Christmas parties can be unusual occasions: Whether with work colleagues that do not often socialize together or groups of old friends and family members, subtly themed make-up can look special.
Food and Drink
Lots of food and drink gets consumed at Christmas parties so take some precautions to ensure that make-up stays on and looks fresh all night:
- Choosing a heavily made-up eye works well as this can be teamed with minimal lip color. So if lipstick comes off within the first five minutes of eating, you will still look perfectly made-up.
- Those who need a brighter lipstick to feel glamorous need to remember to take the lip color, a brush and mirror for perfect re-application. Choosing a long lasting formula is also a must.
- Set foundation with loose powder and a velor puff to keep it on despite warming drinks, greasy foods, dancing or hot lights.
Christmas Baubles
For festive metallic Christmas bauble shine, look for bright colors such as cerise, red, green and turquoise. Many nail varnishes come in a metallic finish which adds the perfect festive touch to an otherwise sober make-up.
- Many make-up brands bring out limited edition metallic eye color for the Christmas season. These can dress up a plain smoky eye or provide a flash of festive color on their own.
- Choose shiny antique gold, pewter, white gold or silver for chocolate box opulence.
Snow
Pale complexions look fabulous in winter. Prepare skin well and then use a natural looking full coverage foundation like Laura Mercier Silk Creme or Nars Sheer Glow. Accentuate a flawless pale skin with a fresh, bright blush to give the look of having just come in from the snow.
Winter wonderland glamor does not have to mean clumsy frosting:
- Try setting pale make-up with a shimmer setting powder such as Laura Mercier Starlight to give a subtle ballroom sparkle to the skin for a glamorous rather than Gothic look.
- Bright color on eyes or lips suits this look well but stay away from 80s neon in favor of seasonal block color in true red, purple and green.
- This look is as clean as Snow White so stay away from smudgy smoky eyes or natural lip stains.
- Finish off with plenty of black mascara to give clean definition.
- Silver tinged pastels such as pale blue and baby pink give an Ice Princess feel to make-up. Use on eyes, lips and cheeks but team with a good foundation, eye liner and mascara to keep the look healthy. Or simply use on one area for a touch of winter.
- Exposed areas of winter skin such as arms and shoulders, will look smooth and sheeny rather than pale and goose bumpy if treated with a moisturizing sheen such as Nuxe L'huile Prodigieuse Or.
If frost is essential:
- Choose chunky, opulent glitter in a pale frosty color and use over eye shadow to give a sparkly frosted edge to an otherwise clean make-up. Or sweep over cheek bones to highlight. Try Mac Pro glitter pigment.
- Limited edition frost endowed clear lip glosses abound during the Christmas season and are fabulous for dressing up a simple natural lip with a little Christmas spirit. This works well with almost any make-up look.
- Diamante lashes provide glinting snow drops without too much fuss.
- Good quality glitter spray for the hair can look subtle and twinkly rather than stiff. Try Frederick Fekkai.
Cranberries and Holly Berries
Red is a fabulous lip color for Christmas because it can lift a sallow or graying complexion at the coldest and darkest time of year.
- Choose a bright berry red; either a true red like holly berries or a slightly pinker cranberry color depending on skin tone. Both will look fresh, crisp and brightening.
- Anyone who has had a cold or is feeling under the weather or tired might avoid deep wine colors or anything too brown.
- Long lasting lip colors no longer feel dry; try By Terry or Nars Velvet Matte lip pencils.
Red on the finger and toe nails always looks polished. A darker color could also be worn here rather than on the lips. Dark black cherry to chocolate brown looks great on nails through the winter but does not have the draining effect that lipsticks in these colors can.
With so many looks to choose from, updating a make-up bag with a festive product can prove much more fun than buying a new outfit. For anyone wishing to save money this is an instant way to add some festivity to the party season and cut down on the stress. Anyone wishing to wear a comfortable outfit in case of delicious food on offer might also find that a new make-up look dresses up an old favorite. All of this might even mean really looking forward to next year's party season.
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