Christmas sparkle

Festive party beauty tips from the experts

Christmas party season is here again and it’s time to dig out that little black dress from the back of the wardrobe. But looking glam certainly doesn’t mean that you have to use a whole load of chemically-laden beauty products. Try our top tips for how to look gorgeous and on-trend the natural way!

Mineral magic

Looking glamorous at the Christmas party doesn’t mean you have to scrimp on your natural beauty credentials. “Mineral make-up is fantastic for women with sensitive skin, problematic skin and for those who have facials with down time,” explains make-up artist, beauty blogger and founder of Blush + Blow, Bridget O’Keeffe (blushandblowlondon.com). “Feeding your skin topically with minerals throughout the day with foundation and other products is a great way to nourish your skin without having to think about it too much. Make sure that the percentage of minerals in the products are high. It’s even safe to sleep with mineral foundation on!”

Lady in red

“This year I am loving crimson,” says Bridget. “I think that the combo of a lip, cheek and eye colour pop in the same hue, if done correctly, can look very striking. Make sure that you are introducing the colour to your eyes with some bold liner and heavy lashes to take the punch away from the colour. You can have the most subtle of hints of colour on your cheekbones with the colour placed upwards towards the temples. On your lips, you can either use a subtle hint of a stain or pack it on, depending on the time of day or the rest of your styling.”

All that glitters

“The first thing we think about when we think Christmas ...is glitter and sparkle!” says Athena Efstathiou, head make-up artist for BellaPierre UK (@goddessbeauty). “Just dabbing a touch of glitter on the eye can completely transform your whole look. Try adding gold to make it extra festive.”

Pucker up

“One of my favourite elegant party looks is a classic wing liner and matte red lip (because you never know who you’ll be kissing under the mistletoe),” says Athena. “Fun fact: According to a University of Manchester statistic, 7.3 seconds is the average time a man stares at a woman wearing red lipstick, compared to the 2.2 seconds for women wearing none at all.”

Get the glow

“Nothing is sexier than a healthy glow, especially while over indulging a little during the Christmas period,” says Athena. “By adding a pearlescent glow to your base under your foundation, or even adding a liquid highlight to your foundation, you can make dull-looking skin radiant and youthful.”

Hair today...

If you’re looking for hair inspiration then it’s all about ponytails and topknots, says organic hair expert Karine Jackson (www.karinejackson.co.uk). Try emulating a recent look seen on the catwalk at Prada and Chanel, which could work equally well for a quick after-work party switch or a glam Christmas Day style. Fix your hair into a high ponytail accompanied with really sleek sides, making them look almost wet. Keep the ponytail dry and then twist it over to make a gorgeous top knot. The look can be made messy once the top knot has been pulled out a little.

Sparkle and shine

“A stunning on-trend look is to sleek the sides of the hair then pull it all back into a pony tail,” says Karine. “Once completed, plait the pony tail and stretch it out, placing a pin on top to make it into a mohawk shape. If you’re into embellishment, this gives a great base to add some sparkle with hair accessories and slides.”

Easy glamour

“The quick twist is my go-to look for easy glamour and I can do it without a mirror these days!” says Karine. “Part the hair in the middle. Starting on one side, take a small section, twist it, then, working towards the back of the head, take the next small section and twist it into the first section. Repeat this until you’ve twisted all the hair, secure for a moment and repeat on the other side. Then twist the two sections into an updo and secure with grips.”

Nailed it

No Christmas party look is complete without a set of freshly manicured nails, but be sure to look for natural options. Avoid nail polishes which contain chemicals such as dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and camphor. You could even look for water-based products with just water and mineral pigments. For a dramatic wintertime look, opt for a dark rouge or plum. Or if you’re feeling particularly bold go for jet black or electric blue! Just remember, when applying your natural nail polish, try to cover the nail in three strokes: one in the middle, one to the left and one to the right. Finish off with a natural hand cream and you’re good to go!

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