The holidays are in full swing ladies! Although this is such a joyful time of year, it can also wear us out and be completely overwhelming – am I right, or am I right?! More often than not, that holiday exhaustion shows up all over our FACES. Now, I wouldn’t wish away the holiday hullabaloo for one second. BUT I would like to do without the tired face that comes with more late nights than usual because of all the holiday parties and indulging in cocktails and baked goods! So today I have some tips for How to Perk Up Your Face this Holiday Season.
So even though you didn’t wake up looking refreshed from that office Christmas party that went past your usual 9:30 pm bedtime, you can fake it. Below I’m sharing my go-to tips + specific products that are easy to implement even while you’re getting through that first cup of coffee. We will arm our trusty chic Amazon makeup bag , $26, with all of the resources needed to cover up, treat, and disguise that fatigued face!
How to Perk up Your Face This Holiday Season
Complexion Perk Up
Dull skin is the main culprit for looking not so perky. So jump start your bare skin before you apply your moisturizer + makeup by adding the Clarins Double Serum, $95, (it’s iconic) into your skincare routine. This powerhouse serum is going to firm, smooth, boost radiance, and refine pores with its revolutionary 2 in 1 serum that is powered by 22 youth-boosting plant extracts + 5 active molecules. This duo leaves my skin looking so nourished and plump, like Santa’s belly!
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Tired eyes are a dead giveaway to a late night. L’Oreal Revitalift HA + Caffeine Eye Serum, $27 is going to be your version of Santa’s little helper!! You can immediately revitalize those lids with the unique triple roller applicator’s three cooling stainless steel balls for a full eye contour massage that depuffs! Store it in your fridge for an extra cooling sensation and immediate feel of tightening. It’s a game changer before any makeup is applied because of its power duo of caffeine and hyaluronic acid.
Build a Brow
Don’t underestimate how much a quick fill-in of sparse sad brows can do for the face. The fuller a brow, the more youthful the look. You don’t see 12-year-old girls walking around with pencil-thin brows, do you?? Grab a brow pomade, Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow, $21, and an angled brow brush, $15, to fill in bare spots within the brows. And bam! The framework to your face is a great start to waking up a sleepy face!
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Dewy + Even Complexion
If you want to always look like you took a “cold winter’s nap”, then you best have a good concealer + foundation! Start by evening out redness and discoloration with, you guessed it, my go-to It Cosmetics CC Nude Glow Cream, $47. It’s a miracle product that can look undetectable while color-correcting all of those issues at the same time plus an added glow! (I’m wearing light medium here)
Not only is concealer important, but it’s also a MUST. Placement is key as well. Swipe a hydrating and brightening product like the Natasha Denona Hyglam concealer, $40, (I’m wearing shade R2) in the following spots for mature faces:
- upper lid – to bring a hollow eye bed forward and get rid of veiny lids
- around the tear duct area – where we tend to get the darkest
- along the marionette lines from the sides of the nose – which tend to get broken capillaries
- sheer application (AFTER foundation is applied) produces the brightest and best results
- Do set with a sheer amount of loose powder on top to rid of shine however
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Merry Eyes + Cheeks
Just as Santa was described in “Twas The Night Before Christmas” as having “twinkling eyes” and “merry dimples”, so we want the same vision for ourselves. There’s nothing merry about a blank-colored canvas…
Starting with eyes, grab a day to night palette with a good combo of warmer toned mattes and shimmers, as opposed to cool ones that can appear too ashy and dull next to the eyes. I’m using the super popular Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam palette, $45, which also comes in a mini version, $29.
Apply a warmer shade along the middle upper half of the eye – slightly above your physical crease – to draw our eye upwards and gives it some life! Pull the color out and at an angle slightly for more visual lift. I popped just a touch of one of the golden shimmers into the center of my lid and in the tear duct area for a bit more fun.
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These three steps require minimal effort but with maximum wide-awake results!
- Remember the eye-whitening Lumify drops I discussed in the Sneaky Ways to Look More Youthful post?? They work within seconds to get rid of bloodshot eyes.
- Not an eye-drop fan? Then run a nude-colored eyeliner along the lower inner waterline, Tarte Wide Awake pencil, $22, to get rid of natural redness along that part of the eye.
And then before two coats of The Maybelline Falsies Surreal mascara,, $13, use an eyelash curler, please!! Of course, the iconic Shiseido one is a must. Lash curlers are the push-up bra for the eyes.
Now onto the non-negotiable part of the face that needs makeup. Those cheeks will look merrier with a little blush applied to them. The ease of a moisturizing skin tint like the Pixi Beauty On The Glow Blush stick, , $18, in shade “Ruby” will melt into the skin to give a realistic flush to the face.
Remember this post I wrote making a case for why you should be wearing a RED BLUSH? This holiday season is the perfect time to do so! Apply it on the highest points of the cheekbones and a bit into the center bridge of the nose to pull it all together and make it look like you took a sleigh ride through the wind and snow!
Lip Service
Nothing perks up a face quite like a rich seasonal velvety lip shade! If you are wearing a more simple eye look, a statement lip just brings it all together easily. And ladies do I have the lip formula for you to try – the newest Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Velvet Liquid Lipsticks, $24, are exquisite!! It’s a velvet mousse with a smoothing lip finish, feels weightless, and is full-pigment, true-matte but comfy. And grab this “Pomegranate” shade I’m wearing in this post, because it’s a deep red berry that demands “look-at-me” in the best way!
Colorful Closet Pieces
And lastly, wearing clothing that has COLOR to it can certainly make one appear less tired overall. I know we love our basic black, gray, and whites, but they don’t do much to liven up our faces like color can. I find when I wear bolder shades like emerald green, yellow, red, etc, people always compliment me. Rarely do I ever get outfit compliments wearing black or gray – just sayin’.
My Free People waffle thermal top here is old, BUT, they came out with a stellar cozy cardigan + pant set, $128, that is available in tons of colors, including two shades of yellow, and is the perfect loungewear set for the holidays!
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And always add statement accessories for extra credit. I’ve been loving my new pieces from Sequin NYC. This Clara pearl choker, $138 and Mosaic Mandela clip on charm, $168 – I can’t tell you how often I’ve been wearing this combo! And they are still offering you all 20% off any full priced items from their site through Christmas if you use the code : JENNY20 at checkout, so take advantage of this my friends before it gets too late! // Grab this chunky pearl bracelet, $17, on sale at J.Crew Factory, to add to your arm stack.
If you didn’t catch my curated list of “7 Pretty Powerful Products of 2024” so far, be sure to check it out. Along with my 2nd round of JennySue Makeup merchandise that is available for pre-order just in time for the holidays! Both pieces, the tank and hoodie sweatshirt, are stylish reminders of female empowerment! See them in action over on my Instagram here. Grab one before my online store closes on November 30th! They should ship before Christmas. A portion of the proceeds will go toward supporting a local non-profit, ACCA – Athens Community Council On Aging, that benefits our elderly citizens here in 27 counties in Georgia. Look good while doing good! Thank you in advance for all of your support over here on SAACA – y’all are seriously special 🙂
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