Bring out the champagne flutes – holiday season is officially upon us. It’s around this time that our social calendars suddenly seem to fill to the brim; one weekend it’s a white elephant gift exchange, the next, it’s crazy Aunt Greta’s annual Christmas soiree. Whatever the occasion may be, you can bet on one thing – there will be pictures…lots of them. To make sure you look back on this year’s holiday photos with fondness and not regret (we’ve all experienced the horror of seeing lipstick on our teeth post-photo op…not a good feeling), we’re sharing 5 of our favorite photo-ready beauty tricks. Now all you have to do is practice your smize…

1. Curb shine

Nothing ruins a perfectly good photo than a bad case of shine – we’d like that word to be used to describe our hair and not our foreheads, thanks! Use a mattifying primer like The Body Shop Skin Primer Matte It before applying foundation to control that telltale sheen; after foundation, finish off with a light dusting of setting powder (we’re fans of Giorgio Armani Micro-Fil Loose Powder). If you have advance warning, excuse yourself to the ladies room and use a blotting paper like Neutrogena Shine-Control Blotting Sheets to soak up any excess oil.

Need a refresher on where and how to apply primer? Click here for the 411.

2. Hint of sparkle

Look bright-eyed and awake in every photo by enlisting the help of an unexpected beauty tool – glitter. It is the holiday season after all, so take this opportunity to flaunt that sparkly silver liner you’ve been eyeing; not only will it help you look especially festive, but it will also make your eyes pop in every photo. If glitter eyeliner sounds a bit too dramatic for you, try a more subtle approach by dabbing a shimmery loose powder like MAC Pigment in White in the inner corners of your eyes and along your bottom waterline instead. 

3. Choose the right red

If you’re flaunting a red lip, make sure to choose a shade with blue undertones – it will make your teeth look whiter and brighter photos. We love the creamy feel of Yves Saint Lauren Rouge Pur Couture in Le Rouge for a picture-perfect pout; if you’re more of a stain gal, try tarte LipSurgence Matte Lip Stain in Fiery. 

4. Illuminate

Get glowing and highlight your best features in front of your snap-happy friends by dusting your favorite luminizer in the center of your forehead, down the bridge of your nose and above the apples of your cheeks (instant cheekbones, check!). Use a powder version like Lancôme Blush Subtil in Shimmer Rose Douceur if you’re a beginner – it’s the easiest and quickest to apply and will give you a subtle glow instead of contribute to unwanted shine.

5. Keep the volume

Flat, lifeless hair sits at the top of our list of no-no’s when it comes to looking fab in photos this holiday season. To boost shine, apply a super-moisturizing hair mask a night or two before (Kérastase Masque Chroma Riche will soften dry locks and leave you with shiny, silky strands). Avoid doing hair masks hours before your event – though moisturizing, they can weigh your hair down and make it harder to style. When choosing a picture-perfect hairstyle, repeat after us: volume, volume, volume. Avoid a bad case of hat hair by applying a volumizing spray like Redken Rootful 06 Root Lifting Spray or Ojon Volume Advance Volumizing Styling Spray to damp hair before blow-drying. Tease your roots with a wide-toothed comb and finish off with a spritz of texturizing spray to keep your hair beautifully bouncy throughout the night. And don’t forget to give your hair a little fluff before the flash goes off!

 

What beauty tricks do you use to look photo-ready? Tell us in the comments!

 

Photos: Thinkstock