As much pomp and circumstance goes into preparing for the holiday season, I love the drama of it all. The holiday parties, the lighting of the tree and the festive looks to serve all season long. Holiday parties are a perfect time to go all out with your makeup look. Do the dramatic smokey eye with a glitter lid or the cranberry red lip and lashes so extravagant, you’re sure to bat an eye and get all of the gifts on your list. Sure your ugly sweater may try and steal the show, but your dramatic blush, a’la Grace Jones in the 80’s will win them over.
Here are some of my favorite products and tips to get your holiday makeup to dazzle. Don’t worry, most of these items you probably already have in your makeup bag and can achieve with a little patience and creativity.
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THE CLASSIC RED LIP
What goes better with your Santa hat or reindeer ears like a bold, red lip? Red lipstick is classic, and if you’re new here, I LOVE red lips. They’re always in season, and I firmly believe there is a red lip for EVERY skin tone. For this round-up, I’m going to suggest matte or liquid lipsticks because they have the staying power to last for hours.
Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Transfer Proof Lipstick– Sexy, classic and meant to last through smooches under the mistletoe
The Lip Bar-Bawse Lady Matte Lipstick– This recent cult favorite is an affordable, long lasting and super pigmented red that literally looks good on everyone. No really, every person that owns this says it’s their perfect red and one of my personal favorites.
- Tips for wearing your liquid or matte lipstick:
- Exfoliate your lips with a lip scrub or a DIY version of brown sugar and Vaseline
- Apply a lip balm, and right before your apply the lipstick, wipe off the lip balm with a clean tissue
- Use a lip liner! Either the same shade or slightly darker. Lip liner helps add definition and shape to your lips and helps prevent the lipstick from bleeding.
WHERE THERE’S SMOKE…
Here’s the fantastic thing about wearing a smokey eye, it can be as simple or as complicated as you choose. You can have the most seductive black eyeshadow all over your lid or keep it sultry with just a smear of Kajal eyeliner on your waterline. A smokey eye look can also be grey, brown or even green. Personally, I go all out and make sure to use the darkest black eyeshadow I can find in the corner of my eye and top it with a shimmery grey. I like the Natasha Denona Mini Xenon Eyeshadow Palette because it’s compact and comes with 5 shades to make the perfect smokey combo .
Tips for wearing a smokey eye:
- If wearing an eyeshadow, place the darkest shade in the corner of your eye and blend, blend blend.
- Wear a black or dark grey shadow all over your lid. Start slowly, close to the lash line and blend the color upwards until you reach your eye crease. Use a small blending brush to build the color in the corner of the eye.
- Use a Q-tip to clean up any eyeliner or shadow to make a precise line.
- Use a coal black eyeliner on your bottom lash line and a small smudge brush to blend it out.
- Check out this video of my smokey eye for guidance:
MAKE ME BLUSH
Blush, blush and more blush is my favorite step in my makeup routine. Blush really gives your face some life, and with the right placement can give your face a nice lift as well. For your holiday makeup, adding the right color blush will have your date thinking it’s something they said to give you that color.
Patrick Ta Major Headlines Blush Duo in the shade Oh, She’s Different is a great option for the holiday’s because of the rich plum shade. Don’t worry, we’re not talking about a bright berry but a rich plum that has hints of brown. This palette comes with both a cream and a powder blush so you can build it up as much as you like.
Another alternative blush is the Mented Cosmetics Berried Away Blush, this blush is very flattering on darker skin tones and can be used to create a subtle or dramatic flair.
Tips for wearing blush:
- Start with a little, then build to a lot. With blush, its always better to build up as you go instead of applying a ton of product up front.
- Apply the blush at the top of your cheek (right above the apple) and blend upwards.
- For more drama (my personal favorite), blend your blush from your cheek to your temples, again in an upward motion and start with a little product and build to your desired intensity.
I hope these tips will help you dazzle and sparkle while looking amazing at your holiday gatherings this season. And more importantly, I hope you enjoy your holiday season however you choose to spend it.
XOXO-Lydia Marie
