The look

Compiled by PHYL CLARKE

I can't live without, Emma Eliza Regan, actress and writer

Hot water with lemon and ginger

I got this beauty tip from my granny, and it works wonders for keeping my complexion healthy and radiant.

Moroccan oil I have long, dark hair, so to keep it soft and silky I treat it with this oil which is nutrient rich and helps keep it well nourished.

MAC Russian Red Lipstick I adore old-school classical glamour for an evening look (I have been known to wear it on a dull rainy afternoon, too, if the mood takes me).

MAC Studio Fix Fluid I am snow white pale, and this is one of the few brands that has that porcelain finish.

Chanel No 5 perfume I have been stealing sprays of this from my older sister for as long as I can remember. A week before I turned 21, I bought it for myself and haven’t stopped spraying since.

Bag a bargain

Here’s an incentive to give a beauty gift this Christmas. When you spend more than €100 on two items in the beauty department of Harvey Nichols, this make up bag is yours gratis. It’s filled with little treasures (above), worth €160, from premium beauty brands such as Blinc, Ren and Ole Henricksen and would make an excellent travel companion if you’re heading off on a break.

Got a party coming up? Put the smoky eye brigade in the shade with this dramatic eye design by top make-up artist Ken Boylan.Using a slanted brow brush, Boylan applied a black liquid eyeliner in an exaggerated upwards shape as shown. This was followed with a strong blue eyeshadow laid on top of the black, giving an intense metallic navy. The look is given even more impact by keeping the cheeks and lips natural with just a smidgen of highlight and gloss. A one-to-one make-up lesson with Boylan costs €60 , of which € 20 is redeemable against purchase, and would make a great Christmas present.

1. Clarins Odyssey Christmas Face palette €55

Add a Christmas glow with this beautifully designed face highlighter. The nude powder blends with gold accents for a subtle sheen.

2. MAC Fabulousness Eye Palette €49

Presented in a satin tufted compact, this eye palette combines a variety of shades in velvet and frost finishes. There are three colourways available, so you can achieve different looks from neutral to smoky.

3. Bobbi Brown Caviar and Oyster Eye Palette €65

Eight shimmering shades of pinks and oyster silver eye shadows are complimented by a soft face highlighter for a perfect party look.

4. Aerin Holiday Style palette €56

This classy compact combines six complimentary eye shades and a highlighter, giving a sophisticated but understated look. At the Estée Lauder counter, Brown Thomas.

5. Armani Moonlight White Palette €65

A two-tiered beauty containing eye, lip and face colours. A frosted shimmer powder creates a glamourous sheen while subtle greys define the eyes, finishing with a Christmassy red lip wax.

2. Dior Grand Bal Palette €85

It's glamour all the way with this chic gold palette. Two pearlised eye shadows in white and yellow gold are harmonised with with two shades of lip gloss and the essential black eyeliner.

7. Five shade customised palette, €58 at Ken Boylan, Drury Street, Dublin 2, kenboylan.com