The holiday season is fast approaching and you just couldn’t figure out what to appear in your cocktail party. Planning to go on holiday? your aim must be to look your best on trip. Keeping that in mind, we have compiled some holiday make up to suit your personality. Starting from makeup to accessories, we tell you how to jazz up your look.

Start Fresh

Before you do anything else, make sure your skin is well cleansed and moisturised. Don’t even think about just adding some more makeup on top of what you have on. Trust me, this will only take a few minutes but the results will justify spending the time. Take your makeup off; the makeup remover wipes are fantastic to remove makeup in a hurry.

Rinse your face with water, and then add moisturiser. You may find that the moisturiser you used in winter may be too heavy for summer, especially if you are outdoors, so opt for an oil free moisturiser. In summer a lot of women find tinted moisturisers an excellent choice.

The Right Foundation

You must remember that your foundation is not a mask. Your foundation is designed to even out your skin tone and hide any blemishes, but most of all it must look natural. Use a foundation type that you find the easiest to apply in a hurry.

If you find liquid foundations too fussy, opt for a powder foundation. Generally anything that can be applied with a makeup sponge or a brush is quick and easy to apply.

Healthy Holiday Glow

Brush Bronzing Powder over the top of your foundation or tinted moisturiser for an instant healthy holiday glow. For this, use a large round brush, dip it into your Bronzing Powder and then knock the base of the brush against a hard surface. This will disperse the powder from the tip of the brush allowing you to get a very natural looking glow all over the face. Remember to take the Bronzing Powder past your jaw line, down your neck and even down your décolleté if you are wearing a revealing top.

Eye Bright

This summer there are some beautiful light, bright, and shimmery eye shadows on the market. Make your eyes the centre of attention with a little sparkle. Choose one colour that is most flattering for you. These are generally opposite colours to your eye colour. Eg: Brown eyes – Blue eye shadow, Blue eyes – Brown eye shadow, Green eyes – Gold eye shadow, ect. With shimmery eye shadows it is always best to stick to the one colour unless you are very experienced in application and blending. This will also cut down on the application time. Apply the shadow starting above your eyelashes and take it up just past the crease in your eyelid. Blend lightly so you don’t have a visible line.

Line Right

An eyeliner is a must for well-finished eye makeup. Draw a line as close to your lashes as you can and follow it up with a very dark eye shadow applied with a narrow brush. This will not only even out the liner and give you a smoky look but it also seals the pencil line so it won’t budge through the night. If you are very game and you still have a bit of time you can apply liquid liner over the top. This makes for a very intense, dramatic look and it ensures that nothing will budge your eyeliner.

Frame Well

Don’t forget your mascara. This is worth spending a minute on, as your lashes will frame your eyes to perfection. If the day or night is going to be hot, it is best to use a waterproof mascara, just to be on the safe side. Use a mascara that is not more than 3 months old (for hygiene reasons). Wipe the end of the mascara wand to remove any excess product and start applying it to the centre of the top lashes by gently wriggling it between the hairs and moving up to the ends. Repeat this a couple of times then move to the corners of the eyes, first the inner corner then the outer corner. Do not apply mascara to the lower lashes. The transfer from your top lashes when you blink is enough.

Killer Pout

Lip Glosses are the perfect way to finish off your party look. Not only are they quick and easy to apply, they are very glamorous too. Lip Glosses also make your lips appear fuller. You can either get a coloured gloss or use a clear gloss over your lipstick.

If you are using a coloured gloss apply foundation to your lips first. This will hold your lip-gloss to your lips well. Then apply your lip-gloss the following way: instead of putting gloss on like you do lipstick (from left to right, top then bottom); first apply gloss to the middle of your bottom lip only. Rub lips together.

This will keep gloss from going on too thickly. Then if more is needed apply to bottom lip only again, until the desired look is achieved. If you are using a clear gloss over your lipstick, give your lipstick a minute on your lips to settle then follow the application rules as above.

As they say practice makes perfect, but even with limited experience you can follow these steps to achieve a beautiful, fresh looking makeup that you can accomplish in 15 minutes.

Other Useful Tips

• Never apply too much makeup.
• Experiment with different colors to see what looks great on you.
• Look for products that offer sun protection (with SPF at least 15).
• Never apply too heavy foundation or face powder.
• Choose a liquid foundation and a liquid concealer for a lighter coverage.
• Never outline your lips with too dark lip liner.
• Always curl your lashes before you apply mascara.
• To make your makeup stay put on for longer you can apply makeup primer before the foundation.
• Look for light-reflecting makeup products if your skin is clear – free of pimples, blackheads, enlarged pores, whiteheads, spots.
• Apply a lip balm every day to keep your lips soft and well-moisturized.
• Always remove your makeup in the evening with a gentle makeup remover.
• Always apply your makeup to a cleansed, toned and moisturized skin.