For the next few posts, we’ll be focusing on festive looks to get you dolled up for your holiday parties. So while you’re focusing on prepping for the parties you’ll be hosting and shopping for the people on your list, we’ve got your make-up tips covered here:

GET THE HOLIDAY LOOK | Red Lips
If you’re donning that little black dress for your holiday party, a pair of red lips is the perfect make-up match to complete the look. Red lips make a bold statement and can be an intimidating colour to buy (and wear!). But rest assured, there is a red out there for everyone!

How to apply:
Trace the desired shape of your lips with a matching red lipliner. Lipliner will help prevent lipstick from feathering into the fine lines around the mouth. Fill the lip in completely with lipliner to act as a base for the lipstick. Blot. For a sharp finish, use a lipbrush with your red lipstick and trace around the edges of the mouth. Then apply the lipstick directly to the mouth from the tube, swiping back and forth a couple of times on the top and bottom lip.

How to make it go the distance:
Once lipstick has been applied, blot with a one-ply tissue and reapply one more coat of lipstick. You can also take a large clean powder brush and while holding a tissue to cover your mouth, dust some translucent powder atop the mouth area using a brush. These methods will help stain the lips with some colour so if you end up caught under the mistletoe, you’ll still have some colour on the lips post-kiss!

Complete the look:
Keep the look balanced by going light on the eye make-up – a stroke of black liquid liner and neutral eyeshadow on the lids looks gorgeous with red lips. Red lips also have the tendency to make the face look washed out. Add blush/bronzer for colour and definition after applying lipstick, but use just a small amount so that the lips remain the strongest element of the make-up look.

Artist tips:
If red is still too bold, blot the colour slightly and apply a clear gloss atop to soften the look. If you're not a lipstick kind of girl, there are plenty of red lip stains or cherry coloured glosses to help you achieve that festive red look!

To avoid the dreaded lipstick-on-the-teeth look, take your index finger, place it in your mouth and pull it straight out. This technique will help remove any excess lipstick and keep your pearly whites in check!

It's best to first try on a red you plan on buying and looking at it outside of department store lighting. Use this as a guideline to narrow in on reds that will work best for you:
For pale skin tones, try a cool and bright cherry red. (Think Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera).
For medium yellow and olive skin tones, give a warm-toned fire-engine red a go.
For dark skin tones, try a berry colour or crimson red.

For the next few posts, we’ll be focusing on festive looks to get you dolled up for your holiday parties. So while you’re focusing on prepping for the parties you’ll be hosting and shopping for the people on your list--don't worry--we’ve got your make-up tips covered here!

GET THE LOOK | ‘Tis the Season for Glitter

It’s the season for tinsel so why not add a little glittery glam to your evening look? Try out these products to add a little bit of sparkle and a whole lotta glam this holiday season:

Annabelle Silverstar Glitter Mascara
As part of their recent Space Baby collection, Annabelle released a glitter silver mascara, aptly dubbed Silverstar. I initially was a bit taken aback by the idea of glitter mascara. Whenever I hear the word "glitter", I have flashbacks to the '80s and memories of dancing to Fame & Flashdance soundtracks and rocking the ever popular legwarmer look! Needless to say, glitter has come a long way. Glitter is no longer the chunky bits that churn up my memories of the 80s. Today's glitter is finely milled with more of a subtle, but still eye-catching, sparkle.

In a mascara though? Whodathunkit?! But after giving Silverstar a test run, it turned out I was pleasantly surprised and an immediate convert!! Once applied, Annabelle's Silverstar mascara made my lashes look like they had been kissed by diamonds! The effect is actually very subtle, but catches the light brilliantly as you blink and bat away those lashes (and believe me, you'll be batting them even more!!).

I tried the mascara on its own a few times and then tried it again with a black mascara as a base. I preferred the look with the black base coat of mascara first. The black base coat helped give my lashes the necessary oomph factor to stand out (they need all the help they can get!). From there, applying the glitter mascara was like the icing on the cake!

Be warned that this mascara is highly reflective, so it takes a little bit to get used to seeing sparkles in the corner of your eye (think of when a snowflake catches your eyelash - similar to that feeling!). Either way, more excuse to flutter your sparkling lashes!

Glitter mascara is definitely a fun and super easy way to add sparkle to your evening out. So pop in it that purse, add a coat or two and bat those lashes (and the night) away!!


MAC Reflects Glitter
Similar to MAC Pigment (an artistrhi favourite!), MAC Glitter has the same staying power and potent shine, but with a larger sparkle finish. You can use this versatile product around the eyes, on the lips and on the body! Add it atop your eyeshadow, apply it over your gloss or mix in a tiny bit with your body lotion for a simply dazzling effect.

I was lucky enough to scoop up a container of Reflects Transparent Teal Glitter, which looks amazing when you add a tiny bit to your lotion for use as a highlighter. Teal Glitter also looks great atop blue eyeshadows (like we talked about yesterday), so layer it on for an extra pop!

Here are some more options for glitter around the eyes. (Note: Try only one glitter look on the face at a time…otherwise you may risk glitter overkill!):

1. Use glitter to highlight the inner corner of the eye. Layer it atop a highlighting eyeshadow for a stand-out look that makes the highlighting eyeshadow more visible from afar.
2. Use a tiny amount of glitter and place it on a tissue (you can control the amount better this way). Use the tip of your ring finger or a sponge tip eyeshadow applicator and lightly pat on the centre of the eyelid (where the eye is the most prominent). This gives a nice highlighting effect that truly makes the eye come forward.

Disclaimer: Glitter has its limits, so be sure to consult here on how to make glitter work for you!

There’s no way to better way to beat the winter blues than by adding a little pop of colour to your make-up routine. Update your look by taking a cue from the fall/winter 2008 runways where blue eye make-up was all the rage!! Now, to make sure you carry off this look without looking dated (i.e. not like mom’s baby blue make-up of yesteryear!), try one of these artist tips to get a modern version of the blue-adorned lid:

Use navy eyeliner instead of black.
Navy is still a great neutral coloured eyeliner for anytime of the day wear. It works best on brown and green eyed people and adds brightness to the eyes (versus using a black). Navy is a great way to wear blue for daytime, and yes, it’s suitable for office environments too! Just be sure to keep the application simple at work and add some drama at night by making it thicker or adding a wingtip!

Add a peep of blue eyeshadow to the outer corners.
Use black eyeliner as usual. Use blue eyeshadow just on the top and bottom outer corner of the lid (or alternate between the two corners) and smudge it into the eyeliner, not straying too far from the lashline. This technique adds depth and a nice brightening effect to the eye rather than when using just a black or gray eyeshadow.

Use light blue as a highlight and blending eyeshadow for a smoky eye.
Do your smoky eye as usual, and use a subtle blue/blue-gray colour to soften the effect and apply it to the inner corner of the eye as a highlighter.

Opt for a medley of blues, rather than black, for your evening smoky eye.
There are numerous palettes out there to help you achieve a blue evening smoky eye. Christian Dior’s five pan palettes in Myriad and in Blue Croisette have beautiful combinations of blues that make it easy to get the smoky blue look.

There’s a blue look out there for everybody. If you’re a beginner, try a navy eyeliner or some blue mascara. If you’re more advanced, try a navy liquid liner or a blue smoky eye. If blue eyeshadow freaks you out, you can still incorporate the trend into everyday wear by trying on a blue mascara (Benefit’s BADgal mascara in Blue is gorgeous) or polishing up with blue nails! The options are endless - so have fun with it - and look great while beating the winter blues!

See www.style.com for more inspiration!

Glitter is definitely a fun way to get dolled up for a night out, but it does have its limits. Most people can wear glitter, but I would recommend that methods of application adjust with age. Remember, we always want the make-up to draw in attention to the person wearing it rather than to the make-up itself. You are wearing the make-up rather than the make-up is wearing you! Follow these guidelines for some strategically placed glitter that will make sure you are the focus of the evening:

Teens
At this age, you can get away with just about anything when it comes to glitter. But you still don’t want to overdo it (glitter is one of those cases where you can have too much of a good thing)! Choose one area of the face to highlight with glitter. If you spread glitter all over the place, people won’t know where to look! To keep it fun and classy, add a little bit of glitter on the eyes and then some gloss to your lips. Now, you’re party-ready!

20s – 30s
Glitter is great for that evening holiday party, but pass on using it for daytime and at the office. For a night out, use a tiny bit and dust it atop your finished eyeshadow look. Move your head at different angles and see how the light picks up the gorgeous glimmer. Remember, less is more so keep the glitter to one area as well for a sophisticated glam look.

30s – 40s
Depending on your skin’s condition, women in this age range should be more weary of glitter, particularly when using it around the eyes. Glitter can make fine lines stand out and highlight uneven surfaces on the face. For lids that are more crepey, I would stray away from glitter completely. For smoother eyelids, use your discretion and apply glitter sparingly.

40s plus
On the face, stick to luminescent products and add just a hint of shimmer to the skin. Glitter can have an aging effect and give the impression that the wearer is trying to pull off dated looks from the past. No one wants to be labeled as having a look that's stuck in the 70s! Instead, modernize the glitter look and use luminescent products. These products are much more forgiving as they distract away from fine lines, but still attract attention towards the main focus—you!

Moral of the story - glitter is fun, but it's not meant to be overdone (unless disco goddess is your intended look!). A little goes a long way.

Check out my latest product review post on Make-up Junkie:

I wasn’t one to jump on the mineral make-up bandwagon (I love me my make-up and really don’t mind a full make-up routine of foundation, concealer and powder!). But for lighter days and times when you’re rushed, mineral make-up definitely makes sense...and it doesn't hurt that the ingredients are made to be better for your skin! For a mineral make-up product, I initially found L'Oréal's Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Powder to be quite heavy and even cakey in appearance. I thought it might be the flat brush that came with the product or the fact that it was a pressed (rather than a loose) powder that made the application seem to apply thicker than usual. Not one to give up on a product after only one try, I did manage to have better results on the second day by using a dome powder brush and a lighter hand in application. Using this type of brush helped to better distribute the powder over a larger area of the face - I didn’t have to keep dipping my brush to grab more powder for application, which also meant less risk of using too much product (likely the cause of the initial cake effect). Instead with the dome brush, it only took a couple of swipes and I was good to go!

In terms of coverage, the product was good without being too thick and cakey once I adjusted for the brush and technique. I did like the fact that when I checked the mirror at lunchtime, there wasn’t as much shine in the T-zone as other powders I’ve tested out. I tried to tweak the application technique for the remainder of the week, still using the dome powder brush and a lighter hand in application. I tried the powder with foundation on one day (I know...defeats the purpose of mineral make-up, but I had to try!) and without foundation on another day. With foundation, it worked as a good setting powder. Without foundation, it went on smoothly, but I had to ensure I thoroughly moisturized to avoid any drier areas of my face from standing out. Throughout the week, the results were the same: decent coverage that didn’t require much touch-up after a half day’s wear. I found L’oreal’s Bare Naturale to be an ok powder, but it lacked the wow-factor that made me think I have to scoop up several of these right now!! Also, since I had to use a separate brush not included in the orginal packaging, I think I will save the $12 that you’d pay for this and put that money towards a mineral powder that has that ‘it’ factor!

Have you tried L'oréal's Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Powder? Did you have better results? Leave a comment and let Make-up Junkie know!

ARTIST TIP: If you feel like you’ve applied too much powder, use a clean buffer brush and use circular motions in the areas of concern to buff off any excess product.