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Holiday Make Up Ideas for Party Girls!

If you want to be ready for the holidays, you might want some holiday make up ideas! Holiday parties are just around the corner so you need to be ready for them. Deciding what to wear is always a hard choice, but so can be choosing which makeup you’ll wear. Plan ahead. Do trial runs so you won’t be caught scrambling at the last minute. Who knows? Mr. Right could be at the party. Don’t blow your chances by not planning ahead! Party girls (and girl scouts) are always prepared!

Many parties are planned after work, so you will need to take that into consideration. You may have to take some accessories and make-up with you to work on the morning of the party. The trend this year is shimmery and luminous. Your face will light up like holiday lights if you use the right amount of glam in the right places! Use to much, and you could look knarly instead. The key to holiday make up is to blend what you apply and don’t go too heavy!

Wear the right holiday make up and you will look like a dream! The best rule of thumb is not to overdo it! Shimmer is in, so be sure to add it where and when you can!

Another important rule of shimmer in holiday make up, is to not mix gold and silver, unless you are sure you can pull it off. Most women with blue or green eyes, stark hair (either extremely blonde, red, or dark brown), and fair skin, look best in silvery shimmers. Silver is very close to white so it compliments both hair and skin. Most women with brown eyes, blends of golden blonde or golden brown hair, and warm skin tones, look better in golds. Golden shimmer’s compliment your skin’s darker tones and golden hair. White shimmer looks good on everyone, so don’t be afraid to try it!

Hottest Holiday Make Up Ideas

Smokey, shimmery eyes paired with light lipstick colors is one look you might want to consider. If you have smaller lips, shimmery lighter colors can really accentuate and make lips look more full. Smokey eyes give your eyes a sensual, flirty look, without looking trashy. Apply a touch of shimmer to brow bones and inside your eyes for extra pizazz. Add false eyelashes for added pop! Draw attention to your cheeks by using a soft pink or peach blush with a highlight of white, silver, or gold on the very top of the cheekbones. Try Avon Face Shimmer for an inexpensive great look. Not too much, but just enough shimmer, will make you look like a million dollars in your holiday make up!

Deep red lips balanced with a lighter eye shadow shade is always attractive. There are so many colors of red, (from pinky reds to brown reds) that you'll have a ton of colors to choose from. Choose red lipsticks that compliment your skin tone though! If you already have full lips, matte lipsticks can diminish their size. Add a touch of lip shimmer to the center of the top and bottom lips to draw a touch of attention to your mouth. Lighter shades of softer eye shadows downplay the eyes, since you’ve already highlighted your lips. Choose lighter shades of blues, greens, and browns, pinks, and violet colors. Don’t draw attention to both your lips and your eyes or it’ll look like overkill holiday make up! Shimmer is the perfect festive tool as long as you don't overload it. After all, you don't want to look ~~slutty~~ goofy!

Primers are used below makeup to give it a smoother application and add more staying power. They are very 'in' this year! Primer’s also help hide facial discolorations and imperfections. Try makeup primer for foundation and/or use eyeshadow primers for shadows. If you've been wanting to try an eyeshadow primer, try Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion! Its inexpensive but works terrific! Don't be afraid to try them if you want to give your makeup a boost! You can also use tranlucent loose powders instead. These go on very light and can also fill in lines and diminish age spots and other blemishes. If applied after work, they can also soak up any excess facial oils you’ve accumulated over the day.

You should also try luminous foundations. These add a youthful glow to your face. Most holiday parties are held in darker settings. The artificial lighting from luminous makeup on your face, can really give your holiday make up an added dazzle.

If you don’t like to wear a lot of makeup, try tinted moisturizers. These are very hot this year! If you haven't tried one yet, a good one to try is Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer. It costs a bit more but lasts a really long time, so it's very cost effective!

Holiday Make Up After Work

If you’re going to a party right after work, there have to be some special considerations and concessions made. You won’t have the luxury of going home to freshen up, like your bosses probably do! Getting in the mood for a party after work is hard to do. You’ll need to transition from the busy working girl, to the laid back, relaxed party girl! Remember to eat small meals during the day too, so you won’t be ravenous at the party and look like an addict going through withdrawals to get to the food trays!

Don’t wear a lot of makeup to work in the morning. Just the basics will do! A bit of foundation, one coat of mascara, and a bit of lip gloss is all you’ll need when you head out in the morning!

Be sure to take a makeup bag with makeup you’ll add to your face in the bathroom before the party. You might also need a few q-tips, in case you make mistakes. A wet q-tip, squeezed out, and rolled into a soft point can really be a life saver! Always carry q-tips! Also pack any hair accessories you might want to add to your hair, (bobby pins, festive clasps, etc.), and take a purse sized hairspray to add volume to your hair at the last minute if you curled your hair.

Makeup to bring might include: mascara (for a first or second coat), mineral foundations, (to cover any areas that need to be concealed or diminish oils), blush (apply to your entire cheekbones, tip of nose, center of forehead, and center of chin), eye shadow (in a soft, twinkling color) highlighter (for a touch of added sparkle on the highest part of your cheekbone towards the outside of your eyes), shimmer (add a touch to the brow bones and neckline), and a lip liner and lipstick in a similar festive red shade. Since most holiday parties are at night, bolder lip colors work well. Red is smoking hot if you can pull it off! Last but not least, don’t forget makeup brushes. They are a must have for a natural, radiant look!

If you're going to be out for a long night, (and you know it before hand), always wear makeup primers. They will help hold your makeup in place, especially eye makeup. If your skin starts looking shiny or oily, gently press compact powder into your face, whenever you get the chance. A good compact to try is Stila Illuminating Powder Foundation. Make sure the tone you buy will compliment your makeup! Lighter colors can look pasty if you're wearing beige or darker holiday make up. You can always too, buy oil blotting papers instead. These simply lift excessive oils off your face, which helps you stay confident about the way you look!

So get out there and wear the best looking holiday make up at your holiday party! You'll be ready for them this year, if you follow a few golden (or silver) rules!

Tips for the Smokey Eye Look

Apply your eye makeup: Apply a black eyeliner above top lashes and below bottom lashes. Apply a soft white eyeshadow on top of top liner only. Smudge it so you have a dark gray blend. Apply a second coat of mascara. If it starts to get clumpy, simply rinse it in cold water for a few seconds, dry off with a paper towel, and dip and swirl into your mascara again. Now try again. Add an eye shadow primer (like MAC Paints), and a shimmery shadow on the lid. Get a lot more information about smokey eyes.

Dab a shimmery blush to cheeks (Bobbi Brown has creamy blushes which also works as lipstick).

Powder your face lightly.

Apply a light lipstick or gloss.

Tips for the Red Lip Look

(Pictured above)

Cover bulging veins on your eyelids with a primer and a matte eyeshadow in a color that's as close as your natural skin tone as possible (such as beige). Go over the blending (beige) shadow with a lighter shade of blue, green, or other festive color.

Apply a very light shimmery blush on cheeks.

Line lips and fill in with your favorite red color. Try blending two shades for your own unique look.

Lightly powder your face for a finished look. Brush over your face with a makeup brush to remove excess powders and give you a warm, fresh look.

If you're going to a 'formal event', play up your makeup a bit more! Apply more shimmer or go deeper shades of red lipstick. Always remember not to overdo though, even at a formal event. Too much makeup always looks worse than too little! Holiday make up isn't brain surgery, but it is important to get it right!

Ideas for Party Makeup

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To go to the next How to Apply Makeup page, here's the link: Bridal Makeup Tips for Your Special Day

To view the previous How to Apply Makeup page, here's the link: Party Makeup Tips for Festive Occasions