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Gild the Lily

In the land of luxury travel, “festive season”— between mid-December and early January—is a time when hotel rates triple and gold leaf adorns every morsel of wagyu beef. At AIR MAIL LOOK, the season starts earlier, is much closer to home, and the gold leaf comes in the form of a face mask. On evenings when it’s cold outside and dark and exciting within, getting ready is the best kind of anticipation and its own form of celebration. Here, my favorite products for a festive night out—or in

NakedBeauty MD

$110

Damask Rose Revitalizing Eye Mask

Step one to getting ready: Pop on these rose-gold eye masks, which hold a blend of vitamin C, niacinamide, and ferulic acid. They cool and soothe the skin, reducing puffiness and adding calm.

Joanna Vargas

$75

Exfoliating Mask

Mask, but make it festive. This bright gold one has all the exfoliating bits and bobs—clay, volcanic ash—plus a variety of citrus oils. Apply, parade around in all your splendor as you wait 20 minutes for it to work its magic, then rinse off.

The Ordinary

$17

Soothing & Barrier Support Serum

Would I love this silky moisturizing serum if it weren’t bright pink? Probably. But that pink makes it irresistible. This serum helps repair the skin barrier and has a kick of ginger extract for a little zing.

Oribe

$101

Gold Lust Repair and Restore Shampoo and Conditioner Bundle

This luxurious shampoo and conditioner is so loaded with oils that it’s best for dry, damaged hair. The scent—an intoxicating blend of bergamot, jasmine, and sandalwood—lingers for a surprisingly long time.

Laura Mercier

$32

Caviar Stick Eye Shadow in Burnished Bronze

A creamy eyeshadow stick that’s easy to scribble on the lids and stays put through cocktails, dinner, dancing, and afterparty without creasing or smudging. It comes in 22 iterations, some matte, some shimmery, some shiny. Give Burnished Bronze a whirl.

Hermès

$68

Trait d’Hermès Revitalizing Care Mascara in Rouge H

This new mascara has a refined skinny brush that manages to build impressively voluminous lashes. The burgundy shade gives a little spark to an evening look without being theatrical (not that there’s anything wrong with theatrical).

Chanel

$70

Les 4 Ombres Byzance Multi Effect Quadra Eyeshadow Palette in Parure Impériale

A perfect, pure gold eyeshadow is the fizz in this eyeshadow palette. It’s grounded with a reddish burgundy, chocolate brown, and cool platinum. The inside of the palette looks like hammered gold.

Victoria Beckham Beauty

$29

Satin Kajal Liner in Gold Lamé

An eyeliner that doesn’t tug but instead glides gently over the lids, depositing rich, smudge-resistant color. There’s a pretty irresistible gold (excuse me, Gold Lamé) shade but there’s no arguing with classic black.

Givenchy

$42

Le Rouge Interdit Intense Silk Satin Matte Lipstick

This densely pigmented lipstick is loaded with hyaluronic acid and leaves a plush velvety finish. Try No. 333 L’Interdit, a pure red, No. 37 Rouge Grainé, a brownish red, or No. 306 Carmen Escarpin, a bright slightly orange-red.

Tom Ford

$60

Soleil De Feu Spark Lip Balm

If lip balm and champagne had a baby, it would look like this fantastical creature. It’s a fully functioning balm that does its moisturizing business while adding a sparkly sheen to the lips.

Dior

$30

Vernis Nail Polish in J’adore

Let’s call gold a neutral. One coat of this shade is sheer and two are intensely opaque. Paint it on and put your Midas touch to work.

Frédéric Malle

$195

Carnal Flower Hair and Body Oil

The scent of tuberose has a sexy, creamy quality that’s ideal for a romantic evening. Warm a few drops of this oil in your hands, then smooth them over your legs and on the ends of your hair.

Jennifer Behr

$148

Wide Velvet Bow Barrette

Hair bows are back, if you care about that sort of thing. The truth is, they never really went away. This velvet one is made for a perfectionist: it’s pre-tied, symmetrical, and attached to a barrette. Just clip it in and pretend you’re an ingenue.

Robert Piguet

$185

Fracas Eau de Parfum

This is the queen of all tuberose fragrances, the ideal against which all imitators are measured. It’s luscious and sensual, with orange blossom, jasmine, white iris, and a bit of violet for sweetness. Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, and Bridget Bardot, no less, were fans.

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