The holiday season is a time of celebration, warmth, and excitement, and it’s the perfect opportunity to elevate your beauty routine. Whether you’re attending parties, family gatherings, or virtual festivities, holiday makeup adds that extra touch of glamour and confidence. During this season, makeup tends to be more experimental, with bold colors, shimmering finishes, and a hint of sparkle dominating the trends. In this article, we’ll explore must-try techniques that will help you achieve a festive, glamorous look that’s sure to turn heads. Get ready to sparkle from head to toe!
Preparing Your Canvas
Achieving flawless holiday makeup starts with the right foundation—literally. Before diving into makeup application, prepping your skin is key to ensuring that your look lasts all day (and night). A glowing complexion starts with a solid skincare routine. Make sure your skin is well-hydrated by using a rich moisturizer suited to your skin type. This helps smooth the skin and creates the ideal base for makeup.
Priming your face is another essential step. A good primer helps blur imperfections, minimizes pores, and keeps your makeup looking fresh for longer. Silicone-based primers are great for filling in pores and fine lines, while hydrating primers work best for dry skin. Remember, holiday events can last for hours, so it’s worth investing in a primer that ensures your makeup stays intact.
Eye Makeup Techniques
The eyes are where you can truly get creative and bold during the holidays. Festive eye makeup trends for the season usually feature rich, vibrant colors that are perfect for parties. Jewel tones, such as emerald greens, deep purples, and sapphire blues, make a stunning impact on the eyes. For a touch of holiday magic, opt for metallics—gold, silver, and bronze shades bring an extra sparkle to your eye look. When applying eyeshadow, start with a neutral base and build up the color in layers. Use a flat brush to pack the eyeshadow onto the eyelid, and a fluffy blending brush to diffuse any harsh lines.
For added drama, try experimenting with statement eyeliner. A sharp winged liner always makes an impression, but during the holiday season, take it a step further. Graphic eyeliner, which involves creating unique shapes or using bold lines, has become a popular trend. You can add a twist to the classic cat-eye by using colored or glitter eyeliners to make your look pop.
Festive Cheeks
Blush and highlighter are the unsung heroes of holiday makeup. A rosy, flushed cheek complements any holiday look, giving you that just-in-from-the-cold glow. Traditional holiday blush shades include soft pinks, peachy tones, and even deeper plum shades for a more striking effect. Apply the blush to the apples of your cheeks and blend it upward toward the temples for a natural lift. For added drama, build the blush in layers to increase its intensity.
Highlighter, on the other hand, is all about catching the light. For the holiday season, a glowing complexion is a must. Choose highlighters with a golden or champagne tone, as they flatter most skin tones and blend seamlessly with holiday makeup colors. Apply highlighter to the high points of your face—cheekbones, the bridge of the nose, cupid’s bow, and brow bone. A cream highlighter will give a more dewy effect, while a powder highlighter creates a stronger glow.
Luscious Lips
When it comes to lips, the holidays are synonymous with bold, rich colors. A classic red lip is a holiday staple, exuding both confidence and timeless glamour. However, you don’t have to limit yourself to just red—berry tones, burgundy, and even metallic shades like copper or gold can all make a festive statement.
To ensure your lip color lasts through all the festivities, start by prepping your lips with a scrub to remove any dry skin, followed by a hydrating lip balm. Outline your lips with a matching lip liner to prevent any feathering and to create a defined shape. Fill in your lips with the liner before applying your chosen lipstick to make it last longer. For a luxurious finish, choose a matte lipstick that stays put, or top it with a gloss for a high-shine look.
Glitter Nail Polish: Adding Sparkle to Your Look
No holiday look is complete without some attention to your nails. Glitter nail polish is a fantastic way to add a festive touch, and it can elevate your overall look, adding sparkle with minimal effort. Holiday-ready shades such as gold, silver, ruby red, or emerald green capture the spirit of the season perfectly. You can also mix and match glitter polishes with solid colors to create playful or sophisticated nail art.
When applying glitter nail polish, the key is to layer it for maximum impact. Start with a base coat to protect your nails and ensure the polish adheres better. Apply the glitter polish in thin coats to prevent clumping, letting each coat dry before applying the next. If you’re aiming for a more subtle look, one or two coats should suffice, but for a more intense, sparkly effect, go for three to four coats. A high-shine top coat will not only give your nails extra gloss but will also help the glitter polish last longer without chipping.
Conclusion
The holiday season is the perfect excuse to experiment with your makeup and embrace your glamorous side. Whether it’s bold eyeshadow, luminous skin, statement lips, or glitter nails, festive glam allows for creativity and fun. With these tips and techniques, you’ll be sure to dazzle wherever you go. So don’t hold back—try something new, embrace the sparkle, and enjoy a beautiful, festive holiday season.
*This is a collaborative post. All views and texts are my own.
A former school teacher, Jocelyn Brown created Hip Mama’s Place in 2007. Her motto for this blog is: get inspired, create and share! Jocelyn loves sharing about food and recipes, crafts, DIY projects and her random travels with her family. She also loves all things social media, but her latest obsession is Instagram.
Find me on: Web
