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Diwali beauty prep: a two-week countdown for threading, facials and lashes
A facial about a week before, a lash lift a few days before and threading a day or two before. Here is the order to book your Diwali treatments in, and why.
In short
- Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November in 2026, so a two-week countdown starts around the weekend of 24 and 25 October.
- Ask about a patch test early if a tint or lash lift is new to you, because a reaction can take a few days to show.
- Book a facial about a week before, so any redness has long settled by the celebrations.
- Book a lash lift and tint, or an eyebrow tint, a few days before, and leave threading until a day or two before.
- Keep your skincare routine the same in the last week, and leave first peels and skin treatments until after Diwali.
Diwali beauty prep works best as a countdown, not one busy afternoon the day before. In 2026 the main day of Diwali falls on Sunday 8 November, and the festival runs over five days. If your first get-together is earlier in the week, count back from that date instead.
The order matters more than the treatments. Some leave redness for an hour, some for a day or two, and some need a patch test well ahead. This guide sets out what to book when, and why.
When should you start your Diwali beauty prep?
Start about two weeks before, which in 2026 means the weekend of 24 and 25 October. That gives you time to get the days you want and to have any patch tests done first.
Saturdays fill up. Walk-ins are seen when a therapist is free, but booking holds your time, and it is worth it on a Saturday or before an event.
Use the first few days of the countdown to:
- Book your facial, lash lift or tint, and threading as separate appointments on the right days.
- Ask when you book whether your treatment needs a patch test, and how far ahead of your appointment to have it.
- Book a patch test now if you want a first hair colour with us before Diwali.
- Keep your skincare routine as it is. This is not the fortnight to start something new.
Why ask about a patch test two weeks before?
Because a reaction to a tint or dye can take a few days to show, and you want to know about it before your appointment, not on Diwali. Our patch test is free and takes 5 minutes.
A review of eye cosmetics links lash dye ingredients to allergic reactions on the eyelids and around the eyes. It notes that patch testing, done properly, may reduce these problems. The NHS says a reaction to hair dye can take up to 72 hours to appear. On brown or black skin, a rash may look darker brown, purple or grey rather than red, so it can be harder to spot.
A “PPD free” label is not a reason to skip the test. PPD is a dye ingredient that some people are allergic to. In 2024 a lash and brow tint sold as PPD free was withdrawn after it was found to contain a related dye that may still cause a reaction.
Why book a facial about a week before Diwali?
A week gives your skin plenty of time to settle, so the facial has done its work and any redness has long gone by the day. Some redness for an hour or two is normal after a deep cleanse or hydrofacial, especially if extractions are done.
Our advice for any event is to book a facial a few days ahead. A week gives you a little more room, and it keeps the last few days free for lashes, brows and threading.
Pick the facial closest to your main concern:
- Congested skin. The deep cleansing facial is the one for blocked pores (£60, 60 minutes).
- Dry or tight skin. The hydrating facial focuses on moisture (£60, 60 minutes).
- Short on time. The mini rebalance facial takes 30 minutes (£30).
- A machine facial. Our hydrofacials use a wand to cleanse, exfoliate and lift out congestion, from £55 for 30 minutes.
Every option and price is on our facials page. Afterwards, leave make-up off for the rest of the day if you can, and skip saunas, steam rooms and the gym. Avoid scrubs, retinol and strong acids for a day or two.
When should you book a lash lift and tint?
Book a lash lift and tint a few days before Diwali, between Wednesday 4 and Friday 6 November. Your lashes need to stay dry for the first 24 hours, and a few days’ gap means you are not managing that on the day itself.
A lash lift works on your own lashes, with nothing added. You lie back with your eyes closed while your lashes are combed onto a small silicone shield on the eyelid. A lifting solution goes on, then a setting solution, and with a tint, the tint goes on at the end.
- A lash lift takes 45 minutes and costs £40.
- A lash lift and tint takes 60 minutes and costs £45.
- A lift usually lasts around six to eight weeks, fading gradually as lashes shed and regrow.
If this would be your first lift, our usual advice is a trial a few weeks before an event. If that window has passed, an eyelash tint on its own (£10, 15 minutes) is a smaller step. Contact lens wearers need to take them out, so bring your case. For the first 24 hours, avoid steam, saunas and make-up on the area. There is more on our lash lift page.
Adding an eyebrow tint or brow lamination
An eyebrow tint is a quick add-on if your brows are fair or patchy and you want them to look fuller in photos. It takes 10 minutes and costs £7, or £17 with an eyelash tint.
Book it with your lash lift, a few days before Diwali. If you want more shape, brow lamination softens the brow hairs so they can be brushed up and set in a fuller-looking shape. It costs £40, or £45 with a tint. It does not add hair that is not there, but it makes the most of the hair you have. Brush laminated brows into place each morning.
What about waxing before Diwali?
Book body waxing two or three days before, not the day before. Redness, small bumps and tenderness are common for a day or so, and for a day or two you skip hot baths, saunas, the gym and perfumed products on the area.
Tell your therapist about retinol, prescription skin creams or acne medication before any face waxing, because these make skin more likely to lift. The NHS tells people taking some acne tablets not to have waxing at all while they are on them.
Waxing, threading and plucking can all lead to ingrown hairs. Once the skin has settled after a couple of days, gently exfoliate a few times a week. Every waxing price is on our price list, so you can check before you book.
Why leave threading until a day or two before?
Threading goes last because it gives the sharpest, freshest shape, and the redness usually settles quickly. Friday 6 or Saturday 7 November works better than the morning of Diwali.
Threading stings a little, a bit like plucking but quicker, and the upper lip feels it most. Redness and a little puffiness straight after are normal. A dermatology journal lists redness during and after threading among its common effects, along with irritated hair follicles. Small spots can also appear after face threading.
For the rest of that day, skip make-up, fake tan and perfumed products on the area. A day’s gap means you can do your Diwali make-up as normal on the day.
Say what shape you want and how much to take off before your therapist starts, and bring a photo if you have one in mind. Eyebrows cost £5, upper lip £4 and a full face £25. See eyebrow threading for every area.
Your Diwali beauty prep countdown at a glance
| When (2026) | What to book | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 24 or Sun 25 Oct | Book every appointment and ask about patch tests | Days fill up, and a reaction can take a few days to show |
| Around Sun 1 Nov | Facial | Any redness has plenty of time to settle |
| Wed 4 to Fri 6 Nov | Lash lift and tint, eyebrow tint or brow lamination | Lashes and brows stay dry for the first 24 hours |
| Thu 5 or Fri 6 Nov | Body waxing | Bumps and tenderness usually settle in a day or so |
| Fri 6 or Sat 7 Nov | Threading | Freshest shape, with redness gone by the day |
| Sun 8 Nov | Make-up and celebrations | Nothing new on your skin |
Our usual hours are 10:00 to 19:00 Monday to Friday, 09:30 to 19:00 on Saturday and 10:00 to 18:00 on Sunday. Call the salon on 020 3887 2181 if you want to check a particular day.
How do you get glowing skin for Diwali?
Keep your skin moisturised, keep your routine steady, and give it a calm last week. Nobody can promise a glow, but skin that is well moisturised and not irritated tends to look its best under make-up.
- Moisturise after washing. The NHS advises applying moisturiser after washing, once you have patted your skin dry, and says the face especially needs it.
- Do not try new products. A skin reaction to something new can appear within hours or days, and cosmetics are one known cause.
- Leave spots alone. If small spots appear after threading or a facial, keep the area clean and do not pick them.
What to leave until after Diwali
Some treatments are worth having, but not in the fortnight before a big event if you have never had them before.
- A first chemical peel. Skin can feel tight and may flake or peel for several days. Afterwards you need a high-factor sunscreen, and the NHS recommends at least SPF 30.
- A first microneedling session. Expect redness for a day or two, like mild sunburn, with some tightness or dryness. Call the salon if you want to talk through timing.
- Laser hair removal. This is a course of sessions spaced weeks apart, starting with a patch test, so it is not a pre-Diwali fix. If you are tired of threading the same area every few weeks, it is worth asking about laser hair removal for next year. Laser prices are being confirmed; call 020 3887 2181 for today’s prices.
Booking your Diwali appointments
NBA Clinic is at 92 High Street, Barkingside, a short trip from Gants Hill, Newbury Park and Ilford. Book each treatment as its own appointment on the right day, and say what it is for when you arrive.
Check the price before you book: every one is listed. Pick your treatments and times on Treatwell, and if anything is unclear, call the salon on 020 3887 2181.
