This time of year provides the perfect excuse to up your beauty game. Inspiration for new looks isn’t always the easiest to find, though, especially in the hectic holiday haze of party planning and gift shopping. So, if you’re on the hunt for some festive inspiration, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re a beauty enthusiast or more of a novice, a glitz and glam lover or a makeup minimalist, we scoured Instagram to bring you 35 holiday party makeup looks to suit all budgets and preferences.
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Red & Razor Sharp
If Santa was into glam eye makeup, this is what he would wear. Makeup artist Alexandra French gives Rina Sawayama this sparkling red and frosty silver eye look that’s perfect for a holiday party. To achieve this festive eye makeup, make sure to reach for a bold pigmented eye colour, like about-face Matte Fluid Eye Paint in Scream Of Consciousness, and top it off with a shimmering silver glitter like about-face Fractal Glitter Eye Paint in Refract. Want to look even edgier? Try out Sawyama’s bleached eyebrows for the full effect.
Après-Ski Flush
Look as if you are fresh in from the snowy slopes — no runny nose required. Makeup artist Patrick Ta gives Suki Waterhouse a faux cold weather flush with a matching berry cheek and lip. The key here is to make the blush and lip colour you apply appear soft and blurred. Pro tip: Use your fingers to soften the pigment by gently patting your lips. For a diffused look on your cheeks, add a very slightly lighter blush around the outside of your main tint, and blur the edges using a brush or your fingers. For Waterhouse, Ta uses his Major Headlines Double-Take Creme & Powder Blush Duo in Shes Wanted, £32, on her lips and cheeks.
Snow Angel Wings
If you’re looking for something outside more traditional and glam makeup, consider this more abstract wintery eye look. Draw the outline of a big, oversized wing in white and leave it at that. If you want a sharper siren eye look, look to this example on Ashley Park by makeup artist Vincent Oquendo and line your inner corners, as well. We love Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Snow, £21, for easy application and ultra precision to draw the sharpest wings possible.
Velvet Eyes
‘Tis the season to wear velvet. Instead of just having it adorn your holiday party outfit, add it to your eyes, as well. Look to this sultry example on Simone Ashley as done by makeup artist Alex Babsky. Reach for a creamy and buildable eye shadow in an opulent, velvety shade, such as Victoria Beckham Beauty Lid Lustre in Midnight, £33. To complete the look, tightline your top and bottom lids with black eyeliner.
Purple Frost
Statement shimmery eyes aren’t limited to just gold and silver metals. Try opting for a frosted purple metallic look, like the one here on FKA Twigs by makeup artist Raoúl Alejandre. Not only is there glitter on the eyes, but subtle sparkles all over her face, too, along with a very Y2K glittery lip. Use a soft glittery eyeshadow that can double as full-face shimmer like Makeup by Mario Master Crystal Reflector, £30, and a sparkly lip colour like Ciaté Glitter Storm Lipstick in Cosmic, £19.
Apple Cider Holiday
Pumpkin spice season may start in the autumn, but it goes all the way into the cosy winter sweater weather. Use pumpkin pie and apple cider as your inspiration for a gorgeous smoky bronze eyelid, such as this example on Aimee Lou Wood from makeup artist by.jackie__ on Instagram.
Holly Wreath Green
Red gets a lot of the attention when it comes to makeup during the holiday season, but green is equally as festive. This example by makeup artist Allan Avendaño on Lana Condor is a great example of a bright, holly-coloured eye that will shine at any festive occasion. In this look, Avendaño uses eyeshadow from Pat McGrath Labs, such as the lustrous greens in the MTHRSHP Bijoux Brilliance: Starstruck Splendor Full Face Palette, £69.
Christmas Cat Eye
Avendaño gives Genneya Walton a classic black cat eye, cherry red lip 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, £15 — in with your foundation, or even apply it solo, for a festive glow that isn’t from the Christmas tree.
Crimson Christmas
Unlike how we look coming off a red-eye flight, this crimson-coloured eye look is one we actually want to be seen with everywhere. A red eyeshadow moment can feel intimidating, but don’t let it be; makeup artist Amber Dreadon uses the Pat McGrath Labs Mothership V: Bronze Seduction Palette, £119, to create this look for MUNA’s Katie Gavin.
Just remember that red pigments can stain your skin, so make sure to use an eye primer like Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, £21, or a colour-correcting concealer like NYX Professional Makeup 3C Palette, £12.99.
Embellished Inner Eyes
If you’re looking for something both minimal and festive, look no further than this example by makeup artist Maeng on Kazuha of K-pop group LE SSERAFIM. The main focus, of course, is the sparkly ice blue dots of colour in the inner corners of the eyes, but the look is made complete with simple, thin winged liner and a subtle, glowy blush. For this particular look, Maeng uses the cult-favourite Lemonhead LA Spacepaste Glitter Concentrate, £18, for the inner eye glitter and Etude Lovely Cookie Blusher in Grapefruit Jelly, £7.25, for the blush.
Haute Chocolate
Not every gorgeous makeup look requires using vibrant colours and bold textures. Utilise the matte browns and taupes in your collection to create a natural look that works for day or night, like this look on Zoe Saldaña by makeup artist Vera Steimberg. This one is perfect for going from the office Christmas party to the office Christmas after-party… and maybe even the after-after-party.
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 gray/blue shadow paired with the brick shade of blush, such as MERIT Flush Balm Cream Blush in Fox, £32, paired with a fluffed bushy brow, is just cool enough to keep you warm at any festive event.
Pearl Princess
Makeup artist Kirin Bhatty’s dreamy pearl look she created for Lola Tung is a perfect winter party look. It’s a little unexpected and playfully ornate, but not over-the-top. Not to mention, it’s actually pretty 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 look. We adore the Half Magic Face Pearls, £12, to create a style like this. You can use tweezers for more precision but your hands will work fine for applying the pearls, too.
Vixen Isn’t Just A Reindeer
The vixen eye, also called the fox or siren eye, in which you line the inner triangles of your eyes, has easily become one of the most popular eyeliner trends of the past couple years. Nicola Peltz Beckham’s vixen eye done by Alejandre is paired with pearly white eyeshadow and a creamy pink blush, using YSL Beauty NU Lip & Cheek Balmy Tint, £21. Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, £22, and Saie Dew Blush, £20, will give you a similar rosy flush.
Classic Christmas Glam
When all else fails, go for the gold standard; a shimmering gold eyeshadow and red lipstick is the archetypal Christmas makeup look. As done by Avendaño, Stephanie Hsu dons an example of this festive classic with a twinkling champagne gold eye and a ruby red lip. For a similar look, try Armani Beauty Eye Tint Long-Lasting Liquid Eyeshadow in Gold Ashes, £30, and Lip Power Long Lasting Lipstick in Sultan, £35.
Festive Smoke
Upgrade your basic smoky eye to a sultry one by adding a pop of colour in your lower lash line similar to Raye Boyce‘s. Under eyeliner has become a huge trend, especially for those with hooded eyes. Some of our favorite coloured liners include NYX Epic Smoke Liner Blendable Eyeliner Stick, £11, and about-face Line Artist, £16.
Espresso Martini Eyes
This take on the halo eyeshadow look by makeup artist Kelsey Deenihan Fisher on Maude Apatow is perfect for getting together with friends for espresso martinis this Christmas season. This old Hollywood sultry look comes from softly blending a dark brown on the outer edges of the eye and a shimmery caramel gold on the centre of the lid. The smoky look is completed with a brown eyeshadow pencil drawn and smudged in the inner and outer corner of the eyes, crease and lower lash line.
Winter Disco Party
Avendaño uses the Pat McGrath Mothership I: Subliminal Palette, £119, and an eye gloss, such as r.e.m. Beauty Midnight Shadows Eyeshadow Gloss, £12.92, 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 season.
Y2K Snow Queen
This ethereal snow queen look Alejandre gives Rosalía looks like it’s straight out of the early 2000s with its white and silver glitter eyeshadow and pink glossy lip. The Dior Beauty Diorshow 5 Couleurs in Night Walk , £57, or ColourPop Midnight 16 Colour Palette, £10.45, will have the colours you’ll need to achieve this icy eye look. And for lipgloss, we love the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer, £18.
Gold Foil Eyes
We love this gentle bronzed blush look paired with a super bold eye. A play on the classic brightening inner-corner highlight, this look will completely up your game by adding gold foil to your inner eyes. Avendaño proves this festive makeup add-on will brighten up your entire face, as shown on Yasmeen Fletcher.
Bejewelled Wings
The past few years have really had us re-thinking how gems and crystals can be worn for non-editorial, even casual makeup (thank you Euphoria). We’re obsessed with this sharp bejewelled look on Gabbriette by makeup artist Kali Kennedy. Place the gems on top of an exaggerated cat eye, and add some below your brows for extra effect. We love dynamic styles and shapes of crystals like Half Magic Iridescent Sparkle Self-Adhesive Face Gems, £8.40, for a style like this.
Merlot Madness
We’re still undecided on what we love more from this look by makeup artist Ash K Holm: Shay Mitchell’s sultry taupe eyes or her creamy merlot-coloured lipstick. While we try to make up our minds, you can achieve a similar wine-coloured lip with Bobbi Brown Luxe Lipstick in Your Majesty, £35, or Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Night Crimson, £27.
Glittery Graphic Eyes
Want a more abstract, graphic eye look this Christmas? Use your glittery outfit as inspiration when you’re in a makeup rut and extend a shimmery colour out towards your temples — kind of like Julia Fox, but less blobby. Keep this photo of Rowan Blanchard close by as inspiration.
Rose Gold Champagne
Move over gold and silver. Katie Jane Hughes pairs this gentle rose gold shimmery shadow with a bright, true red lip and it just screams Christmas without feeling like you belong in A Christmas Prince 4. What really makes this look stand out is the mascara. We love YSL Lash Clash Mascara, £29, or ILIA Fullest Volumizing Mascara, £28.
Glittery Wings
Bored with your basic wing? Avendaño adds some glitter in the middle of Olivia Rodrigo’s cat eye to dress it up. This is a gorgeous, refreshing take on the negative space eyeliner trend that never seems to go away. We love Urban Decay Heavy Metal Liquid Glitter Eyeliner, £17, and Half Magic Glitterpill Eye Paint & Eyeliner, £19, to make this look shine.
Cosy Caramel
This caramel-coloured 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. ILIA Liquid Powder Eye Shadow Tint in Tannin, £28, and about-face Matte Fluid Eye Paint in Cloned, £21, will give you everything you need.
A Very Camo Christmas
Camo-coloured clothes have been having a moment, and this olive-toned shadow look on Alexa Demie by makeup artist Kale Teter will definitely have you standing out from the crowd. Add a juicy lip oil, like Kosas Wet Lip Oil Gloss, £20, to really keep the nude, natural vibe going.
Oxblood Red Christmas
When you’re getting ready for a holiday party, a deep oxblood lip colour will make all the difference to your beauty look. It’s just different enough from the standard red to make you stand out. Babsky uses Serge Lutens Matte Lipstick in M3, £61, on Taylor Russel, but we also love Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Festival Magic, £27.
Silver Meets 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-coloured liner like the one worn by Jackie Aina. That gentle pop of brown really elevates the look as a whole.
Lively Lavender
We’re not gonna lie — we’ve already started tucking away our vivid pastel colours from summer, but this lavender liner Babsky uses 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.
A Very Vampy Christmas
Ditch your red lipstick for a dark vampy colour, as Oquendo does here on Lily Collins. Bonus points if you have a light champagne-coloured eyeshadow to pair with your look, such as Glossier Lidstar in Moon, £18, or Rare Beauty All of the Above Weightless Eyeshadow Stick in Integrity, £21.
Winter Mermaid
Pack on a shimmery blue shadow in the centre of your onyx smoky eye, like Avendaño does for Isabela Merced, to give it a mermaid vibe. Our favourite shimmery blues for a look like this include Sephora Collection Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow in Starlight Blue, £6.99, and Iconic London Glaze Dual Ended Eyeshadow Crayon in After Hours, £24.
Subtle Shimmer
Glitter doesn’t have to be plastered all over your face to make a statement (but if that’s what you’re into, we also love that). Makeup artist Jenna Kristina gives Zoey Deutch this soft rosy brown glam that has the smallest hint of shimmer to make her face glow. To get the look, try Glossier Monochromes eyeshadow trio in Almond, £22.
Neon Hot Winter
A bright 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-coloured shadow. Glisten Cosmetics Wet Liner, £7, and Suya Beauty’s Hydra FX Liner, £13, are two sides of the pink eyeliner spectrum, whether you want something more subtle, or a full neon sign on your face.
Cranberry Wine
It’s officially time to pull out your vampy purples, and make a huge statement at your New Year’s Eve party. MonicaStyleMuse makes a strong case for the vampy, plum wine lip in Coloured Raine Roulette Matte Liquid Lipstick. We also love KVD Beauty Everlasting Hyperlight Vegan Transfer-Proof Liquid Lipstick in shade Dark Wisteria, £19.
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