‘Tis the season to deck the halls, and deck out your makeup look, too. “It is that time of year where you can really just say ‘what the hell’ and throw some crystals or glitter on your eyes,” celebrity makeup artist and founder of Neen Jeanine Lobell says. “It’s the perfect time to get playful with your makeup.”
From Christmas parties to white elephant exchanges, you’ll want a merry makeup look to match the mood, so we asked four expert makeup artists to share the best holiday beauty looks to try. Whether you want to spread Christmas cheer or stun on New Year’s Eve, these glamorous holiday makeup looks are perfect for any festive fête. Thanks to the makeup artists’ tutorials, you can easily recreate or put your own spin on the looks. Check them out below, along with all of the products used by the pros.
Equal parts sugar and spice, this sweet and sexy look by celebrity makeup artist Sofia Tilbury doesn’t hold back on the glow. From a shimmering eye to an easy contour, this festive makeup creates an illuminated and lifted effect that will shine under the mistletoe or as the New Year’s ball drops. Here’s the breakdown of the products Tilbury used to create the look.
Your makeup routine truly starts with skin prep, and Tilbury loves the Magic Cream for creating a smooth and hydrated base.
For foundation, this medium-coverage formula hydrates the skin with hyaluronic acid and has a glowy finish.
Tilbury uses this color corrector to cancel out dark circles and brighten the under-eye area.
The makeup artist then follows up with this skin care-infused concealer placed strategically under the eyes, around the nose and under the hollows of the cheeks to created a lifted look. Choose a shade lighter than you normally would to enhance this illuminated contour effect.
For the brows, Tilbury uses a combination of products to define them and set the hairs. This refillable pencil features a precision tip and a spoolie end so you can fluff up the brows before filling them in.
A tinted brow gel can add more shape and definition to sparse brows, or you can set them in place with a clear brow gel like the Brow Fix.
While the blush-toned Pillow Talk quad is often sold out, the Luxury Eyeshadow Palette comes in 14 other versatile colorways so you can pick your favorite based on your skin tone or palette. Use one of the matte shades for your base, then top with a pop of shimmer from the palette or the limited-edition Hypnotizing Pop Shot shadows.
Accentuate the eyes with a flick of black liner. A liquid eyeliner pen will give you the precision needed to create a sharp cat eye look.
Complete the eyes with a coat or two of mascara to add volume and length to the lashes.
Complement the eye look with a blush pink pout. One of Tilbury’s favorite makeup gift sets, this lip kit features a full-size Hyaluronic Happikiss lipstick balm, plus travel-sizes of the Lip Cheat lip liner, Matte Revolution lipstick and Collagen Lip Bath gloss.
Don’t forget this look is all about the glow! Add a generous sweep of blush and highlighter on top to make your cheeks pop.
Set your party-ready makeup and create an airbrush-like blur with translucent powder.
Go from day to night with this simple yet stunning look by Bobbi Brown pro artist Michele Shakeshaft. Perfect for a holiday office party or adding a touch of glam to your day-to-day makeup, it only takes five products to enhance your eyes, lips and face. Plus, Bobbi Brown is currently having a winter beauty event and offering 25% off sitewide.
Cover and correct under the eyes or wherever you need it with this lightweight, crease-free formula.
Shakeshaft creates a dimensional eye look by first applying the neutral Cashew shade of these shadow sticks, followed by the shimmery Golden Bronze concentrated below the crease. Then, the Golden Pink makes a pretty highlight in the inner corners of the eyes.
Whether you go for a bold coral like Shakeshaft, a classic red or blush-toned neutral, the hydrating Luxe Lipstick is available in 39 shades, so there’s something for everyone.
Complete the look with a swipe of shimmering highlighter. Shakeshaft opts for the pearlescent Pink Glow shade, but the glowy highlighter comes in nine shades to suit all skin and undertones.
Lobell’s holiday look embraces the chill of a winter wonderland. Icy eyeshadow and iridescent highlighter add a frosty touch, while a pink lip embraces the festive spirit of the season. There’s plenty of room to play — switch it up with gold tones for a warmer look, or try out doe-eye liner to make the eyes appear bigger.
Lobell uses the champagne Beam shade to cover the eyelid before using the black Like eye shadow as an eyeliner. Pro tip for application: Use a thin liner brush that’s been dipped in water to pick up more pigment to line the eyes. Then, after applying your favorite mascara, remember to go back and add a touch of Beam on the inner corner of the eyes and along the bottom lash line for an extra highlight.
Next, the makeup artist illuminates the cheekbones, nose and Cupid’s bow with this creamy, light-reflecting highlighter. It comes in three glowing shades, and Lobell uses Frosty in the tutorial.
Coordinating the lips and cheeks, Lobell applies this multi-use product in the shade Shake. The cream formula easily diffuses and blends out with the fingers.
The makeup artist uses the Warm Pink shade of this long-wearing lip liner before applying Neen’s Going Rouge on top.
Lastly, a swipe of shimmery lip gloss adds a frosty effect to the lips. Neen’s Glisten Up duos include two shades, and Lobell opts for the pink-toned Bye to finish her look.
Sparkle and shine with Valentino
For a high-fashion take on holiday beauty, recreate this glam graphic liner look by Valentino Beauty national pro artist Karoline Karakeosian. The negative-space eyeliner is made extra special with a glittery finish. As Karakeosian says, you’ll be ready to “slay the holidays” with this makeup.
The dual-ended Twin Liner has a precision tip liquid eyeliner on one end and a gel tip on the other. Use either to draw out your design, whether you’re doing a classic cat eye or a negative space version like Karakeosian.
Once your eyeliner is set, use a liner brush to apply the Stick With Me primer over the design or wherever you want a glitter accent.
Layer a sparkly eyeshadow over the primer to add a shimmering finish to the eye look. Karakeosian opts for the Emerald Queen shade of the Dreamdust Glitter Eyeshadow.
Enhance your glow with a bit of golden highlight. The Go-Clutch compact even doubles as a crossbody clutch and comes with a mini lipstick, so you can take your glam with you.
For the lips, the limited edition Rosso Valentino lipstick delivers a merry and bright red, perfect for the holidays and beyond.
