Hi everyone, and welcome to my brand-new blog! Each month, I’ll be testing a different product, suggesting make-up looks or giving you health and beauty tips.

We are kicking off in November, which is one of my favourite times of the year. I love the whole festive period and all the sparkle and socialising that comes with it: Christmas Eve drinks with friends you haven’t seen for ages, a Boxing Day brunch consisting of mountains of turkey-and-stuffing sandwiches and, of course, the main feast of Christmas Day.

How is beauty relevant to all of this? Well, for many of us such gatherings mean getting out some make-up to make the skin sheen, the eyes sparkle and the lips pop. Even if all you’re doing is putting crosses in brussels sprouts and making gravy, it still feels good to make a concession to festive glamour when otherwise dressed in a wine-stained onesie and slippers.

And personally, I feel Christmas is no time for tasteful minimalism – what’s the point when everything at this time of year is covered with glitter anyway? Therefore, a cherry-red lip is the perfect nod to the festivities. I have been trying AVON Lip Tattoo in Give Me Heat. I love the idea of having a liner and stain in one double-ended felt-tip pen. It’s super-easy to apply and glides on effortlessly. Just use the liner end to outline your lips, then use the lip stain to fill in.

If you love red lipstick, apply with abandon for comfortable, matte colour. If you usually struggle with red, I’d suggest brushing on a little of the stain, then blending it with your ring finger. This buildable colour means you can have a ruby pout or a sweet blush. For extra staying power, use the lip liner all over your lips and then add the stain on top. The only issue is that you have to wait several minutes for it to dry to be really effective – no smooching under the mistletoe until it’s dry! Once it’s on, it stays on – but your trusty micellar water will remove your look easily.

The matte effect means that your pout needs to be perfectly smooth and plump to carry this look off, especially during the colder winter months. My top tip: scrub your lips gently with an old toothbrush and Vaseline to get rid of any dry skin before applying the stain or use this AVON lip scrub.

The advantage of this lippie for a special occasion is it gives enough oomph all by itself so there’s no need to faff around with a time-consuming look when you want to be spending time with your family and friends. It also has the added advantage of being able to handle copious amounts of food and drink, which is perfect for all the celebrating you’re going to be doing – win-win!

Click here to buy this AVON Lip Tattoo

Have a very happy Christmas, from everyone at Dawn’s Dream Team!

Love, Dawn xx

Have you tried AVON’s Lip Tattoo ? Let me know what you think in the comments section below – and tell me all about your favourite festive make-up look. Don’t forget to share your pout using #FinishStrong