Find the right sports bra with Freya
Win £100 worth of shopping vouchers
Perfect your Christmas party make-up
Lynsey Alexander, senior make-up artist for M.A.C UK, has done catwalk shows for designers such as Chloe, Balenciaga, Matthew Williamson and Versace. We got her take on the party season's key make-up trends as well as some top tips on how to achieve them
The trends
According to Lynsey, there are two major trends this year. The first is the smoky-eyed rock chick look, which Kate Moss frequently sports so elegantly. The second is the more conservative, yet sexy pale face with dramatic and strong lips. Go for deep red lips, a la Dita Von Teese, for that 1950s starlet look or try a more kitsch 80s effect with a flash of neon pink.
Note: Don't try blending smoky eyes and strong lips or you will end up looking like you've come out for a Halloween party, not a Christmas one. Choose one trend and follow it - if the eyes are strong, keep the lips muted, and vice versa.
Now you've chosen your look, it's time to discover how to pull off the perfect transformation in the office loos after a hard day's work.
Build on what you've got
After work, there's always the temptation to wipe off your make-up and start again, but often there just isn't the time or space. Lynsey says: 'Forget about taking off all your make-up. The key is freshening up and building on what you're already wearing rather than starting from scratch.'
Don't go overboard!
'A lot of people get a bit heavy handed when they're doing their make-up at night,' explains Lynsey. 'Remember, you still want to look like yourself, just a bit fresher, not harder or stronger. A quick spritz of freshening spray will hydrate and give a real glow to the skin.'
Lynsey uses M.A.C's Fix+ on her celebrity clients, who include Teri Hatcher and Sienna Miller. Sensitive skin sufferers should try Avene's Eau Thermale, a soothing, anti-irritating, hydrating mist which contains thermal spring water. Decleor's Fresh Hydrating Mist with essential oils is also great for de-stressing and perking up tired, after-work skin.
Get the light right
Put on your make-up somewhere with lots of light, preferably natural, so you don't step out overloaded with bronzer or blusher.
Creating a base
It's likely that your foundation and concealer will have worn off during the day, so touch them up using a brush or your fingertips. Be sparing, as slathering on a thick new layer of foundation on top of what's already there will look cakey and unnatural, which is not your aim.
1 | 2 | next
printer friendly
send to a friend
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Horoscopes| Message Boards | Quizzes | Newsletters | Join
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB
