By Kim Putens

Get “Glammed” Up for the Holidays!!

You’ve trimmed the tree, hung the stockings, decorated the house, and bought the gifts, but what about you? With invitations to holiday parties abound, make sure you sparkle for every occasion.  Consider these trendy make up looks for any possible holiday festivity that may come your way.

The Office Party

Your normally conservative office look is still the best course of action even though it is a “holiday” party. Keep your makeup light, but fresh. Freshen and awaken your look with a dab of concealer to the corner and outer edges of the eye. Dab on a sheer lip gloss. And, to lend some festive sparkle, add a dab of shimmer to the apples of the cheek and to the corner of the eye. So as not to compete with the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree, be sure not to overdue the shimmer. Be light, be strategic and be discreet.

Drinks with the Girls

Think girly fun, think pink, think glossy, and think fresh.  Glossy, sheer lips with a dab of dazzle are best. Pink tones on the eyes and cheeks make for a fresh and flirty look appropriate for an exclusively girls only fete. To ensure a fresh and dewy look, choose cream based products for the cheeks and eyes. Finish the look with a light coat of black mascara on your upper and lower lashes.

Cocktail Party

Take subtle to new heights with heavier eyeliner and metallic tones. Try heavy eyeliner over subtle eye base colors for a “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” look. Layer generous eyeliner along the lash line on the top eyelid only, choosing from rich tones such as navy blue, black or chocolate brown. To pull off this look correctly, be sure to keep the eye shadow a neutral shade swept over the eyelid and all the way up to the brow. Keep cheeks bare and choose a sheer or light colored lip gloss.

You could also choose to sparkle at your next cocktail party. Metallic tones in all shades of gold, pewter and bronze are very in style and festive for the holiday season. Sweep the appropriate shade for your tone (golds for blonds, pewter for dark hair, bronze for brunettes) over your eyelid only. Pair with a generous amount of eyeliner and mascara making sure to pump up the volume to add drama to the eyes. Next sweep a bronzer over the face and add a neutral lip gloss.

Black Tie Event

This is the event to add some drama to your normal makeup routine. Try a few different looks depending upon your mood and the scene. The smoky eye is still the way to add drama to your evening look. Be sure to pair it with neutral, but glossy lips to avoid looking vamped out. Shimmer is still in too! You can’t go wrong with bringing a little sparkle to your face. As I’ve always cautioned though, be sure to reach for the shimmer, not the glitter … you don’t want to apply your makeup like you’d do an art project. Be strategic with the shimmer – try sweeping it across the cheeks, pressing it along the brow bone, and applying to the center of the lips.

Another option for the black tie event is a look I like to call the festive look. Try a pale face matched with ruby red lips. In order for this to resonate over the holidays, be sure to match the red of your lips to the red of your outfit.  Clashing reds will make everyone else see red.  The rest of the makeup should be light and subtle. Only the lips can take center stage with this look.

Have fun with your makeup and enjoy the Holiday season in style!