For internationally renowned makeup artist Lisa Eldridge, the gift of festive glamour cannot be overstated in its ability to inspire joy. It is not merely about dressing to the nines and exuding merriment via your makeup, but self-care, playfulness and indulgence. Giving yourself the opportunity to take pleasure in your routine – rather than the slapdash, utilitarian approach that many of us can unwittingly slip into as per the nature of our busy lives – is hugely important.
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"It's about upping the glamour stakes," she tells Hello! Fashion about her beauty approach for the festive period. "It's definitely a time to have fun with your makeup and I relish the opportunities to play with different colours and textures."
"If I'm glamming up for Christmas dinner or drinks, I love a simple, sculpted eye with plenty of individual lashes and a nicely emphasised mouth," the makeup artist reveals. "A beautiful, velvety red lip paired with a neutral, subtly sparkly eye (this year I'll be wearing my Lisa Eldridge Eyeshadow Palette in the shade 'Vega') will make me feel suitably festive, and I top it off with an amplified glow, courtesy of my Elevated Glow Highlighter." Sounds like party perfection…
Eyeshadow Palette in Vega, £49, Lisa Eldridge
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Lisa's guide to 'grown-up' glitter
In our humble opinion, glitter epitomises the spirit of Christmas just as much as any figgy pudding or yuletide carol, but how to elevate it and take it from shimmery shambles to lustrous luminary?
"It's not a new trend as such, but who doesn't like a sprinkle of sparkle? There is no better time to lean into some 'grown-up glitter' than at Christmas, and I'll be reaching for my Liquid Lurex Eyeshadows to embellish my eyes this party season," Lisa reveals.
"To keep things fresh and chic, let the glitter embellishment be the focal point of your look and keep the rest pared back and minimal. For example, pair a glitter eye with a 'my-lips-but-better' or nude lip colour and clean, fresh-looking skin. This will stop the rest of your makeup from looking like it's competing with your sparkly statement," she advises.
READ: Lipstick shades: 7 colours you need to wear this winter
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Lisa's guide to the ultra-festive smoky eye
In case you've been living under a rock (or engaging in some Instagram downtime), we bring good tidings of great joy. Lisa has recently welcomed an extra-special new addition to her makeup line, a selection of carefully curated six-pan eyeshadow palettes that are directly inspired by her community and clients.
"I wanted to bring the way I worked in my professional kit directly to them," the makeup artist explains. "My eyeshadow palettes are a closely edited wardrobe of shades, inspired by the self-created palettes I've always carried in my kit with the shades and textures I absolutely rely on."
"Each palette's colour story covers every mood – from the simplest, natural looks to dramatic, full glamour. The shades contained within each palette are totally complementary, you can take just one shade alone across the lid for a beautiful wash of colour, or experiment with layering the different colours and textures for a bespoke eye look. There are no rules, just play with the colours and have fun," she encourages.
One of the most common mistakes that people make when attempting a smoky eye is not adjusting the shade of the shadow in accordance with the size of your eyes, and Lisa has a failsafe beauty hack to ensure that you are right on the money.
"The trick is to apply it looking directly into a mirror – that way you can see where you're building the volume and can see the definition others will see when your eyes are open," she explains.
Lisa's to the post-party skin reset
Naturally, party season often involves late nights and plenty of indulgence – perfectly apt for the celebratory atmosphere, but these conditions can wreak havoc on your skin.
"Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate," is Lisa's golden rule when it comes to dealing with your complexion aftermath. "Always keep a bottle of water to hand to make sure you're hydrated from the inside, out. It will really make a difference," she says. "Also, embrace rich and nourishing formulas that contain ceramides and humectant heroes like glycerin."
And if your face is puffy or slightly swollen after a particularly heavy-duty occasion, Lisa swears by "the power of a facial massage for its depuffing properties".
"I love to use facial globes to further aid this and keep mine in the fridge for full efficacy. Try Jenny Pantikin’s cryo face globes, I always have these on hand in the fridge at my studio for a massage moment," she reveals.
And then to do it all over again the following night…
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