If you’re attending a Winter Ball this term, you have the perfect excuse to invest in some new festive products to create your glamourous look. With these 7 steps, we’ll guide you to achieving shimmering eyes and glowing skin that will turn heads at your event.
1. Prime
Making sure your skin is prepared is key for any evening event or the makeup might wear off throughout the night. We suggest using a primer on both your face and eyelids before applying any makeup. Brands that stock excellent primers include Smashbox, NYX and Bourjois.
2. Base
Picking the perfect base will depend on your skin type, if you have normal/dry skin going for an illuminating foundation will give you a heavenly glow. However, if your skin is oily fear not you can still achieve glowing skin with powder highlighter. We love Revlon’s Colorstay Foundation which has brilliant staying power, comes in variety of shades as well as having the option of picking the ‘Normal/Dry’ or ‘Oily’ version of the foundation meaning this base will really suit anyone. It is also very affordable.
3. Brows
As the eyes for this look are heavy it’s important to groom the brows so that your makeup does not look disproportionate. Pick a product which is one shade darker than your hair colour and use concealer around the brows to define them further. We recommend Anastasia Beverly Hill’s brow pomade because the formula stays on longer than powders and pencils will. Set the brows using a clear gel – remember if you’re naturally blessed in the brow department simply brush up your brows and set with a gel. Filling in previously thick brows may look overdone.
4. Eyeshadow
This is definitely the most fun part, we recommend shimmery products matching the colours of your outfit. If you’re new to eyeshadow a great product is the Maybelline Colour Tattoo cream eyeshadow in ‘On and on bronze’ – a glistening brown shade. This product can be blended with your fingers underneath your eyes as well to give a sultry bronzed look that’s very Mila-Kunis. Another slightly pricier product is Charlotte Tilbury’s Colour Chameleon eyeshadow pencil: Champagne Diamonds is an incredibly pigmented shade. If this shadow is too much it would be a fantastic addition to your Christmas list.
5. Liner and Lashes
To finish your eyes apply winged eyeliner with a black or brown liquid such as the Bourjois Liner Pinceau. In order to perfect your wing apply a pencil liner first which will act as a stencil, then clean up any imperfections with concealer. Alternatively apply tape to your eyes and use it to trace the wing. Voluminous lashes are essential for a ball, so curl your lashes and apply a couple of coats of mascara – Maybelline’s Lash Sensational gives a particularly dramatic look appropriate for evening wear. You could also apply false lashes for added intensity.
6. Contour and Highlight
Define your cheekbones by applying bronzer but not too much as you don’t need to look sun kissed in Winter. To compliment your eyeshadow, apply a generous amount of highlighter on your cheekbones, down your nose and on your cupid’s bow. We love Mary Lou Manizer by the Balm as the gold shimmer is perfect for Christmas.
7. Lipstick
If you’re going to be eating and drinking wearing a lipstick that will last all night is important, we recommend going for a nude and using lip liner for precision– Gerrard Cosmetics liquid lipstick is excellent for all nighters. If you’re feeling brave, a red lip would be suitably festive providing the shade does not clash with your dress!