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Fall means pumpkin spice lattes, crunchy leaves, and--best of all--Halloween. For beauty and make-up lovers, Halloween presents a unique opportunity to go all out with the palettes, glitter, and stage makeup, and try out some truly outstanding looks. It's all fun and games, but bold heavy makeup can take a toll on our skin if we're not prepared. Here's how to protect your skin from the tricks of Halloween, before and after the big night:
1. Prep & prime
A proper Halloween skincare routine begins before make-up even touches your face. That's right, you should be prepping your skin with a primer before applying any kind of make-up! Primers are incredible do-it-alls: not only do they create a smooth base for foundation, but they also help your skin maintain its natural balance under heavy make-up.
Once you've properly primed your face and lips, apply your make-up as usual—now you're good to go!
2. Double cleanse
Cleansing should be a non-negotiable step in every routine, and even more so in a post-Halloween skincare routine. The challenge here is not only to remove heavy-duty make-up, but also to slough away whatever dirt and impurities have latched onto your skin during the course of the night. Well, is there any better way to respond to a double challenge than double cleansing?
Double cleansing is a two-step process that hinges on the belief that like attracts like. The first step involves using an oil-based cleanser to remove oil-based impurities (like make-up, sebum, or sunscreen); the second step consists of water-based cleansing, to wash away the rest of the surface grime.
Oil-based cleansers, like those we've selected below, should be applied directly over your make-up. The comfortable textures shift into luxurious oils when in contact with the skin, allowing you to perform a gentle cleansing massage. Rub the product into the skin with gentle circular motions, until your makeup has all but melted off. This might take a while, if you've applied long-lasting or water-resistant make-up, but trust us: it pays off to get it all removed now, before your skin breaks out in protest.
After oil cleansing, you can move to the second step of your double cleansing routine: water-based cleansing. This step is pretty simple, and most of us do it every day and just call it "cleansing"! This is where you whip out your usual gel or foam cleanser and massage away (carefully!) until your skin feels perfectly clean. Below you'll find some of our favorite cleansers for the job:
3. Get your mask on
Don't worry, we're not suggesting you launch into an elaborate "multimasking" routine right after your Halloween party; but why not try an overnight mask?
Perfect for dull, tired, and overworked skin (hint: that's you after a face-full of Halloween make-up!), these cream-masks are so rich in hydrating actives that it'd be a waste to use them for just 10 minutes:
Once you've chosen your favorite mask and slathered it all over your face, feel free to crawl into the sheets for a good night of sleep. Halloween may be your favorite holiday, but there's no reason why your skin should be a fright the morning after!
