Glam Slam: New Year’s Eve Beauty

It’s the last week of 2010 and the New Year’s Eve countdown is on!

You probably have your plans for the big night set, so now, it’s all about figuring out your look! But just because it’s New Year’s Eve doesn’t mean you have to go overboard with the glitzy makeup.

Hourglass Cosmetics’ Artistic Director Gina Brooke, who has worked with Madonna (she’s completed three world tours with the singer!), Anne Hathaway, Naomi Campbell and Gwen Stefani, believes in radiant looking skin without too much sparkle – even during the holiday season. “I like fresh, beautiful makeup all year round,” she says. Here Gina shares her tips for an elegant New Year’s Eve makeup look.

“To ensure your makeup lasts all night, always remember to prep skin with a primer first,” Gina suggests. “I use Hourglass’ Veil Mineral Primer. This miracle primer locks in moisture, preps beautifully for a flawless makeup application and keeps skin looking fresh all night long.”

“In my line of work, it’s important to provide the “illusion” of radiant, healthy looking skin. Tinted moisturizers provide a flawless, natural coverage, while moisturizing and protecting. My secret weapon is Hourglass’ Illusion Tinted Moisturizer, which gives a dewy, glowing finish because of its light-reflecting properties. It also contains Hyaluronic Spheres which hydrate and keep skin looking supple.”

“To make skin look even more radiant, one of my favorite tricks is to contour with a highlighter. I’ve used this on everyone that I’ve worked on – from Naomi Campbell to Madonna. Start by applying a bronzer, such as the one in Hourglass’ Illume Creme-to-Powder Duo in Bronze Light, below the bone structure of the cheeks and jaw line – this will add some light shadows. You can use either your fingers or Hourglass’ #2 blush brush. This brush is the ideal one to use because it’s made with Taklon bristles, which are extra soft synthetic fibers that help evenly distribute the product. Next, take the highlighter and add it to the high points of the face: apples of the cheeks, down the bridge of the nose and most importantly the jawbone. Each time the natural sunlight reflects off the face, it will bring forth the bone structure and add an illuminating glow to the skin – resulting in a flawless looking complexion.”

“Gold is an undeniably festive color and the perfect choice to ring in the New Year. A gorgeous combination is to pair a gold shimmering eye shadow with a bright coral lip gloss, such as Hourglass’ Femme Rouge lipstick in Muse – it’s a sultry look that flatters all skin tones. You could also heighten the impact of the gold shadow by wetting your brush before application. This technique is called “foiling” and it creates a gilded effect on the eyes. Make sure the shadow dries before moving on to another shade.”

You are now ready to bring in 2011!