Talented make-up artist Natalie Piacun of TAW salon shares her top tips on how to look gorgeously glam this Christmas – and what she’d like to find in her stocking on December 25
Welcome to my Christmas beauty special which includes a few stocking filler ideas as well as how to achieve the best party make-up with some tips and tricks of the trade. Following expert helpful guidance, we can all step up our make-up game for party season.
Professional make-up tips everyone can achieve:
Step 1: It’s all in the prep!
Cleanse and exfoliate the skin followed by a thorough oil massage, your skin will love you for it and your make-up will last well into the night.
I’m a big fan of the award-winning Skin Diligent Vitamin C Serum in Oil (£55 30ml at www.skindiligent.com) lightweight and easily absorbed resulting in the perfect base for make-up. This natural, botanical skincare is especially good for blemished, hormonal, problematic or acne-prone skin types. Follow with a lightweight moisturiser and again massage into skin thoroughly.
Whilst prepping the skin for red carpet and special events, at this stage I apply my go-to instant effect eye mask whilst prepping to help smooth, firm, brighten and hydrate and keep dark circles at bay. Katherine Daniels Instant Effect Eye Masks (£65/ 4 treatments, katherinedanielscosmetics.com)
The final step to skin prep is to layer up your lip conditioner for all night lipstick maintenance and apply a light sweep of eye cream under the eye to de puff and stimulate collagen production. For a two in one product try this Katherine Daniels Multi-Tasking Eye & Lip Balm (£40 / 14ml, katherinedanielscosmetics.com).
Step 2: Building foundations
I lean towards lightweight liquid foundation’s as a preference which can be aasily applied with the warmth of your fingers, built up in problem areas and blended easily. Remember that make-up should looked ‘lived in’ and not sit on top of the skin so blend,blend, blend! Another benefit of a liquid foundation or a tinted moisturiser is that you can mix in your concealer for the perfect colour match on blemish cover up or under eye touch ups. If you’re hitting the dance floor or feeling flushed in the kitchen this Christmas, apply a touch of translucent powder around the nose and forehead to prevent shine.
Step 3: Hey sweet cheeks:
Apply a touch of lippy to the apples of your cheeks and blend up and outwards. Remember to always apply blusher and bronzer in good lighting – better still during the day and build up gradually. If you apply too much just blend out with fingers, but don’t be afraid to give it a go!
Step 4: The eyes have it
We all love a smoky eye at this time of year, but why not try adding some extra sparkle by using a golden/bronzed palette – both on the eyelid and beneath the bottom water line? Define with a black or brown kohl pencil on both waterlines and smudge into the lash roots blending outwards for a more feline look. Ensure to curl your lashes and layer up with your favourite mascara. Fill in the brows or spray a touch of hairspray on a disposable mascara wand to keep heavier brows in shape.
Step 5: Pucker up
Who doesn’t love a new lippy? Try Chanel’s latest release Rouge Allure L’Extrait in Rose Invincible or Rouge Royal (RRP £46 chanel.com). The new high-intensity lipstick coats the lips in warm, luminous colour. It can be refilled as often as desired, which allows room for experiment with all four shades in the Holiday 2022 collection. Pro tip: base the entire lip with matching lip pencil for all night lipstick hold.
Step 6: Body beautiful:
For extra decadence at Christmas try my new favourite treat Chanel No5 THE GOLD BODY OIL (RRP £85 chanel.com). A body oil with a rich, captivating, voluptuous texture. Bursting with pearlescent gold sparkles, lending a subtle shimmer to the skin. Its lightweight fluid formula leaves skin hydrated, satiny, and delicately scented. Heaven in a bottle!
Wishing everyone a happy holiday season and best wishes for 2023 from all of us at team TAW.
Head to toe stocking fillers:
- Leighton Denny Mini Mani Rescue Kit (£18/4 piece set, leightondenny.com). The essential products you need for an express manicure – prep and polish like a pro.
- Burts Bees Hand Cream Trio (£20.99 burtsbees.co.uk). Handbags at the ready.
- MYSMILE Whitening Pen (£23.99 / 2ml, londonsmiling.com). This beauty-dental hybrid is the perfect way to instantly brighten up any smile and whiten teeth on the go.
- Gloss Lip – Emolyne Cosmetics (Velvet Lip £23, Defining Lip £15, Nail Lacquer £13. Available at: www.emolyne.com). With 15 Nudes and 15 Reds to cater for all.
- Maeva Rae The Collection – Trio (£60 / 3 x 75g, maevarae.com). A decadent curation of mood-boosting homeware essentials.
- Eco Warrior Mini Cube (£8/ 4 x 30g, littlesoapcompany.co.uk) Vegan. Sustainable. Innovative. Bio-degradable. Plastic-free. Recyclable. Major impact on cleansing, minimum impact on the environment
- Messiah and Eve Body Serum .01 (£38 / 200ml, messiahandeve.co.uk). This innovative, super concentrated yet lightweight formula brimming with active ingredients packs a powerful punch to bring dull, dry, tired skin back to life. Bursting with Hyuralonic Acrid, Vitamin c, Niacinimide, and Marula Oil Australian Kakadu Plum – what’s not to love?
- Messiah and Eve Body Body Cleanser .02 (£21/300ml – messiahandeve.co.uk). Gently cleanse, exfoliate and brighten dull, dehydrated, flaky skin with this new-gen daily body exfoliator using premium active skincare ingredients usually reserved for the face!
- Thomas Taw Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo (250ml £12.95 available taw.com or in store). Deep cleansing formula which nourishes the hair and scalp, maintaining cuticle strength and elasticity, also eliminates dandruff and itchy scalp.
For one-to-one or group hair and make-up lessons, please contact the team at TAW for bookings.
