10 holiday makeup products to try
The holidays offer up the perfect excuse to take things up a notch. We indulge more, we dress up more and we attend more parties. With so much going on during this festive time of year, who doesn't want to look their best? When it comes to perfecting your makeup, a few simple tips can help you achieve glam on the go. We checked in with Melissa Gibson, M·A·C Senior Make-up Artist, for her advice on holiday makeup.
Canadian Living: What are the makeup trends for this holiday season?
Melissa Gibson: We are seeing tons of vibrant, primary colours, as both liner and as a smoky, colourful eye. But when the eye is colourful, the rest of the face is matte with nude lips.
Face
Let's face it – a Canadian winter doesn't really allow for the 'dewy' skin look. This winter we'll be seeing more semi-matte textures for foundation, coupled with longwearing technology. When you're expected to go from office to party (to party), there's not much time for reapplying your makeup. M·A·C Pro Longwear foundation has a full-day wear with the perfect finish for the colder weather. Mix it with your moisturizer in the morning if your skin is feeling parched.
Lips
Around the holidays, we tend to get a little more adventurous with our lip colour. This season, we're seeing more long wearing lip products in brighter shades with more depth.
Nails
If you're not doing the festive red and green, you'll be doing gold and silver this season. Think tinsel-coloured nail lacquers to complement your holiday party dresses.
CL: What are some of the hot new colours we'll be seeing?
MG: Primary colours are the 'it' shades of the season – reds and blues, as well as vibrant greens and pinks. For both nails and the areas of the face you want a bit of highlight, it's all about gold and silver, too.
CL: Glitter and sparkle are especially popular during the holiday season. Can you provide some advice on how to wear glitter without going overboard?
MG: Use very small portions of glitter and go for extremely fine particles as opposed to big, chunky pieces of sparkly pigment. Using a small brush, dab a tiny amount of glitter on the outer corner of the eye (after you've finished applying any other eye makeup) to give the eyes a pop of brightness.
Face
Highlight the cheekbones using a powder with a nice sheen – mineralize blushes or iridescent loose powders work wonders. Don't use a huge fluffy brush, though, otherwise the sheen will spread too far down your face.
Lips
A lipstick with a frost texture is perfect for holiday. But if you're going for a frosty lip, keep the rest of the face toned down with semi-matte skin and less drama on the eyes.
Nails
Here's where sparkle works best. Go crazy with glitter on your nails!
CL: What makeup mistakes do women often make and how can they avoid them?
MG: Do NOT go overboard with the sparkle! Use the glitter sparingly – and with a very small brush. If the brush is too big and too fluffy, the glitter will go everywhere (and you will find particles of it months later where you least expect it!) Glitter can turn cartoonish very quickly, so keep it to the areas you want it to go, and pick one area of the face for it.
10 holiday makeup products we love
Pure Color Nail Lacquer
Available at: Estee Lauder counters across Canada
Price: $25
Looking for more great holiday ideas? For recipes, decorating tips and gift guides, visit holiday.mochasofa.com.
