HOW TO LOOK FRESH & ALIVE DURING THE FESTIVE SEASON

We all know that this time of year is always pretty hectic; with busy schedules, lots of parties, increased working hours, deadlines, illnesses and the stress of Christmas shopping! It is no surprise if you're feeling a little run down and in need of a break! These are some of the products that I like to use when I have had too many busy days and late nights and want to pretend that I've had my 8 hours sleep and several facials of course... 

When my eyes are feeling incredibly tired and pretty much still asleep I always like to use a good hydrating eye cream, like the Bare Minerals Renew & Hydrate eye cream, as it always makes my under eyes feel so smooth and refreshed. You could also try keeping it in the fridge and then applying it to your under eyes to fight those pesky under eye bags.

I've recently been using The Body Shop's Vitamin C Energising Face Spritz; it smells of oranges and really hydrates your skin and makes it look a lot more fresh and radiant. You can also spray this onto your face during the day as a little pick me up. Another product that I like to use to add radiance to tired and dull skin is the Bare Minerals Biolucent Mineral Brightening Treatment. I really notice a difference when I use this product, as my skin looks so radiant and healthy, the kind of finish that a good dewy foundation would give. The cold weather is also a further battle to our skin, making it feel even more dry and dehydrated, so a good overnight mask like Clinique's Moisture surge mask is a must have.

There are of course a few make up must haves that really help to hide the appearance of dark circles and blemishes that have maybe appeared after one too many take aways or other naughty foods this time of year. I love Mac's Pro Longwear Concealer and Mac's Prep and Prime Highlighter in Radiant Rose. I always talk about both of these products on my blog so sorry if you're a regular reader, but they are just so good! I always find that a pretty pink blush makes you look so much more alive by adding a good amount of warmth and colour to your complexion. I've chosen Benefit's Bella Bamba as it's a gorgeous bright pink, that still looks like a natural flush of colour on the cheeks. Finally, to make you look even more fresh and alive, I like to add a little highlighter, like Mac's Soft and Gentle, to the cheekbones, brow bone and inner eye. This really lifts your eyes and makes them look so much bigger, brighter and awake. 

I hope you find some of these products useful to you during this festive season and know that you're not the only one feeling very tired and ready for a day off come Christmas day! It's times like this when I'm especially grateful that us woman can have a little helping hand in looking great with a little, or maybe even a lot of make up!