How To Achieve A Festive Makeup Look

Soft, shimmery lids, bold statement lips: if there's ever a time to get glammed up, there's no better excuse than Christmas. Whether you're prepping for the office party or festive dinners with friends, now's the perfect time to experiment with richer tones and glittery shades to help you sparkle and shine this holiday season.

1. Prep Your Skin

Ask any beauty expert, and they’ll tell you that the secret to flawless makeup is to ensure that you first prep your skin. A good skincare routine helps to provide the right base for your foundation, ensuring that the product goes on smoothly, and stays put even if you’re dancing the night away.

Incorporating a face mask is the perfect way to start your pampering ritual, as they provide your skin with an instant and intensive burst of nourishment. For a bit of luxury, an LED mask or tool will give you a salon-worthy facial from the comfort of home – helping to tighten pores and reduce fine lines so that your makeup looks fresher.

Even though it’s winter, remember that using SPF daily is essential for maintaining healthy skin. Come rain or shine, from dusk till dawn, UVA rays are always present and skin damage can still occur in the colder months – so make sure you’re protecting your skin before starting your makeup.

2. Sculpt Your Brows

Brows bring structure and definition to your face, and have the potential to make or break a makeup look – so it's essential you get them right. If your arches are looking a bit sparse, investing in a brow serum is the best way to get effective and natural results.

For an on-trend party look, opt for Soap Brows, which will give the brushed slicked-up effect reminiscent of laminated brows. WBCo. recommend you "cleanse your brows and make sure there is no product on them before applying." When you're all set to go, "brush the product against the direction of your hair growth then go back in and brush into the style you want. This will help to coat all of the brow hairs and keep them in place." Once you're happy with the shape, fill in any gaps using a brow pencil, which will give a soft and feathered finish.

3. Shimmery Eyes

Glittery eye shadow doesn't have to be overly theatrical – in fact, if you're going for a bold lip, opting for a subtle shimmer on your lids will make your look feel a bit more sophisticated. These palettes from RÓEN are perfect for creating a smokey, shimmery eye for the festive season. If you don't want to commit to a full glam look, dip a small eyeliner brush in some micellar water before dipping it into the eyeshadow; this will allow you to create a sparkly yet subtle eyeliner.

4. Statement Lips

For many, party season inevitably means a statement lip, but it can feel a bit daunting going straight in for a bright shade if you're not used to wearing one. One thing to always remember is that you should always use a lip liner first, as this helps you define your lips precisely before going in with lipstick. It also means that once your lipstick starts wearing off naturally later in the night, you won't be left with a harsh outline but rather the two will blend together softly. If you're worried about the colour rubbing off, apply a light layer of a hard-wearing lip stain first, as this will add an extra bit of vibrancy and help your lip colour last longer.