Party season is very nearly upon us.

Yes, as we close in on the month of December, just about everyone is gearing up for their big night out - getting ready to get fancied-up.   And for many of us, nothing says fancy like fabulous makeup. However, with so many artists and brands to choose from, how do we pinpoint the right one for us? I have my fair share of skin imperfections. I also love dramatic makeup, BUT I have an allergy to anything over-the-top. In a nutshell - I'm picky. With all that in mind, I hit Arnotts on Dublin's Henry Street to sample six different makeup counters...

1. Bobbi Brown

"Women want to look and feel exactly like themselves, only prettier and more confident," is Bobbi Brown's simple philosophy. Focusing on fresh, clean and modern makeup, Bobbi Brown is all about accentuating your natural beauty. During my appointment, my makeup artist, Ariel, first did a cleanse of my skin before applying a hydrating face tonic and eye cream. In a final step to prep my skin, a vitamin-enriched moisturiser was also applied.

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Then it was on to the eyes and for the season that's in it, Ariel solely worked from this year's gorgeous Christmas palette - Cavier and Rubies.  She went for a classic smokey eye with a pop of shimmer before moving onto my base. Using a mix of two foundations, the two keywords used were long-wearing yet glowy. Two words that don't necessarily always go together. Popping on a touch of highlight, a bit of bronzer and a nude lip and my look was complete. This look was definitely a lot more neutral than I'm used to - and one that would work very well for pretty much everyone. And while I loved how glowy the base looked and how much coverage it gave me, it definitely did leave me feeling that I would need to bring my compact powder with me to get rid of any of the (inevitable) shininess. Cost of appointment: €40 for a 40-minute makeover, redeemable against products. Standout product: Skin Foundation Stick.

2. Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury says; "I want to make every woman the most beautiful version of themselves". Yes, similarly to Bobbi Brown, Charlotte Tilbury is all about accentuating your natural assets - but with a definitely added layer of drama. And it's not just makeup that Charlotte is now known for, she's also incredibly passionate about healthy skin. With skincare products and tonnes of skincare benefits incorporated into her makeup range, she wants to ensure you're doing the best for your skin at all times. So, it was no surprise that my makeup artist, Deborah, started with a pretty in-depth skincare regime. After cleansing my skin, she applied a deeply hydrating mask all over my face and even on my lips. After that, it was onto her world-famous Magic Cream which genuinely did give instant results.

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Working from the new Instant Eye Palette, we went for the deepest trio in the set - Disco Eye. Adding a pop of green to the lid and it was on to skin. Using a mix of highlighting primer and a full coverage foundation, I was left with an incredibly flawless base with all the radiance a girl could want. This look was so different from anything I've tried before. Cooled tones, incredibly dramatic, and covering a much wider area than I usually would on my eyes. However, with shimmer eyeshadows and very glowy skin, I did worry about looking a bit like a disco ball in pictures - not the case. This look photographed beautifully - perfect for all those festive selfies I'll be taking. Cost of appointment: €35 with team makeup artist.  €55 with senior makeup artist. Both redeemable against products Standout product: Hollywood Beauty Light Wand Highlighter and Matte Revolution Lipstick in Very Victoria (I couldn't pick between them!).

3. YSL

YSL are known for their signature red lip. Over the years, the rouge 01 has become the stuff of legend with the brand now embracing all other variants in the bolder lip colours spectrum. Working from their new Christmas range, my makeup artist Niall wanted to keep my eyes very simple so to really highlight my lips. Yes, is was all about that popping pout, again something I'm not used to. Starting off with a little skincare, a face and eye serum was applied before a hydrating moisturiser to make sure my skin was feeling extra nourished and ready for foundation.

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Working with a few different base products, Niall built up the coverage slowly and went for a more matte finish. Then it was on to the lips. Again, working between a few different products from pencils to lipsticks to lip creams, he went for a very rich plummy-pink lip. The eyes were a mix of pale blue and pale yellow shadows with a pop of light grey in the crease. This look was a lot less dramatic than I would usually go for, especially around the eyes. And while I don't think it would be for me for a party, it is definitely something I could imagine myself wearing to a wedding or summer event. In the depths of winter, I prefer my eyes as dark as the 4pm sky; in summer, I'm all about the light and natural look. Cost of appointment: Arnotts offer complimentary makeup appointments on counter. Standout product: Touche Eclat (there's a reason it's a cult product).

4. MAC

"MAC celebrates diversity and INDIVIDUALITY – we are for All Ages, All Races, All Genders." Yes, MAC is all about personal expression and that's evident from their extremely colourful and expansive counters. Having heard plenty of positive reviews of their makeover services over the years I had high expectations. Starting with a quick cleanse of the face and hydration boost from their moisturiser and we were ready for the road. My lovely makeup artist Anna went in with a foundation she felt matched the finish I was after (medium to full coverage, dewy but not shiny and LONG lasting). However, quickly realising the colour was too yellow, we took it off and started again with another foundation that suited the neutral undertones of my skin much better. While some people presumed I saw this as an inconvenience, I actually saw it as a good thing. I felt more confident that she would rather start again than have me walking out looking like a Tayto crisp.

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Keen to play up my blue eyes, Anna said she wanted to stay away from the copper tones that are huge right now just to show me that there are other colours that can make blue eyes pop. Heading straight for the rich cranberries and plums, she went for a very blown-out rich eye look with a polished shimmer in the centre of the lid. A little bit of soft contouring and a whole lot of highlighter (me loves my highlighter) and all that was left to do was my lippie. While she didn't want to overpower the look with too strong a lip, Anna also wanted to make sure my mouth didn't disappear into my face either. This look instantly left me feeling super confident and, dare I say it without sounding weird, sexy! My eyes looked bluer, my skin looked healthier and it was dramatic and then some. Another standout of this look was my brows. With a naturally very full brow, I struggle to get that fluffy brow look that's on all the catwalks these days. However, the MAC artist nailed it, proving that a dramatic brow doesn't necessarily have to be a darker, graphic one. Cost of appointment: Makeup in 60 minutes - €50, Makeup 90 minutes - €60, Makeup in 30 minutes - €25, MAC Party with three appointments to one artist - €30 per person. Products fully redeemable. Standout product: Eye Shadow in Star Violet.

Honourable mentions 

5. Zoeva

ZOEVA is a German brand that's all about creating high-quality products, at a cheaper price point. From their extensive range of makeup brushes to increasingly in-demand eyeshadow palettes, Zoeva is fast becoming a favourite among makeup artists and beauty lovers alike. As of right now, the range does now include any type of base products like foundation, so we made do with using their concealers and contour products to give me a light, natural base.

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My makeup artist Bianca wanted to go for a soft yet smokey look on the eyes, working from the rich matte copper shades in their palettes. Adding a light layer of mascara, it was all about a super blown-out, soft eye look because we'd be adding the drama to the lips. Yes, this look was all about a dramatic lippie and it doesn't get more dramatic than a deep, matte burgundy. Seeing as there was no foundation or base used in this look, I was shocked at how party-ready I felt. This was a huge departure from what I'm used to. I'm usually guilty of putting so much eyeliner and mascara on that I end up weighing the eyes down and having to start again. Yes, I usually like a super defined eye and this was the exact opposite. On paper, I should have hated it... but I didn't at all. Sometimes experimenting with something you'd never try yourself can lead to great results. This was one of those times. Cost of appointment: Arnotts offer complimentary demo services free of charge. Standout product: Strobe Gel.

6. Cover FX

For Cover FX, foundation is their speciality and their mission is to give every woman her perfect match. They're all about creating high-quality makeup products made from good-for-you ingredients, that actually work to benefit your skin and not just hide it. Similarly to Zoeva, Cover FX don't have a full range of products that can create a full look. They are all about creating the perfect base, therefore, their products are limited to base products. But that doesn't mean they're not worth a look in. My makeup artist Anzelica told me that oftentimes, women will come to her to get their base done and move on to one of the other counters to add the finishing touches.

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As expected, creating the perfect base involved a lot more than just finding the right foundation. Anzelica used two primers, a facial oil and an illuminating base before adding a drop of coverage to my skin. It made the world of difference. My skin immediately looked brighter, softer and more healthy than before, and provided the perfect canvas for foundation. As someone who always buys the palest foundation available, I find it difficult to get the right tone to match my skin. Oftentimes light-coloured foundations have yellow or pink undertones and can appear even more exaggerated on paler skin. However, I have never seen a better colour match than the foundation used at Cover FX. It was practically invisible on my skin. From my face to my neck to my chest, I was the exact same colour, which to me is nearly impossible to find. Adding a hint of concealer, a setting powder and highlighting products, I was left with the healthiest looking skin ever. It was nearly a full coverage finish, but I could happily still see my freckles underneath. And even though there was numerous products used, it didn't feel heavy - HURRAH! While going to a separate counter for my base and another one for my eyes and lips sounds like a lot of effort, this experience has proven to me that it's worth it. My skin looked amazing and felt great too. Factoring in the extra 20 odd minutes would be totally worth it. Cost of appointment: Cover FX is primarily foundations and primers and offers a complimentary prep and prime service. Standout product: Natural Finish Foundation (I'm adding it to my Christmas list now). I thought going into this experiment there would be a standout winner, but for me, it became about something else entirely. I learned that experimenting with looks I would normally be too scared to try can lead to great results. The experience was also incredibly educational. A major part of each of the appointments was about teaching me about my own skin and how best to apply makeup to accentuate my features. I left with a greater knowledge of how to prep my skin properly, what products to embrace and what ones to steer clear of, and how I can be a little more experimental with my makeup. A great experience all round... roll on the Her Christmas party!