The holiday season can be festive, exciting, and joyful—but it can also be stressful. Busy schedules, gift buying and budgeting, and dealing with extended family all work together to increase your holiday stress levels.

Luckily by the time Christmas day comes around most of those external holiday stressors have been taken care of. But all the stress of the season can take a toll, and you may find yourself a little short on patience this Christmas day.

To help you stay calm and collected during your Christmas celebrations, we’ve thought up some personal and researched tips to help your day go smoothly. From the perfect outfit that marries festive with functional to all day lasting makeup tips, we’ve got your back this Christmas morning.

We’ve also included some quick tactics to relieve stress that you can keep on hand throughout the day to get through any unforeseen challenges or unexpected misfortunes. These tips can also be used for any weekend celebrations you have coming up or family New Year’s parties. 

The Perfect Outfit

First let’s start with your holiday clothing choices. I’m all for comfort when it comes to holiday gatherings, so, how can you wear leggings in style this Christmas? The answer is simple…

Festive Leggings!

Comfortable and spirited. Pair these leggings with a solid color oversized sweater or dress so that you don’t clash patterns. Wear this outfit for maximum comfort without looking lazy. 

Another cute but cozy look to go with is a holiday-themed dress. You can just pair this with solid color leggings or tights and you’re good to enjoy the comfort all day long.

The third and final recommendation for your perfect Christmas outfit is less festive and more stylish contemporary. This outfit could go two ways. You can pair a nice dress with a pair of tights for a fancier look. Or you can go more simplistic with a comfy pair of jeans and fashionable sweater.

Lasting Makeup  

These tips are all about using the makeup that you already have at home and helping it last all day. The first step to a long-lasting makeup look is: 

Prep Your Skin: Wash Your Face 

Make sure your face is freshly washed and free of any unnecessary oils and bacteria on the surface of your skin. Keeping your skin clean and smooth helps your makeup last.

Moisturize

Use your regular moisturizer to properly prepare your skin. This will help facial makeup, such as foundation and concealer, look great all day.

Use Primer

Primer is essential for transforming your skin into a canvas ready to be decorated. It’s the last step to smoothing your skin so that you’ll achieve long-lasting makeup. Use primer on your face, around your eyes, and on your eyelids.

Time for Foundation 

You can use your normal foundation for this step. Ideally, it’s oil-free to promote long wear but, if not, go lighter on the moisturize step.

“I have to use the Powder Room”  

Use a powder that matches your foundation and pat it all over your face to help it last throughout the day.

Keep it Light

Apply light layers to avoid a cake-face look. Remember, less is more; lighter layering will help your makeup last.

Waterproof & Long-wear

Waterproof mascara and eyeliner tend to smudge less. And long-wear makeup tends to be aptly named; opt for these styles from your makeup selection today.

Long-wear Lip Treatment 

Emma* recommends using this lip treatment on your lips before applying your lipstick for long-lasting lip wear. Another method is to layer your lipstick.

Spray & Powder

When you’ve got your look just right, use a setting powder or spray (or both) to ensure your perfect look lasts all day.

No Touching

The big key to long-lasting makeup is restraining from touching your face. The more you touch, the less your makeup will stay. 

Don’t Weigh Yourself Down 

No one wants to take the time to have to reapply their makeup throughout the holiday festivities, and it’s a burden to carry around. Instead of trying to reapply throughout the day, use a beauty sponge to blot your face. This helps prevent oils from forming that make your makeup slip. 

Methods to Relieve Stress

With a great outfit and proper long-wear makeup look, you’re ready to face the day. But even the most well-planned schedules can hit snags, or unexpected situations can come up that push your buttons. Here are three quick tips you can use to relieve stress on the spot, so that you can be at ease during your holiday celebrations. 

1. Deep Breathing Exercises

When feeling stressed, start by slowing down your breathing. Concentrate on inhaling through your nose then exhaling through your mouth. Really fill up your lungs with air and release while you exhale. For reference, this technique is similar to how you breathe throughout a yoga class.

2. Mirror Work

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and starting to get stressed out, excuse yourself and go to the restroom. Take some time to look at your reflection and speak positive affirmations out loud to yourself. If you’re not comfortable speaking out loud, you can always silently mouth them to yourself in the mirror.

3. Sensory Distraction  

Another technique to relieve your holiday stress involves closing your eyes for a few minutes and imagining calming sensations. You can focus on a smell that relives your stress, such as fresh flowers, or a taste, maybe chamomile tea. Focus on a few different calming sensations before opening your eyes and returning to the present.

You’re Ready for the Holidays

Face the day confidently with these recommendations. Don’t sweat the small stuff and enjoy the time with family and friends this season. You got this. Rock that holiday outfit, feel formidable with your lipstick choice, and stay harmonious throughout the day. Happy Holidays from the Stola team.

*Designer at HMS Mfg. Co. for the Stola brand

Written and Published by Jessica – Writer at HMS Mfg. Co. for the Stola™ brand

Copyright © 2018 by HMS Mfg. Co. All Rights Reserved.