I started to write a post about some of the products I’m planning on using throughout the holiday season that are festive and season-appropriate.  However, during a two-hour meeting this week, as usual my mind started to wander…and I thought, “What about the holiday looks that are a bit unexpected?”  Sure, the typical red lips/nails and gold/silver eyeshadow are typical for this time of year, but you guys already know that stuff.  I’ve been making an effort to use my creative muscles lately, and as a result, I came up with a few different looks I’d like to try out this season!

Not Flushed Cheeks, but….

Of course, you know all about bronzer and the wonders it can do year-round to keeping your skin from looking sallow – which can be a particular problem during the colder months of the year.  However, I’m partial to wearing blush, especially in the Winter as I really love the flushed, just-out-in-the-cold look.  Additionally, a little bit of shimmer never hurt anyone during the holidays.  To get the best of all worlds, why not try a shimmering bronze blush?  My particular fave which I wear consistently throughout the year is CoverFX Bronzed FX in Garnet – a gorgeous terracotta shade with golden shimmer:You can see how much wear I get out of it – I’ve even hit pan, which is a huge feat when it comes to blush.  It looks great in pretty much every season, but I really love it in the cooler months, and the shimmer isn’t over-the-top so its even wearable during the day.  With a touch of champagne, gold or bronze eyeshadow and a nude lip, this bronzer/blush/highlight gets you holiday-ready in a flash.

Not Red Lips, but…

Rather than opting for the traditional red lip during the holidays, what about going with a more dramatic look of deep burgundy?  I’m picturing it with a shimmering gold or bronze gloss on top, which would give it a luxurious, plush feel. I picked up this Sephora brand gold gloss last week and its give the perfect hint of golden glow:Or, have the best of both worlds with a lipstick like MAC’s “O,” which is described as a purplish-red with golden pearl.  I’m loving the whole look Michelle Trachtenberg has going on in the photo below:With the thick black liner and gold necklace as well, this whole look says holiday to me!

Not Gold or Silver Eyeshadow, but…

Pewter or rose gold shades.  Particularly for skin tones like mine (leaning more olive/caramel), silver can look terribly stark.  I have Bobbi Brown’s Chrome Eyeshadow in Pewter, a Limited Edition shade from a couple years ago, and it’s the perfect color, as it has somewhat yellow tones that look better with a warmer complexion – though it looks good on most all skin tones, too.

Rose gold tones seem to be all the rage right now, in everything from cosmetics (hello, LM Rose Rendezvous!) to accessories (still loving my Michael Kors watch!).  And again, this is an uber-flattering shade that looks good on pretty much anyone because it works for both cool and warm skin tones.  Sadly, I don’t have anything in this shade but I’m hoping to change this soon!

Not Red Nails, but…

Glitter!  While it’s can be an obvious choice during the holidays, a way to make it fresh is to try some of the more untraditional colors like hot pink or aqua.  I picked up Zoya’s Kissy and fell in love big time:Oh, so pretty!!  Here I have it layered over China Glaze Ahoy, as it’s glitter in a sheer pink base. The glitter is sort of holographic and is super eye-catching.  The only problem with this is that because it’s bar glitter, its pretty gritty, and if you’re not careful it can catch on your clothing!!  I ended up putting three coats of top coat on so that it felt relatively smooth.  NOT so fun to take off!  But still well worth it in my books.

Another fun shade I picked up this season is Color Club’s Beyond the Mistletoe (purchased from Nail Polish Canada – fast becoming one of my favorite nail polish sites ever!), a pale glittering holographic aqua.  I have yet to wear this but I am beyond excited to do so – it’s truly gorgeous.  This also needs to be layered as it’s relatively sheer, though it could be worn on its own with several coats.

Now of course, I’ll still be rocking the red nails (I have a fabulous one on now I’ll show you soon!) and lips, and getting good use out of my gold MAC Amber Lights eyeshadow, but I always like a change, and doing things that are unexpected.  These are just some ideas I had that I’d thought I’d share with you – hope you liked them!

Do you have any traditional looks you rely on during the holidays?  Or any new looks and ideas you’ve tried or are hoping to try out?  I’d love to hear about them!