When Christmas rolls around, so does the desire to elevate your makeup from everyday to something altogether more festive. These eye looks promise to do just that, with minimal effort (or stress) involved...
Though bold red lips and reflective glitters often spring to mind when one thinks of 'Christmas makeup,' there are other ways to transform your day-to-day look, that are not quite as obvious or high-maintenance. As far as our team is concerned, you need only have one of the best eyeliners - or perhaps a subtle shimmer eyeshadow palette - in your arsenal, to achieve a chic and party-ready look.
In case you're stuck for inspiration, these are the four easy eye makeup options our beauty team relies on for an elevated and perfectly festive look.
The 4 party-ready eye looks we swear by for instant chic
On paper, a festive eyeliner or eyeshadow moment might seem as though it requires a lot of time, effort and skill but our team have turned easy but elevated eye-makeup into something of an art.
So, whether you're looking to debut a shimmery smoky eye or branch out with a burgundy eyeliner (what with the rich, wine-like hue being both a fashion and nail go-to this season), here's how our team go about injecting some festive flavour into their beauty regimes...
1. Sheer shimmer
Digital Beauty Writer, Sennen Prickett has two words for you: sheer shimmer.
"I’m not very adventurous with my eyeshadow, instead I tend to stick to very minimalistic looks. That said, I love to opt for a sparkly look throughout the festive season. Typically, I simply sweep a matte taupe hue eyeshadow, like those in the Huda Beauty Empowered palette, through the crease of my eye using a fluffy brush, to add dimension and warmth. Then I apply a sheer and subtle shimmer eyeshadow, such as Makeup By Mario’s Master Crystal Reflector in shade ‘Quartz’, across my lid using my fingertip. I’ve also found it works nicely when simply dotted in the inner corners of the eye for an even more pared-back look."
For an even easier option, you can forgo the base eyeshadow altogether and just use your ring finger to sweep the shimmer over your lid, before adding mascara as the finishing touch.
RRP: £7.99
For her base eyeshadow colour, Sennen uses the shade Mocha from Sephora's collection and blends it with a fluffy brush before adding her go-to shimmer over the top.
RRP: £30
This multi-purpose highlighter is perfect for adding a reflective gleam to the high points of your cheeks but also as a sheer shimmer on your eyelids - which is exactly how Sennen uses it.
RRP: £62
If you're looking for a staple eyeshadow palette that features both matte base shades and shimmers, Sennen also recommends this 18-shade option from Huda Beauty - for the perfect festive eye. Use over one of the best eyeshadow primers for a long-lasting finish.
2. Colourful eyeliner
Digital Beauty Editor, Fiona McKim likes to swap her staple brown pencil, for a pop of colour.
"Eye makeup starts and ends with liner in my book - kohl for work, a smoky crayon for dinner or a precise liquid flick when I have the time for 3-4 failed attempts. For festive parties (and festive parties only) I’ll expand my shade remit beyond 50 shades of brown to reflective plums and warm coppers that magically make my dishwater-grey eyes look green and blue respectively. The least intimidating route into this is with a creamy pencil like Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal in Orchid. I layer a neutral eyeshadow base underneath to help it stick, swipe from the inner to outer corner then extend the line halfway to the end of my brow for a full ‘siren eyes’ effect.
For very little time invested, this creates a pretty striking effect that looks equally nice as it gets a little bit smudgier and smoked-out as the evening progresses."
RRP: £32
With its easy-to-blend and waterproof formula, Victoria Beckham's Kajal liners are perfect for an easy and long-lasting eye look. Fiona recommends the shade Orchid, which is a purple shimmer shade that will add a hint of festive colour to your makeup, whilst remaining very wearable and chic.
RRP: £32
A copper shimmer liner is another great choice for a quick and easy party look - whether you opt for a precise wing or more of a smoked-out line.
RRP: £32
If you want a wintery eye look but minus the glitter, opt for the burgundy 'Bordeaux' shade. Beauty Writer, Sennen adores it for a slight elevation on a classic brown eyeliner.
3. Shimmery smoky eye
If you gravitate more towards eyeshadow than eyeliner and are seeking a sultry look for a festive dinner or 'do, Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson has cracked the code to an easy smoky eye.
"My everyday eye look typically consists of curling and applying mascara to my lashes but when the festive season rolls around, I like to change things up with a shimmery smoky eye. I know what you're thinking, a smoky eye is far from easy - but I cheat with the help of Victoria Beckham's Eyewear crayon. I start by applying a cool, taupe brown shadow all over my lid with a fluffy brush before taking Eyewear in 'Pecan' (a dark brown) and adding a swipe to my outer corners in a sideways 'V' shape, across the outer edge of the upper lash line and then up, toward my crease.
Then I blend it out, pushing it up and along my crease, to create shadow and definition. I also blend under my lash line before adding a sheer shimmer - specifically Urban Decay's Space Cowboy - either all over my blended eyeshadow, just to the centre of the lid or the inner corner of my eye and finishing with mascara."
RRP: £55
A matte, neutral eyeshadow is like the equivalent of a white T-shirt in your wardrobe. You can wear the shades on their own or blend them in a gradient of complimentary colours, to create a smoky eye. Naomi opts to apply just a light brown hue all over her lid - but the options are endless with this sort of palette.
RRP: £32
This eyeshadow stick is so easy to apply and blend but once dried, it does not budge. Naomi uses a brush but you can also buff the colour in with your finger. It's available in ten matte and shimmer shades and feels so lightweight on the skin - and does not crease or separate.
RRP: £20
Our beauty team cannot get enough of Urban Decay's Space Cowboy eyeshadow. It affords a beautiful, almost wet-look shimmer to the lid, that glimmers and catches the light in the most mesmerizing way - and in our experience, is best applied with your finger. A dab of this on the inner corner of your eye or across your lid is truly one of the easiest ways to transform your makeup from day to night.
4. Brown eyeliner and a pop of gold shadow
Digital Beauty Editor, Aleesha Badkar had another option for our eyeliner fans: "I'm not really one for eyeshadow, so for the festive season I like to go simple with a touch of sparkle. I always touch a soft gel pencil in a dark brown shade to the very edge of my waterline and then follow with a sharp liquid line along the top. And for a hint of festivity, a dab of gold glittery eyeshadow in the inner corner brings out my go-to classic red lip."
RRP: £32
Aleesha's go-to brown liner is Victoria Beckham's Kajal liner in Cocoa and for good reason. Its creamy and waterproof formula glides on like a dream and even comes with a built-in smudger, to buff out the line for more of a smoky effect.
RRP: £31
For the perfect cat-eye or winged liner, a pen tip option - like Gucci's Stylo eyeliner - is a must have. It allows for both precision an ease, especially if you're a makeup beginner.
RRP: £29
For a pop of gold shimmer, opt for a formula like Hourglass' Scattered Light eyeshadows, which features a high concentration of crushed pearls and light-reflecting glitter, for a high-impact sparkle. The cream-to-powder formula also makes it so easy to apply.
