With Halloween beauty trumping fashion in the costume priority stakes nowadays, at least half as much effort will need to go into removing Fright Night make-up as applying it.
Whether you're going all-out recreating a character trending on Pinterest, having your otherworldly make-up professionally applied, or just nodding to the celebration with some eerie eyeliner – your skin's going to crave a thorough cleansing routine when you turn in.
1. Cleansing, cleansing, cleansing
Your first cleanse should come courtesy of an oil based cleanser. Good for melting layers of cakey make-up and loosening false lashes, a formula such as the Dermalogica Precleanse will make the cut. A warm flannel to remove it should perform better than a muslin cloth and sweep up glitter make-up meanwhile.
For your second cleanse, choose a product that works on deep pore cleansing. The Medik8 poreCleanse Gel contains both AHA and BHA acids to unclog pores and gently exfoliate the skin. Remove it with warm water – no wash cloth necessary.
Your Fright Night face will no doubt require a separate eye make-up remover, so pick a bi-phase product which, when shaken and mixed well, removes all trace of even waterproof make-up. The Bi-Facil eye make-up remover by Lancôme is gentle enough for sensitive eyes, yet oh-so thorough.
Should there be any remaining make-up, remove it with a cotton pad soaked in the Bioderma Sensibio H2O micelle solution. The ultra-mild cleanser can be used all over the face and eyes and requires no rinsing, leaving your skin soothed and pH balanced.
2. Collecting excess glitter
Party glitter always comes back to haunt you, so when you notice flecks that your make-up remover missed, try the Scotch Tape trick. Using this – not Sellotape, which is too strong – apply a strip to the back of your hand to lose some stickiness and then pat it onto the face to pick up the glitter particles.
3. Calming the skin
After your deep cleanse it's time for skincare, but park stimulating products like retinol for the night and apply a gentle antioxidant serum. If your skin is prone to sensitivity, try something like the Paula's Choice Redness Relief, a repairing serum that both calms and soothes. Couple this with a serum rich in hyaluronic acid, to further hydrate the skin (we like the La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Serum).
Finish with a nourishing oil, like the Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil which is rich in omegas to help regenerate skin without irritation.
