By SUZY TURNER features@algarveresident.com
Suzy Turner has lived in Portugal for 22 years and works as a freelance writer. As well as putting pen to paper for the Algarve Resident’s beauty section, she also contributes to the parenting and fashion columns and is also the Features Editor.
Christmas may well be the season to be jolly, but it’s also the season to be beautiful. Fresh looking skin is perhaps the most important thing you should have when you’re on the party circuit. Once you’ve achieved that, you can easily dress your face up or down, depending on the occasion.
Start by always drinking plenty of water to keep the skin feeling and looking hydrated. Eating foods like nuts will also help lubricate the skin from the inside and this will show as better skin on the outside.
 Red nails are a definite yes |
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Less is more
Always remember to clean your skin thoroughly before going to bed. If it’s late and you really can’t be bothered with the whole cleanse, tone and moisturise malarkey, then use one of those easy to use cleansing wipes followed by your usual face cream.
Christmas is also the season when many women try to get away with wearing far too much make-up. It is great to add a bit more sparkle, but remember the saying ‘less is more’.
Here are a few top tips for make-up during the festivities:
Eye shadow often creases because of it mixing with the skin’s natural oils. To prevent this from happening, blend concealer or foundation over the eye lid to create an even base. Then line the eye with a pencil and apply shadow with a brush afterwards to fix the liner and keep the shadow crease free.
Dry lips are all too common in the winter with the cold weather causing havoc. Long lasting lipsticks might sound like a good idea but generally, they are very drying. The more gloss a lipstick has the better. Keep lips soft during the day by lining them with a neutral colour and then filling in with a special lip balm. There are numerous excellent ones on the market these days.
If your nails are a bit yellow, one way to get rid of it is to squeeze a lemon into half a cup of water and soak them for a few minutes every couple of days for a week. Also try dissolving a denture-cleaning tablet in some water and then soak nails for five minutes – it should have an immediate effect!
Bright red diva-like lips are a must during over the Christmas period, but be sure to leave the rest of your face neutral… there’s nothing worse than red lips, heavy blusher AND over-done eyes … the words ‘car crash’ come to mind.
Nails
Red nails look fantastic but they look better on slightly shorter fingers nails that are semi-squared. Avoid painting long talons shades of red or any colour that is too dark. They look outdated and are simply OTT.
‘Tis the season to be… iridescent. Dust an all over highlighter on your cheekbones, shoulders, cleavage and legs to be positively radiant this Christmas.
