Right girls, no excuses. You can’t look anyhing but tip-top for the most festive and fun day of the year - think of Kate Middleton and her FIVE outfits, for heaven's sake! In preparation for December 25th, Grazia Team Beauty are here to give you some handy pointers on getting your Christmas Day make-up in gear.

Forget the Foundation

If you’ve got good skin then go for a brightening primer rather than a full-on foundation. The less you cake on in the morning, the less greasy you’ll look later on. Focus on a clean, fresh face as a base for the rest of your make-up.

Chic to Cheek

We always advise choosing a cream blusher. It will stay in place longer than a powder and look more natural. Apply it with your finger along the cheekbone and apples of your cheeks and you can always smudge it a touch with a brush. Choose a soft shade of pink, nothing too bright or you’ll look like your suffering from red wine face early on!

More Mascara

Nothing accentuates the eyes like a good mascara and this is your time to really go for it. Out top Christmas tip is to apply 2 coats of a decent black mascara and then follow with a third layer of silver mascara. This gives a subtle shimmer to the eyes to make them twinkle and shine all day long.

Eye Time

Team your zhooshed up lashes with a good dose of eyeshadow. We recommend something with a touch of shimmer in to get in the spirit. Dab along the eyelids with your finger and then take a wet fine brush to use as a liner along the lower lids. If you are feeling really crazy why not try blending two colours together.

Beautiful Brows

Just because it’s Christmas, doesn’t mean you can be lazy and forget about those arches. As make-up artist Sharon Dowsett always reminds us, “they should be sisters not twins!” If you have pale brows try shading them a bit with a darker pencil, smudged gently along the contour. And for darker brows just make sure they are neat and tidy with not a hair out of place.

Get Lippy

Lastly, it wouldn’t be Christmas without a bit of red lipstick. Whether it’s to match the berries on your holly wreath, your Dad’s Christmas jumper or Rudolph’s nose, a hit of red lippy always goes down a  treat.  If you’re feeling shy try patting it on with a forefinger for a more sheer modern take on a high-impact lip.

So peeps, no excuses now, eh? And don't tweet us your Christmas Day pics @GRAZIAbeauty

by Angelica Hermon