Ellie Goulding, Jessica Chastain, Rita Ora, Felicity Jones – make-up artist (and Birchbox Guest Editor!) Mary Greenwell has made up all of these beautiful faces and so many more, preparing them for shoots and events – so she knows how to create a beautiful party-perfect make-up look that LASTS. For tips YOU need this party season, step this way…

We all want to look as good at the end of the evening as we did when we first walked into the party. It is something I have to consider every time I send a gorgeous face out on to the red carpet. For example, I had the privilege to work with Felicity Jones for the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. I went out to Pinewood Studios to prepare her, and she then had to travel one and a half hours into central London through the Christmas traffic, and get out of the car as if she had had her make-up done in a hotel around the corner, looking completely stunning with flawless make-up. Here’s how YOU can achieve this too!

1. LEAVE YOUR MOISTURISER ALONE

Do not use moisturiser as the first step – the skin could look too oily. Glow and shimmer are great… oily skin is not. Instead, prep your skin with serums which will absorb into your skin and around your eyes. This will still feed and nourish your skin WITHOUT oils and emollients, helping your skin to stay naturally matte longer, while preparing it for makeup.

BIRCHBOX SUGGESTS: Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum / Skin & Co Sicilian Light Serum

2. PRIME & MATCH PERFECTLY

Layer products – use primers that will boost the skins appearance and add a first layer of a little colour. I like ones that are light reflective, coloured and that will add glow to the entire complexion. Use a foundation that matches your skin tone perfectly, concentrating on the areas that need it most – for instance, around the nose, chin and forehead – only blending a little out onto the cheeks. Use a concealer that’s the same colour as the foundation to cover any blemishes, just on the problem itself.

BIRCHBOX SUGGESTS: Laura Mercier Foundation Primer – Radiance / stila stay all day foundation + concealer / Models Own Foundation Brush

3. HIDE YOUR TIREDNESS

Use a great concealer under the eyes that will hide the tiredness of the party season, get one that’s one or two tones paler than your foundation so that it will lift the eye area. Blend it down on to the cheeks so that it’s blended into the foundation. You should not have to use it around the nose and on the chin, as foundation should do its job here. Use one that sets and dries well and will not budge all night – my favourites have a brush tip.

BIRCHBOX SUGGESTS: thebalm® cosmetics timeBalm anti-wrinkle concealer / Jane Iredale Active Light Under-Eye Concealer

4. TO BLUSH OR NOT TO BLUSH

Do not use cream blush, bronzer or contour as by nature they do not last as well as powders. Find a wonderful powder bronzer with a lovely light shimmer to ‘lift’ and shape the cheeks taking it into the area that is also supposed to be ‘blushed’. Do not use blush at all as you do not want to look flushed in the evening and it is much more of the moment to look healthy but not ‘pink’. Use a powder contour, again so it will stay put all night, to define and sculpt the contours under your cheek bones and chin.

BIRCHBOX SUGGESTS: thebalm® cosmetics with Balm Desert Bronzer + Blush / Benefit Box O’Powder HOOLA

5. HIGHLIGHT & BLEND

Use powder highlight on and above your cheekbone and under the brow bone for glowing gorgeousness and remember – a little goes a long way. Blending is very important for all of these tips as you do not want to look like you have stripes of highlighter, bronzer and contour across your face!

BIRCHBOX SUGGESTS: Laura Mercier Luminizing Palette

6. USE MINIMAL POWDER

Do NOT use powder except for around your nose and maybe a tiny bit on the forehead. That’s it.

BIRCHBOX SUGGESTS: Laura Mercier Loose Translucent Powder

7. PLAY UP YOUR EYES

Create a lovely smokey eye, as it will involve no maintenance throughout the night. Soft earthy colours work the best, with lots of beautiful shimmer to catch the light. Avoid liquid liner as it could become very messy. Use cream liners that literally dry and set.

BIRCHBOX SUGGESTS: Olivia Palermo x Ciaté London The Smouldering Eyes Palette / Illamasqua Precision Gel Liner / Laura Mercier Angled Eye Liner Brush

8. GO WATERPROOF

Use waterproof mascara to prevent any messy mascara under the eyes – and, who knows, you might want to cry with joy at one point.

BIRCHBOX SUGGESTS: Eyeko Black Magic Mascara

9. DON’T LEAVE A TRACE

Use a natural lip colour. Red is extremely high maintenance for all night and is impossible to eat with. There is nothing more unattractive than red lipstick on a glass, so if you are planning to walk around with a glass in your hand, make sure your lipstick will last and not wear off. I think the best thing is a neutral lipliner to define, filled in with a lovely lip colour two tones darker than your natural lip so they are accentuated a little but do not look false. Don’t forget – the most kissable lips are natural lips so sometimes a lip balm or a lipgloss is enough.

BIRCHBOX SUGGESTS: Wild About Beauty Lip Pencil Duo

10. AND IN CONCLUSION

My last tip is spray yourself with your most favourite fragrance, put on you dancing shoes and off you go… and don’t forget to have fun.

– Mary Greenwell