If you’re a Londoner, or even just happen to be in London from the 27th-28th August, then for you, Bank Holiday weekend can only mean one thing – Notting Hill Carnival.
Celebrating Afro-Caribbean culture since 1966, the Notting Hill Carnival is a spectacular occasion in which, year after year, the streets of West London come to life with lively music, delicious food, and vibrant colours. As well as dancing to your favourite tunes and taking in the electric atmosphere, getting ready for Carnival is part of the fun in itself.
Below, are six must-have products perfect for getting your Carnival groove on.
BH Cosmetics - First Edition 120 Colour Eyeshadow Palette - £20 - Beauty Bay
If there is ever an occasion to experiment with bright eyeshadow, it’s Notting Hill Carnival. As carnival is all about expression, having fun and not taking yourself too seriously, opting for a vibrant eye look is a definite must this bank holiday weekend. The First Edition Eyeshadow Palette by BH Cosmetics offers 120 highly pigmented shades at an affordable price, so whether you are blending green and yellow for the Jamaican flag, or joining in with the floats and opting for a royal blue or electric pink, this mesmerising palette gives you plenty of options.
MAC - Pigment in Rock-it Yellow & Emerald Green - £16 - MAC
All makeup lovers will agree, that when it comes to a statement eye look, pigments are the way forward. These dazzling pigments by MAC come in 45 different colours and are the perfect way to intensify your eyeshadow. These two gorgeous shades – a deep, glittery green and a strikingly bright canary yellow – are both perfect for carnival and promise an aesthetically pleasing eye if ever there was one.
Sleek - VIP Lipstick in Flaunt it - £5.49 - Boots
If you don’t fancy being too adventurous with your eye makeup but still want to make a statement, then a bold lip is the perfect solution and the latest lipstick trend sure to turn heads is orange. With the success of the Morphe 350 palette, which features a range of burnt orange eyeshadows, it was only a matter of time before we ventured towards an orange lip. Flaunt it by Sleek is an attention-grabbing citrus shade which fits perfectly with the NHC’s tropical theme and is a fabulous way to liven up your makeup.
NYX - Vivid Brights Liner - £5.50 - ASOS
Exaggerated, colourful eyeliner is set to be a major trend this fall after frequent appearances on the catwalk over the summer. The Vivid Brights collection by NYX, offers nine remarkable shades which deliver precise, highly pigmented lining to the eyes and serve to dramatize your look. So, if you will be going red for Trinidad and Tobago, green for Jamaica or blue for St. Lucia, these incredible eyeliners give you a chance to really celebrate Caribbean culture in style.
The Gypsy Shrine – Rainbow All in One Body Jewel - £15 - GypsyShrine
You only have to watch the floats go by to understand that, at Carnival, everyone is accepted no matter what body type, race or sex. People of all shapes and sizes let go of their insecurities for the weekend and embrace their own beauty, celebrating their bodies through costume, colour and jewels. It’s not every day that it’s socially acceptable to roam West London covered in glistening jewels, so why not make the most of it whilst you can. The Gypsy Shrine (AKA glitter royalty) do an amazing range of body jewels that can be placed wherever you feel comfortable and never fail to add a touch of sparkle to your outfit.
NYX Professional Face and Body Glitter - £5.50 - Cult Beauty
Can there ever be such a thing as too much glitter? We think not. This year’s festival season saw a surge in face glitter, used to add a little magic to our looks, by dusting it around the temples or underneath the eyes. There’s no denying that glitter is a fun and fabulous way to liven up our makeup and make us feel amazing, so a Notting Hill Carnival essentials list wouldn’t be complete without it. NYX offer a range of twelve sparkling glitter pots, suitable for face and body, in a variety of gorgeous colours from Violet purple to vibrant Teal.
