Look radiant for the festive season by adding just a little luminosity.
1. Ace your base
Choosing something that gives you enough coverage to smooth over imperfections and make your skin look soft, supple and not overly made-up is what you’re aiming for. BB creams, tinted moisturisers and serum foundations are good options. Blend a little concealer over the top for extra coverage, just where you need it. Use a foundation brush for a really flawless finish.
Give it a go: 1. Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream Anti-Ageing, $17.49. 2 Bourjois CC Cream Foundation, $31. 3. Lancôme Soleil Bronzer Sun BB Cream, $56.
2. Contour your cheekbones
You don’t have to be a Kardashian to partake in a little contouring. As well as giving your complexion a healthy glow, some carefully placed bronzer will help to plump out those cheekbones and give your face dimension. With contouring being such a strong trend this season, there is no shortage of formulas to choose from. Cream versions will melt into your skin with the warmth of your fingertips. For a soft contour, lightly apply the colour directly under your cheekbones and blend it up towards your temples. Powder versions will need to be buffed with a brush. Contouring can work a treat to sharpen up your jawline, too. Simply apply colour directly under the bone and blend along towards your ears.
Give it a go: 4. Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour, $57. 5. Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Highlighter in Gold Illumination, $72. 6. Natio Sunlit Mineral Bronzer, $23.50.
3. Add a little magic
Mastering the art of highlighting is all about choosing a flattering hue for your skin tone, then putting it in the right spot. If you have fair skin, a cool, icy shade will suit you best. Medium skin tones can pull off an illuminator with golden tones, while darker skins will need a warmer shade to avoid looking chalky.
Highlighters work by catching the light and, used sparingly, they can give skin a beautiful lift. Dab a little onto the top of your cheekbones, under each brow bone, even outside and above the corners of your mouth, and pat into your base really well.
Give it a go: 1. Fifth Avenue Cream Illuminator, $11. 2. Nude by Nature Soft Focus Illuminator, $28.95. 3. Revlon PhotoReady Skinlights Face Illuminators, $36.95 each. 4. 3. Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer, $19.99.
4. Accessorise
There are lots of other ways you can use make-up to add a sophisticated festive touch. A swipe of metallic liner or a wash of bronze or gold-toned eyeshadow on your lids will subtly up the glamour factor. There are even products that will give your brows a flicker of highlight. And for a final flourish, sparkly nail polish is the perfect way for grown-ups to play with glitter!
Give it a go: 5. Bobbi Brown Sequin Eye Shadow in Star Beam, $70. 6. ArtDeco High Performance Eyeshadow Stylo in Silver Pearl, $22. 7. Essie Nail Enamel in Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Low, $22.99. 8. Max Factor Smoky Eye Drama Kit in Sumptuous Golds, $22.99. 9. Smashbox Brow Tech Highlight Stick, $44.
