December is typically the busiest month of the year with holiday prep, parties galore, tying up end-of-year business and more. This is the season when we want to look our best, but we have the least amount of time and sleep to accomplish it. That's where Paula Begoun, author of Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, comes to the rescue. She has a cheat sheet with easy makeup tricks any woman can use to look party-perfect.
Freshen Up Your Complexion
If you're headed out to a party straight from the office and only have a few minutes to touch up, reduce oily shine with blotting papers and smooth out concealer that may have creased or diminished over the course of the day to brighten the eye area. Stash a makeup sponge and foundation in your makeup bag to spot-apply foundation where needed, such as redness peeking through around the nose, mouth, chin, or blemish-prone areas. Set by lightly dusting with pressed powder and voila!
Get Glowing
There's no quicker way to liven up a dull complexion than with a touch of shimmer applied to the high points of your face. In a party atmosphere, you can get away with more luminosity that will really accentuate cheekbones and perk up a dull complexion. Achieve this look with a luminous-finish blush, or your regular blush + highlighter dusted over cheeks. Check out Beautypedia on CosmeticsCop.com for recommendations. And don't forget to touch up your blush a bit more than usual; in the dim light of a party atmosphere you don't want to look pale and washed out.
Emphasize Your Eyes
No matter how tired you really are, strategically applied eyeshadow can help hide your exhaustion and create alluring eyes at the same time. Contour your crease with a soft, matte brown eye shadow to create subtle-but-elegant drama and blend in a deeper brown or black shade along the outer corner of your eye for a sultry, smoky look. Add a moderately thick swipe of eyeliner (a deep navy blue can help the whites of your eyes look whiter) and extra mascara or false eyelashes, and finish with cream-colored shimmer applied with a small brush around the inner corner of eyes for a sexy, bright-eyed look.
Choose Your Lip Color Without Fear
Many women simply put on the same lip color they wear every day for their evening look. Big mistake - think of it like wearing workout clothes with high heels, it's just the wrong mix. A dress-up event means dressing up your eyes, face, and lips! This is the one time of year to consider wearing red lipstick or some other bright, intense color.
Of course, if the intensity just feels like too much, you can always try a sheer cream, rich nude-, pink-, or mauve-toned lipstick and layer it with a high-shine, sparkly gloss for more drama with a twist.
Don't want to worry about lipstick touch-ups? Try one of the long wearing, two-step lip paints, such as M.A.C. Pro Longwear, and go for the shimmering topcoat for an extra bit of glam. If your lipstick tends to bleed, lock it in with an anti-feather lipliner.
Check out more makeup articles for women on the go:
Holiday Shopping for Discount Beauty
Organic Cosmetics Are Like Beauty Food For Your Skin