I was recently invited to the launch of the French nights at the Cavalli Club in Dubai , “C’est la vie”.
The concept of these evenings?
They take place every 2 weeks, on Monday night at the Cavalli Club Dubai, and the music during these evenings is exclusively French.
I went with a bunch of French girls (well almost, except one), and we really had a lot of fun! Mira, the only “non- French” of the evening, really played the game and also enjoyed herself!
The funniest was when she was asked us if the songs that we heard were “good French songs !” We had to explain that many were very cheesy but precisely, that was why we were enjoying it so much.
It was a bit like one of those a blind-test quizzes at the beginning, we tried to find all the names of the songs and the singers (mostly 80’s songs, of course!). We quickly realized that we knew the lyrics off by heart, it was like a mini karaoke (at least for us!), and it was really funny!
When you are far away from home, it’s quite nice to find this atmosphere (something like the wedding of your distant cousin in the countryside) in this very sophisticated place aka the Cavalli Club.
I really felt that everyone enjoyed the atmosphere, although I believe we were the only table singing the lyrics of the french songs out loud!
Before I show you some pictures from the evening, I thought it would be an opportunity to tell you about a evening makeup, suitable for this kind of event!
Because, according to me:
– it must be “party-proof” (the night is long, and if you dance, there is a big risk your makeup will get smudged)
– it is often a bit more sophisticated than a day version with brighter and/or darker colors, which are ideal for this kind of light
– if you like glitter, it’s time to play with it; personally, I’m not really a fan, I confess!
– if you want to do a little “contouring “, you can, especially if you want to capture memories of the evening on camera! The face with a little bit of “contour” is perfect for photos.
How to make the makeup last until the end of the night? Here are some tips:
One word: the primer.
I did not understand the value of this product until recently, but now I can not live without it!
The primer helps to prepare the skin for makeup (there are primers for your face and some other for eyelids), smoothing the surface of the skin and helping the makeup to last longer, without smudging or creasing.
So, the composition of this kind of product is often full of silicone, but, since this kind of product is not really skincare, it won’t penetrate the skin and will remain on the surface, so it does not bother me too much…
Below are the products that I’m using for a flawless evening makeup:
Evening makeup
For my face :
Smashbox Photo Finish Light Primer: Light, because it is oil-free and composed of 60% water, and it is the only one that does not lead to a break-out of spots (and I’ve tried a lot of primers). The texture is very watery, and it feels very fresh on the skin.
I apply it after my moisturizer and before my foundation. It is perfect to blur pores and it prevents my face from shining.
Benefit Stay Flawless 15 hour Primer: it is perfect to really have a maximum longevity for the makeup. It will ‘hang’ the foundation on the face, as a kind of magnet and prevents makeup from fading.
Even at 4 am, the complexion remains fresh even though if, I myself, am no longer that fresh… It comes in a stick, which really allows a very quick and easy application.
Generally, I first apply my Smashbox primer on my T-zone to blur away my naughty pores and after I immediately apply the Benefit stick everywhere.
And when I apply my foundation, I try to blend all the products together, it is what will improve the longevity of the makeup.
For my eyelids:
Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base: (not in the photo) I have super oily eyelids (Hello, glamour!). And it’s just the right type of base to keep my eyeshadow/liners/pencils in place, I just love it. I stocked up on this product last time I went to France (because, very sadly, you cannot find Nars in Dubai).
I also apply a small amount on my eyelids just before applying makeup (but after foundation and powder). Makeup won’t crease. Well, that’s just the best, nothing else to say.;)
Otherwise, a few more tips:
I personally prefer a foundation with a matte finish (especially with my oily skin) and I never forget to set it with a thin and transparent powder to prevent my T-Zone from shining during the evening.
My favorite of the moment: Chanel Perfection Lumière Velvet ( in shade #30 ), a foundation with medium coverage, very natural which controls shine while maintaining radiance on the skin, it is just perfect and I associate it with a little bit of Stay Matte transparent pressed powder by Rimmel on the T-zone, and I have a makeup foundation that lasts for at least 5-6 hours without a problem!
A more sophisticated look for the evening:
“Cat-eye” eye-liner and red lips
I’m not really out of my comfort zone with this one! I made my favorite combo : “cat eye” black eyeliner + bright red mate lips.
The eyeliner has been like my “signature look ” makeup for several years, but on a daily basis, I use a gel eyeliner or a pencil, which gives a “smudgy” and more messy effect, more wearable during the day.
For the evening , I love the dramatic effect of the liquid eyeliner. The line you get is more intense and sharp, it has a really nice “cat eye” effect.
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner : This liner is great because the tip of the liner is ultra-thin and pretty ‘hard’, it really makes pretty lines when you want to draw a real “cat eye”. And on the other hand, it is waterproof, so it does not smudge at all during the evening. Perfect!
A little trick to correct liner mistakes:
I won’t explain how to do a perfect line with an eyeliner because, even if I have been applying my eyeliner for ages, I’ve always had an eye that I can do perfectly and the other that I always fail, except when I get extremely lucky (which happens twice a year, I guess).
So I’m the queen of the liner corrections!
And I discovered a tip that really makes my life easier: I use an angled brush (the thinner the better, like a MAC 266, for example) and I soak it in some makeup remover (micelle solution for me), I wipe the excess on a tissue and correct my mistakes. This really works perfectly! I keep the brush that I use to apply my concealer, and when I am satisfied with the result , I just re-apply a little bit of concealer for a natural effect on the areas I’ve corrected.
For my very red and matte lips, I used a gorgeous product:
Sephora Cream Lip Stain: I chose the shade 01 Always Red, and I must say I am quite impressed by the intensity and the beauty of this color and also by the lasting power of this lip product!
It does not move for hours and it does not transfer, which means you can eat and drink without fear of damages. You don’t feel it when it’s on your lips and it’s still comfortable : in a word, perfection!
For a perfect contour, I first draw the outline of my lips with a pencil of the same color (I used the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in the shade Bang ), it allows me to really have a perfect design and it also prevents the red from bleeding.
And this Sephora Lip Stain is not very expensive, a good point, don’t you think?
Finally, as promised, here are some pictures from the event:
I really want to thank the Cavalli Club Dubai for the fantastic reception given to us and Toh , the public relations agency that made this event possible!
Anne-Sophie , Mira, Emilie, Stéphanie, Noëmie , Juliette and I had a really great time!
“C’est la vie” evenings of French Cavalli Club Nights are every 2 weeks, on Monday night, from 22h until 3am, information on the website of the Cavalli Club.
And you, do you have any tips for your evening makeup?
Photo credits: bonnie-garner.com, Cavalli Club Dubai.
Cet article est aussi disponible en français.