PERFECT YOUR CHRISTMAS PARTY MAKE-UP

Whether you are going out directly from work or home, we've got some excellent on-trend ideas and tips for the ultimate 'staying power'. We asked top make-up artists for their expert advice

Top trends

If you feel a little more courageous (and if the Christmas call is too loud to ignore!) go with a deep red lip instead, and tons of mascara on your eyes: make sure you use an eyelash curler; it makes a world of difference.

For perfect Christmas red lips this season, trends were ALL on the dark side and not on the glamorous side; use MAC Lipstick in Soft Pause with MAC Dazzleglass in Love Alert (£13.00) on top; it was a hot combination this season backstage and the mysterious woman in you will no longer need to hide!'

Muted metallics

'Catwalks were a mass of black lace, lacquered leggings and wild romance. Make-up artists followed suit with muted metallic for the eyes and rich berry tones for the lips.

'To ensure your look is more glamorous than gothic, use one of B's new loose metallic powders in seasonal must-have- colours; burgundy, sage green and muted gold and silver. The iridescent glitter reflects light, and makes even the richest colours wearable on the face and décolletage.' (£15.00).

DIY Tips

Alan Pan, make-up artist at Estee-Lauder, has these tips for creating a dynamic day-to-night-look:

Smokey eyes
'Smokey eyes quickly change your look from day to evening. It's easy to do; start with a dark, smokey charcoal colour such as Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Shadowstick in Black Pearl. Apply colour directly onto your eyelids with your finger, and blend-in. Using a lighter shade, apply this under the lower lashes, complete the look with black kohl along your lash line.'

Lush lips
'Vibrant red lips is a must this festive-season, with lip liner giving a precise pout. Use the liner to give a curved effect and to prevent the finish from looking too angular. Complete with a rich red colour, Estee Lauder's Signature Lipstick in Ruby is ideal; then you're ready to-go!'

Top tip
'My best festive tip to you ladies is carrying a few essentials in your bag for quick top-ups during the evening. Blotting sheets, concealer and your favourite lipstick will see you through the night.'

Amazing eyes
Ariane Poole, celebrity make-up artist shares her top tips for making small eyes look bigger.

She says: 'Use light, pale and shimmery eye shadows over the entire eye, it really opens-up small eyes, and makes them look bigger. Avoid using dark colours all-over as this draws attention to smaller eyes.

'Choosing shades to suit eye colour is easy, avoid matching your eye colour to your eye shadow colour, as this will detract from your eyes. Choose deep plums or lilacs for green and blue eyes, and soft gold/copper tones for brown eyes. They will really stand-out!'