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Black, red, gold and green. The collection of colours is as common during the holidays as a festive, decorated tree.

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Rather than lean on the more traditional holiday hues for eye makeup this season, Julie Cusson, makeup artist for Chanel, suggests opting for a shade selection that’s a bit more unexpected.

“This year, I love the idea of playing with different shades of pink and purple,” the Montreal-based beauty pro says.

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The festive party season, she urges, can be a perfect time to try a little something new with your makeup look.

“Holiday resonates with festivities,” Cusson says. “It’s the moment of the year where everyone wants to shine and add a little ‘je ne sais quoi’ by trying out a new makeup look, like the gesture of applying lipstick to celebrate, or emphasize eye makeup to be festive and chic.”

For a quick, stress-free glam look that has maximum beauty payoff without much effort, the beauty expert suggests looking to an MVP, wear-everywhere highlighter like the Limited-edition Diamond Dust Oversized Illuminating Powder ($115) from the Chanel holiday makeup collection.

“A good tip is adding highlighter in the corner of the eye, on the centre of the eyelid and on the upper cheek,” Cusson says. “This is a simple and quick action that can bring glow and lustre to any makeup look.”

The effect, she promises, will be “dazzling.”

Another effortless avenue to create a statement beauty look in one simple step — aside from a quick manicure, which Cusson points to a nail polish with rich tones of metallic pink or dark purple as always “powerful and elegant” options — is with lipstick.

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“Lipstick is timeless and always efficient when we want to impress,” Cusson says. “It is easy to accomplish and will always be relevant with any beauty look.”

Cusson points to “rich and sparkly shades” like the Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in the colour Cristal Pink ($59) paired with either a natural makeup look or even a strong eye as equally chic holiday choices.

“Or simply matching lipstick and blush in the same shade can create a perfect monochromatic makeup look,” Cusson advises.

When prompted to point to the lip look that will be her go-to this festive season, Cusson gestured toward a tried-and-true hue.

“A deep red is a classic and perfect choice. I like to choose a lipstick based on the texture,” she shares. “A liquid formula that’s long-lasting with a satiny shiny finish such as Rouge Allure Laque in Spell is elegant.

“The holiday season is the perfect time to dare and enjoy. Choosing a creamy, moisturizing texture is a good go-to when using intense lipstick colours. We should never resist a rich and powerful lipstick.”

With holiday gifting in mind — after all, a beauty gift is always a wonderful thing to unwrap come Christmas morning — we asked Cusson if there was a favourite beauty product she would recommend wrapping up this year for the beauty lover on any gift list.

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Thankfully, for anyone who loves a direct recommendation, she had two perfect picks.

“A must-have beauty gift this year is the Oversize Eyeshadow and Blush Palette in Enchanted Night ($105),” Cusson says. “Easy to use, these four shades are created to be worn alone or mixed together for eye makeup or blush application. All the combinations are possible and beautiful.”

Cusson recommends mixing the coppery coral shade with the plum hue, or the silver with the pink, on the eyes or cheeks to get started with this multipurpose palette.

“If you feel confident, my secret is blending the four shades together in a counterclockwise and clockwise motion with a fluffy blush brush, and adding the special colour combination on the cheeks and swept across the eyelids,” she shares. “The result will be simply spectacular and irresistible.”

And a final fail-safe beauty pick from the beauty expert is the Chanel 31 Le Rouge lipstick ($205).

“This lipstick is like a jewel, it comes in a faceted glass case, recalling the mirrors that line the legendary art deco staircase at 31 Rue Cambon Paris,” Cusson says, referencing the design feature of the luxury French brand’s flagship boutique. “It is the most sophisticated lipstick offering interchangeable refills, with 24 satin and matte desirable shades. A beautiful object, more than just a lipstick.”

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