Style Sessions: Special Events

Pull A Beauty All-Nighter

By B. Lee Cash for Style Sessions

"Baby, you look gorgeous," he says the minute he arrives to take you to special event. His easy compliment is your hard work. It started with the day (or days) of shopping for your dress. Then, the hair. At the salon or done at home, we know more goes into your big-night 'do than your daily two-minute ponytail. Finally, factor in however long it took to get your skin and makeup perfect, glowing and completely glamorous. Hard work!

After all that time and effort, you should look gorgeous. And you do. Your date has a good eye. So why is it two hours later -- there you are, having a great time -- when you take a restroom break and take a look in the mirror...and see a less-than-gorgeous girl looking back? What happened? "Nothing is worse than seeing yourself for the first time at a fabulous event, and realizing that you don't look half as glamorous as when you left the house," says Melissa Straeter, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist who specializes in weddings and special events. "It's a shocker to not feel cute when you've been hanging out all night thinking you looked your absolute best."

Style Sessions enlisted Straeter for her tips to looking lovely all night. We also talked to Francesca Windsor of Lloyd Windsor Salon in Los Angeles about how to keep your hair from deflating like a $20 Grand Marnier souffle.

Fabulous, Not "Fru-Fru"
"Keeping your hair more classic rather than fru-fru will hold up all night," says Windsor. Classic hair can be many different 'dos, like these:

You can go for a slick bun, and simply secure it well with pins and a light finishing spray. Even if a few stray hairs fall around your face, the look will be soft and lovely. You can opt for a low ponytail swept around the side of the head, just behind your ear. For a more polished look, take a piece of hair from underneath the pony-holder, wrap it around to cover the elastic, and secure with a pin.

Style Sessions Tip: A silk flower, fastened just next to the bun or ponytail or just under, adds a touch of elegance without trying too hard. (Silk also won't wilt after dinner in a warm restaurant or an hour of dancing.)

A Whole New You 'Do?
Why not totally change your look for a special event? "A classic bob or shiny color will hold up much better than an up 'do," says Windsor. "Keep your look true to who you are, which is always timeless." The trick is to "unveil" your look on a big night. The styling of a sleek haircut or simply healthy, colorfully vibrant hair is every minute as glamorous as a complicated chignon or other up 'do. Try one of these:

Go for a hot, stick-straight blow-out and pin one side back with a pretty barrette -- an easy fix throughout the night. Barrel curl your hair in loose, sexy curls. Just be sure to use a firm-hold finishing spray over the whole head before you leave the house.

Style Sessions Tip: Handbags seem to just get smaller and smaller, but if you check out the 99 cent bins at your local drugstore, you can pick up a mini-bottle of hairspray for quick fixes throughout the night.

Make Your Makeup Stay
"Makeup is a lot less work to keep looking great all night," says Straeter. "You just need a few products to keep color lasting and skin shine-free." Try these:

Loose powder "A light dusting of loose face powder after you apply your foundation and before you apply your makeup should keep the color going strong all night," says Straeter. Another light dusting all over the face, neck and chest after you're done applying your makeup will also be effective in maintaining the integrity of the makeup. Concealer "Smudged mascara or under-eye circles are the biggest glamour zappers," says Straeter. "Take a concealer with you and touch-up throughout the night." Blotter papers "For girls who get shiny, oil-absorbing face papers are priceless." You can fold up just two or three papers in your purse to save handbag space. Lipgloss "If I have nothing else to touch up my face, I always have my lip color combinations -- good lips make your whole face look put together," says Straeter.

Style Sessions Tip: If you're attending dinner, avoid ordering dishes that are sloppy or loose, like pasta. Constantly wiping your mouth will wipe off your foundation and create uneven skin tone.