Look dazzling for your Xmas bash
MOST of us get ready for festive bashes in the loos at work – after a crazy day. We certainly don’t have time to spare primping for mid-week dos. The key is having the outfit ready to go, but even more importantly, having the right makeup for instant glamour and shine.
At the end of the day, makeup is about fun and Christmas parties offer something close to carte blanche for having it (without looking garish, of course). Whatever the tone of your event, we’ve picked a few of our favourite items for your clutch bag must-haves, all of which will stand you in good stead at Christmas and beyond.
The festive look is all about smokey eyes imparted via nifty palettes, bright red lips and bronzed skin. We love Bobbi Brown’s long-last gel eyeliner so much we got the BB folks themselves to offer us top tips for getting your Christmas party look perfect.
1 Bare Minerals Pink Prosecco Natural Lip Gloss, £14, www.houseoffraser.co.uk
2 NARS AW11 Collection Eyeshadow in Outremer, £16.50, www.asos.com
3 Mac lipstick in chilli, £13.50,
www.maccosmetics.co.uk
4 Mac Dazzlesphere! Smokey Blue ornament, www.maccosmetics.co.uk
5 Guerlain Terracotta Moisturising Bronzing Powder, £28.05, www.debenhams.com
6 Illamasqua Theatre of the Nameless Powder Blusher, £16.50, www.asos.com
7 Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in black mauve, £16.50, www.bobbibrown.co.uk
8 Nails inc Bond Street Crystal Cap polish, £12.75, www.debenhams.co.uk
9 Bobbi Brown Party To Go Pallette, £32, www.bobbibrown.co.uk
BOBBI BROWN | PARTY MAKEUP TIPS
1. For parties, you want as long-lasting makeup as possible. For long-lasting eyes, begin by applying Eye Cream to the under eye area only: any extra moisture on the eyelid will cause the shadow to crease. After that, use a creamy concealer, such as the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (£23.50) that’ll go on easily and appear smooth on the skin to prevent your makeup from looking cakey. Gently press (don’t smear!) the formula into the skin – it’ll help make fine lines less visible.
2. To give your eyes a lift, simply add a touch of color, or build on the color you’re already wearing. Then for evening, simply layer on an additional coat or two – by building on the color, you’re adding texture and shimmer to your eye makeup – a perfect look for evening.
3. For a smokey eye, you don’t need to use dark colors or a heavy hand. Choose a medium-toned shade and apply it with a good brush. To avoid applying too much eye shadow, lightly tap or blow the brush before applying eye shadow.
4. For extra smokiness, use an eye liner brush to line eyes with Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Liner (£15.50 – pictured) using feather-light strokes. Make a thin line across the top and bottom lashes, connecting them at the corners and experiment with a shade other than black, such as mauve, to give it a party edge.
5. For the lips, the best way to achieve long wear is to create an adhering surface on which to apply lip color. Start by filling in the entire lip using a neutral Lip Pencil and then apply your favorite shade and a lip gloss on top.
6.The key to getting your makeup to last for hours is powder. Using face powder will help your makeup stay locked in place and keep it from evaporating too quickly.