From glowing skin to perfectly defined lips, discover the make-up essentials worth adding to your beauty bag this festive season.
Christmas is the perfect excuse to have a little more fun with your make-up. Whether you’re getting ready for a glamorous party, heading out for festive cocktails or dressing up for Christmas Day, it’s all about finding those beauty favourites that make you feel your best.
This season, we’re embracing radiant complexions, softly sculpted features and effortless finishing touches. Think lightweight foundations that let your skin shine through, clever complexion products and lip colours that bring a little extra polish to your look.
From everyday favourites to luxurious treats worth putting on your Christmas wish list, we’ve rounded up the make-up essentials to see you through the festive season in style.
REFY Lash Sculpt
For lashes that look beautifully lifted without feeling overdone, REFY’s Lash Sculpt Mascara deserves a place in your festive make-up bag. Its innovative curved comb separates and lengthens each lash, creating definition without unwanted clumps. The lightweight formula contains vitamin E and promises up to 12 hours of wear, making it a lovely choice for everything from Christmas lunches to evening celebrations. Available in black and brown, it’s an effortless finishing touch for a polished party look.
£22, refybeauty.com/
Dior Forever Skin Veil
The secret to a beautiful festive make-up look often starts before foundation. Dior Forever Skin Veil brings skincare and make-up together in one luxurious primer. Enriched with hyaluronic acid, its lightweight formula promises 24-hour hydration while helping to smooth the complexion and create a fresh, radiant finish. It also features SPF 25 PA++ and helps extend make-up wear. Ideal for creating a glowing base before Christmas parties, festive dinners and those special evenings when you want your make-up to look its best.
£49, dior.com/
Victoria Beckham Beauty The Foundation Drops with TFC8®
For those who prefer their festive make-up with a natural, luminous finish, Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Foundation Drops offer a luxurious approach to complexion perfection. Created in collaboration with Augustinus Bader, the lightweight formula combines buildable coverage with the brand’s TFC8® skincare technology. It blends effortlessly into the skin, helping to even out tone while allowing your natural complexion to shine through. With a radiant finish designed to last up to 12 hours, it’s a beautiful choice for Christmas celebrations when you want polished make-up that still looks like skin.
£104, victoriabeckhambeauty.com/
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder
A little finishing powder can make all the difference when it comes to festive make-up. Charlotte Tilbury’s award-winning Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder helps blur the appearance of pores and fine lines while keeping unwanted shine under control. Its finely milled formula contains rose wax and sweet almond oil, helping skin look smooth without a heavy, powdery finish. Sweep it across the T-zone for a soft-focus effect that keeps your complexion looking beautifully polished, from Christmas lunch through to evening celebrations.
YSL Top Secrets Makeup Setting Spray
Christmas celebrations call for make-up that can keep up with the occasion. YSL’s Top Secrets Makeup Setting Spray offers the perfect finishing touch, helping to keep your look in place while giving skin a welcome boost of hydration. The lightweight mist leaves a fresh, radiant finish without compromising your carefully applied make-up. Use it before foundation to prepare the skin or spritz it over your finished look for extra staying power. It’s a handy addition to your festive beauty routine, especially when celebrations stretch from afternoon drinks into the evening.
£32, yslbeauty.co.uk/
The Ordinary Mini Discovery Set
A touch of CHANEL feels especially fitting for the festive season. The 31 Le Rouge Lip Balm combines a beautiful wash of colour with nourishing lip care, making it a luxurious addition to any Christmas make-up collection. Enriched with gardenia-infused oil and maracuja oil, its silky formula promises up to 12 hours of moisture while leaving lips looking smooth and naturally radiant. Available in five flattering shades, it offers everything from a subtle hint of colour to a more defined finish. A lovely choice for winter days, festive evenings or a little Christmas indulgence.
£67 ( refill ), chanel.com/
Erborian CC Eye
Late nights, Christmas parties and busy festive mornings can leave the delicate eye area looking a little tired. Erborian’s CC Eye offers a clever combination of skincare and make-up, helping to brighten dark circles while keeping coverage beautifully natural. Its colour-adjusting pigments blend into the skin, while centella asiatica helps soothe and moisturise. The formula also contains an anti-fatigue peptide to target the appearance of puffiness, alongside SPF 20. Perfect for those mornings when you want to look refreshed without reaching for a heavier concealer.
£27, erborian.com/
Givenchy Lip Liner
Whether you’re opting for a classic Christmas red or a softer nude lip, a good lip liner makes all the difference. Givenchy’s Lip Liner offers precise definition with a creamy, waterproof formula that glides on smoothly and helps prevent colour from feathering. Enriched with vitamin E and ceramide 3, it also brings a little extra care to your festive make-up routine. Wear it alone for a softly defined lip or pair it with your favourite lipstick for a polished finish that takes you from Christmas cocktails to evening celebrations.
£22, givenchybeauty.com/
