Ah, “date night”, a phrase with many possibilities. It could be a much-deserved night out with a spouse after a particularly busy phase with jobs, kids, and adult life. It could be a heart-fluttering third or fourth date with someone who looks curiously like your future forever dude. Or, it could even be a first Tinder date, blind date, or “maybe this will fast-track getting over my breakup” date (not recommended). Either way, a date night is an excuse to have fun with makeup. Here are some easy yet beautiful date night makeup looks to try.
The vampy, come-hither dinner and cocktails date
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The look: matte red lips, smudged kohl eyes and glowing skin
Ooh, you lucky thing. This is the kind of date that “wining and dining” was made for. Perhaps your husband or wife is whisking you away for a birthday night of luxury. It could even be a first date with a particularly classy match. The outfit is slick, the shoes are shined, the jewels are a-sparking. Now for the face:
- Mix your go-to foundation with a drop of liquid highlight. This will create a subtle pearlescent effect that looks stunning by candlelight
- Use a small brush to spot-conceal any redness, blemishes, and discoloration
- Press a black, dark brown, or charcoal eye pencil into the upper and lower lash lines and smudge out with a stubby brush
- Add plenty of mascara
- Apply a matte red long-wearing lippie like Wild Cherry
- Dust the tops of the cheeks with a silver or gold highlight
- For added dimension and warmth, dust a matte bronzer through the cheekbones, along the jaw, and through the hairline
- Tousle your hair and spritz your sultriest perfume
The sweet daytime picnic date
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The look: flushed cheeks, fluttery lashes, balmy skin, and pink lips
A daytime date out in nature, how sweet! A picnic at the park, beachside snacks, or a stroll around the flea markets. This kind of date calls for a fresher, low maintenance look with a bit of color.
- Apply your strongest face-friendly SPF sunscreen (even if your BB cream has SPF!)
- Apply either a sheer foundation or a dewy BB or CC cream
- Skip concealer (unless you’ve got breakouts you’d feel more comfortable to cover). For me, concealer tends to melt off and/or look cakey in the light of day, so I skip it
- Dust a light layer of bronzer through the cheekbones, along the jaw, and through the hairline if you’re used to adding warmth to the face
- Take a fresh pink, apricot, or peach blush and buff generously into the cheeks and up toward the temples
- Add mascara and a few individual falsies to the outer corners of the lashes
- Take a pink liner like Bubblegum and fill in the lips. Top with a layer of nourishing balm in a shade of pink such as Lickable. The balm keeps your lips soft, plump, and comfortable and is super easy to re-apply mirror-free
The first Tinder date
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The look: sculpted nude eyes, rosy cheeks, and glossy lips
There are no rules when it comes to makeup. If some random dude on Tinder thinks you wear too much makeup then you can go ahead and give him the “I don’t see this progressing” line. However, it can be stressful to navigate what to put on your face when you’re already stressing about if this date will be a funny anecdote or a meeting of the hearts. Here’s your no-fail, feature-enhancing look for that inevitably awkward first “app date”.
- Apply the base you feel most comfortable with, one you would wear for a lunch or dinner with girlfriends. I usually opt for a BB cream with concealer to even out any redness or discoloration
- Buff a medium brown (medium for your skin tone) eyeshadow through the crease with a fluffy brush until there are no harsh edge
- Buff the same shade through the lower lash line
- Use your finger to tap a paler, slightly shimmery shade onto the center of the lid and the inner corner
- Use a pencil brush to press a deep chocolate shade into the upper lash line until smokey
- Apply mascara
- Buff a rosy-toned blush (or one that suits your skin) into the apples of the cheeks for a fresh, lively wash of color
- Apply pink or nude-toned gloss or even a sheeny balm to the lips
- If it’s an evening date, add a little golden highlight to the cheeks
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