With the silly season well and truly about to make an appearance, that means holiday invitations have probably already started rolling in.
To help you prepare for every event, and to take out all the guesswork, BD road-tested the below party essentials.
EDITOR'S PICK: OPI Core Collection - Bubble Bath - Aja
What it is: A cult classic nail polish shade from OPI’s core collection.
My experience: OPI's Bubble Bath has been lorded all over the world. Its beautiful sheer pink, yet natural hue suits all skin tones and makes your nails look prepped for all occasions, especially parties as it matches back to any and all outfits. So much so, that this is the nail shade I chose for my wedding (three years ago!). It photographs beautifully and really made me feel pulled together. Now when I paint it on, it makes me feel a little bit spesh, even though I'm just WFH, it gives me those parties vibes all day long, and who doesn't love that!
TONI&GUY Embellished Gold Hair Slides - Caitlin
What it is: A hair accessory with a high quality finish.
My experience: WOW is all I can say. The perfect hair accessory that you can just slip into the hair and will certainly elevate your look. The pack comes with four embellished gold slides in two different sizes. I have shoulder length hair, however it is super fine and usually any type of clip doesn’t stay in place. These slides were easy to put in my hair and boy did they not move once. A fantastic accessory to keep around and will certainly get you a lot of compliments.
Mellow Cosmetics Sinopia Palette - Issy
What it is: A 12 shade eyeshadow palette focusing on warm neutral and berry tones.
My experience: This landed on my desk just in time for the warmer months. Having bronzed skin, this palette offers beautiful warm and earthy tones to complement my tanned skin, brown eyes and brown hair! There is a lovely balance of matte and shimmery shades within this palette, which is a great way to jazz up your look for party season. In particular I have used the brick, nudie and blush shades the most, as these are easily workable into my daily work look. There is a vibrant blue moon shade which I am very excited to give a crack this summer. The formula is vegan, and the colours are highly pigmented meaning they provide that pop of colour which complement any look you go for.
jane iredale 24-Karat Gold Dust - Rhianna
What it is: A gold shimmer dust that can be used on the eyes, cheeks, lips and body.
My experience: With the festive party season quickly approaching – who doesn’t love adding a touch of shimmer to quickly take their makeup look to the next level?! I absolutely love the jane iredale 24-Karat Gold Dust shimmer powder! The product is formulated from mica, which is a diamond pearlescent pigment. It is a beautiful shade of soft yellow gold, and gives you the perfect amount of sparkle (without making you look like a disco ball). You can use this product on your eyes, cheeks, lips and even in your hair! You can also mix the powder with moisturiser to get your entire body glowing. I have been using it as a cheek and inner eye highlighter mostly, and have found the formula to be extremely delicate and long lasting. I will definitely sparkle my way through this party season thanks to the jane iredale 24-Karat Gold Dust!
Remescar Eye Bags and Dark Circles - Deborah
What it is: An eye cream that helps reduce puffiness and dark circles under the eyes, while brightening and delivering a refreshed look.
My experience: Wow! Is this a party essential, or is this a party essential?! I’m always a bit wary when products say ‘immediate results’, but this Remescar Eye Bags and Dark Circles isn’t kidding. The instructions on the packaging are very clear, and I used this product in the morning to hide the puffy eye bags left by a late night of drinking. The product has a gel-like texture, and is initially a peachy colour, which I rubbed between my fingers until the colour disappeared. I then applied the product to my under eye area and smoothed it outwards until it absorbed into my skin. I waited the instructed two minutes, and right on time my eye bags, along with a couple of fine lines, had disappeared. This product is magic, and it is perfect for everyone with a busy social calendar that only gets busier as we head into summer and the holiday season.
Daily Naturals Fresh Dry Hair Shampoo - Sam
What it is: An absorbent and cleansing dry shampoo.
My experience: As someone who isn’t mentally prepared to wash, dry and style my hair from start to finish more than once a week I am heavily reliant on dry shampoo to keep my locks looking fresh in between washes. Throw into the mix the crazy Christmas social calendar and I need all the help I can get! Enter Daily Naturals Fresh Dry Hair Shampoo, one of the most luxurious and easy to use dry shampoos to have come across my desk. The aerosol product comes in a sleek dusty pink canister. The product disperses a fine light mist that neither weighs hair down or leaves that chalky white substance we all dread. The smell is inviting but not overpowering and a little goes a long way with this product. I will be keeping this one close to my chest to get me through the back to back social and work events in the lead up to Christmas!
iWhite Instant 2 Whitening Kit - Tiarne
What it is: An at-home teeth whitening kit powered by unique triple teeth whitening technology.
My experience: This landed on my desk at the perfect time, as I had recently been contemplating getting my teeth professionally whitened. I already use a whitening mouthwash and toothpaste but hadn't achieved the results I truly desired until now. With this, I saw a difference pretty much straight away and I believe my teeth have definitely become whiter after several uses. The kit is super easy to use – it comes with prefilled ready to use trays, so all you have to do is peel off the foil and pop the trays on the top and bottom teeth. As a bonus, the gel didn’t hurt my teeth or gums, which is pretty much a miracle because I have annoyingly sensitive teeth. Overall, I was very impressed with this at-home whitening kit, and I will certainly be continuing to use it to make my teeth even whiter!
essence the highlighter - Eleni
What it is: A super-soft highlighter that creates a glow that looks incredibly natural thanks to the fine shimmer particles.
My experience: The essence highlighter in Heroic 10 is a super soft highlighter that brought the glow! Upon first opening the single highlighter pot, you are greeted with the embossed emblem that is also on the printed on the lid. The powder texture is soft and buttery, almost like a cream which helps to make it more buildable if you want a little less of a subtle look. It is very pigmented though and can definitely pack a punch (if you want it to) if you are more inclined to a heavier makeup look! I used it on a fan brush and brushed it across the high points of my face as well as popping some on the inner corners of my eyes. I loved that it was not quite as gold as some of the other highlighters I have used in the past, nor is it completely pink it was somewhere in between with a cool champagne sheen. I have quite olive skin tone and found it to be a perfect match for me and gave me a nice natural glow. I love that it is not at all shimmery or glittery and it provided the finishing touches to my desired makeup looks. This product is definitely comparible to some of the more high end highlighters on the market, so if you are looking for a great, affordable highlighter then definitely give this a try!
