Last year, I had a lot of fun putting together a holiday makeup look that I thought I’d make it an annual tradition. But of course, I had to change it up.
If I had to pick my 2013 makeup product of the year, it would have to be lipstick. Living in San Antonio could be a contributing factor; a bright or bold lip is a staple here. Plus, I feel like short hair grants me permission to go high-impact with my makeup. And don’t you think colder weather inspires a more goth look? Here’s what I’ve put together:
Like always, I start with clean, moisturized, protected – from both free radicals and the sun – skin. I’m not wearing foundation these days (yay!), so I start with undereye concealer and eye shadow primer to create a blank canvas. My pick is still Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion.
Since I was going to do a deep, burgundy lip, I knew I would go simple with my eyes. For perfectly polished looking brows, I used a slanted liner brush and Make Up For Ever Aqua Brow. Using my Smashbox Photo-Op Eye Shadow palette, I swept Nude shadow across my entire lid, Vanilla just below the arch of my eyebrow, and dabbed Champagne in the corners for a hint of sparkle to brighten up my eyes.
Next I used a liquid eyeliner as close to the upper lash line as possible. To get an even deeper lined eye look, I follow-up with my favorite Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Smoke – a dark, matte charcoal – to line the inner rim of my upper eyelid. Top it all off with Dior Diorshow Iconic Mascara, and eyes are done.
To prep for the dark lipstick, I started with Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Ozone, a white waxy pencil, and line just outside my natural lip line to create a feathering barrier. Then I used a red lip liner to fill in my lips. Finally, I applied Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Bordeaux, a quintessential “Beauty on a Shoestring” product. I had first bought a more expensive lipstick (of an undisclosed brand) in this color at Sephora and had to return it, because the coverage was so poor. Not a problem with this $5 option from Rimmel that I picked up at my favorite H-E-B!
With such a deep wine colored lip, blush can easily turn clownish. Instead, I applied cult favorite Benefit High Beam to the apples of my cheeks and used my flat-top blush brush to blend for a soft glow. A little finishing powder to mattify the look, and voila! An easy, polished look for your next holiday party.
Don’t fear the dark lipstick, ladies. It’s all about finding the right shade for your skin tone and keeping it simple on the eyes and cheeks. So go ahead and turn up the vamp for the holidays!
Images: All author’s own