TK NEW INTRO
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
A Very Camo Christmas
Camo-colored clothes are having a moment, but this olive-toned shadow look on Alexa Demie by makeup artist Kale Teter will somehow have you standing out from the crowd. Add a juicy lip oil, like Kosas’ Wet Lip Oil Gloss or iNNBEAUTY PROJECT Glaze Lip Oil to really keep the nude, natural vibe going.
Winter Disco Party
Celebrity makeup artist Allan Avendaño used the Pat McGrath Mothership I: Subliminal Palette and Kevyn Aucoin Exotique Diamond Eye Gloss to create an iridescent disco-ball lid on Jodie Turner-Smith. We’ll be dancing in the kitchen and cooking with a similar look this holiday season.
Magenta Magic
Pair a line of hot-pink liner, such as Make Up For Ever Aqua Resist Color Ink Liquid Eyeliner like Mali Magic did on Ashley Blaine Featherson with a matching magenta lip color, such as Petal Bouche Matte Liquid Red Lipstick from Violette_FR to make your face the center of attention at Christmas dinner. We’re dreaming of a pink Christmas, indeed.
Apple Cider Holiday
Pumpkin Spice Season may start in the fall, but it goes all the way into the cozy winter sweater weather. Use pumpkin pie and apple cider as your inspiration for a gorgeous gradient bronze eyelid, like Nikkie Tutorials did for this look.
Ice Princess
Makeup artist Carly Giglio must be a Michelle Trachtenberg fan, because this silvery, icy makeup look embodies the feeling of a winter blizzard. The cool-toned grey/blue shadow paired with the brick shade of blush, paired with a graphic, bushy brow, is just cool enough to keep you warm.
Christmas Cat-Eye
Celebrity makeup artist Beau Nelson gave Valerie Pachner a classic black cat-eye and the kind of glowing skin you can never go wrong with — no matter the time of year. The trick to achieving the glowing skin here is mixing some beauty glow drops — we love e.l.f. Cosmetics’ Halo Glow Liquid Filter Complexion Booster — in with your foundation or even apply solo, for a holiday glow that isn’t from the Christmas tree.
Cranberry Wine
It’s officially time to pull out your vampy purples, and make a huge statement at your New Years’ Eve party. MonicaStyleMuse makes a strong case for the vampy, plum wine lip in Coloured Raine liquid lip in Roulette. We also love Urban Decay Vice Lip Bond in shades Law of Attraction or Once Strangers.
Festive Smoke
Upgrade your basic smoky eye to a sultry one by adding a pop of color in your lower lash line similar to Raye Boyce‘s. Under eyeliner was a huge trend this year, and some of our favorite colored liners include TattooStudio Sharpenable Longwear Neon Eyeliner from Maybelline and about-face Line Artist.
Glam And Gorgeous
Want to be the extra cousin at the family party? Just show up in deep purple lipstick and a bold cut crease look like Arshia Moorjani. Add a tiny bit of sparkle using a glitter shadow from Bodyography or TooD Beauty and dazzle everyone in your sights.
Holiday Traditions
Sometimes it’s best to not break something just to fix it, and traditions are traditions for a reason. Matte cherry red lipstick, a sharp black wing, and feathery lashes are the perfect holiday party trifecta — just ask Makeup Shayla. She hasn’t reinvented the wheel, but it’s called a classic for a reason.
Orchid Festivities
Statement eyes aren’t limited to gold and silver metals. Try opting for a purple metallic look, like the one Fenty Beauty global makeup artist Priscilla Ono achieved using Fenty Beauty’s Diamond Bomb 2 on top of black eye shadow. Other ways to achieve a similar look include using Pat McGrath Labs’ Skin Fetish: Sublime Skin Highlighter, or Status Stick from DIBS Beauty.
Winter Mermaid
Pack on shimmery blue shadow in the center of your onyx smoky eye, like Avendaño did on Isabela Merced, to give it a mermaid vibe. Our favorite shimmery blues for a look like this include Sephora Colorful® Eyeshadow from Sephora Collection, Iconic London Glaze Dual Ended Eyeshadow Crayon, and Milani’s Hypnotic Lights Eye Topper.
Glittery Graphic Eyes
Want a more abstract, graphic eye look this holiday? Use your glittery outfit as inspiration when you’re in a makeup rut and extend a shimmery color out towards your temples — kind of like Julia Fox, but less blobby. Keep this photo of Rowan Blanchard close by as inspiration.
Golden Rings
If you’re still doing Zoom holidays or can’t get to your family this year, we’ve got looks for a virtual call covered. We love this gentle, rosy blush look — but don’t forget your golden inner-corner highlight, which celebrity makeup artist Emily Cheng proves will brighten up your entire face.
Rose Gold Champagne
Who said holiday sparkle can only be gold and silver? Katie Jane Hughes paired this gentle rose gold shimmery shadow with a bright, true red lip, and it just screams holiday without feeling like you belong in A Christmas Prince 4. What really makes this look stand out is the mascara — You’ll love YSL Lash Clash Mascara or Ilia Beauty Limitless Lash Mascara, two Refinery29 Beauty Innovator Award winners.
Glittery Wings
Bored with your basic wing? Avendaño added some glitter in the middle of Olivia Rodrigo’ cat eye to dress it up. This is a gorgeous, refreshing take on the negative space eyeliner trend that never seems to go away. You’ll love Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner and Hard Candy Glitter Liquid Eyeliner to make this look all your own.
Cozy Caramel
This caramel-colored makeup on Indya Moore from Emily Cheng is almost better than a cup of warm hot cocoa. We said almost. To achieve a similar matte eyeshadow look in one product, a liquid eyeshadow is your best friend. Huda Beauty Matte & Metal Melted Shadows, ILIA Liquid Powder Eye Shadow Tint, Danessa Myricks Beauty Vision Flush, Beautycounter Lid Glow Cream Shadow, and about-face Matte Fluid Eye Paint will give you everything you need.
Red Holiday
When you’re getting ready for a holiday party, a deep oxblood lip color will make all the difference to your beauty look. Celebrity makeup artist Alex Babsky used Serge Lutens Matte Lipstick in M3 on the stunning Taylor Russel, but we also love Bossy Cosmetics’ Vixen and Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Festival Magic.
Lively Lavender
We’re not gonna lie — we’ve already started tucking away our vivid pastel colors from summer, but this lavender liner Babsky did on Ruth Negga is proof that pastel is still in, even in the winter time. It’s topped off with the perfect nude shimmery lip — try NUDIVERSAL Lip Duo from CTZN Cosmetics, or Lips B Like… Plumping Lip Gloss from Treslucé Beauty.
Dark Christmas
Ditch your red lipstick for a vampy onyx color, like Vincent Oquendo did on Emily In Paris’ Lily Collins. Bonus points if you have a champagne-colored shadow to pair with your look, like Westman Atelier’s Eye Pod in Champagne or Dear Dahlia Blooming Edition Paradise Jelly Single Eyeshadow in Vanilla.
Pearl Princess
Kirin Bhatty’s dreamy pearl look she created for Rupi Kaur is a perfect holiday party look. It’s a little unexpected and minimal, but easy to replicate, and a dream for those who may not be the most handy with a makeup brush, but still want to serve a true festive lewk. We love the pearls from Gembeez to create a style like this — all you need are tweezers, lash glue, and a creative mind.
Silver Snow Slay
This gorgeous snow princess look will make you feel like Elsa from Frozen, but without all the generational trauma and the singing. Makeup Artist David Birdwell created with stunning look for Prakti Beauty‘s Pritika Swarup using the Makeup by Mario Master Metals Palette in shades Silver and Crystal Reflector gently on the lids with an emphasis on the inner corner, and… we’ll be running to grab that palette ASAP.
Simple Festivities
Keep a brick-colored lipstick (similar to this one Cheng used on Yara Shahidi for the 2018 SAG Awards) in your purse or desk for when you need to quickly vamp up your look before a date. Our go-tos include Sunnies Face Fluffmatte Lipstick in Girl Crush, Smashbox Always On Longwear Matte Liquid Lipstick in Disorderly, Maybelline Color Sensational Ultimatte Slim Lipstick Makeup in More Rust, and The Lip Bar Nonstop Liquid Matte in, of course, Brickhouse.
Crimson Christmas
Unlike how we look coming off a red-eye flight, this crimson-colored lid is one we actually want to be seen everywhere with. A red eyeshadow moment can feel intimidating, but don’t let it be — Ketia Moore used the Mothership V: Bronze Seduction Palette from Pat McGrath Labs to create this look, but we love Rituel de Fille Ash and Ember Eye Soot in Vicera or Circle of Fire and NYX Cosmetics’ Ultimate Color Palette in Festival. If you’re looking to get even more editorial, Surratt Beauty makes a glossy red eyeshadow that will rival any shiny car you’re given as a gift.
Just remember that red pigments can stain your skin, so make sure to use an eye primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion or a color-correcting concealer like Westmore Beauty Shadow Edit Magic Shadow Eraser.
Goldy Silver? Silvery Gold?
If you can’t choose between a gold eye or a silver look this holiday season, why not have a little bit of both? Gunmetal shadow is instantly more interesting when paired with a copper-colored liner like Jackie Aina‘s. That gentle pop of brown really elevates the look as a whole.
Subtle Shimmer
Shimmer doesn’t have to be plastered all over your face to make a statement (but if that’s what you’re into, go ahead, love that for you!) Avendaño tightly focused this gentle magenta and purple shimmer along Joey King’s top and bottom lash lines to make her eyes sparkle.
Espresso Martini Eyes
This take on the halo eyeshadow look by Ash K. Holm on Shay Mitchell is perfect for getting together with friends for espresso martinis, or even just regular martinis! The sultry look comes from Holm softly blending the NUDESTIX Euphoric Nudes Festival Eye Palette in Rustic Grotto and Magnetic Luminous Eye Color in Angel on the center of lid. The dark vixen-y look is completed with the the same eyeshadow pencil, this time in shade Night, placed in the inner and outer corner of eyes, crease, and smudged on lower lash line.
Haute Chocolate
Not every gorgeous makeup look requires using vibrant colors and bold textures. Utilize the matte browns and taupes in your collection to create a natural look that works for day or night, like this look modeled by Tamera Mowry. This one is perfect for going from the office holiday party to the office holiday after-party… and maybe even the office holiday after-after-party.
Merlot Madness
We’re still undecided on what we love more: Hailee Steinfeld’s feathery brows or her merlot-colored lipstick. While we try to make up our minds, you can achieve a similar feathery brow using Arches & Halos’ Set & Sculpt Brow Styling Wax, Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Brow Freeze, or Patrick Ta’s Major Brow Shaping Wax.
Neon Hot Winter
Neon pink might feel off-season when it comes to our closets, but Lily Aldridge is proof that it works for our eyelids, all season long — especially when smudged with champagne-colored shadow. Make Up Forever’s Aqua Resist Color Ink 24HR Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner and Suya Beauty’s Hydra FX Liners are two sides of the pink eyeliner spectrum, whether you want something more subtle, or a full neon sign on your face.
Winter Smoky Winds
When all else fails, you can never go wrong with a classic smoky eye, chiseled cheekbones, and pearlescent lip gloss like this glowy look done by pro artist Mali Magic. It’s a go-to for a reason — we recommend a light, easy to wear gloss like Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb .
Crystals & Gems
Euphoria makeup really had us re-thinking how gems and crystals can be worn for makeup, and we’re obsessed with this hairdo / makeup hybrid, tied with a gorgeous navy blue cat eye. Attach the crystals and gems to your hair with lash glue (it’ll wash right out!) — we love dynamic styles and shapes of crystals like Half Magic Beauty’s Face Gems for a style like this.
Vixen Isn’t Just A Reindeer
The reverse cat-eye, or the vixen eye, has easily been the hottest beauty trend this year ad no signs of stopping. Birdwell’s cat eye, paired with a creamy peach blush on beautiful skin, is always a hit at parties. Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Joy and Saie’s Dew Blush will give you a similar peachy flush.
Aperol Spritz Eyes
The holiday season is a time for cocktails and festivities, and Aperol spritzes aren’t just a summertime cocktail. This gorgeous orange and pink sunset eye paired with a magenta lip color on The Daily Show’s Dulcé Sloan will still bring the summer even during the winter solstice.
Silver Sparkling Snow
How Megan Fox nailed looking like
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?