It may seem strange that I always plan my Christmas Day beauty look when all I’ll be doing is basting spuds and making gravy, but it’s my one concession to smartness when otherwise dressed in sheepskin slippers and wine stains. This isn’t to say I spend much time or effort in getting ready, but a little flourish of glam with a special new product has become something of a ritual (my kids get new pyjamas, I get a festive makeup item), and Christmas is all about rituals.
Glitter is always mood-enhancing and fun, and seems particularly at home with a stupid paper hat. This year, I plan to introduce it via one of the lovely sparkling mascaras currently in-store. Lancôme’s Hypnôse Star Christmas mascara (£22.50) is to be applied over your usual black (when dry), and coats each lash with golden, light-catching sparkles. The advantage of this for a special occasion is that you really needn’t change much else, and it gives enough “fancy” worn alone, without having to faff around with complex shadow blending when you’d much prefer to have your head in a bowl of Miniature Heroes.
Tom Ford’s Lash Tips mascara (£35) is exactly the same idea, but comes in a surprisingly chic shade of Cobalt Blue. If you like the idea but prefer to keep glitter on the tree, Chanel’s Christmas collection features a regular mascara in the house’s iconic Rouge Noir (£25), a rich, black cherry shade that brightens eye whites and looks incredibly smart on every skin, eye and skin tone. If you’re unlikely to get a justifiable amount of wear from any of these (and I hear you), it’s well worth checking out Kiko’s silver Glitter Top Coat, (£7.20) or L’Oréal Paris’s gold Million Lashes Glitter (£6.99), which, while a less luxurious gift to yourself, look just as cool on.
Personally, I feel Christmas is no time for tasteful minimalism (those who’ve seen my tree will vouch for this), so I’ll be pairing my glittery lashes with a fancy lipstick. The most beautiful I’ve seen this year (arguably any year) is Guerlain’s Winter Fairy Tale lipstick in Merveilleux Rose (£33.50), which, while eye-wateringly expensive, isn’t some unwearable party shade but a very pretty daytime pink that you can enjoy year round. Strike a cousin you can’t bear from your Christmas list and treat yourself.
