These 12 Glam Makeup Gems Will Have You Holiday Ready

1. 1. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

   

   Price: $56.43

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   Pros:

   • Lightweight and smooth
   • Great coverage - not too sheer or heavy
   • Blends easily

   Cons:

   • Shades skew a bit light
   • May not suit sensitive skin
   • Tough to get all product from jar bottom

   Ideal for all skin types, Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation is an award-winning, oil-free, hydrating liquid makeup that gives long-lasting sheer to moderate buildable, silky coverage featuring the brand’s exclusive Micro-fil technology. Super light in weight, you’ll barely feel it on yet it lasts all day, giving you a radiant finish. Choose from 24 shades ranging for fair, neutral undertoned skin to deep, red undertoned skin.

   Apply with a brush for best results.

   Find more Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation information and reviews here.

2. 2. Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional Pro Balm Face Primer

   

   Price: $28.95

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   Pros:

   • Creates silky smooth skin texture
   • Great at minimizing pores and fine lines and reducing shine
   • Keeps makeup in place all day

   Cons:

   • On the smaller side
   • Some found it too thin or watery
   • Didn't blend well enough on some skin

   This translucent, smooth-as-silk, lightweight primer instantly reduces the look of pores and fine lines, giving you a smooth base for glam makeup that works on any skin tone. Or, for a slightly less-glam look or on a hot day, it’s perfect on its own. The primer is oil-free to help refine skin, and the vitamin E derivative it contains helps protect the skin against the elements, too.

   To apply, pat on clean, moisturized skin and blend lightly with fingertips from the center of your face outward. Wait a few moments to let set before applying makeup over top. Touch-up throughout the day on T-zone as needed.

   Find more Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional Pro Balm Face Primer information and reviews here.

3. 3. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Brightening Flawless Finish Powder

   

   Price: $27.00

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   Pros:

   • Truly hides imperfections and boosts complexion
   • A little goes a long way
   • Very long-lasting, matte finish

   Cons:

   • Can look cakey if too much is applied
   • May not be overly brightening on some
   • May need to reapply, depending on skin

   If you’re anything like me, you love a good powder for the shine control it offers oily skin. But, when you need full coverage (especially for a big night out like Zoey Deutch’s and Phoebe Dynevor’s when they wore this to the Albie Awards), it’s certainly not the first item in your kit that comes to mind.

   I can almost guarantee that will change when you try Airbrush Brightening Flawless Finish micro-pressed powder from Charlotte Tilbury. It’s designed to smooth out the complexion, hide imperfections, blur lines, and lift the skin to make you look younger and feel your best. Use it as an under-eye brightener to reduce the look of dark circles (I’ve struggled with these and trust me, it works), or apply it to your facial high points to brighten and smooth your whole complexion. The formula contains hyaluronic acid, vegan collagen, and golden vitamin C.

   Find more Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Brightening Powder information and reviews here.

4. 4. NARS Liquid Blush

   

   Price: $32.00

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   Pros:

   • The right amount of pigment - not too sheer or heavy
   • Blends beautifully and works well with other colors
   • Gives a soft, youthful, glam glow

   Cons:

   • Colors may not suit all skin tones
   • Could last longer
   • Packaging could be more secure/travel-friendly

   NARS Liquid Blush positively radiates off your skin and leaves you glowing, glam, and gorgeous. Offering buildable and blendable coverage, it glides on and, thanks to tamanu and monoi oils, delivers plenty of resilience and moisture. The easy-to-use pump dispenser means you won’t have to fuss with application, and one pump is all it takes to achieve just the right amount of natural-looking glam color.

   To use, apply over powder blush for a more dramatic, high-impact effect, or use on its own for a toned-down, diffused look.

   Find more NARS Liquid Blush information and reviews here.

5. 5. Christian Dior Forever Couture Luminizer

   

   Price: $52.00

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   Pros:

   • Looks natural and beautiful, not over-the-top
   • Applies and blends seamlessley and beautifully
   • Very buildable and won't cake

   Cons:

   • Works better as a glitter than highlighter for some
   • Texture is too chunky for some
   • Light, cheaper packaging

   Christian Dior’s weightless Forever Couture Luminizer highlighter does a superb job of giving you a natural, glowing boost in a finely milled pressed powder that’s buildable and comfortable throughout the whole day or evening. Incredibly easy to apply, the naturally-hydrating formula (thanks to wild pansy extract) won’t cake on top of SPF or moisturizer, protects your natural hydration, and leaves skin with a radiant, iridescent finish.

   Bonus: the highlighter comes in four gorgeous shades in a paraben-free formula that contains 95% natural-origin pigments.

   Find more Christian Dior Forever Couture Luminizer information and reviews here.

6. 6. Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray

   

   Price: $36.00

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   Pros:

   • Sets makeup in place for hours, even through water and sweat
   • Feels super light, breathable, and smooth
   • Doesn't smudge or smear

   Cons:

   • Works better with lighter or less makeup
   • Fragrance might not be for everyone
   • Pricey for the amount needed

   There’s no sense in spending time glamming up your look if it won’t last you through the night. That’s why you’ll want to have a makeup setting spray, like this superfine, temperature-controlling, long-lasting pick from Urban Decay, in your beauty arsenal. It keeps your makeup locked in place for up to 16 hours without fading, settling, or smudging.

   The lightweight, award-winning setter is oil-free yet non-drying, so it won’t clog pores or dry out skin. And it goes on smoothly and evenly to give you natural-looking, vibrant skin. Bonus: the vegan, waterproof formula is cruelty and paraben-free.

   Find more Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray information and reviews here.

7. 7. The Quick Flick Vegan Eyeliner Stamp

   

   Price: $29.99

   Amazon Customer Reviews

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   Pros:

   • Beautiful rich black pigment
   • Long-lasting, won't smudge or smear
   • Many found it easy to stamp on and touch up

   Cons:

   • Tough to see placement and therefore symmetry of wings
   • Some found it tricky to use
   • May not be ideal for some eye shapes

   This pack of two The Quick Flick eyeliner pens, one for the left and one for the right, has an end to draw your perfect wing or cat eye and another with a precise, felt-tip end ideal for drawing thin or thick lines. The long-lasting vegan formula is cruelty-free, non-toxic, waterproof, smudgeproof, and smearproof, so you won’t need to worry about touchups throughout your day.

   To use, line each eye’s corner with The Quick Flick cat eye stamp, then press to release. With the eyeliner marker, connect the wing to your eye.

   Find more The Quick Flick Vegan Eyeliner Stamp information and reviews here.

8. 8. Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise Cream Eye Shadow

   

   Price: $42.00

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   Pros:

   • Easy to apply and build up or wear for a minimal, sheer look
   • Creamy, velvety smooth texture
   • Very long-lasting

   Cons:

   • Some found it creased after a while
   • Colors may show up darker when applied
   • Not as long-lasting for some users

   I tried Charlotte Tilbury’s Eyes to Mesmerise long-lasting cream shadow in champagne and found it really goes on smooth and airy light and spreads nice ‘n easy, plus vitamin E gives you nice hydration. It’s pretty neutral and light in color – whether you go for Amber Gold, Champagne, Oyster Pearl, Star Gold, Chocolate Bronze or Rose Gold – with just a touch of brightening glimmer, making it totally versatile for what you’re doing.

   Wear it on its own au naturel for a casual, feminine look by day, or add it as your final layer to a darker, smokier, more dramatic eye by night (the Bigger, Brighter Eyes palette is perfect for this), just like the beauties of the Clooney Foundation for Justice’s Inaugural Albie Awards did. (Oh, and Charlotte herself wore this stunning K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipstick which I’ve been loving these days).

   Find more Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise Cream Eye Shadow information and reviews here.

9. 9. Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam II Mini Eye Shadow Palette

   

   Price: $29.00

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   Pros:

   • Colors are true to what you see and last for hours
   • A little goes a long way - you don't need much
   • Highly pigmented & blendable with no fallout

   Cons:

   • Not the best color selection for darker complexions
   • Not glittery enough for some
   • Some found it crumbled in the container over time

   This mini eyeshadow palette from Anastasia Beverly Hills gives you the ultimate in gorgeous soft glam. It includes eight neutral, fully-pigmented, warm and cool, matte, satin, and metallic shades packed into a handy travel-size palette you can grab and take wherever you go. The shadows are super easy to blend and build up, so you can create as understated or as glam a look as you’d like for that big night out. Bonus: they’re cruelty, paraben, and fragrance-free.

   To apply, start with very little shadow on a flat brush to deposit color, highlight, or pack onto the lid. Then, diffuse and blend out with a fluffy-ended brush. For highlighting, use metallic and light matte shadows, for contouring, use warm matte neutrals, and for defining, use deep, smoky shades.

   Find more Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam II Mini Eye Shadow information and reviews here.

10. 10. LANCOME Monsieur Big Volume Mascara

    

    Price: $30.00

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    Pros:

    • Easy to apply
    • Makes lashes extremely long
    • Dries fast and won't smear or smudge

    Cons:

    • Formula is on the thicker side
    • Some found it gave enough volume but not length
    • Some needed multiple coats for desired effect

    This buildable, voluminous mascara from Lancome lasts all day and gives you dramatic, high-intensity, bold, black lashes – think false-lash look – with no need for touch-ups. It features a large brush with soft, wavy fibers that helps just the right amount of the creamy-smooth formula glide on nicely and evenly, without clumping. Polymers and waxes latch on to the lash right away, so this mascara won’t smudge or flake off. That means even if you’re out all night and don’t get around to washing it off, no need to worry about waking up with raccoon eyes (or getting product in your sensitive eyes).

    To use, hold the wand horizontally near your lashes and apply in an upward motion for top lashes and downward motion for bottom lashes. Build and layer as you please.

    Find more LANCOME Monsieur Big Volume Mascara information and reviews here.

11. 11. Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Stunna Lip Paint

    

    Price: $19.99

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    Pros:

    • Stunning, unique colors
    • Stays put all day long
    • A little goes a long way

    Cons:

    • Some shades may dry darker than shown
    • May take a while to dry
    • Some found it hard to apply

    Rihanna’s lip paints come in 8 showstopping shades ideal for all skin tones. They’re specially designed to stay put all day or night, without the smudging, feathering, or vibrancy loss you get from other brands. All you need is one stroke of this weightless liquid on the wand which helps you apply with precision. The vegan and cruelty-free formula finishes matte, lasts for hours, and leaves your lips kissably smooth.

    To use, shake it up to activate pigment, define lips using the wand upright, then fill in with the wand facing down. For a softer look, add your favorite gloss on top.

    Find more Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Stunna Lip Paint information and reviews here.

12. 12. Westman Atelier Mini Petite Sticks Clean Glow Trio Color

    

    Price: $148.00

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    Pros:

    • Glowing, natural finish
    • Enhances skin instead of covering it up
    • Convenient size that lasts a while

    Cons:

    • Lighter coverage
    • May not suit all skin tones
    • Some found texture is chalky

    Want to treat yourself? I mean, really treat yourself? Check out this bestselling trio of highlight, clean contour, and blush sticks in handy travel sizes. They’ll sculpt, showcase, and dazzle your best features to the world in three quick steps, leaving your skin radiant.

    Here’s what you’ll get: one Face Trace Contour Stick in Truffle (rich mocha), one Lit Up Highlight Stick in Nectar (glassy golden peach), and one Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in Dou Dou (warm rose). The contour stick is made of hydrating jojoba oil with a satiny finish, and traces and blends your cheekbones, jawline, and eyes. The highlight stick contains skin-firming active ingredients and gives a glassy, illuminating shine. Finally, the blush stick soothes skin and leaves you with natural-looking color and finish.

    Find more Westman Atelier Mini Petite Sticks information and reviews here.

What Does Glam Makeup Mean?

Glam makeup can take the form of different looks, including soft glam - a more natural look with highlight and contour that accents your features - glam - an elevated version of soft glam with more natural foundation but dramatic eyes - and old Hollywood glam - the most dramatic, color-popping style of the three with typically red lips, long, full, false lashes, and winged eyeliner.

What's The Difference Between Soft Glam And Full Glam?

Full glam is dramatic and transformative looks with elements like carved-out brows, winged eyeliner, multicolored eyeshadow, glittery highlighter, and deep, dark lips. On the other hand, soft glam is a diffused, natural, lighter, and slightly less polished look than full glam.

What Is The Best Glam Makeup?

There are many great glam makeup products out there including those from Lancome, Urban Decay, Charlotte Tilbury, and NARS. Try some and see what works best for you.