The holiday season often means invitations to many kinds of gatherings — including a black-tie gala, drinks with close friends and socializing with your boss. You want your makeup to look appropriate for every situation, but you also want to look fabulous. We asked iVillage makeup guru Deborah Grayson for advice on how to look gorgeous no matter the occasion.
For Holiday Drinks with Friends
Go with just a light touch here — after all, it's a casual environment where you want your "you-ness" to show through. Think of wearing just a golden sheer gloss on the lips. LipFusion makes an excellent one called Glow. For eyes, a glossy, sheer pink cream eye shadow is wonderful. Ramy makes especially great cream quads for the eyes, which I find myself dipping into over and over again. For blush, try a sheer, creamy matte pink applied to the highest part of the cheeks. I like Tickle Me Pink Cream Color Base from MAC. And finish this light-touch holiday look with one coat of black or deep brown mascara on both the upper and lower lashes. One of my favorites is Neutrogena's Lash Tint.
For a Holiday Cocktail Party
Cocktail parties are a great excuse to add some drama to your look. You can don a generous line of dense eyeliner color à la Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Wearing a midnight blue, kohl black or chocolate brown is classic and cocktail party worthy. I like Tarte's Indelible Wink Liquid Liner, and Lorac makes a great palette of eight colored cream liners that are really good, too. It's a good idea to prep the area under the brow bone and across the eyelids with a base color to create a smooth, even surface that will set the stage for your liner. I use Clinique Touch Base for Eyes in Canvas Light — a great, neutral tone. And for a modern holiday look, don't fuss too much with the eyebrows. Do tweeze, but don't overdo it. Distinct eyebrow symmetry and hard, drawn-in arches are so last Tuesday. Keep cheeks bare and use just a dab of neutral lip tint. The Balm's Stainiac in Homecoming Queen is an excellent choice.
For a Holiday Black-Tie EventI love the look of an exquisite gown with a moist, pale-pink mouth, tawny, glowing cheeks and smoky powder liner under the eyes. Don't forget one great piece of jewelry (like a pair of shimmery earrings) that will reflect light next to your face and tenfold heighten the glow of your makeup. Bourjois makes a wonderful satiny lipstick called Rose Bonheur 01. For glowing holiday cheeks, try Delux Beauty in Nude — so pretty! And for smoky eyes, Tarte's Peep Show Smokey Eye Palette in Onyx.
For the Holiday Office Party
The best office-party makeup should not be any different from what you would regularly wear to work — but do make it your best day at work! Sorry to be a party spoiler, but, hello! These folks pay your salary; a professional demeanor is paramount. A pretty, bright, but not over the top, lip color, like Stila's Lip Color in Jo is a really good burgundy. A clear, soft blush, such as Nars Mata Hari is perfect, and for any extra shine, MAC Blot Powder. And a nice manicure for all that holiday handshaking couldn't hurt.
