Our holiday makeup must-haves
Here’s how the Kit team likes to get party-ready
“Few things in life bring me greater joy than lipstick: my son, croissants and Richard Madden’s T-shirts in Ibiza come to mind. When I find a lipstick that threatens to eclipse my Netflix crush’s pecs, I pay attention. To me, this reddish raspberry Dior bullet is lipstick perfected: It offers instant transformative brightness courtesy of its ultra-pigmented formula, and it glides on like a dream. It’s also so long-lasting (12 hours!) that I’ll basically be wearing it from now until the champagne corks pop on New Year’s Eve.” — Laura deCarufel, editor-in-chief “OK, so I’m slightly obsessed with Fenty Beauty and everything Rihanna does in general, but I assure you this review is totally unbiased. With its seven sparkling new shades (everything from warm toasty tones to frosty cool ones), RiRi’s holiday highlighter palette redefines the meaning of glow-y. Designed to suit all skin tones, the formula offers exceptional payoff and can be dusted all over, from cheeks and temples, to lids and noses.” — Poonam Chauhan, assistant art director “Over the holidays, my go-to look is a graphic swipe of black liner, which I like to think is very Catherine Deneuve. It’s perennially chic, but also means I don’t have to worry about reapplying a lip before reaching for another glass of Prosecco, which, some nights, is my main concern. This one is truly black (no unwanted navy undertones here!) and easily applied with the ultraprecise felt tip. Best of all? The super matte waterproof pigment will outlast your hangover with no smudging.” — Kathryn Hudson, executive editor “When it comes to makeup, I’m all about eyes, which makes me a bit of a connoisseur when it comes to mascara, a.k.a. the cornerstone of any good eye look. This one checks all my boxes: It’s super pigmented, and the brush makes it so easy to apply without any raccoon-eye incidents. The formula lengthens like crazy and really adds that extra oomph. Bonus: The packaging is so festive, I’m happy to keep it in my purse for pre-party touch-ups.” — Oana Cazan, associate art director “My minimalist makeup bag may not have many items in it, but every product is hardworking and does double-duty — which is exactly the reason this multipurpose, holographic highlighting stick is a real winner in my books. Going from day to night is as easy as adding a single dot on my cupid’s bow, a couple swipes under my brow and a bit blended on the tops of my cheeks. And did I mention it glides onto skin like butter?” — Jillian Vieira, fashion director “This metallic gold is everything: It’s super festive (obviously), but it’s also surprisingly neutral, so I can wear it with every holiday outfit. It’s one of those polishes you can’t stop looking at — the iridescent undertones of pink and green combine to make the gold verge toward a classier, moodier bronze. The bonus is that when this medium shade starts to fade, it’s not an emergency situation like it is with typical holiday red.” — Eden Boileau, managing editor “Ninety per cent of the time, the whole premise of ‘day-to-night makeup’ is far from my reality — but the holidays mark a special exception. I love this palette’s soft rosy-taupe shades for defining my crease before heading to the office, then the bolder shimmery finishes and plum hues for building up a party-ready look. It’s one of those palettes where I can definitely see myself using up every colour until I hit the metal bottom.” — Caitlin Kenny, digital director “Armed with these glittering eye shadows, I can make the back seat of any cab into my very own Superman phone booth. Headed out for a festive drink after work? I just slick on the shimmer, quickly blend it with my finger (it plays well with any shadow you might already be wearing) and I’m suddenly ready for cocktails. My favourite part is how the golden, metallic flecks catch the light so beautifully.” — Celia Di Minno, art director “As a bona fide lip gloss addict, I’m always looking for my next slick fix. This gilded tube of glitzy magic is the perfect holiday addition to my vast assortment of clear or slightly pink-tinted glosses. The gold looks more opaque in the tube than it does on the pout and gives that extra bit of sparkle that I absolutely crave at Christmastime. This baby earned itself a permanent spot in my glittery go-to holiday clutch.” — Jennifer Berry, digital editor “How I relish pre-party primping, let me count the ways. With a festive playlist setting the mood, I sip on some bubbly and spend hours playing with pretty palettes and sparkly somethings. Needless to say, I like my handiwork to last. Enter this savvy set. Consisting of a priming moisturizer, blurring base and setting spray, it keeps my makeup glowing (never greasy) no matter how hard I hit the dance floor.” — Katherine Lalancette, beauty director