Holiday Eye Makeup Looks That Sparkle and Shine 2023
From glittery sugar plum fairy eyelids to red ribbon eyeliner.
Sparkle season is upon us! While we’ll no doubt be slipping into sequin-encrusted dresses, tying our hair up into chic chignons and sporting crimson lips, extra attention must be paid to the eyes, which deserve to be dolled up with holiday-approved eye makeup looks.
You see, as one of the most expressive features on the human body, the eyes serve as an unparalleled canvas for glittery eyeliner, frosty eyeshadow, and festive appliqués to thrive. Come holiday party season, let your eyes do the talking in a room filled with holly-jolly party-goers.
To inspire your next holiday eye makeup look, we rounded up eight show-stopping and shimmer-packed lid looks, with appearances from your favourite stars like Hailey Bieber, Simone Ashley, and Vanessa Hudgens. Plus, the must-have beauty buys you’ll need to test out these eye makeup looks yourself.
Sugar plum fairy eyeshadow
The beauty community has had quite an appetite for food-inspired glam lately, and apparently, so has Hailey Bieber. Just look to her glazed donut nails and latte makeup for proof! Her latest contribution to the trend, though, is one of our favourites so far. Enter: sugar plum fairy makeup.
Perfectly timed to party season, her sugar plum eyeshadow is satisfying all of our sugar and shine cravings. Following Bieber’s TikTok tutorial, this eye look layers bubblegum pink blush, shimmery shadows, and gloss on the lids for a multi-dimensional final result that is too sweet to resist.
Ready to recreate Bieber’s sugar plum fairy shadow look? Shop a glittery eyeshadow, like this one by Maybelline in the shade “I am Inspired” to ensure you nail the shimmer step.
Red ribbon graphic eyeliner
Bringing two of 2023’s biggest trends — red and ribbons — together, this graphic liner look is an ode to the past year of beauty. Ribbons are naturally evocative of the holiday season in all its gift-giving glory, and opting for a crimson-coloured liner is a chic way to try a festive eye look.
To replicate this look, draw on two “loops” and two “strings” just beneath the tail of your eyebrow to create your bow-tied ribbon. Then, connect it to a swipe of eyeliner on the lid, drawn on as you would a traditional winged eyeliner. For an extra dose of holiday spirit, pop a red rhinestone right over the centre of your ribbon.
Fenty Beauty’s Longwear Pencil Eyeliner in “Cherry Punk” is the one product you’ll need for your red ribbon liner. Creamy, long-wearing and smudge-resistant, this pencil is totally party-proof.
Starry night eyes
Twinkling stars may look impressive atop a Christmas tree, but they’ll look even better on your eyelids during festive soirée season. Keeping with classic holiday colour codes for this look, a pine green eyeshadow base will ensure that your stars pop.
If you’re up for a challenge (or if you’re an advanced artiste), you can go ahead and freehand your stars using a white eyeliner. Or, if you need a little extra guidance, head to your local craft store in search of star-shaped stencils that you can fill in overtop the green eyeshadow.
For your base eyeshadow shade, opt for a highly pigmented forest-green hue. Make Up For Ever’s Artist Color Eye Shadow in the shade “ME-302” is a peacock metallic pigment with a single-swipe colour payoff, and we love it for this look.
Glossy scarlet eyelids
Looking for an elevated holiday glam look that’s both festive and avante-garde? Let Lara Violetta and her glossy red lids serve as your inspiration. Once you’ve got a base of bright red shadow on the lids, up the ante with a swipe of gloss for a fresh-from-the-runway feel. It’s cool girl-approved. Just add red tights.
Solidify your ruby red shadow base with a wash of Danessa Myricks’ Colorfix Liquid Pigment in “Primary Red.” When you’re not using this product on your eyelids, it can also be used on the lips and cheeks.
Icy girl glam
Channel winter wonderland glam with this iced-out look as seen on Karen Sarahi Gonzalez, known online as @iluvsarahii, above. Whether you’re planning for a New Year’s Eve night out or a festive family gathering, you can never go wrong with glitter.
Pop your brightest shade on the inner corner for a little extra sparkle, and deepen up the outer V of your lid with a dark matte shadow to add extra depth and dimension. What could be more seasonally appropriate than a high-shimmer cut crease packed with glitter?
Get Gonzelez’s look with M.A.C’s Snowbody’s Business Eyeshadow Palette. This holiday-exclusive 12-pan palette is equipped with the same matte and frost-formulated shades she uses to create this look, plus a compact mirror for convenience.
Winter white graphic liner
Put your artistry to the test with this crisp graphic liner look. Instead of drawing your eyeliner along the upper lashline as usual, take it up and over the eyelid just beneath the brow for a more experimental feel. Play with brush strokes of different lengths and thicknesses, topping it all off with miniature pearl and rhinestone accents for more of a high-glam look.
To recreate this look, you’ll need a highly pigmented, bright white eyeliner with a thin-tipped blush for flexibility and ease of use. NYX’s Vivid Matte Liquid Liner will get the job done.
Emerald eyes
Jewel tones? For the holidays? Groundbreaking. No, but really, we couldn’t resist the allure of this sultry eye look painted by Nikki Makeup on Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley.
So, how do you upgrade a signature smokey eye for a festive fete? You add a splash of emerald green eyeliner along the upper and lower lashlines for an eye-catching contrast against blackest-black eyeliner worn on the waterline.
Revlon’s “Jade” ColorStay Eyeliner Pencil is just what you’ll need to try this look. With up to 24 hours of glistening green wear, this baby won’t budge.
Rhinestone accents
If it’s subtle glam that you seek, replicating Vanessa Hudgens’ neutral eye with rhinestone accents carried out by Tonya Brewer is the way to go. Start with a classic cut crease using matte eyeshadow shades, then darken up the look with a midnight black eyeliner along the waterline and a dramatic wing that extends to the tail end of your brow.
For the final touch, pack a cluster of mini rhinestone appliqués into the inner corner of the eye, and just above your winged liner, ’Tis the season to shimmer and shine.
When working with embellishments, nothing makes things easier than going the self-adhesive route. Amazon is filled with rhinestone options like these that’ll stick to your lids with no glue, and no hassle.
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