There’s no time like the festive season to add sparkle to your look. Whether prepping for a party or adding glamour to your day, here are our expert tips.
Glitter is a firm favourite come festive season, but if you’re not game enough for a bold, out-there sparkly make-up look, there are subtle ways to embrace the trend to enhance your best assets. Events specialist for YSL New Zealand, Luna Oliveira, suggests switching out your go-to highlighter for a fun, festive alternative such as YSL Couture Hologram Light Reflecting Powder ($56).
“Placing this pigment on the same areas you would a normal highlighter will accentuate your features but in a super fun, different way,” Oliveira explains. “Dab a hint on the top of your cheekbones, inner corner of your eyes, cupid’s bow and a little down your nose.” Transforming your go-to lip colour into a glitzy shade suitable for festivities is easy too: just do as Oliveira suggests and place a touch of pigment over the top of your usual lipstick. Nails are a great canvas for having fun with glitter while playing it safe: light up your digits with YSL La Laque Couture N91 Red Lights ($49).
Panda Peng, national make-up director for Shu Uemura Australia, is also favouring everything shimmery. If you want to take a bolder approach to glitter but don’t want to look like a Christmas decoration, pick one focal point such as your eyes. NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Debauched ($57, from Mecca Cosmetica) is the perfect lustrous shade of plum.
STAYING POWER
Getting your foundation to stay put when you hit the dance floor can be a challenge. Keep your hands and phone away from your face and focus on your canvas. “Your base is the most important part of your whole makeup look, so, in order to ensure it stays flawless throughout the whole night, we need to start off with skincare,” says Oliveira. Using a good primer will give you a headstart. Try Smashbox Photo Finish Radiance Primer ($76) for a glowy, dewy complexion, and then opt for a foundation with real staying power, such as Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation ($73). Clinique All About Shadow Primer for Eyes ($38) ensures your eye make-up lasts the distance.
Consider having your brows professionally shaped and tinted at the beginning of the festive season. “This will make all your event brow styling much faster. You’ll have no strays to wrangle with and a tinted base to guide you,” says Benefit brow artist Hannah Mutze. Keep a fibrous brow gel like Benefit Gimme Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel ($39) on hand to easily and quickly add colour, fullness and definition to brows.
QUICK TIP
Rushing from office to event? Oliveira suggests adding to your day look by focusing on simple details. “Add extra eyeshadow colours and a liquid eyeliner, or even a waterproof eyeliner in the waterline to enhance the eyes, and go from a neutral, everyday lip colour to a brighter or darker colour for the evening. Adding a little bit of extra blush and bronzer will also go a long way when moving into that evening look.” Try By Terry Preciosity Flash Dual Compact Highlighter ($107, from Mecca Cosmetica).
