Beauty tips will help create a holiday mood

Create a party look with subtle touches.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Hairstylist Stephen Knoll and makeup artists Vincent Longo and Bianca Alexander offer some quick beauty solutions to get you in the holiday mood. Consider them their gifts.
According to Stephen Knoll, New York salon owner, there are two options this season for women with short hair. He suggests either using a gel or pomade to slick the hair back away from the face or to create a deep side part. "This makes a very graphic, strong evening look."
Gel or pomade can also be used to create a spiky style. Pull the strands of hair between fingers in all different directions to get the most texture. You don't necessarily want to have each spike going straight up, and vary the amount of hair in each spike, Knoll advises.
For medium-length or shoulder-length hair, pull the hair up with a decorative hair pin but keep some pieces loose, perhaps the bangs or layers around the face, for a slightly tousled style.
Another look for this length is to use gel to make a deep part, comb the bangs to the side and pull the hair into a sleek, tight ponytail. Twist the ponytail up and either clip it with a jeweled barrette or tie it into a knot.
Women with long hair can pull out the hot rollers to create soft, sexy waves. If the hair is straight, the rollers will work better if hairspray is applied to large sections of hair before using the rollers.
Vincent Longo, creator Vincent Longo Cosmetics, says
"A great thing to look at is brightening up. Highlighting is a thing anyone can really play with and can do it quickly," he says.
Highlights
Highlight the cheek bone, brow bone or forehead with a beige powder that has some sheen. Apply it with a blush brush. Then sweep the highlighter on the bridge of your nose after doing the rest of your makeup.
"It brightens up the makeup beautifully. You won't see it straight on, but light will pick up on it when you move. ... It's not as bright as high-shine products. It's like a secret weapon," Longo says.
Another way to put makeup into the party mode is to add lash tips. The tips in his own line can be applied with the fingertips, then brush mascara over them; other longer ribbon lashes will be more dramatic but will take more time to apply. This is for a sexy look -- or a late-night party.
Longo also likes the look of red lips, especially when worn just with lash tips, mascara and highlighter for shine on the eyelids. "This is always a trendsetting look," he says.
Basic black
Bianca Alexander, director of makeup artistry for MAC cosmetics, recommends lining the entire eye with a black kohl eye pencil. "Black is an essential basic and it's also a huge trend. ... It's a throwback to the '80s," says Alexander.
Take the eyeliner and use it all the way around the rim of the eye, then blink a few times. "You'll have dramatic eyes in a few seconds," she says.
Use that with just a bit of eye shadow -- applied darkest at the lashline with a soft brush and gradually fading toward the brow bone -- and you've got an easy smoke eye, which is the quintessential party look, she says.
A similar look can be created with a subtly colored pencil, including a metallic charcoal, brown or eggplant. Take the pencil and use it right above and below the lashline, then smudge the liner. A single eye shadow color is fine to use since the heavy drama is at the lashline, or you could even use bronzer as a shadow.
Long lasting
Alexander advises playing up the eyes because, unlike lipstick, if eye makeup is applied properly, it'll last several hours without a touchup.
Also, dab a bit of shimmery cream at the top of the cheekbone, the ball of the eyelid, the center of the lips and the brow bone -- anywhere that is naturally higher on the face. It's an alternative to powders that will be more subtle and work with all skin tones and by women of all ages, she says.
But don't put sparkle on the T-zone, Alexander warns. "For your everyday person putting on makeup, that's the equivalent of highlighting the nose. And makeup travels, it's not a tattoo. The T-zone perspires, so putting shimmer there will be very high maintenance, too."