Minimum effort, maximum reward
Who says festive makeup needs to be elaborate and over the top? You can still pay tribute to the glamour and joy of the holidays while keeping your look effortless. Read on for three easy-to-achieve sources of inspiration.
1. Under the Mistletoe
Statement and classic, a vibrant mistletoe-hued pout on a fresh complexion is the ultimate festive accent.
How to: Start with a coating of lip balm to ensure a smooth base. Define your lip with lip liner, forming a soft V shape on your cupid’s bow before filling in your full lips. Apply bright, red lipstick — take your pick between matte, satin, and shiny. To keep lipstick in place, apply loose powder to the smudge-prone corner of your lips.
2. Oh, Starry Night
Sparkly lids need not look extravagant — add a light wash of gleaming softness for an ethereal, understated festive feel.
How to: Great skin means less makeup, so start by depuffing your makeup’s focal area with an express under-eye mask. Next, apply an eye primer, filling all the way up to below your brow bone. Using a soft eyeshadow brush, sweep a sheer sparkle eyeshadow from the base of the eyelid working up to the top of the lid in a subtle ombré effect. Finish by highlighting the “high points” light would naturally hit — temples, cheekbones, brow bones, and nose — using a subtly radiant sweep of illuminator.
3. Down the Chimney
Go for unexpected cool tones this holiday season with a smoky charcoal eye that shimmers.
How to: Start with an eye primer, making sure to fill in the whole lid. Use a black crayon eyeliner to line the upper lash line and waterline, then smudge the line softly. Next, use a flat brush to add charcoal-gray eyeshadow, blending from the bottom of your lids to above your lid, and to the outer V. Dab a shimmery grey shadow over your charcoal eyeshadow, stopping at the eye crease. Finish with lashings of black mascara.
