November 21, 2025 |
The ritual of getting ready is a sacred thing. From the art of applying make-up to choosing an outfit – with all the clothing castoffs chucked in a heap on the floor of course – and slipping on six pairs of slingbacks before getting the look just right, girls from all four corners of the world speak the same glitter-dusted language. Sitting at her vanity, be it clean and pristine or peppered with polaroid pictures, she dabs, blends and preens, curating her own tiny universe day in, day out, all in pursuit of feeling good, in herself and in her chosen persona for the night. Littering the make-up table, her Chanel beauty bits, from the gleaming highlighter compact to the perfectly weighty lipstick add just a touch of luxury to the rite. Here, Northern Irish content creator and all-round get-ready-with-me sweetheart Olivia Neill shows off her routine, using the Chanel Beauty 2025 Holiday Collection as well as Chanel beauty staples. Is she heading to a hotel bar to sip on champs and gab with her girls? Is she darting to New Bond Street to complete her holiday shopping? Whatever the occasion, the magic starts at the mirror.
In Neill’s perfectly manicured hands – painted with the house’s Le Vernis Cosmique, a moody slate blue nail lacquer –, the Chanel Beauty 2025 Holiday Collection comes to life. She begins with the Hyrda Beauty Créme, a gentle moisturiser to prep the skin and follows this with the Massage Accessory, a ruby red gua sha for improving circulation, aiding lymphatic drainage and sculpting the face. Next, the N°1 De Chanel Red Camellia Serum-In-Mist, a serum-cum-spritz that soothes, protects and hydrates the skin with red camellia oil and camellia water. With a few sprays on the face and neck, she’s ready to take on the day. Then, the new limited-edition Coco Mademoiselle Pearly Body Oil. Neil applies it to her neck, arms and shoulders for an awakening illumination that shimmers with fresh, ambery fragrance notes. To nourish the lips, she applies Chanel’s Hydra Beauty Nutrition balm.
Once her skin is prepped and primed, Chanel’s Les Beiges Water-Fresh Complexion Touch, a hydrating concealer, is dabbed under her eyes with her fingers and massaged into the rest of the skin using its accompanying foundation brush. This is finished with Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream, applied using the Petit Pinceau Kabuki brush to the hollows of her cheeks and neck. To the cheek bone, Neill swipes on the Les Beiges Blush Stick in N°24. Pêche Lumière, an exclusive orangewood and a white pearly gold blush and highlighter, brings subtle shimmer to the skin, and is applied to the cheekbones using the coordinating brush.
Later, with rollers in her hair and the Les 4 Ombres Nuit Astrale eyeshadow palette in hand, she curls her lashes, adds a swipe of black pencil liner to the inner eye and pads on the shimmery, aqua eyeshadow hues for a subtle smokey eye. Then, mascara. The Le Volume Ultra-Noir De Chanel in intense black brings glam-bot volume to her lashes. Chanel’s Le Crayon Lèvres long-wear lip liner brings structure to the lips and Rouge Coco Baume in Fall For Me – Neill’s favourite – evoked that vintage-y feel. Layering these with Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick in Abstrait, an intense rosewood hue from the holiday collection, she finalises the look. Lathering on a fresh layer of the Coco Mademoiselle Pearly Body Oil as well as La Crème Main Texture Riche for hands smooth as a baby’s bum, her beauty look is in the bag.
No look is complete without a bit of glitz to go with. Coco Crush and Camélia rings sit alongside the Première Édition Originale Watch which boasts yellow gold coated steel woven around a black leather band with a black-lacquered dial. Dangling from her wrist, she straps on the Coco Mademoiselle Eau De Parfum Intense Refillable Purse Spray, a great gadget for smelling good on the go.
With a kiss goodbye, Niell heads out the door, her whole Chanel look a love letter to the get-ready ritual and a final testament to the tender, meticulous ceremony that unfolded before the mirror.
Shop the Holiday 2025 Make-up Collection here.
Videographer MOSES KERSH
Fashion Editor SOPHIA NEOPHITOU
Talent OLIVIA NEILL
Hair MASSIMO DI STEFANO
Make-up KAY MONTANO
Manicurist HAYLEY EVANS-SMITH
Set designer ISABELLA FURNESS
Social media bts BELLA KOOPMAN
Fashion assistant GEORGIA EDWARDS
Hair assistant SIMON MCANDREW
Set designer’s assistant TOBY MAHERT
Production ZAC APOSTOLOU
Olivia wears the CHANEL 2025 Holiday Makeup Collection throughout
