Season of sparkle: Holiday beauty is all about the

Season of sparkle: Holiday beauty is all about the glow

These days, you can’t really get through the holidays without some type of effort.

Be it budgeting for presents, travelling to see friends and family, or attempting to perfect that generations-old turkey recipe, the most wonderful time of the year is also often the most arduous.

And that air of effort extends to beauty, too.

“Holiday makeup is a little more intensified, refined and glamorous,” Jason Hadikin, national spokesperson for Estée Lauder, says. “You want it to look like you have spent more time on the way you look.”

But just because it’s a bit more effort, the act of applying holiday-appropriate makeup doesn’t have to be a chore.

There are a few key things to keep in mind before you pick up that makeup brush — and if you follow them, we promise the process will go down as smoothly as a glass of rum-spiked egg nog.


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When it comes to holiday beauty, it all starts with the skin, according to Hadikin.

“The most important thing is to keep your skin hydrated,” he says.

Hadikin recommends trying an overnight mask such as Estée Lauder’s Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Mask Boost ($72).

“It immediately hydrates your skin, making it look refreshed and healthy,” he says.

The stressful season can wreak havoc on one’s skin — to say nothing of the after effects of increased holiday snacking and sipping on seasonal drinks.

To combat these and other holiday transgressions, Hadikin recommends detoxing skin with a nutrient-rich mask and overnight moisturizer combo.

“A detox mask will help get rid of any unwanted debris that might be trapped beneath the skin,” he says. “(The moisturizer) helps skin stay hydrated and works to repair any cellular damage.

“But most of all, it also helps you look like you got eight hours of sleep, even if you did not.”

If all else fails, head for the highlighter.

Hadikin recommends using an illuminating blush or BB cream highlighter to fake a healthy glow.

“This technique creates a fresh looking face,” he says.

After your skin is set, consider going for a bold brow and lip combination or a metallic smokey eye.

“Using metallic shades in grey, bronze or even jewel tones will light up your eyes with a sophisticated sexiness,” Hadikin says. “This trend is all about emphasizing the eyes and bringing the drama.”

Attention-grabbing nails are another a great way to add interest to an overall holiday look — especially when there wasn’t time for a full face of makeup.

“If you usually shy away from nail art, the holiday season is the perfect time to rock your glitters, accent nails, and nail art,” says Linda Trang Ly, CND education ambassador and owner of the new Gastown-based nail salon, Onyx Aesthetics Studio.

Trang’s current holiday favourites come from CND’s Aurora Collection, which includes frosty shades of pink and green.

“It’s full of shimmering frozen pastels and surreal glacial hues that are appropriate for work and perfectly festive for holiday parties,” she explains.

Trang suggests going for a polish that has a bit of glitter already inside for a simple, one-coat update to nails.

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