Edited by Eden Prosser
The holidays are right around the corner, and with them comes a plethora of pretty winter looks! From shimmery eyeshadow to reindeer nails, festive trends are making their yearly resurgence. It’s likely that, by now, you have a handful of makeup tutorials popping up on your social feeds—but if you’re like me, you might not have the time or resources to complete these elaborate styles. If this is you, look no further! Below is a guide to holiday beauty staples that will have you sparkling without a designer makeup vanity—and with hours to spare.
1. Shimmering Eyes
When you think about holiday makeup, it’s almost impossible to do so without imagining a sparkling eyeshadow. Although many looks seem elaborate and ultra-time-consuming, with the right blending technique, it’s possible to get a shiny, defined eyelid in minutes! Just start with an eye primer on the lid and, using a medium-sized brush (this brush set from Quo is inexpensive and easy to transport if you’re traveling over the holidays), lightly apply a neutral brown or burgundy shadow to your crease. Then, using a smaller brush, do the same underneath your eye. Using your finger, blend in a lighter shade on the middle of your lid (I always enjoy alternating between different shades in the Morphe 35C palette), and press on a shimmery gold or bronze shadow. Finish with a bright shimmery white in your crease and under your brow bone, swipe on some mascara, and behold, you’ve got yourself the perfect holiday eye look!
2. Dewy Glow
Glowing skin is a must-have, whether you’re braving the Canadian winter or traveling somewhere tropical this holiday season. This year in particular, we’re seeing less heavy foundation (think Hailey Beiber) and, instead, a turn towards a more natural glow. And while there are plenty of products that promise glowing skin—some of which are unfortunately not available in Canada (I’m looking at you, Rhode)—my personal favourites are the Glow Recipe toner (which you can apply twice a day after washing your face), the Glowscreen sunscreen from Supergoop! (which has 40 SPF and works great as a primer or on its own to create the perfect glow), and this Nude by Nature highlighter stick (which leaves skin radiant with just a few swipes).
3. Festive Nails
Finally, we can’t neglect the nails! While it may be tempting to get a full set of bio-gel nails or press-ons with a candy cane design, why not scale it back this year and try a more minimalist approach? Trade in the elaborate patterns for a simple french mani with a twist by using a sparkly base coat and applying white (or another colour, if you’re feeling adventurous!) on the tips. This way, you’ll have gorgeous nails without having to carry around nail glue if one happens to fall off (and believe me, they always do).