To give you the best insight on how to revamp a day-to-night look, we have consulted the experts — including the celebrity makeup artist (and ex-wife of Johnny Depp) Lori Depp. We dug deep to come up with feasible ways to revive your makeup at the end of a long day, without looking like you piled on another layer, and tried them all ourselves.
First, Kristie Glenn, owner of Blue Labels Boutique, recommends keeping your makeup bag stocked with the basics at all times: chandelier earrings, a bold statement necklace, a mini toothbrush, toothpaste and a rubber band for a quick updo. Here's what else you're going to need:
1. Lip change
Lori Depp, celebrity makeup artist to the likes of Christina Applegate, Jessica Alba, Ryan Reynolds, Sting and more, believes that starting with the lips is key for an after-work reboot. Depp tells SheKnows, "The easiest, best way to go from day to night is to pump up your lip color. How dramatic you want to go depends on how much you apply. If you like reds or browns, do a nicely-defined line, then fill in your lips with your favorite color."
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Industry makeup artist Tymia Yvette, adds, "Whether it's red, purple or coral, a bold lip is your accessory — it's a way to dress up your look."
2. Dramatize your eyes
Depp suggested a subtle smoky eye pairs perfectly with a lighter lip color. Midwest skin care guru Leah Chavie of the Leah Chavie Skincare Boutique in Chicago agrees, "You can never go wrong with a smoky eye! It is simple, easy to pack in your purse and can change the day to night look in a flash. I love a metallic shade of gray this season and applying it around the edge of the eye as if it were eyeliner."
Amanda Gabbard, beauty expert and makeup specialist at the Guerlain Spa in the Towers of the Waldorf Astoria New York, describes her interpretation of the nighttime eye, "First, apply a darker, more dramatic line on the top lash line with an additional wing tip at the end for fun flair. You can also line the lower inner water rim for added nighttime drama. Second, use a small duo eyeshadow (one with dark and light shades) to create a smoky eye, using the darker shade in the lid's crease and the lighter color for highlight under the brow and along the inner corner of the eye."
3. Contour your face
The next step? Dust a shimmery highlighter over your cheekbones and brow bones to instantly lift your face, according to Fort Worth makeup artist and beauty expert Jennifer Trotter. Trotter recommends a powder illuminator to highlight the positive, adding that a shimmer highlighter "picks up candlelight beautifully" on a romantic date.
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Kathleen Jennings, CEO and founder of BeautyNow app, explains, "A quick swipe of powder highlighter on top of your cheekbones and down your nose adds some life back into your skin and makes you look dewy and fresh."
Finishing touches
Image: Lillian Eve
Your total beautification includes more than just your pretty face. Jan Moran, creator of Sephora touchscreen FragranceIQ fragrance finders and author of fragrance-inspired books like Scent of Triumph, says, "Perfume is a quick way to put yourself in a night-out frame of mind. Match your perfume to your after-work style. For va-va-voom looks, choose a glamorous, sensual perfume to match. If your date night is casual, keep it fresh and outdoorsy, such as a citrus or woody scent."
Tiffany Barry, founder and Creative Director for Lillian Eve, insists that a glitzy nail polish is the only way to dress up an office look from day to night. To achieve her gorgeous five-minute mani above (exclusive to SheKnows), Barry used pastel peach Sweet Dreams, gold confetti Toast the New Year accent and a diamond topcoat. She shares, "You can easily get the look by dabbing a dot of glitter polish on the base of the nail and then gently moving the glitter pieces into place with a bobby pin. Applying a topcoat seals everything in for a night out. It's quick, nighttime glam and trendy."