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This holiday season, the top beauty trends are anything but the norm.

“The new holiday look is not traditional,” explains Ricky Wilson, a Dior celebrity makeup artist. “Think: clean, glowy skin, light colour on cheeks, a bit of mascara on the eye, and a bold, sparkly plum lip.”

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To get the look, Wilson recommends using the Dior Forever Skin Glow Foundation to perfect skin, along with Dior Rosy Glow blush in Rosewood for cheeks. Finish the look with a few coats of Diorshow mascara.

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Opting for a metallic plum colour on the lips rather than, say, a classic red gloss offers a remix to the tried-and-true statement holiday lip situation. Wilson points to the shade of Rouge Dior Forever Liquid in 993 Magical as the “mysterious, bold dark lip” that’s most exciting for the holiday season ahead.

If you’re in the mood to amp up your shimmer this holiday season, Wilson recommends trying a metallic shade on the eyes.

“I love to pair metallic tones of copper and silver together,” the beauty pro says. “Most people choose one or the other, but I like to focus my energy on the eyelid so that sparkle doesn’t go out of control or too high, which creates a hollow effect.”

The Dior makeup artist, who has worked with famous faces ranging from actor Riley Keough to supermodel Coco Rocha, shares a favourite technique to get the metallic eye trend just right.

“Pop a bit of silver shadow on the centre of the eyelid to create an uplifted, open-eye effect,” Wilson recommends. “This is great for those with hooded eyes. The light silver shade of Diorshow 5 Couleurs in 043 Nightwalk is perfect for this look.”

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To minimize any fallout from metallic or sparkly eyeshadow formulations, Wilson offered a few application tips.

“The first thing that you want to do is make sure that you’re using proper primer,” Wilson says. “Place a small dot on both eyelids and blend it out so the rest of your eye makeup will apply seamlessly.

“Another tip I love to share, make sure you are using the right size brush! If your brush is slightly too big, you end up brushing the sparkly pigment all around the eye instead of targeting the lid.”

And, when in doubt — or when you’re short on time — Wilson keeps a go-to beauty look in his kit that always works during the holiday season.

“If I am trying to prep a client for a holiday party in a rush, I go for the classic holiday look,” he explains. “Clear, barely there eye with tons of mascara and a classic, bold matte red lipstick. I love Rouge Dior Forever in 999, because it is longwearing and looks great on all skin tones.”

Nail it

Playing with a holiday manicure offers an easy way to go from day to night, and work to weekend, with your holiday glam.

According to Samantha Silvius, an OPI nail polish artist, the top nail trends of this holiday season take on a more-is-more approach.

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“The holidays are always about being a little extra,” Silvius says. “For nails this season, we love to see bling; whether it is using glitter and effects shades or adding rhinestones and crystals it makes for a festive, stand-out look.”

For a simple, polished look, Silvius points to holiday-appropriate reds.

“Iconic reds like Big Apple Red or the brand new red, Rebel With a Claus from the OPI Terribly Nice collection, are timeless choices,” Silvius says. “Another interesting opportunity for holiday is green; try Peppermint Bark and Bite for an ‘almost black’ green manicure.”

To ensure a perfect home manicure, Silvius says having the proper tools is essential.

“Make sure to use a crystal or glass nail file to keep natural nails from splitting,” Silvius says. “Use a cuticle remover to help erase build-up and make polish last longer. Use a base coat or a natural nail strengthener before colour and a top coat after. Keep a clean up brush and remover handy to clean up mistakes. Let each coat of polish dry before applying the next.”

The nail pro strongly recommends finishing your holiday manicure with a must-do coat.

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“Use cuticle oil!” she stresses. 

3 sparkling holiday styles

Get into the holiday party spirit with these three sparkling fashion finds.

The find: Reformation Gatsby Dress

Why we love it: The perfect sleek party frock can be found in this silver-tone dress from Reformation. The long-sleeve style features a gathered detail at the front and a mid-thigh split in the hem for added interest.

$468 | Thereformation.com

The find: Disney x ALDO Stiletto Pump

Why we love it: A heel fit for any festive occasion, these rhinestone-covered stilettos from the Disney x ALDO collection is sure to add a touch of sparkle to every party season outfit.

$150 | ALDO, aldoshoes.com

The find: Smythe Hutton Blazer

Why we love it: If you’re looking to invest in a holiday piece that can be worn far beyond the festive season, look no further than this metallic-plaid style from the Toronto-headquartered brand Smythe. It’s sure to look as sharp as a matching suit (pants sold separately) as it will worn with a skirt, dress or even jeans.

$895 | Shopsmythe.ca

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