Fira Z Ahmed

The holiday season is here! With Christmas round the corner, we present to you insights into the contemporary party classic looks and the latest festive eye trends by Fira’s Make Up Academy – for that truly show-stopping Christmas party makeup.

You can not get a more iconic look than red lips and glitter eyes – two of the most popular shades associated with the festive season. Do keep in mind to leave the rest of your face makeup absolutely subtle.

And for those who do not like ‘too much makeup’ look and hate foundations, we bring you a special list of foundations in the latter part of this article for that light and natural look.

So, come on, pull up a chair, pull out your make up bag, and perch yourself in front of a mirror for that brilliant eye makeup. It is time for us to start playing around with some fun colours!

 

To get that heavenly look of Gold Glitter Eyes + Red Lips:

• Fist use a primer so that the eye makeup doesn’t move at all.
• Hold a piece of tissue under your eye to avoid any glitter spills.
• Apply the glitter gently. With an eyeliner if you wish to!
• Brush off the excess glitter with translucent powder.
• Moisturise your lips to avoid cracked lips.
• Use concealer just on the outer lines of your lip to get a neat finish.
• Apply your favourite red lipstick.
• Brush off your eyebrow in shape and in the end, apply mascara.

 

If you are looking for Dramatic Smokey Eyes that go with every party outfit, then:

• First use mild primer, so that the colour blends well.
• Hold a piece of tissue under your eye to avoid any glitter spills.
• You can add a small dab of black shade to add to the look. (But just a little, not a lot!)
• Apply darker on the eyelid and go lighter on the bowline.
• Apply just a light stroke under your waterline to give a depth.
• Apply a bit of gold shimmer in your inner corners to brighten the eyes.
• Brush off the excess powder with translucent powder.
• Brush off your eyebrow in shape and apply mascara in the end.

 

To make the world around you go green with envy, you can go in for the time tested and brave Dark Green Eyes look. Before you start, choose the right green shade which goes with both your skin tone and hair colour, then:

• First use mild primer so that the colour blends well.
• Hold a piece of tissue under your eye to avoid any glitter spills.
• Apply the maximum dash of green to make your eyes pop up properly.
• Apply kajal on your waterline for a more defined look.
• Brush off your eyebrow in shape and apply mascara in the end.

 

If you are looking for the ever classic Gold Eyes + Nude Lips, make sure you get the right nude lips first before going to the eyes:

• Use a lip exfoliator – you could even use a homemade sugar scrub with a soft toothbrush to brush those dead skin cells away first.
• Then apply your balm, and give it some time to soak in while you finish your makeup.
• Use a lip liner first to ‘over line’ slightly; this is what makes it look fuller.
• Apply the nude colour lipstick & then the gloss (if you want it shiny).
• Dab a touch of highlighter to the centre of your bottom lip for reflecting light and making it appear bigger.

And then:

• Use mild primer on your eye lids so that the colour blends well.
• Hold a piece of tissue under your eye to avoid any glitter spills.
• Apply the maximum dash of gold shimmer to make your eyes pop up properly.
• Apply eyeliner winged shaped for eyes to look more expansive.
• Brush off your eyebrow in shape and finally, apply mascara.

 

For the sparkly, shimmery Silver Glitter Liner + Red Lips look, grab your silver liner, and buy yourself a small pop of silver glitter too, then:

• First use mild primer on your eye lids so that the colour blends well.
• Apply a light natural matte eye shadow.
• Apply your normal eyeliner.
• Apply the tiniest amount of glitter sparkle on the outline of the eyeliner to give it a little spark.
• Brush off your eyebrow in shape and apply mascara.
• Apply your favourite red lipstick.

 

Do choose one of the above, and rock the parties in the coming week!

There is more.

For those of you who shy away from make up, only because of the cakey feel, I have put together a list of Lightweight Foundations. These foundations are long-wearing, non-sticky and you don’t have to worry about your sunglasses making that annoying imprint on the bridge of your nose and on your cheeks. It completely gives you a flawless nude look, corrects your skin flaws and highlights your features in the most natural way. It will give you the full coverage that you want. You can choose from the below products accordingly to your skin type as your favourite ultra-light, take-anywhere summer foundation.

 

Benefit Hello Happy Soft Blur Foundation: It is a liquid formula in a cute bottle with a mess-free application. It buffs out for an even, airbrushed complexion. I have a few light acne scars and this foundation masks them completely. The foundation also contains shea extract for a moisturising and smoothing texture.

 

Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation: This one helps skin look intentionally dewy, but you won’t feel any additional slickness. Bobbi Brown’s medium-coverage foundation dries down completely, leaving you with a gleaming, even complexion.

 

Marc Jacobs Beauty Shameless Youthful-Look 24-H Foundation: This new Marc Jacobs Beauty medium-coverage foundation dries down to feel just like your own skin and is completely oil-free, making it perfect for acne-prone skin.

 

Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup: This is the foundation you wear when you don’t want to feel like you’re wearing makeup. It literally feels like water and melts into your skin and stays all day long.

 

 

Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation – As the name implies, this lasts all day. A little goes a long way covering everything from hyper-pigmentation to redness with just a few drops, for what the brand promises will be a 16-hour wear.

 

Hourglass: A weightless, waterproof foundation for long-wearing; concentrated for fast and full coverage on-the-go. Only a small amount is needed. Start with less and blend gradually, adding more as necessary. It is suitable for all skin types – normal, dry, combination, and oily.

 

 

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint: It is my personal favourite. It is a non-drying foundation that plumps and perfects your complexion. It might not be an ideal pick for the acne-prone. But, it is a great pick for dry skin.

 

Author Bio

Fira Z Ahmed is the founder of Fira’s Make Up Academy based in Mumbai. You can know more about her academy at www.firasmakeup.com or reach out to her at fira@firasmakeup.com.

 

 

*All images used in this article are either Eyra’s own design or widely and freely available on the internet.*