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"You could say I'm a bit of a beauty expert," Greta Hodgkinson says during a break from rehearsals for her solo work, Being and Nothingness (Part 1), in a National Ballet of Canada show called Innovation, which opened in Toronto last night and runs until Nov. 28. "I have been doing my own stage makeup for over 20 years," the principal dancer explains, noting that she uses the 20-odd minutes it requires in front of the mirror to get mentally prepared for the stage. "Makeup," she adds, "is as important as costume when it comes to getting into character." In anticipation of holiday party season, Globe Style tapped the acclaimed ballerina to showcase the season's distinctly dramatic beauty looks, demonstrating that, with daring but doable hair and maquillage, it'll be a cinch to steal the limelight.

Fashion styling by Andrew Sardone. Hair and makeup by Claudine Baltazar for TRESemmé/MAKE UP FOR EVER/Plutino Group.

Norman Wong for The Globe and Mail

STAGE DIVA

The season’s best interpretation of the classic red pout is a deep bordeaux lip with a high-gloss finish. “It’s a sultry, seductive colour and it works on everyone,” says Toronto-based makeup artist Claudine Baltazar, who created the looks on these pages. “The key is to take your time. Nothing looks worse than a sloppy red mouth.” This lip works best with a hairstyle that doesn’t compete for attention, such as a sleek, low-slung ponytail with a deep side part (consider, for inspiration, the tidy bob that offsets Catherine Zeta-Jones’s scarlet pucker in the 2002 film Chicago).

For a Bordeaux lip: Use a lipliner to outline and fill in the entire lip area, then, using a lip brush for accuracy, apply lipstick in the same shade as the liner. Blot lips with a tissue, then reapply lipstick, repeating three to four times to create a lasting stain. Next, Baltazar suggests, “apply a slightly lighter shade in the centre of your lips to create the illusion of a fuller mouth” and finish with a high-shine gloss. For a polished pony: Using a blow-dryer, straighten hair, then create a deep side part before pulling tresses back into a low-slung ponytail. Secure at the nape of the neck with a covered hair elastic. Finish by applying hair wax to the crown to smooth down flyaway strands. Try: Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour in La Désirée, $40 at Chanel beauty counters across Canada. M.A.C Stroke of Midnight Lip Bag in Violet, $48 at M.A.C (visit www.maccosmetics.com for locations). Bite Beauty Contour Lip Liner in Barbarosa, $28 at Sephora (www.sephora.com). Missoni dress, $2,695, Oscar de la Renta earrings, $435 at Holt Renfrew (www.holtrenfrew.com).

Norman Wong for The Globe and Mail

ICE QUEEN

Silvery winter white is proving a versatile hue for eye makeup this season. And while the shiny sterling appliqués glued to the lids of the models at Chanel’s spring/summer 2014 show would be over the top for an office party, a shimmery powder shadow in a pearly shade is both universally flattering and a polished accompaniment to business attire. When choosing a shade, women with light complexions should opt for variations on ivory, Baltazar advises; those with darker skin tones will find that platinum is a better match. Underscore the regal effect with a texturized updo – a modern take on the Swan Lake bun – accented by a sparkly barrette or hair band.

For shimmery eyes: Sweep a pearly powder shadow across your eyelids, blending a slightly deeper shade along the outer edge for a smoky effect, Baltazar says. (Hodgkinson, who often executes this look for the stage, adds, “I also apply the darker shade to the lower edge of the brow bone [instead of the crease] to really make my eyes pop.”) Run navy eyeliner along the upper lash line (for added drama, choose one with a subtle sparkle) and finish with two coats of volumizing mascara. For a texturized bun: Separate your hair into three sections at the back of the head, then twist each one into a separate bun and secure with bobby pins at the nape of the neck. Anchor the do with a glittering headpiece or hair clip. Try: Joe Fresh Single Eyeshadow in Twinkle, $5 at Joe Fresh (www.joefresh.com). NARS Guy Bourdin Holiday Collection Cinematic Eye Shadow in Bad Behaviour, $28 at NARS counters across Canada (visit www.narscosmetics.com for locations). CoverGirl Eye Enhancers 4-Kit Shadows in Mirror Mirror, $6.99, Ink It! By Perfect Point Plus gel liner in Silver Ink!, $9.99 at drugstores and mass-market retailers across Canada. Thom Browne dress, $4,490 at The Room (www.thebay.com). Jennifer Behr hair band, $400 at White Toronto (www.whitetoronto.com).

Norman Wong for The Globe and Mail

GOLDEN GIRL

Metallics are always a festive staple and this season the key look is molten gold, a riff on the disco-steeped Studio 54 aesthetic. On the catwalk, the trend was epitomized by the luxurious gilded eyes that British makeup artist Pat McGrath created for Dior’s spring/summer 2014 show, complete with heavy brocade brows. The effect can be easily adapted for any swishy party on your calendar, Baltazar says, by applying creamy golden shadow to the eyelids (and even the brows, as shown here, for a truly daring effect). It can be swiped on lightly for a “sheer, glistening wash of colour or built up for a foiled finish,” the makeup artist says. Paired with the big, slightly frizzy, seventies-inspired curls featured on several of the fall/winter 2013 runways, the result is playful yet decidedly high-glam.

For a gilded eye: Using your fingers, apply a gold cream shadow over your entire lid, layering on more than one golden shade to build up the intensity if desired. Next, press a champagne-hued powder into the cream base and leave the lashes bare. For an even bolder look, fill in brows with an eyebrow pencil, then brush a gold cream or powder shadow through them. Finish with a light dusting of highlighting powder over the cheekbones, the bridge of the nose and the cupid’s bow above the lips. For seventies-style waves: Curl one-inch sections of hair with a one-inch curling iron all over the head. Pin each curl in place with a small clip or bobby pin. Once all the curls have been set, brush them out and finish with a lightweight hairspray. Try: Stila Portrait of a Perfect Eye Palette, $19 at Shoppers Drug Mart and Murale stores across Canada. Guerlain Météorites Crazy Pearls Illuminating Powder, $67 at Guerlain counters across Narces dress, $895 at TNT in Toronto (www.tntfashion.ca) and through www.narces.com. Eddie Borgo earrings, $305 at Holt Renfrew (www.holtrenfrew.com).