Home for the Holidays
The festive season is approaching and it’s never too early to put up the Christmas tree. Set the mood for all seasonal celebrations by decorating your home and inviting in that holiday feeling. We share tips on getting your table setting just right, the secrets to hydrated skin during the colder months and more. Whether you’re hosting or attending a party as a guest, read on for advice on how to prepare for the festive season. From getting your home party ready with tableware and décor, and yourself with skincare and makeup, we share how to make this festive season one for the books.
Set the Table, Set the Mood
The best place to celebrate the festive season is at home around the table. Dining with your loved ones is food for the soul. From classic sit-down dinners to cocktail parties, game night or small bites, give your guests a night to remember. Whatever your vibe, we’ve got the perfect pieces to create the tablescape of your dreams. For the quirky host, try mixing and matching plates from Ginori 1735 or Les Ottomans for an eclectic feel. Colorful glassware from Helle Mardahl or Hay will tie the whole look together. For the more minimal host, opt for classic white plates with a gold rim like the Parisienne dinner plates from Bitossi Home. The blue and red striped Gala placemats from Bitossi Home adds some festive cheer, and the Ripple champagne coupes from Ferm Living adds some texture. To add some drama to the dining experience, serve your wine in the matching Ripple wine carafe, also from Ferm Living. Add some flair with decorative serving trays from Bitossi Home or Alessi as platters. Make your tablescape the life of the party. After all, you are what you eat with.
Deck The Halls
Invite the holiday feeling into your home with festive decorations. Give your tree a makeover with luxury ornaments from Alessi, Les Ottomans, and more. Hang a stocking in your house from the likes of Ferm Living and Dusen Dusen. It’s the perfect place to slip in little surprises, like a delicate bracelet for her or a leather card holder for him. For those attending a holiday party, décor items are also great gifts for the host. A thoughtful gift would be a decorative corkscrew, like the ones from Alessi, or a novelty salad cutlery set from Bitossi Home. Create a cozy mood with decorative candles and candleholders. Lighting and scents are the ideal way to create the ambiance you want in your home. Create a feast for the senses with scented candles that evoke the feeling of the festive season. Think cinnamon, spice and woody scents. Opt for something like the Cedarwood and saffron wave candle from Fazeek or the Bois de Santal candle from Frederic Malle. Candleholders are an easy way to add glamour and personality to any space throughout the year. As for candleholders, we love the dramatic gold ones from Polspotten. The trendy bow candle holders from Bitossi Home are also perfect for Christmas and beyond. Fresh flowers in a decorative vase are always beautiful. A colorful glass vase from Tom Dixon or Fazeek is the perfect centerpiece for your festive table. Another on-trend touch could be using fruits and food as table décor. Red and green foods are sure to give a festive touch, such as pomegranates or grapes.
Winter Glow: Inside and Out
The base of any good makeup look is good skin. The winter months can be tough on our skin. Revive your skin and create a radiant glow with products that are made to soothe and hydrate. Prep your skin before the big event – your festive party at home. Makeup goes on smoother when you prime your skin in the correct way. You can even start the night before with The Light Salon’s Boost portable LED mask and follow it up with an evening mask, like The Exceptional Night Mask from Noble Panacea. This mask instantly hydrates while providing long-lasting nourishment. Work on your glow as you sleep and treat yourself with a 100% silk pillowcase from Slip to get a real night of beauty sleep. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase has many benefits for your skin and hair. Silk is softer on the skin and does not contribute to premature fine lines and aging or hair breakage from friction. Since we spend a large portion of our lives sleeping, we might as well make the most of it. For a winter skincare routine, focus on keeping your skin moisturized. After cleansing your face with a gentle cleanser, lock in the moisture with a serum like The Regenerating Serum from La Mer. Seal it all in with a rich cream, like the Primrose Facial Hydrating Cream from Aesop or the Cryo Rejuvenating Cream from The Longevity Suite. To prep the delicate skin around your eyes before applying makeup, try a hydrating eye mask, like the Vitamin infused meso eye mask from Mz Skin. Eye masks are great for priming the skin so that your makeup goes on more smoothly. Top it off with a hydrating eye cream. We love The Rich Eye cream from Augustinus Bader. Now your skin is ready for a festive makeup look that is sure to last all night.
Merry and Bright: Festive Makeup Looks
When it comes to makeup during the holiday season, more is more. You can go for a classic Christmas look with glittery golden eyes and red lips. Try the rich metal luxe eye shadow in the shade Incandescent from Bobbi Brown. Top it off with satin matte lipstick from Tom Ford Beauty in the shade Scarlet Rouge. For a more daring look, opt for a bold green eye makeup look using the shade Bonne Chance from Westman Atelier’s Eye pods trio. Match the twinkling lights with a swipe of the Lit up highlighter stick from Westman Atelier. For a more subtle makeup look, a hint of golden green on the eyes and stained lips give an understated yet festive vibe. The Laura Mercier Caviar stick eye color in Khaki is the perfect golden green shade that can also be worn all year round. We also love the super easy, fuss-free application that can be mastered by anyone. Lip tints, like the tinted PLASMA lip compound from U Beauty, are the ultimate low-maintenance lip colors ideal for eating, drinking and dancing the night away.
Scents of the Season
The final touch for the festive winter season is the perfect fragrance. Experiment with woody, spicy scents to add warmth. Notes of wood, amber, and spices evoke the feeling of the festive season. Jo Malone offers many wintery scents that are perfect for the festive season. We love Myrrh & Tonka Cologne Intense or Dark Amber & Ginger Lily Cologne Intense, both from Jo Malone. For the fashion veteran, you can never go wrong with Mojave Ghost from Byredo. Another seasonal favorite is Crystal Saffron Extrait by Matiere Premiere. To make the most of your fragrances, you have to spray them in the correct spots. The pulse points of your body are ideal as they diffuse the scent throughout the day. Spritz your favorite fragrance on your wrists, behind your elbows, behind your ears and behind your knees. For good measure, make sure your skin is moisturized before spraying away to extend the scent’s life. Another tip is layering different scents, like using fragranced shower gels and body lotions along with your perfume. We love anything from Le Labo or Aesop. This way you create a stronger scent and leave a lasting impression. Let your scent linger long after the festivities end.
