Grace's Face : The Festive Edit
The festive spirit is full in flow on TGG, and tonight Danny and I are hosting a Christmas soirée for some of our oldest friends. There's going to be mince pies, gløgg, and candles galore, and naturally I'll be sporting suitably festive attire, so it seems only right to channel some of winter's biggest beauty trends in my makeup look tonight (I'm talking metallic shadow, dewy skin, fluttery lashes, and a crimson lip (obviously)).
So here you go - a whistlestop tour of the products which will be taking centre stage tonight. Minimalism may rule the look, but certainly not the stash.
Starting with a recent addition to my makeup bag and an instant favourite, the Radical Skin Perfecting Screen* has been my base products of choice for the past few months and ticks the boxes on every level. This skincare-makeup hybrid is part SPF, part primer, part tinted illuminator, and ALL kinds of wonderful.
As ever Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Mont Blanc continues to rule the roost as my foundation of choice. I feel like a broken record every time this pops up in a feature, but in truth I can't reiterate enough how good this foundation is. Coverage, last, and a natural radiant finish, what more could you possibly want?
To amp the glow, the Eve Lom Light Illusion Concealer in Alabaster* sees generous application on the areas of my face which require both coverage and highlighting. I love the soft creamy consistency of this concealer, it doesn't crease and does an A+++ job of diminishing redness.
A blush from Nars' Holiday 2014 collection was always going to be on the cards for a festive look such as tonight's, and Nars' Blush in Almeria* is as winter-perfect as they come. A muted plum-pink which gives the brightness and depth best-suited to an evening look, Almeria has warm undertones and a matte finish which serve as a perfect compliment to a red lip.
Choosing a highlighter is always the hardest part of compiling a look (for me at least), but No7's Illuminating Fluid in Peach won hands down today. I adore this shade for an evening look as it's fresh and shimmery and doesn't lean too cool or too warm, instead providing a perfect fresh glow with a hint of shimmer.
Another newbie, the Bourjois Java Rice Loose Powder has been on my wishlist quite literally since its launch (over a year ago). I picked it up last month and can finally see why this product received so much hype upon release (aside from that packaging). If (like me) you dread a matte powder but still seek to keep shine at bay and makeup in place then this is the powder for you. Whilst I still adore Chanel's Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powder Compact for out and about touch-ups, this has become my go-to powder for first application. It has an instant airbrush effect which smooths over any imperfections in my makeup and leaves my skin looking bright and radiant.
Tonight's eye look is going to be a complex one. Starting with Benefit's Cream Shadow in Bikini-tini applied all over the lid, I'll then blend a generous serving of the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Sand Glow into the crease and over the outer half of my lid, before using the crayon end of the RMK Crayon & Powder Eyes in Bronze* to darken the outer 'V'. I'll then dust a little of the powder end over the upper section of the lid and crease before blending generously and dabbing a little of the lightest shade from the Chanel Eyeshadow Quad in Tisse Mademoiselle over my brow bone and into the inner corner.
When it comes to eyeliner and mascara, L'Oreal has my heart. I'll be using the L'Oreal Blackbuster Eyeliner to give subtle definition to my waterline and between my lashes before applying L'Oreal's False Lash Telescopic Mascara to top and bottom lashes (after extensive use of the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler).
I don't believe in buying expensive brow gel (it gets dirty so quickly, and as anyone with good levels of personal hygiene knows, has to be thrown out within a few weeks) so I always look to the drugstore for my brow gel purchases. They're cheap so I've tried many, and can wholeheartedly vouch that the Miss Sporty Clear Mascara is by far the best. This stuff has some serious lasting power.
Enter my holy grail brow product. The Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Medium Brown recently ousted my old MAC favourite from it's pedestal and won my heart after just one use. If you're struggling to find the perfect brow product - I give you long-lasting, defined, and natural looking brows in a pot.
Charlotte Tilbury's Pillowtalk may be HIGH on my wishlist, but for now I still swear by the No7 Precision Lips Pencil in Nude as the best lip liner I've tried. For an instantly plumping effect and natural definition, this affordable option reigns unsurpassed.
I'll be rocking a suitably seasonal red lip c/o Nars Hardwired Lipstick in Deadly Catch*. A true deep crimson with cool undertones and a satin finish, like all Nars lipsticks this has amazing pigmentation and lasts brilliantly.
Which makeup items feature on your festive face this season?
G x
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*PR sample