When the holiday season begins, an endless steam of party invites follow. From sharing a yuletide toast with family to formal soirees, the events are endless, while outfits may not be. The best way to glam up Tuesday’s cocktail party dress for Friday’s champagne dinner? A few accessories and a whole new makeup look. Below, we’ve rounded up our favourites — celebrity tested and holiday suited — to see you through December cocktails on to a New Year’s Eve kiss.

Make eyes and glowing cheeks the main focus with this look.

Step 1. Accentuate your eyes with soft shades of shimmery chocolate brown, gold and olive. Make sure to concentrate more on the lash lines, both upper and lower, to create a rich, lush look.
Try: Dior 5 Colour Eyeshadow Palette in Night Golds.

Step 2. Healthy glowing cheeks are a great compliment to defined eyes, so add a slight pop of colour to the apples of your cheeks with a highlighting blush.
Try: Nars Highlighting Blush in Satellite of Love.

3. Keep lips simple and pretty by using a natural pink shade that mimics your natural lip colour….only better, of course.
TRY: Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge in Blush Classique.

This is a strong look centered around a taupe eye. Keep the rest simple, so it’s fresh and not overdone.

Step 1. This eye looks harder than it actually is. You don’t have to be super precise, blending is the key. Sweep a warm-toned matte taupe/grey eye shadow around the whole eye, extending outward a tiny bit, then layer a shimmery taupe overtop keeping it close to the lash line. This adds a bit of dimension, and reduces harsh lines. Blend with a large shadow brush, again extending outward.
Try: Clarin’s 4 Colour Eye Palette in Odyssey.

Step 3. Line the waterline/inner rim of your eyes with a black eyeliner pencil, and finish with a few coats of mascara.
Try: Nars Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eye Liner in Via Veneto and MAC Glamour Daze False Lashes Mascara.

Step 4. Cheeks are almost bare, only a hint of soft colour is needed.
Try: MAC Glamour Daze Powder Blush in Small Vanity.

Step 5. With a smokey eye, you can get away with a lighter lip. Try dabbing a light pink lipstick or gloss onto your lips to stain them, but not detract from your eyes.
Try: Clarins Gloss Prodige in Rose.

The almost bare look is timeless and classic, ideal for those with a sophisticated sense of style.

Step 1. Because this look is so “effortless” (or at least looks that way), your skin should look perfect, but without looking heavy or powdery. You can achieve this by using a luminous light foundation or tinted moisturizer followed by a few strategic swipes of illuminating concealer where needed.
Try: YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Illuminating Foundation and YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch.

Step 2. Focus the attention on the upper lids. Eyes are lightly defined with a soft light pink powder and thin, but smudged, black liner on the top lash line only. And of course, black mascara, again, on the top only.
Try: Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow in Harmonie du Soir and Chanel Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Noir Intense.

Step 3. Keep your blush almost the same tone as your eyes, a “barely there” pink.
Try: Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Star Dust and MAC Glamour Daze Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Whisper of Gilt to highlight.

Step 4. To keep from looking too “au natural” finish this monochromatic look with an opaque pink lipstick to keep it current.
Try: Mixing MAC Glamour Daze Lipsticks in Beauty and Outrageously Fun to get your perfect shade.

This season’s cat eye is not what it once was, modernize the look with these easy tips.

Step 1. Instead of the usual liquid liner, use a smooth gliding pencil liner followed by a layer of black eye shadow to set it. This gives it a velvety-soft look.
Try: Nars Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Empire and Nars Andy Warhol Eyeshadow in Self Portrait 2.

Step 2. Blend your liner and shadow mixture out and upward, but not beyond the crease. Apply two generous coats of mascara to the top lashes only, concentrating on the outer corner to fan them out, and add to the cat eye.
Try: Clarins Wonderlength Mascara in Wonder Black

Step 3. To keep it a little more ‘undone’, use a soft brown shadow underneath the eyes to add depth and drama. It’s a little more Sophia Loren and subtly sexy.
Try: MAC Glamour Daze Extra Dimension Eye Shadow in Round Midnight.

Step 4. Keep lips almost bare with a light dab of gloss.
Try: Chanel Scintillantes Glossimer in Allegorie.

Luxe wines and burgundies make a bold statement this season, especially perfect for glammed up holiday evening looks.

1. The lips are so dramatic, it’s best to keep the rest simple, defined and chic. Accentuate eyes with a bronze shimmer shadow. No need to get intricate, you just want the definition around the lash line.
Try: Lancôme Petit Tresor Ombre Hypnose Limited Edition Eye Shadow

2. Keep skin glowing with a subtle gold highlighting powder applied to cheekbones and bridge of the nose.
Try: Dior Diorskin Poudre Libre in Gold Dust

3. Lips take main stage here. Depending on just how defined you’d like them to be, you can use a matching liner beforehand (also lends to the looks longevity).
Try: Chanel Precision Lip Definer in Rouge Noir or Amarante if you’re feeling super bold.

4. Swipe or dab on a few coats of a dark burgundy lipstick, blending as you go to soften any hard lines.
Try: Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour in L’Impatiente

5. For added dimension you can a little gloss to the center of your mouth.
Try: Shiseido Lacquer Rouge in Nocturne