How To: Holiday Makeup Edition

The season for perfect makeup looks is upon us. Whether you have one holiday party or five, you need a go-to beauty routine that allows you to focus on what you’re going to wear: the metallic fit-and-flare dress or the sequin LBD?

This is a time to be bold and even a little daring, to really make an impression under the miseltoe or the Times Square Ball drop. We love a bold lip and for holiday 2014 we love the bold burgundy lip. Read below to find out the perfect eye and skin routine to go with your pout application.

Start with Your Skin – To make your bold lip stand out, keep your skin looking healthy and avoid using distracting blushes and bronzers. Start with your favorite moisturizer. Let it absorb for a few minutes before applying a primer like one of Smash Box’s photo finish options. You can choose the best one for your skin type.

Next, use your concealer under your eyes and extend it from the top of your cheek to your outer eye and down to the bone, blending as you go and finish with translucent powder from Nars.

Define Your Brows – Use a brow pencil to outline the top of your brow and the bottom. Blend the lines. Now fill in your brow with powder for perfect definition.

Apply Eye Primer and Shadow – It may seem like an unnecessary step, but a separate primer for your lids will keep your shadow from settling in the folds of your eye or wearing off on the dance floor. If you want your eyes to pop, use a white pencil or shadow in the corners of your eyes and blend. To give your lids subtle holiday shimmer, we recommend Chanel’s Illusion D’Ombre in Fantasme.

Apply Your Vamped Up Lip – What hue should you choose? There are so many options right now for wine-stained color. Glossy or Matte? Do you go dark or medium? The choice is up to you. Wear what you feel most comfortable wearing. Constantly blotting or checking your lips is no way to spend a holiday fete. We love Dolce & Gabbana’s shade simply titled Red Wine. The satin finish is somewhere between full-on gloss and matte. If it’s your first time going burgundy, and you’re not sure how steady your hand is, do use a lip brush. The application will go more slowly but will be perfect. Don’t forget to line the outer line of your lips in concealer with a stiff angled brush. Blend the concealer before applying your lip liner and lipstick.

Finish With Mascara and Liner – Always apply mascara last, so you don’t risk rubbing it on your clothes or getting your hair caught in it while you style. Use your eyelash curler for definition. Liner is optional with this look, as your lips are the star of the show. If you choose to use, try using it only on your top lid.