5 Tips For Glowing Holiday Skin From Celebrity Makeup Artist Daniel Martin 

From office gatherings and after-work happy hours to weekend parties and festivities, the holiday season can become a marathon of back-to-back-to-back-to-back engagements. Ensuring your skin and makeup look fresh and festive from morning ‘til night may seem like a tall order, but, with the right prepwork, you’ll be ready for a long winter’s day and night.

Since such advice is best left to the experts, we tapped celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin (the man behind Meghan Markle’s royal wedding radiance and the flawless faces of red carpet favorites like Jessica Alba, Nina Dobrev, Kaley Cuoco, and more) to get his tips for keeping your makeup merry and complexion bright — no matter what the most wonderful time of year has in store!

1. Hydration, Hydration, Hydration 

Ask any makeup artist and they’ll tell you: good makeup requires good skin. “Without a well moisturized canvas, foundation won’t lock down properly, especially for long periods of time,” says Martin, who is the celebrity makeup artist for Korean skincare juggernaut Mediheal.

“First, I like to hydrate with Mediheal’s N.M.F. Intensive Hydrating Toner. It has a thicker viscosity than traditional toners and it’s an incredible magnet for makeup,” he shares of the red carpet skincare prep that he used on Dobrev. “If I need more hydration, I’ll throw a water-based moisturizer on top of it. If the skin is super parched and dry, then a sheet mask is a must.” Our favorites? The Mediheal D.N.A Hydrating Protein Mask and Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mask.

2. Skip Primer… Seriously! 

Finding a high-powered primer might seem like the only way to keep makeup in place all day and night, but Martin has developed a layering technique that allows him to skip the step altogether on clients like Cuoco. “I tend to use water-based foundations, so my skincare underneath tends to be water based,” he shares. “I’ve learned that this layering of base products magnetizes the foundation, so I usually skip a primer.” If your skin is particularly dry, a primer may be necessary, but, in most cases, he says the Mediheal N.M.F. Intensive Hydrating Toner does the trick.

3. Try a Monochromatic Makeup Moment for Day

If you’re looking to give your daytime makeup routine a festive spin, Martin says you can never go wrong with a monochromatic glow a la Kat Graham. His go-to look includes “radiant skin, a pop of monochromatic color on the cheeks and eyelids, and big, beautiful brows and lashes with a few coats of mascara.” “It literally makes everyone look woken up and alive,” he says.

4. Rock a Metallic Eye for Night 

Luminous skin is always a good idea, but Martin likes to up the ante with shimmering peepers and a muted pout. Case in point: Elisabeth Moss’ sultry look at the 2019 Golden Globes. “Dark metallic eyes and a soft neutral lip that is more on the matte side looks beautiful under low lights, where the metallic really pops,” he says. “Subtle highlighter on the tops of the cheek looks great too. It’s the perfect look for a holiday party.”

5. Make It Last 

While primer all over the face may not be necessary, there are a few things Martin recommends for keeping the commpexion glowy (like Alba!) without looking shiny. “Eyeshadow primer is key for longevity, as well as setting powder in the t-zone,” he explains. “I don’t mind natural radiance that happens over time, but you do need to concentrate on the t-zone to cut the shine.”

Another life saver? Setting spray. “I can’t control what happens to the makeup after the client leaves, but there are so many incredible makeup setting sprays out there to prevent transfer,” Martin says. We’re partial to the Urban Decay Born to Run All Nighter Setting Spray, which comes in a handy travel-sized bottle, and Make Up For Ever Mist & Fix Hydrating Setting Spray.