Holiday Hair and Makeup Tips from the Allure Office Party
By Elizabeth Siegel,Allure magazine
Last night was the annual Allure holiday party, and I was so inspired by how glamorous and festive my fellow editors and writers looked. We'd been glued to our computer screens mere hours before, and then here we all were at the Standard Hotel, champagne in hand. In case you need a few ideas for your next holiday party, I asked each of my colleagues for the secrets to their look.
See also: 31 New Holiday-Party Hair Ideas
"It's fun for people to see you in a new look at a party. I normally wear my hair in soft waves, so I went for straight and sleek instead, and I rarely wear it half up," says Beauty News Editor Heather Muir (top right). To give her style volume, Heather slept with her hair in a top knot and then placed a barette right at the crown. "I also wore a bold Vera Wang necklace," adds Muir. "It's sparkly and so easy-you just throw it on and that's all you need."
"I didn't have time to do eye makeup before leaving the office, so I went for red lips," says Editorial Assistant Catherine Q. O'Neill (top left), who layered a stoplight-red gloss (Yves Saint Laurent Glos Pur in 10) over a rich crimson lipstick (Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté in 18). She also used a time-saving hair trick: "I wore my hair straight, but I didn't want it to look flat, so I sprayed Oribe Apres Beach Wave & Shine Spray in my hair to rough it up a little."
See more: The Most Gorgeous Holiday Beauty Gifts for $50 and Under
Associate Editor Sophia Panych (below right) had a bit of spare time for a quick blow-out yesterday afternoon. "Marco Santini at Ion Salon said a bouncy blowout would be too formal for an office party, so he gave me beachy, messy waves using a three inch-barrel curling iron instead," she says. She chose a lip color that would complement her bright pink top without overwhelming it. "I prepped my lips with a heavy layer of Votre Vu Champagne Kisses Lip Balm, and then dabbed M.A.C Fusion Pink lipstick on top to create a sheer stain of bright pink."
Even the Allure men (yes, we have a few) went the extra mile: "I'd been wearing the same clothes all day, so I wanted to feel dressed up for the holiday party," says Senior Editor Patrick Rogers (above left), who spritzed on BLK DNM Perfume 11. "It smells classic; it's right for this time of year." He also spruced up his hair with American Crew Grooming Cream. "I usually wear American Crew Fiber, which is strong hold and matte, but this one has a beeswax texture that gave my hair shine-and it's got a cool smell."
Fashion Market Editor Jennifer Yee (above right, with Editorial Assistant Thomas Waller) wore a vintage YSL dress. "It had lots of ruffles, and an evil witch vibe. I like to wear the antithesis of what's expected." To compliment it, she opted for a smoky eye. "I wore a cinnamon brown shadow because it's great for day or night, and smudged dark pewter shadow over Chanel Le Crayon Khol eye liner in Noir. I don't like a harsh line, so I always smudge my liner with shadow-it doesn't take off the liner in the same way that smudging with your fingers can."
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