From the Office to Your Date: Quick Valentine’s Day Beauty Tips

Valentine’s Day is a BIG date in the beauty calendar but work doesn’t stop just because you have a date in the evening… And so, romantic gals can be left with little time to spend perfecting their look. But by knowing the right beauty tips, you don’t have to worry about getting ready for an evening out straight after work!

This way, you can easily get ready after your day in the office and be just as stylish as you would if you’d travelled home and back. Everyone looks forward to a cocktail or two and a meal out with your loved one at this time of year and so the following advice makes it even easier to have fun and relax.

We teamed up with the experts from Hairtrade.com, to reveal 9 crucial pieces of advice to help office workers get ready for a romantic encounter if they don’t have time to head home this February 14th.

1. Try fake lashes

If you want more drama than standard mascara, opt for a set of easy to apply false eyelashes to enhance your party outfit. They come in a range of natural to bolder colours and will add volume and length to your natural set and are the perfect companion to a party make-up look. Use a pair of long tweezers as you carefully and precisely apply those lashes.

2. Loosen up your hair

A neat bun is the best hairstyle for any meetings and appointments in the office, but release your hair and shake it out when stepping out the door.

After awakening it with your fingers, spray a light dusting of firm hairspray to fix the volume; for a fun Valentine’s Day look, consider pink or shiny metallic hair clip-ins, or a glitter spray that will make you stand out among the other couples.

If your hair is feeling particularly flat after a day in the office, just simply take a brush and backcomb at the roots; this will give instant volume and adds life to your hair, ready for the night ahead.

3. Apply a sweep of highlighter

Highlighter will instantly add life to your face after a tiring day and is great for a night out; apply gently onto the cheekbones, nose and Cupid’s bow to look instantly radiant and Valentine’s date ready.

Contouring doesn’t have to mean spending hours meticulously applying highlighter and bronzer – it can be just a light dusting of your favourite sparkling product.

4. Spray a spritz of perfume

No party look is complete without a revitalising dash of your favourite perfume; many are also available in smaller sizes which make them easy to carry in your handbag, or use a long-lasting scent that will leave you smelling beautiful all night. We always recommend Dior Pure Poison and Lancôme Hypnose!

5. Flick your eyeliner

The perfect way to quickly jazz up your beauty look is by doubling up on your eyeliner and adding a stylish cat-eye flick.

Carry your trusty liquid eyeliner in your handbag; when getting ready, sweep over the eyelid and up towards the end of the eyebrow for a glamorous evening look.

6. Sparkle with bold eye shadow

Everyone knows glitter is your best party friend so for an instant fix, just add a touch of sparkling eyeshadow to the corner of your eyes. Metallic colours such as gold and bronze are the best to blend with your usual office eye shadow for quick and easy office to date look.

7. Add a dash of statement lipstick

Don’t have time to switch up your make-up completely? Adding a pop of bright lipstick to your look can instantly get you ready for a romantic night and will enhance any office outfit.

Choose statement colours that suit your skin tone – for pale girls, try cool-toned lipsticks like bright red or hot pink; for darker skin, a bright orange or dark purple would look beautiful.

8. Touch up foundation

By quickly re-applying your foundation or powder, no one would guess you’ve just come straight from a hard day at work; be careful not to use too much though, and keep it light and dewy.

9. Double up on mascara

Black and bold is the go-to eye look so for a full volume, colourful effect, just add another coat to your lashes and fan out with the tip of the wand; traditional mascara will also suit any lipstick shade.

Charlotte Giver

Charlotte is the founder and editor-in-chief at Your Coffee Break magazine. She studied English Literature at Fairfield University in Connecticut whilst taking evening classes in journalism at MediaBistro in NYC. She then pursued a BA degree in Public Relations at Bournemouth University in the UK. With a background working in the PR industry in Los Angeles, Barcelona and London, Charlotte then moved on to launching Your Coffee Break from the YCB HQ in London’s Covent Garden and has been running the online magazine for the past 10 years. She is a mother, an avid reader, runner and puts a bit too much effort into perfecting her morning brew.