Tis the season to be gorgeous....and I'm going to help you do it!
I'm sure by now you are all inundated with party invitations and your social calendar is stuffed to capacity like your mothers turkey!!!
So this month I'm going to share my must have beauty products to get you looking fabulous this Christmas...
As you all know by now, I am very passionate about skincare and especially with makeup removal. Whether you have had one Snowball too many with grandma it's imperative that you remove your makeup before you go to bed and my favourite makeup remover is SKN-RG Flash Balm ( £30). Never use those pesky face wipes if you can help it...instead, why not soak some good quality cotton pads with the makeup remover and pop them in a small air tight container so that you have some instant yet efficient makeup 'wipes' to hand?
Finding a good foundation that's long wearing with good coverage yet lightweight with a good range of colours, can be tricky for a lot of people, which is why I was excited to try Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Foundation (£29.50). I tested this out on one of my clients, actress and philanthropist, Goldie Hawn, whilst she was in the uk recently. I needed a foundation that had longevity with minimal shine and was lightweight... This foundation certainly did the trick. Ingredients like vitamin c and hyaluronic acid help to brighten and hydrate the skin whilst long term effects help fight pigmentation apparently.... I would say that it's suitable for all skin types except very dry skin and is available in 15 semi-matte shades.
Makeup palettes are always a good investment at this time of year and one of my favourites is Bobbi Brown Deluxe Eye and Cheek palette ( £59 ). This neat little two tiered palette comprises of a mix of eight iconic and new shadows ranging from matte to metallic, whilst two blusher shades allow you versatility with your complexion. This is perfect for vamping up your makeup and the generous mirrored compact allows you to create glamour on the go!
Lips are definitely more on the matte side this winter so it's really important that you pamper your pout so invest in a decent petroleum free lip balm like EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm (£6.50), which happens to be 95% organic and packed full of soothing Shea butter and antioxidant rich vitamin E.
Once you have your lips primed then line them with your favourite lip pencil before popping on your lippy. NARs Velvet Matte lip pencil (£19 ) can do both jobs as its precise enough to create the shape thanks to the large crayon-style design and robust enough to give even colour. The long lasting, non drying formula contains rich pigments for a creamy application whilst the unique silicones ensure comfortable wear for hours and is available in 19 shades. I used this recently in a shoot but I went for a stunning deep aubergine tone called Train Bleu ( pictured above on the gorgeous model/actress Sara Beverley ).
A treat for the cheeks this season is Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush (£28 Space NK). Available in six shades from gentle coral to a vivid pink, this lightweight talc-free powder delivers a subtle radiant glow for all skin types. Ethereal Glow is stunning on very fair skins whilst Radiant Magenta pops on darker complexions. This is a lovely brand that is definitely worth investigating.
Armand Beasley is a celebrity makeup artist and beauty columnist. He is a regular contributor to beauty magazines and publications, and appears on TV, radio and podcasts.