3 Makeup Looks to Sparkle in this Season

The holiday season always seems to call for extra effort beauty-wise. After all, shiny Christmas decorations, cocktail dresses, and statement baubles make a girl crave some sparkle in her beauty routine too, whether it's a shimmery scented body lotion or a gold nail polish. My everyday makeup requires minimal effort, but the fun glitter eyeshadows I'm seeing this season make the prospect of experimentation irresistible. So without further ado, here are 3 looks ranging from my everyday face to something more dramatic. Hopefully they'll inspire you to try something different at your next party!

Everyday Polish (aka my normal routine)

Every busy girl needs a five-minute face she can put on when she's in a hurry. (Think rushing to the office in the mornings, errands, running late for a movie date, Christmas shopping...) This is the basic minimum I do to make myself look awake, energetic, and groomed. It takes practically no time at all and provides the basis for the next two looks.

How to

1. Apply BB cream all over face and blend well.
2. Apply concealer sparingly where needed.
3. Dot cream blush on cheekbones and blend well.
4. Brush brows into place.
5. Curl lashes and apply mascara.
6. Apply a lipstick/balm hybrid for colour and moisture.

The tools: Shu Uemura eyelash curler, NARS concealer in 'Custard', Joe Fresh brow brush (embarassingly, I've broken the lash comb on mine), ILIA Multi-Stick in 'All of Me', L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream in 'Fair', Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume mascara, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable balm stain in 'Rendezvous'.

Purple Glitter Cat-Eye

Okay, now we're getting fancier! Truthfully, I'm an eyeshadow-phobe: No matter how carefully I blend, I always think I look overdone with eyeshadow and opt for liquid liner and a bold lip instead. But this glitter-infused cat-eye is subtle enough for even me to wear, plus it's just gosh darn pretty. Tracing an outline before you start, and using a two-in-one product like Lise Watier's Duo Shadow & Glitter, makes things easier.

How to

1. Use a sparkly black eye pencil to draw a line along the lash line, flicking outward when you reach the outer corner of the eye. Thicken the line until it looks less delicate, more graphic.
2. Using an angled liner brush, lightly press a creamy purple eyeshadow base on top of the pencil line until the entire pencil line is covered. You may find yourself blending the purple base and sparkly liner at some point. That's fine, but make sure there is plenty of purple base for the glitter to adhere to in the next step.
3. Now, dip the same angled liner brush into the glitter and lightly press it on top of the purple base, all along the cat-eye line.
4. Apply two coats of lengthening, volumizing mascara instead of your normal mascara.
5. Apply a light lipstick (this one changes colour to become the perfect shade of light pink).

The tools: Givenchy Noir Couture mascara and Le Rose Revelateur de Liv Magic Lipstick in 'LIVely Pink', Eco Tools eyeliner brush, Lise Watier Eye Shine pencil in 'Black Gold' and Duo Shadow & Glitter in 'Plum Star' (other purple shades also available).

Holographic Holiday

Red shadow and hologram-effect glitter sound like a recipe for disaster; however Make Up For Ever Holodiam Powder is surprisingly elegant and manages to transcend any icky clown-face connotations. I really like how this look turned out in real life: the red was sheer and watercolour-esque and the sparkles NYE-worthy. Although the shadow appears dauntingly pigmented in the miniature jar, it goes on sheer and can be layered for added intensity. Whatever you do, the key here is to use primer and lots of it.

How to

1. Apply a neutral primer all over lids.
2. Using a sparkly black eye pencil, draw a cat-eye line along upper lashes.
3. Using a small crease brush, dot Holodiam Powder along the upper lash line up to the crease, outward toward the temple, and just under the outer corners of the eyes. It should look like an exaggerated cat-eye done with red watercolour.
4. Using an all-over shadow brush, apply a nude shadow just under the brow as a highlighter. Blend into where the Holodiam Powder ends to even out any uneven edges.
5. Apply mascara if needed.

The tools: Essence I Love Stage eyeshadow base (available at Shoppers Drug Mart and super affordable at less than $5), Lise Watier Eye Shine pencil in 'Black Gold', Joe Fresh crease brush, Make Up For Ever Holodiam Powder in 302, NYX Nude Matte Shadow in 'Kiss the Day' (available at London Drugs).

Your turn! What do you do to switch up your makeup routine for the holidays?