice that will leave you with supple smooth skin, without causing irritation. 

If you are prone to breakouts and blackheads and feel that your skin is in need of a stronger exfoliant, try a weekly exfoliating mask in the run-up to your event. 

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2 Masque is a perfect choice for long-term skin prep. It’s infused with charcoal and clay to provide a deep cleanse, leaving skin smooth and radiant. 

Try out some of these skin prep steps if you have time before your next party, or even if you just want to give your skin some extra TLC. 

Haul sheet masks, serums, and more today so you’re ready for the next time you need to skin prep for an event!