This time of year is ideal for experimenting with sparkly new elements and colours in your makeup looks. With all the parties and special occasions coming up, you’ll have plenty of opportunites to give something new a crack.
But… when researching ‘Christmas makeup’ the results usually look something like this:
And while that look is unequivically epic, it’s not something many would feel comfortable wearing to their girls Christmas pub lunch.
For this reason, we’ve put together some more wearable beauty looks with just a touch of festive flare. Holiday inspo incoming…
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Sleek hair, fresh skin and a smokey eye
Hair: Sleek, glossy waves pinned back with a bejewelled slide.
Makeup: Radiant skin with a very light dusting of bronzer and natural highlight. The brows have been brushed up to look classily dishevelled, while the eyes feature a subtle smokey eye thanks to a stragetically blurred wing.
Image credit: @nikki_makeup
Low pony + deep red lip
Hair: Perfect for day two, three or four on your hair washing schedule, this low pony is the ideal chic-casual ‘do. Pair it with some statement earrings to dress it up.
Makeup: This is a lips and lashes focused look, so everything else has been kept quite neutral, save for a lovely pop of highlight. This shade of red on the lips is more glam than your standard red, adding some elegance to an otherwise everyday look.
Image credit: @mattansabag
Orange smokey eye and glowing skin
Hair: Leaving the makeup to take centre stage, the hair is slicked back into a low bun.
Makeup: The glowing skin is the focal point of this look, so highlighter has been used liberally. Orange isn’t a colour you see often in makeup, so using light shades on the lids and lips gives this look a ‘special occasion’ vibe.
Image credit: @namvo
Double bobby pins, loose waves and mauve makeup
Hair: The middle part clipped back with bobby pins draws attention to your face, which, paired with glossy waves, is perfect for complementing a glam makeup look.
Makeup: Using shades of mauve on the lips and eyes, the finished look is fresh and pretty. Adding some dramatic lashes takes what would have been a fairly neutral look into more glamourous territory.
Image credit: @nikki_makeup
matte browns
Hair: Loose waves with a side part. That ‘I woke up like this’ (but it actually took you hours) look we all strive to achieve.
Makeup: Ideal for everyone who isn’t into the ultra-dewy/highlighted base that’s having a moment right now, this look is super matte and would be very long-lasting. Ideal for all those bottomless brunches the party season brings with it.
Image credit: @patrickta
peachy cheeks + pink lips
Hair: Sleek and straight
Makeup: Blush, blush and more blush. Peachy tones and natural lashes dominate this look, and the finished product is flushed and fabulous. Ideal for those who don’t like wearing a tonne of makeup.
Image credit: @claudianeacsu
winged eye, highlight and red lip
Hair: Glossy and blown straight.
Makeup: A perfect year-round glam, yes, but it still looks festive! The red-lip-winged-liner is a classic for a reason – it just works.
Image credit: @claudianeacsu
Pop of gold, wing and taupe lip
Hair: Loose waves, flipped over into a deep side part.
Makeup: Glitter is synonymous with Christmas, so this eye is particularly festive. The lip is the perfect pairing – anything more dramatic would throw off the balance and make the whole thing look overwhelming.
Image credit: @patrickta
green smokey eye, light blush and highlight
Hair: Air-dried straight.
Makeup: While the glowing skin and bronzer are gorgeous, the part that really elevates this look is the green smokey eye. This would look amazing on brown and hazel eyes.
Image credit: @namvo
plum lip and eye
Hair: Loose, face-framing curls.
Makeup: Red is a classic Christmas colour, so using it on the eyes, lips and nails looks ultra-festive.
Image credit: @chloemorello
glitter glam with glossy lips
Hair: Glossy and straight.
Makeup: This look screams GLAM. A bronze, glitter, smokey eye, glossy lips and poppin’ highlight sounds like it could be too much, but this look is perfectly balanced.
Image credit: @caitlinduffx
slick back high pony + smokey eye
Hair: The sleek high pony = Ideal if your hair is getting greasy but you cbf washing it.
Makeup: Bronzed glam with a pop of highlight, with lashes for extra drama. The makeup hasn’t stopped at the face, with a body illuminator across the décolletage giving the effect of head-to-toe glow.
Image credit: @brooketurnbullmakeup
pinky purple eye pop
Hair: Loose up-do. Perfect for when you’ve got some earrings you want to show off.
Makeup: Plum is a gorgeous, wearable festive colour which particularly makes blue and green eyes pop. The brows are brushed upward to make the eyes look more open.
Image credit: @emmachenartistry
pared back old hollywood
Hair: Big curls with a deep side part.
Makeup: Pared back old Hollywood glam. Lining the crease with a lighter shade makes this look stand out.
Image credit: @hungvanngo
chic loose waves and smokey eyes with 90s nude lip
Hair: Chic lob with loose waves.
Makeup: A modern take on the 90s nude (Rachel Green eat your heart out). Creating a matte brown smokey eye with shadow lining under the eyes makes this one ideal for after-dark.
Image credit: @hangvanngo
golden inner eye pop and loose up do
Hair: Loose up do with face-framing wisps.
Makeup: What would be a pretty standard bronze smokey eye is made party-appropriate with a pop of gold in the inner eye.
Image credit: @emmachenartistry
Really pretty looks