New Year’s Eve is one of those special occasions to add a little wow to your look. Whether you’re going out or staying in, you can feel extra festive by trying one of these striking makeup ideas. Here are 4 looks to help you glow into the new year—complete with a list of my favorite products to use!
Classic Red Lip
A red lip is the quintessential holiday look. And best of all, it’s something everyone can pull off!
Red lips can brighten the face and even make your teeth appear whiter. By carefully highlighting your Cupid’s bow, your lips will look more lifted and pouty. Pairing a neutral smoky eye with red lips will ensure the lips are the star of the show. Don’t forget to finish up the look by bronzing your cheeks, jawline and temples!
Highlight On Fleek
Highlighting or “strobing” is huge in the beauty world. By applying the highlights strategically, you’re bringing attention to certain areas on the face.
You’ll want to highlight the tops of the cheekbones, the tip or bridge of the nose, inner corners of the eyes, under the brows, and Cupid’s bow. If you’re feeling the need for extra radiance, try patting on a cream highlighter with your fingertips before applying a regular highlighter on top. Trust me, this combination gives you a dewy look that shines for days.
Silver Metallic Eyes
A silver metallic eye is a New Year’s Eve look that never goes out of style, and it’s a perfect option for ladies who want extra attention on their eyes. Before applying the metallic eye shadow, use a product with Glycerin (eye drops work too) to help adhere the eye shadow and give it more shine and staying power. I’d keep the foundation more dewy, fresh-faced, and paired with a lighter blush to keep the intense color on the lids as the focal point. You’ll definitely turn heads with this look—own it!
Warm Brown Smoky Eyes
Last of all, here’s my favorite, go-to look for special events! This timeless and gorgeous smoky eye uses warm and neutral browns. The look is easy to create and compliments all skin tones.
I like to use 3-5 eye shadows to create a gradient effect, using the darkest color only on the lid closest to the lash line and transitioning to the lightest color on top. Use a black gel eyeliner and pump up the lashes to make the look pop. For the lips, you can keep it subtle and use a nude/pink color or go bold and use mauve, purple or even dark brown lip color (a hot trend right now!).
Favorite Shadows & Lip Colors
I’ve included some recommended products from Jane Iredale for recreating the looks above.
These are three of my favorite eye shadows for adding a little bit of wow. The blue eye shadow would work perfectly for the metallic eye look. The brown shadow Walnut I absolutely love, and can be used with the any of the looks. Remember, the more layers you do, the darker and richer the shadow will be.
Blue Hour, Merlot, Walnut $19
The four lip colors below are eye-popping and perfect for the occasion. I’ve included a lip stain that photographs like a dream, two super creamy lip crayons and a highly moisturizing lipstick.
- Fascination Lil Stain (rose pink) $30
- Margi Lipstick (apple red) $25
- Luscious Lip Crayon (mauve/brown) $18
- Hot Red Lip Crayon (bright red) $18
So what will it be—classic red lip, highlights, metallic eye or smoky brown eye? With any one of these 4 smashing looks, you’ll be ready to rock on New Year’s Eve and celebrate the beginning of a fabulous new year!
Arynn Anderson is an Esthetician at Cole’s Salon in Burnsville.
