Tis' the season...

The stockings are hung, the tree is lit, and the gifts are bought. Now, the fun begins. Christmas is all about going out and spending time with family and friends. A lot of that involves lashing on the makeup, to get party ready. But, what is the best way to do that? I decided to call in the experts, and reached out to the wonderful La Mer makeup artist ambassador, Valeria Ferreira. Valeria gave me some seriously great advice on how to ensure your skin is perfect and glowing this festive season. "As party season approaches and weather gets colder our skin feels more and more compromised. Skin is dryer, paler and also a little dehydrated from air conditioning environments and a few too many cocktails!" And this time of year, Valeria is insisting that less is more (take note!) "Most women tend to ‘pile on the makeup’ and end up with far too much product on," she said. "You will achieve longevity by prepping your skin properly, choosing the right formula and controlling the amount of powder you use. Personally a good cleansing routine is essential before makeup application." She also told me a handy tip if you have oily skin, which could lessen the need to smother yourself in powder! "If you are an oily type a product to control excess shine i.e. La Mer matte lotion would be perfect at reducing the amount of powder you’ll need to mattify with." And as for foundation, Valeria insists a combination of fluid and cushion is the way t "For best results I combine both foundations the fluid and cushion foundations . This is perfect in winter when we all use a little more product than in the warmer months." "The La Mer fluid foundation is so beautiful, evens out the skin tone and gives the perfect glow. Layering makeup can increase longevity so I would even out the skin tone with the fluid first and use a little cushion foundation on those areas that need extra coverage." Life hack, and words to live by. "This usually is on the t-zone which is the part of the face that is most exposed. Try and use a brush and monitor how much product you use. It is always quality vs quantity." Worth noting, especially if it means you use less product! "Choose a cushion foundation shade that is slightly lighter than your fluid foundation shade. When applying it to the t-zone It will enhance your features and create dimension." Now all we need to do is pick an outfit!