Holiday Makeup to Bring in the New Year                               Back to columns list

Nicole Beckett

December 24, 2004

Although I would not dare to wear the same outfit two days in a row, I cannot say the same of my approach with makeup.  On a daily basis, I follow the same two minute routine: touch of power, a dash of blush and a coat of lipstick—a no fuss approach.

The holidays, however, are no time for minimalism and call for a completely different approach to cosmetics.  With Christmas and New Year’s Eve right around the corner, this is the perfect time for any girl to set aside her daily routine and let the proverbial glam squad take her out of her comfort zone. 

Why not bring in the New Year with more shimmer, brighter lips and higher cheek bones?

Not equipped to tackle such a Goliath mission alone, I enlisted the help of Southern California-based MAC makeup artist Tonya Binkley. Together we dredged through mountains of glitter, blotted many a lip and applied numerous coats of mascara to find the must-have looks deemed holiday-worthy.

To shine at holiday parties, a girl must begin with a clean palette.  Whether your complexion is ProActive-perfect or has a few imperfections, every girl’s best friend when it comes to spotless skin is a non-oily concealer. My fave: Clinique’s Concealer Stick.  Choose a color closest to or a little lighter than your skin tone and use it to cover up a multitude of blemishes and under eye circles. Use your finger to blend. Then pat you face with a light layer of pressed powder.  This will give you an amazing base without the heavy feeling of an all-over foundation.

Admittedly you may look a little Geisha at this point.  Fix that by adding shimmery blush to the apples of your cheeks.  No matter what your skin tone, a pink shade like Neutrogena Shimmer Sheers in Charmed will enhance your natural cheekbones and make you look fresh, even if you had too much eggnog the evening before. 

For advanced cosmetics queens, Binkley suggests using a hint of shimmer like MAC’s Refined Golden Bronzing Powder at the temples, cheeks and above the eyebrows, but go easy, you don’t want to end up looking like a too-tan retiree aboard a Carnival Cruise ship.

Now that you have a clean palette to work with, it’s time for your eyes. Many people consider the eyes to be the windows to the soul, and I say, let those windows conjure up a come-hither look you’re sure to need when the clock strikes twelve this New Year’s Eve. 

For an all-eyes-on-you sultry makeover, start by giving your eyes a smoky look with two shades of eye shadow.  Pick a light and dark color combination like true pink and cranberry, suggests Binkley. Cover lids with the lighter powder. Using a rounded brush, add the darker powder to the crease of your lids, starting at the outer edge of you eyelid and subtly moving inward.

With a liquid liner, line the upper lid, continuing beyond the outside corner of the eye curving slightly upward for a sexy Brigitte Bardot look.  To make your eyes appear larger, Binkley suggests increasing the thickness of the line above the center of the eye. Liberal coats of mascara also do wonders!

With glowing skin and smoky eyes, the only thing missing is fabulous holiday lips.  To me, this is definitely the time to go deep red. Think cinnamon sticks, sugar plums and nutmeg.  “The holidays are about deeper, warmer shades,” Binkley says, “Lipcolor tends to go a shade darker for the holidays, so if you use pink year round, move to plum, if you use mauve, move to burgundy.” Her fave for the season: Ruby Darling by MAC.

‘Tis the season for holiday cheer and fashionistas will be out in droves, so powder that nose and touch up your lips, for Santa Claus is coming to town!