The holidays are in full swing and a last minute invite might pop up on your desk that you just
can’t say no to. But that doesn’t mean you can’t look gorgeous in just a few minutes (even if you have to get ready in the office washroom). Keep a few party essentials stashed in your beauty bag for just such emergencies and follow these tips from leading makeup artists,
COVERGIRL makeup pro, Greg Wencel and Melissa Gibson, senior makeup artist with
M.A.C.

Start with the face:

"I think full brows with flawless skin and fresh cheek is a great classic holiday look – it’s achievable in minutes!" says Wencel. Here’s how to get this look:

Step 1: For a flawless fresh face, apply a primer to set the foundation.

Step 2: Apply concealer to
brighten skin and reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles; then smooth foundation over for a flawless finish.

Step 3: Apply a translucent, sheer formula to set the look.

Step 4: Create a full brow with a pencil in your shade, plumping up the shape by colouring the brown in short, quick strokes

Step 5: Blend blush across the apples of your cheeks either with your fingers or an angled blush brush. Wencel likes COVERGIRL & Olay Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush in Lush Berry, a shade that’s suits most skin tones.

Play up the eyes:

"The easiest way to glam up your office face is to give your eyes a striking slash of liquid liner in black," suggests Gibson. Use a liquid liner with a sturdy grip to create a fluid, clean line. You can add a little drama by winging the liner at the outer corners and topping with an extra coat of mascara. Up the ante (and if you’re handy with falsies), apply a half lash set on the outer corner of the eye for instant glamour.

Tips for applying fasle lashes on the next page (it’s easy, we promise!) …

False lashes tips:

"If you don’t have a dexterous friend or can’t pop into a M.A.C store to have a makeup artist apply your ‘night out’ lashes for you, then I say stick with the half lash on the outer top corners until you get some lash application practice under your belt," suggests Gibson. A half set of lashes will be much easier to apply and will require a little less time. Here are Gibson’s tips:

Step 1: Use a small amount of lash glue on the base of the lash, let it dry a bit for about 20 seconds, and then starting at the outer corner of the eye and working your way in to the center and then the inner corner, press onto your skin.

Step 2: Try getting the lash to sit as close to the natural lash line as possible.

Step 3: Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. Grab a dark shadow and a soft brush and glide it between your natural lashes and the false lashes to soften the look. Keep the rest of the face simple and clean with nude lips and a light blush.

Focus on the lips:

If you opt to keep your eyes soft, make your pout the strong focal point of your glam look. "This season one of the biggest beauty trends is a statement lip. This look is perfect for a holiday party easy to apply in no time at all and instantly makes you look polished and glamourous," says Wencel. Opt for bright and deep shades of red that are always perfect for the holiday season. To make it last all night, try a lip stain and top with a vibrant gloss for extra dimension.

The perfect red lip:

A crimson pout not only says holiday beauty, it also happens to be most women’s go-to sexy look. This season, add depth to your lip by layering
different types of products. "The newest twist on the red lip is to start off with the traditional lip pencil and lipstick in the colour of your choice but then top it off with a matching pigment," explains Gibson. "This makes for intense, long wearing colour, and is definitely a bit off the beaten path."

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