Christmas is here again, and for most women it's the season to be bright and sparkly! Whether you're driving home for Christmas to see family, or heading out to glitzy parties to see old friends over the festive period, no doubt you'll want to look your best.
After all your hard work this year, it's time to give yourself a nice Christmas present - beauty treats you deserve! Here's a list of beauty ideas to make you look beautiful and stunning this season.
AN INTENSIVE SKIN-CLARIFYING BOOSTER
Great skin is probably the ultimate gift anyone can receive, but the great news is you can give it to yourself without having to bust your bank account for pricey designer store potions.
A FABULOUS FULL BODY MASSAGE
It's the perfect ending to a long year and damn it, you deserve it! The receptionist may laugh at you but technically, she can't deny you a double stress-busting whammy. Book your massages on a day when you can turn your phone off and forget everyone but yourself.
A LITTLE EYE MASSAGE TO GET RID OF PUFFY EYES
All those nights partying is bound to leave even young eyes looking tired. To make sure you stay looking bright and alert over Christmas give yourself a little eye massage to get rid of puffy eyes. Begin at the corner of one of your eyes and work your way up, between your brow bone and your eye, rubbing as you go until you reach the outer edge of your eye. Repeat along your lower lash line. Also, be careful about where you apply your blusher as applying it too high can make you look tired.
COMBAT ALCOHOL
Although you may like sipping a tasty mojito or cosmopolitan, your skin doesn't. Alcohol dehydrates you and can leave your skin dry, grey and dull. To make sure your skin glows despite the endless flow of alcohol over the festive period your moisturizer won't be enough. Instead invest in some cleansing milks that contain hylauronic acid. You could also apply a brightening face mask; look for ones that contain alpha-hydroxy acids, as this natural acid helps to destroy dead skin skills, firm up skin and moisturize.
GLITTERY LIPS
Nothing says Christmas like glitter, and slathering some sparkly goodness on your pout will definitely bring you some Christmas cheer this year. To master the look, line your lips with a light colored lip pencil and add foundation to the corners of your mouth. Then apply a creamy lipstick using a lip brush before using a flat brush to add on your glitter. You can finish with a gloss. To glam up your lips even more add some clear lip gloss. The one thing to bear in mind if you're considering having glittery lips for a Christmas do is that drinking, eating and kissing may be off limits; so weigh up your priorities before donning a glitter pout.
A HOLLY-RED LIP GLOSS
Not only it is the best time of the year to shamelessly paint your lips this bright, but wearing a slick, rocking red gloss instantly satisfies your inner diva's color craving - and gets your long time dare to wear red lips out of the way. Leave the rest of your face neutral with just mascara, and a sweep of blush, and all party eyes will be on you.
BRIGHT, RED NAILS
When your nails resemble cherry candies, they provide the finishing touch of succulent party look and even do the flirting for you. Keep them short and semi-squared so you can take them from day to night.
A SHEER, SHIMMERY EYE SHADOW
It's the best season to up the makeup wattage but a super sparkly shadow with barely there color makes you stand out from a sea of heavy holiday makeup, and makes a great highlighter addition to your eye shadow palette. Sweep it onto lids and under lower lashes, and then apply three coats of black mascara onto curled lashes.
FLAT STOMACH
For most of us, a flat, washboard stomach is like the elixir of life – a distant, priceless dream that will never become a reality. Yet we have a few tricks that might make that flat tummy achievable. Firstly, try taking peppermint capsules or aloe vera juice. Each do a fantastic job in supporting the digestive system and both can help you achieve a flat stomach by preventing bloating. So that you can look amazing in your Christmas outfit, you can also cut out certain foods that can cause excessive gas and bloating. Try to limit things that contain refined sugar, or fermented products like cheese and alcohol.
AN IRRESTIBLY IRIDESCENT ALL-OVER HIGHLIGHTER
Just dust it on your cheekbones, shoulders, cleavage and legs and you'll be positively radiant when you do the party rounds. Bonus: you'll glow in party pictures and you'll have a tan-enhancer when March rolls around.
EXFOLIATE
Pick up a skin cream you can apply onto your face at night, since your skin repairs itself while you sleep and can use the extra help. The key ingredient is an effective exfoliant like salicylic acid, which helps speed up the surfacing of fresh, new skin while gently removing dead skin cells and relieving clogged pores.
SKIN SOFTNER
Use classic skin softeners such as baby oil and Vaseline. E45 cream is one of the best all-purpose moisturizers around.
PARTY MAKE-UP
Party make-up has to be right if you want to look beautiful at Christmas. The key to looking great for your Christmas party is to put on your eye shadow first. Then apply your foundation and any other make-up you want to wear. This way you know that any loose eye shadow won't fall in those places you don't want it.
SIMPLE UP 'DO
Christmas is such a frantic time that it can be difficult to find the energy to fuss over hair styles. Yet if you want to look fantastic then one of the best beauty tips you can master is the art of simple hairdos. If you want to put your hair up, try twisting one section from the front of your hair; once twisted pin into place at the back of your head. Repeat with the other side. Then take the remainder of your hair and tie a messy bun. This look is elegant, simple and more importantly quick.
