The Vacation Difficulty is my favourite yearly; it seems like a smooth sparkle that settles over all the things. Often, we flip the quantity all the best way up—with massive bows or icy make-up—however this yr, we wished our shoot to seize a distinct feeling: the afterglow. When the evening is winding down, your heels are off, and the candles are burnt to the wick. Most of your visitors have left, so that you pour a nightcap and snort with the few who stay. Every thing feels heat, smooth, and effervescent.

Our cowl star, Dakota Fanning, is the proper muse for this second. She’s acquainted, as we’ve all watched her develop up on-screen, and she or he’s a star with a capital S. She’s thrilling to look at, infusing magic into each scene with the identical shimmer the vacations carry to the season. You gained’t wish to miss her newest sequence, All Her Fault, the place she stars reverse Sarah Snook—and you’ll learn all about it in her considerate cowl interview.

The remainder of the difficulty offers pleasure too, specializing in developments like “mistletoe make-up” and underrated model icons like Martha Could Whovier (IYKYK). So along with Ulta Magnificence, we’re bringing you all the wonder, trend, and feels it’s good to really feel taken care of this vacation season. Get pleasure from!

— Hallie Gould, editor in chief