The holiday season is right up there with Halloween as being one of the best times of the year to debut extravagant beauty looks. People are cheerful and in the holiday spirit, so they totally won’t judge you for wearing glitter eyeliner to work in the morning. There are so many looks to choose from, whether you’re leaning towards festive and colorful makeup, or if you want to give off more of an ice queen vibe. Either way, we’ve found that Instagram is a great place to look for holiday makeup ideas, so we’ve rounded up some of the most impressive looks that won’t be too difficult to recreate. If you’re not sure which products you need to achieve the perfect cat eye or an icy highlight, we’ve got you covered.
photo via Harpers Bazaar
All Gold Everything
It’s always fun to wear all gold everything, but it’s extra special in the holiday season. Instead of a regular gold eyeshadow, try the Patrick Starrr Slay Ride Pigment from MAC, a luxurious bronzey-gold loose powder. For a dramatic effect, apply it to your eyes using a wet brush as it will really make the color pop. You can also use it as a highlighter on your cheeks and collarbones. For a glossy gold lip, try the Buxom Full-On Lip Plumping Polish in the shade Ashley, a sheer gold shimmer that will add dimension to your lips.
photo by Sonny Vandevelde via Vogue
The Classic
You can’t go wrong with the classic pairing of a fierce winged liner and a gorgeous red lip. It’s festive, it’s sophisticated, and you probably already own a red lipstick and liquid liner so it isn’t too hard to pull off. Since Stila’s Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner reigns supreme in the beauty world, you know it’s a reliable choice for your liner. It will last all night without smudging, and it’s precise felt tip makes it super easy to create a sharp wing. As for the red lips, if you wish to add a little more gloss than in the photo above we think the Pat McGrath Lust Gloss in the color Blood 2 will do the trick. It’s highly pigmented and the shimmery formula will add a nice touch to this classic look.
photo via The Telegraph
The Vampy Beauty
Just because we’re spreading the holiday spirit doesn’t mean we can’t get a little sultry with a vampy look. Dark lipstick is basically expected in the wintertime, so it’s a great choice for holiday parties. Urban Decay Vice Lipstick has tons of color and finish options, and Shame is the perfect berry shade for the wintertime. Other than a dark lip, don’t be afraid to wear an intense eye look during the holiday season, which you can achieve with the Violet Voss Berry Burst Mini Palette. For dramatic lashes, try the Huda Beauty Classic False Lashes in Scarlett, which will add tons of drama to your look.
photo via @beautybysarah
Classy Emerald
A deep emerald shadow is a gorgeous way to incorporate some festivity into a holiday party look. Juvia’s Place is known for their rich and colorful eyeshadows, and The Magic Mini Palette is perfect for this look because of all the green and gold shades it contains. A deep green shadow goes great with bronzed skin, which you can achieve with Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal. A little bit goes a long way and it will give you the best natural glow. For a nude liquid lip try the super popular NYX Lip Lingerie in the shade Ruffle Trim.
photo via Makeup for Life
The Ice Queen
Embrace the cold weather with an icy makeup look, which can be easily achieved with cool tones and metallics. Fenty Beauty’s Frosted Metal Lipstick set is ideal for an icy, wintery look. For the eyes, try Urban Decay’s Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Gamma Ray, a cool combo of silver and blue glitter. We can’t forget about the Moonchild Glow Kit from Anastasia Beverly Hills, a highlighter kit with six holographic shades that will complete this frosty look.
photo via Makeup for Life
Glittery Lips
We love that this fresh-faced look allows the textured glittery lips to be the star of the show. There are tons of glitter lipsticks and glosses on the market, but the Ciaté London Glitter Flip is probably the most fun and easy to use. All you do is swipe two coats across your lips, wait a few seconds then press your lips together to reveal the glitter. Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter is a great choice if you want to enhance your skin without a heavy foundation. Think of it as half CC cream and half highlighter. Finish the look with Maybelline’s Falsies Mascara, one of the best drugstore brand mascaras that will give your lashes length and volume with zero flakes or smudging.
Once you’ve completed your favorite holiday beauty look, there’s one more thing you need to do. Spritz some setting spray all over your face to make sure that glitter lip or fierce winged eyeliner doesn’t budge. We suggest the appropriately named All Nighter Setting Spray by Urban Decay. This way you can hit up a holiday party confident that your makeup is flawless and will last all night.
by Clare Saxton
