Desk To Dancefloor
Sunday 9th December 2007 by Elizabeth Richards
Everyone loves a little Christmas spirit but when life and work clash and there’s no time to go home and freshen up pre-party, the office is often the only option. Forget scrubbing up in the washroom sink – it’s hardly the most glamorous start to a night of fun and festivities – and carry instead a capsule kit of quick fix essentials.
The trick of course is to work with what you already have. That means no new base, no extra mascara and definitely no washing of hair. Perk up dull or tired post-work skin with a hydrating mist (look for a tiny tin to save on space) and slick lips with a moisturising balm. Concealer may be required to cover any blemishes but adding to an earlier-applied base is often a bad idea so go carefully to avoid caking.
Curl lashes to instantly brighten and widen eyes for seductive appeal and give glamour to lids with a smudge of colour – choose on-trend aubergine or purple – plus a metallic liner if extra sparkle is appropriate. A versatile stain in either a pen or pot is the final kit bag essential and perfect for giving a bite of healthy colour to lips and cheeks. As for tired hair, pin it loosely (to hide oily roots) or tease it into a ponytail.
Decleor Fresh Hydrating Mist, £12.50
Perfect for use at any time of the day, this desk drawer staple has lavender and petit grain essential oils plus essential waters of orange, kiwi and sweet clover along with oak extract to freshen the skin and relieve the stress and dryness caused by central heating. For a flawless complexion, spritz lightly and blot to restore dewiness to a tired base.
Available at www.Harrods.com 
Benefit Pocket Pal, £14.50
A dinky wand with the iconic Benetint lip and cheek stain at one end paired with a clear gloss for lips at the other, this is one of our favourite party pieces of the year. Simply swipe the rose-coloured stain over lips, follow with the gloss and then blend colour into cheeks for a sexy winter glow. A star buy: order yours now!
Available at www.BenefitCosmetics.co.uk
Laura Mercier Metallic Crème Eye Colour, £18
Just a tiny dab of this ultra-soft crème will deliver an on-trend metallic sheen to lids and has the staying power to last right through the evening without slipping, melting or creasing. Best of all there’s no brush required: simply blend with fingers for smouldering appeal.
Available at www.SpaceNK.co.uk
ModelCo Medium Makeup Bag, £16
Don’t leave products rattling around in the bottom of your handbag: invest in a stylish home-on-the-go. Large enough to carry all your essentials yet compact enough to stash in even the smallest of handbags, this dinky bag in the signature ModelCo pink is the ideal vessel for any emergency beauty kit.
Available at www.HQHair.com
The Body Shop Flawless Skin Protecting Concealer, £10
Blemish-prone skin – particularly if it is oily – can look dull and patchy by the end of the working day but this clever new cream-to-powder concealer does a good job of hiding spots and scars. Pat on and blend carefully: with baobab oil to moisturise plus zinc oxide to heal, you can be sure it won’t cake or flake.
Available at www.TheBodyShop.co.uk
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