♦Welcome to the first official post “Holiday Glow Series Focus” for the holiday season that will be focusing on all things “glow”!  To kick the series off  I’m starting with the holiday party.  When the holiday season rolls around there are plenty of festivities to partake in and one of them is the Christmas party.  Whether it is a company or corporate party or just an intimate small party with family and friends it calls for that extra sparkle and “oomph” that makes the holidays feel as special as they are.  So, for the getting ready part of the party, there are many wonderful makeup and bath products you can use to boost up the festive glow and shimmer factor.

♦Getting ready for the party can be just as much fun as the “glitzing” up and maybe even more important especially if you are nervous or you have someone at the party that you might want to make yourself look extra special for (if you know what I mean wink wink!).  By starting the night off (or even the night before and even better if you do a sleeping mask)) and taking your time so you will be on time and not be nervous, taking a beauty spa with all the wonderful holiday bath products out there is a great way to relax, pamper yourself, and smell delicious at the same time.  It also gives your hands and feet a great soak of the cuticles for that pre manicure or pedicure, you and condition your hair, give yourself a facial, and hydrate your body so your skin is silky smooth.  To make it even more indulgent make yourself a hot buttered rum or some silky hot chocolate with whip cream and enjoy.

♦To really get in the holiday season Lush bath and skin products have some wonderfully festive products that benefits some really great causes around the world.  The “Golden Wonder”, (for” gold shimmering waters”), “Snow Fairy Amazeball“, and “Snow Apple” sound yummy and fun and my favorite “Butterball” (that smells like vanilla and cocoa butter that leaves your skin SO soft) are good ones.  They also have a “Cookie Dough” sugar and spice body scrub and the shimmer bar called “Shimmy Shimmy” that you can use in the bath or shower that will make your skin glow (and not in a chunky way) like the Victoria Secret models on the runway (no kidding).  There are also illuminating body scrubs on the market that you can use to amp up the bath “glowage“. For hair for a deep conditioner to leave your hair shiny and soft, there is the Briogeo “Don’t Despair, Repair Honey Moisture Deep Conditioning Mask” that smells so good too.

♦After the bath is a great time to apply a hydrating body glow, body butter, or lotion that will hydrate your skin like Lush’s holiday body lotion called “Snowflake that is a “buttery marzipan” lotion that sounds rich and yummy.  There are also some great lip scrubs out there (my favorite is also by Lush called “Honey” which is a vanilla honey flavor).  Also, the old “Blissful” Body Butters that Jaclyn Hill raved about in her favorites videos all the time that are now under the new name of “Leanne Grace Skincare & Beauty” are amazing.  A shimmering body powder is another way to layer the glow like Too Faced’s “Gingerbread Sugar” Kissable Body Shimmer” that tastes like gingerbread for a sexy glow or Fentys “Fairy Bomb Shimmer Powder” in “Trophy Wife” for that extra golden glow.  Stila Cosmetics also has a new “Body Spray Powder” in the shade illuminating which glows and also “blurs” the skin.  Or just use your favorite spa time products of choice as long as they are hydrating and hint¡ it also makes your party clothes slip on nicer.

♦So for makeup products, there are many that can give you that glow and sparkle that will give your party look a head-turn.  Depending on what type of event or party it is going to be whether a corporate or formal event or an informal casual gathering or just a few family and friends is good to get an idea of which look you are going to go for.  You will also  apply makeup that will last throughout the night without slipping or fading and the secret to that is layering your products.  Make sure you moisturize your face (placing your favorite serum underneath that works great) and use a lip balm to sit on your lips while you do the rest of your makeup (by the time you are ready for lipstick they’ll be good and hydrated) before you apply your makeup because it will go on much smoother and don’t forget the primer because it will help your foundation adhere much better to your skin.  In foundation decide which finish you want go with whether its to be glowy or matte.  A foundation that is in long-lasting formula is a good idea and in a luminous glow formula as well.  I like Loreals “Infallible Pro Glow” Foundation or Georgio Armani’s “Luminous Silk” Foundation.  There are even hydrating and glowing concealers out there and don’t forget to use and eye shadow primer like Urban Decays in the shade “Honey” that is a glowy golden glow.  For extra glow for in a setting powder, there are illuminating powders like Laura Mercier’s Translucent Setting Powder in “Glow” Too Faced’s “Born This Way Ethereal Glow” Setting Powder, and the new Jaclyn Hill “Mood Light” Illuminating Setting Powders (depending on how you feel about her latest launch).

♦For the eyes and cheeks, you can add some extra glow and shimmer by adding some glitter and pigments to your looks whether it’s a halo eye, or a smokey eye in red, green, or silver for a really festive holiday or New Year’s Eve look especially with a black smokey eye with little shimmering subtle stars.  For cheeks the Butter London “Glazen Blush Gelees” in the shade “Glimmer” is so beautiful.  as well as the Becca Cosmetics “Luminous Blush” shades are gorgeous.  For a longer-lasting formula, there are the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush” or the Mac “Pro Longwear Blush” products that would work well.  It can also help longevity and add an extra glow as well as long wear if you layer and use a cream blush underneath and a similarly toned powder blush on top.  You can also apply certain eyeshadows or other finer grade glitters or pigments to your cheeks to put a light wash of shimmer and color to your cheeks.  For the finishing touch for the face be sure to use a setting or finishing spray like Urban Decays “All Nighter” Setting Spray or a professional one like Makeup Forevers “MIst and Fix” Setting Spray or even the LOreal “Tru Match Lumi Shake and Glow Dew Mist” for a glowy glass look.

♦For longlasting lipsticks in a good non-drying formula and lip products for all the bubbly champagne and cocktails you may be drinking as well as all the yummy hors de oeuvres and party food you will be eating where you want your lipstick to last throughout the night.  I think the Jeffree Starr Liquid Lipsticks and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipsticks are the most comfortable and have little transfer.  One of my favorite festive red lipsticks in the Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick in the shade “Madame”, Charlotte Tilbury’s “Scarlet Spell”, and Bobbi Browns “Luxe Shine Intense Lipstick” in the shade “Red Stiletto” are some classic festive Christmas reds.  The Fenty “Gloss Bomb Univeral Lip Luminizers” lip glosses are so pretty with a high shine lacquer finish and add a soft shimmer to the lipstick is stunning as well as smooth and hydrating and the ABH lip gloss in the shade “Citrine” is SO beautiful!  In keeping with the layering theme, you can wear your lip liner as a first coat to your lips and then apply your favorite lipstick on top that will give it more holding power.  Finally, for your hair, there are the Drybar “Shimmer & Spritzer” Finishing Sprays in “Rose Gold” and “Gold” and the Briogeo “Sea Goddess Shimmer Mist” to add a little extra sparkle to your hair.

♦The holidays are that special time of year so enjoy them and celebrating them with the assurance of wearing great makeup in the security of knowing that you look beautiful around family, friends, associates or co-workers and even the unknown onlooker at you for the holiday season party this year.

♥For other product ideas for that extra glow, you can check out my other posts of the Holiday Glow Series Focus!