BEAUTY

HOW TO TAKE YOUR MAKEUP FROM DESK TO DISCO IN 4 SIMPLE STEPS

By Ayis Stephen-Diver, 24 November 2025

Picture: Getty

Whether you have an office Christmas party or post-work plans, you want your makeup to work as hard as your outfit. The only problem: how to get your glam from office-appropriate to party-ready. Don't worry, it doesn’t mean commuting with your entire collection or frantically beating your face in the bathrooms. Let your everyday makeup serve as the scaffolding for your after-hours glam with the help of our four-step guide. In fact, it’s only three steps if you consider dousing yourself in shimmery body oils to be a little extra. Read on for the strategic tweaks that’ll revolutionise your party-season makeup.

#1: TOUCH UP YOUR BASE

It can be tempting to cleanse and redo your base makeup – especially when you've been wearing it all day – but refreshing it is easier and more time-efficient. Before anything else, apply a lip mask (we love the LANEIGE one). This means it can work its magic while you do the rest of your makeup. Then, rejuvenate your base with a hydrating mist, which we recommend permanently stocking in your work bag for handy on-the-go hydration. If your coverage has faded or become a little patchy, fix it by spot-concealing and setting with a pressed powder. And it isn’t party season without highlighter – so sweep some shimmer across your cheekbones, browbone, and anywhere else you want to catch that good old work lighting.

GET THE LOOK:
MAC Blot Pressed Powder, £32
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Hydrator Mist, £35
NARS Light Reflecting Powder Luminizer Ophelia 6g, £35
LANEIGE Limited Edition Lip Sleeping Mask Hot Cocoa, £21

#2: SMOKE UP YOUR EYES

Picture: Getty

JT at the 2025 CFDA Awards.

Smokey eyes are synonymous with party season, and they’re getting a neutral refresh for 2025-26. Our inspo? JT at the CFDA Awards – her take on the smokey eye has depth and drama without feeling harsh. Take ASOS Makeup Manager, Yasmine Syed’s advice for achieving a similar look: ‘I love to transform and focus on the eyes for party season – the Morphe Flickering Sands eyeshadow palette has a combination of beautiful shimmers and matte shades to create the ultimate sultry smokey eye!' A top tip: use lighter matte shades for the office, and create depth post-work with the deeper shades and shimmers.

GET THE LOOK:
Morphe Flickering Sands 12-Pan Eyeshadow Palette, £22
Too Faced Disco Crush High Shine Glitter Eye + Face Sparkle - Fairy Dust, £22
Huda Beauty Creamy Kohl Longwear Eye Pencil - Very Brown, £19
Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara - Cosmic Black, £12.99

#3: ADD LUSTRE TO YOUR LIPS

Daytime lips tend to play it safe – they’re usually either bare or covered with a tinted lip balm. Those with an extra 15 minutes in the morning might apply a lip stain for a dash of colour, but party makeup demands more. A soft shimmery lip à la JT perfectly complements a statement smokey eye. Diffuse a neutral brown lip liner into the centre of your lips, then apply a soft pink lipstick or gloss. Dialling up the look requires lots of shimmer – MAC's Lipglass in Frosting comes in a clear glitter, making it the perfect topping for any lip combo.

GET THE LOOK:
MAC Lipglass Air Lip Gloss- Frosting, £23
Kylie Cosmetics Glossy Lip Kit - Espresso, £29
Morphe Misbehaved Mini Dripglass Lip Gloss Trio, £18
Morphe signature Lip Pencil - trendsetter, £8

#4: GLOW FROM HEAD TO TOE

Pictures: ASOS

If you’re really dedicated to serving, this step is highly recommended. Apply a few pumps of the Sol de Janeiro Glowmotions glow oil to your shoulders, collarbone and arms for instant warmth, and to give you that just-back-from-holiday radiance. If you’re feeling really bold (and not afraid of a 30-minute shampoo sesh in the morning), dazzle up your roots with Revolution’s Stardaze hair glitter.

GET THE LOOK:
Revolution Big Lash Stardaze Hair & Brow Glitter, £6
Sol De Janeiro GlowMotions Copacabana Bronze Glow Oil 75ml, £35