When I first heard that H&M was coming out with beauty line, I was pretty stoked. Naturally, I assumed that the products would be fun, playful and generously priced – true to the brand. I also assumed that I would make a handful of purchases and maybe end up integrating one or two of them into my well-established beauty routine. I was wrong – out of the eleven products that I picked up, seven are now in heavy rotation.

Seriously, this stuff is SO good. The highlighter lasts all day, the concealer GLIDES on, the lipstick doesn’t dry my lips (cue angels singing) and the liquid liner is a friggin’ DREAM.

It also didn’t hurt that I had celebrity makeup artist Arabella Trasca, whose clients include Arlene Dickinson and Suzanne Rogers, do my makeup properly and show me how to get the most out of my new products. Why wait for the holidays when you can start RIGHT NOW?BellaOlgaBelow are Arabella’s tips for achieving the perfect holiday look AKA my new day look!

  1. Look for concealers that are ‘clear’ in colour or true to skin tones. Don’t go for anything too pink or too yellow as it’ll be tougher to work with and won’t look natural. I really loved using H&M’s Concealer Palette (1); the tones were perfect.
  2. Don’t buy makeup based on trends. Whether you’re doing a day look or going to an event, use colours that work for you and make you feel beautiful. Makeup trends are not timeless, but your look should be. (Olga: Also, don’t give your colleagues another reason to make fun of you when they pull up your photo from the office party in six months to ogle at your contour lines and overdrawn lips.)
  3. Don’t be afraid to glow!!! It’s all about bringing a glow to your face for a youthful and timeless look. It may be a bit too time consuming for every day, but a dewy complexion is the perfect holiday accessory. To get the most out of H&M’s Halo Illuminizer (4), put product on your hand first, then dab onto your cheeks, bridge of your nose and just above your upper lip.
  4. Want to look like you have DRAMATIC false lashes? Try drawing tiny dots under your eye area! H&M’s Liquid Eyeliner (5) has a super fine applicator tip, which gives you the utmost control over the thickness of the line, or dot in this case!
  5. Use your finger to press on sparkly shadow, like the gorge Let It Shine Eye Shadow (7). Using your body heat, pat it in onto the back of your hand, and then apply to your lids and in the corners of your eyes. This will secure the shadow and prevent it from falling onto your cheeks.
  6. If you’re looking for a beautiful, creamy texture on your cheeks, use your lipstick! It’s great for winter, easy to apply and it gives your complexion a glow. (Olga: This tip BLEW MY MIND, my cheeks looked dewy all day, and I’m now OBSESSED with the Sakura Cream Lipstick (8) AKA Barbie Pink.)
  7. Don’t be afraid to use more then one product on your eyebrows, especially if you’re getting ready for a special occasion, like a holiday party. In fact, I encourage you to use more! Try combining gels, pencils and shadows to create texture and a depth, like a natural brow! For Olga’s look, I used the Gel Liner in Chocolate Brown (9) to create tiny hair-like strokes with the angled brush to fill in her brows.

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