Beauty expert Bobbi Brown offers advice on how to transform your makeup from day to evening, look glam for a special holiday event, and choose the perfect red lipstick.
From office to work partyWhen it comes to holiday beauty, it's about what works for you and your style. I take my look from day to evening with a few additions: highlighter on my browbone, jet black gel liner, dark nail polish (I love chocolate plum) and, for the finishing touch, a pair of sparkly earrings. Here are more tips:
- Always brighten eyes with concealer.
- A bit of shimmer on eyes, cheeks or lips instantly makes a look special.
- Brush two to three coats of black mascara on lashes.
- Make lips dramatic by choosing a shade that's slightly richer than what you wear for day.
- Switch from your light daytime scent to a warm, sexy fragrance.
Holiday glamWinter white, luminescent silver and shimmer is in this season. This look is sexy and elegant when paired with cassis stained lips. Shimmer always makes you look more glam. When picking shimmer, avoid heavy frosted formulas and look for sheer formulas that don't have a lot of pigment to them. Shimmer should be delicate enough to let skin show through. Moderation is key when it comes to shimmer — wear it on one or two places at a time — eyes, cheeks or lips, but never all three spots at once.
Seeing redRed lipstick is a holiday staple and an easy way to make your everyday look festive. It's a look — despite what you may think — that anyone, even you, can pull off. To find your perfect red, think about your style and the kind of statement you want to make, then find a shade you feel comfortable wearing.
If you want a subtle look: Choose a super sheer red (picture your lips after eating a popsicle) lip gloss or lip stain. Try pinkish ruby-red if you're fair skin-skinned, wine-red if you have a medium complexion, and deep burgundy if you have a dark complexion.
If you love bold color and want a big-statement lip, look for blue-red and orange-red shades of lipstick — these are the strongest reds. A creamy, semi-matte formula is more modern than a totally matte lipstick. Instead of applying lipstick directly from the tube, use your fingers to blot color onto lips. There are a handful of easy and very subtle ways to wear red if you're a makeup novice or just want a more casual look. A red lip pencil can be very versatile — create your own shade by mixing the pencil with your favorite neutral or brown lipstick, or smooth lip balm on lips then fill in all over using the pencil. If you want a high-shine lip, try a sheer gloss in cherry or wine.