With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I find myself doing a full body scan to see if I am ready for our big date night. As luck would have it, February 14th is also my birthday ~ so ~ a big night out for my husband and me. If you are married and have kids like I do, you know that getting ready and prepped for one of your few big date nights is pretty important. If you are on the dating scene, my guess is you may just want some fresh ideas. So here it is, my head-to-toe recommendations on getting ready, feeling sexy, and keeping it classy at the same time.
Your prep for a big date can and should start the week before with a full body scrub. Scrub that dead skin off and make room for a new & glowing canvas. My favorite is Fresh’s Brown Sugar Body Polish. The scent is absolutely to die for, and it does the job terrifically. When you are done, your skin will feel amazing and refeshed with a shining, supple glow. Oh and be sure to get their Sugar Lip Polish as well and scrub those lips nightly to get them plump, supple and looking juicy. No one wants to kiss someone with dry cracked lips.
After you have prepped and primed your skin, it’s time to get a little glow. I am a huge fan of self tanners – if you take your time and spend money on one that is legit. Kate Somerville 360 Tanning Towels are by far my fave. No icky self-tanning smell, easy application and no orange tint. They create the perfect tanned glow without looking fake. Here is my one tip – put a little lotion on your knees, nose and elbows before applying the tanner. It helps the tanner to not over-absorb in these areas and appear darker.
Now that you have done some prep work, you are ready to get glammed up for the actual date night. If you ask most men, they actually prefer “the girl next door”; that pretty yet “effortless” kind of look. So here is how to get that happy medium, one that makes you feel comfortable and confident with the way you look without going over the top. Hopefully he will be staring into your eyes most of the night, so this is one area you want to make unforgettable. My pick would be a subtle, smoky eye that shows the color of your eye. Chanel’s Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in Tisse Smokey is perfect for any skin tone. It offers shades that are easily blended on the lid, creating the perfect depth for a tantalizing eye. To finish the look, top it off with my favorite mascara, Diorshow by Dior.
Ok, let’s talk lips. You must pull your look together with your lip, and you do not want something that ends up on someone’s collar, or gets on your teeth, or ruins a much awaited moment. You need something worry free, yet still luscious. I highly recommend Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis a Levres Glossy Stain. It stays put and is not drying. I also like to use a near clear gloss to pop on top throughout the night. Why not get a gloss with a little plumping effect while we are at it? I mean, who doesn’t want fuller lips? Dior’s Dior Addict Lip Maximizer High Volume Lip Plumper is tops on my list. This clear gloss plumps without the tingle or burn like some other lip plumpers.
And just two more things before you walk out the door – a slightly shimmery bronzer and your favorite scent. For the bronzer you will want to touch your skin where the sun would naturally hit first, creating a sun kissed look and creating glowing perfection. For me, I am a Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick junky. I don’t think there is a shade of Shimmer Brick I haven’t had. I put it all over, from my cheeks to my nose to my décolleté. As far as your favorite scent goes, remember to choose wisely. Scents are the type of things you will remember for the rest of your life, especially from big events. If this date is one of special importance, this may be a fragrance that plays a role in the rest of your life. Flower Bomb by Viktor & Rolf has become a permanent on my bathroom counter. I wore it on my first date with my husband, on our wedding day, and now on special occasions. The smell brings to life the beautiful memories of how a simple first date blossomed into a beautiful, lifetime love.
So with this I will say good luck on your date, whether it be date number one or date number one million. May your date night be special and may you look and feel simply gorgeous.
