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Christmas is the one time of year I put on more than mascara and lip balm. Between the church program, the family party and the neighbor’s cookie exchange, I like having a few festive looks I can do at the bathroom mirror in about ten minutes, plus one bold one for Christmas Eve.
Here are 30 Christmas makeup ideas I gathered from makeup artists and beauty blogs I love. You will find candy cane eyeliner, classic red lips, gold and red glitter, green smoky eyes, icy silver and blue looks, painted snowflakes, a tiny snowman and a full elf face for the kids’ party. Each idea links to the site it came from, and I added simple steps to copy it at home. If you want your nails to match, our Christmas nail ideas, December nails, gingerbread nails and Grinch nails have plenty more holiday looks.
1. Candy cane eyeliner
SaveCredit: Glisten Cosmetics
This is the look that made me want to write this list. A red and white striped wing reads as Christmas from across the room, and the rest of the face can stay simple.
Draw a thin white wing with a white liner pencil or cream liner. Once it sets, paint short diagonal red stripes across it with a fine brush and red liner. A wash of champagne shimmer on the lid and a little red mascara on the lower lashes finish it.
2. Classic red lip and black wing
SaveCredit: Beautylish
If you only try one look this season, make it this one. A bright red lip and a clean black wing have been Christmas party makeup for as long as I can remember.
Keep the lids soft and matte in a cream or light taupe. Draw a black wing, then line and fill your lips with a true red. Blot once with a tissue, apply a second coat, and the color will last through dinner.
3. Gold glitter lids with a brick red lip
SaveCredit: Goldie
Gold glitter on the lids looks like candlelight on a tree. Paired with a warm brick red lip, it is festive without feeling like a costume.
Pat a warm brown shadow into the crease, then press loose gold glitter onto the lid over a glitter glue or a damp brush. Add a black wing and finish with a warm red lip.
4. Red glitter liner with a cherry lip
SaveCredit: Goldie
This one matches a sparkly red dress perfectly. The glitter sits right along the lashes, so it looks dressy but is quick to do.
Sweep a copper shadow across the lid and draw a short black wing. Trace red glitter liner right above the lashes and under the outer corner. Finish with a cherry red lip.
5. Snowflake eye art
SaveCredit: Goldie
This is pure winter wonderland. Blue liner, lilac shimmer and little white snowflakes painted at the outer corner.
Blend lilac shimmer over the lid and under the eye. Draw a black wing, then trace a sky blue line right above it. With a thin brush and white face paint or white liner, paint two or three snowflakes at the outer corner and add a few white dots like falling snow.
6. Christmas tree eyeliner
SaveCredit: Glisten Cosmetics
The liner swirls out from the lash line into a little green tree with a gold star. It made me smile the second I saw it.
Wash a bronze shimmer over the lid. With a green liquid liner, draw a line along the upper lashes that sweeps out past the corner and zigzags up into a tree shape. Add a gold star at the top with a gold liner or a tiny gold sticker.
7. Little snowman wing
SaveCredit: Glisten Cosmetics
A tiny snowman sitting on the edge of a sharp wing is too cute. Navy liner on the lower lashes ties it all together.
Draw a long black wing and close it into an open triangle. Paint a small white snowman with two dots on top of the wing, then add a navy hat and scarf and an orange dot nose. Line the lower lashes with navy and dab silver glitter at the inner corner.
8. Red smoky eye with gold liner
SaveCredit: Beautylish
This is bold, but it is so pretty for a Christmas Eve party. Deep red shadow is softened at the edges and a thin gold line catches the light.
Blend a matte red shadow over the lid and up into the crease, then deepen the outer corner with a burgundy or black. Draw a black wing and trace a thin gold glitter line right on top of it. Keep the lips neutral.
9. Green smoky eye with a gold inner corner
SaveCredit: Goldie
Evergreen shadow with a gold glow at the inner corner is one of my favorite ways to wear Christmas colors.
Pat a forest green shimmer over the lid and blend a warm brown into the crease. Add a gold highlight at the inner corner and run green along the lower lash line. A black wing and a nude lip balance it out.
10. Emerald green wing
SaveCredit: YouCam Makeup
If glitter is not your thing, try a simple green wing. It looks polished and still feels like the holidays.
Draw a black wing first. Right above it, trace a thin line of emerald green liner that follows the wing out to the tip. Keep the lids bare or use a soft peach shadow.
11. Icy silver lids and glossy lips
SaveCredit: Goldie
Silver shimmer and a glossy nude lip look like fresh snow and frosty windows. It is soft, pretty and quick.
Pat a silver or icy blue shimmer over the whole lid with your finger. Skip the liner, add mascara, and finish with a clear or nude gloss. A touch of highlight on the cheekbones adds to the frosty glow.
12. Frosty blue eyes
SaveCredit: Goldie
Pale blue shadow is a lovely surprise at a Christmas party, especially with blue or gray eyes.
Sweep a pale icy blue over the lid and blend it a little past the crease. Add a touch of silver to the center of the lid, then run the same blue under the lower lashes. Finish with lots of mascara and a soft pink lip.
13. Santa hat eyeshadow
SaveCredit: Goldie
The red glitter lid curves up like a Santa hat, with a white line for the fur and a white dot for the pompom. It is a showstopper.
Blend a bright red shadow over the lid and onto the brow bone. Press red glitter onto the center of the lid. With white liner, draw a curved line across the lid and out past the corner, then add a white dot at the end for the pompom.
14. White liner with a snowflake gem
SaveCredit: Goldie
A white graphic line over a black wing, a little rhinestone snowflake under the eye and a red lip. It looks modern and wintry at the same time.
Draw a black wing. Above the crease, trace a curved white line with a white liner pencil. Press a snowflake face gem or sticker high on the cheekbone and finish with a classic red lip.
15. Red liner with a white waterline
SaveCredit: Beautylish
Red on top and white underneath. It is a little candy cane without any stripes, and it is quick.
Draw a bold red wing along the upper lashes. Line the lower waterline and lower lashes with white pencil to brighten the eyes. Add plenty of black mascara so the lashes stand out.
16. Red to black ombre lips
SaveCredit: Beautylish
Bright red in the center fading to deep black at the edges. It is dramatic and perfect with a black velvet dress.
Line and fill the lips with a black or deep plum lipstick. Pat a true red in the center of both lips and blend outward with your finger until the colors melt together. Dab a little red glitter right in the center.
17. Red and gold glitter lips
SaveCredit: Beautylish
Glitter lips are made for a New Year’s toast, but the red and gold version is all Christmas.
Apply a red lipstick and blot. Press red glitter over the whole lip, then pat gold glitter in the center of the top and bottom lips. A lip glitter adhesive helps it stay put through dinner.
18. Rhinestone eyes
SaveCredit: Beautylish
Clear rhinestones scattered over the lid look like frost on a window. It is a fun one for a party and comes off easily at the end of the night.
Use a soft champagne shimmer as the base. Dab lash glue or eyelash adhesive on the back of small flat rhinestones and press them along the lid and up to the brow with tweezers. Add a pair of false lashes.
19. Rose gold glitter cut crease
SaveCredit: YouCam Makeup
Rosy red shadow with rose gold glitter on the lid feels warm and festive. It goes with red, green or gold outfits.
Blend a warm red rose shadow into the crease. Use a concealer to carve a clean line across the lid, then press rose gold glitter over it. Draw a black wing and add lashes.
20. Tinsel glitter with pearl dots
SaveCredit: YouCam Makeup
Multicolor glitter on the lid looks like tinsel. The white dots trailing out from the corner remind me of a string of pearls on the tree.
Press chunky multicolor glitter over the lid with glitter glue. Add a swipe of orange or copper glitter at the outer corner. With a dotting tool and white face paint, add five dots that curve out from the lashes.
21. Gold halo smoky eye
SaveCredit: YouCam Makeup
A dark brown frame with bright gold in the center makes the eyes glow. It looks great in candlelight at Christmas dinner.
Blend a deep brown into the crease and outer corner. Pat a metallic gold right in the center of the lid with your finger. Smoke the brown under the lower lashes and add a black wing.
22. Olive and gold smoky eye
SaveCredit: YouCam Makeup
Soft olive green and gold is a gentle way to wear green. It flatters hazel and brown eyes so well.
Sweep a gold shimmer over the lid and blend an olive green into the outer corner and crease. Smudge the same green under the lower lashes and tightline with black.
23. Brown smoky eye with gold glitter liner
SaveCredit: Faces Canada
This is the one I would wear to church on Christmas morning. A soft brown smoky eye with a thin line of gold glitter.
Blend a warm brown over the lid and into the crease. Draw a black wing, then trace a thin line of gold glitter liner right above it. Add a touch of gold on the brow bone for a little shine.
24. Bronze lids with green lower liner
SaveCredit: Faces Canada
Bronze on top and a flash of green underneath. It is subtle, but anyone who looks closely will see the Christmas colors.
Blend a bronze shimmer over the lid and a soft plum into the crease. Draw a black wing and run an emerald green pencil along the lower lashes.
25. Teal cut crease
SaveCredit: Faces Canada
Deep teal shadow looks like a blue spruce. It is a fun change from the usual reds and golds.
Blend a soft brown into the crease. Carve a clean line with concealer and pat a shimmery teal on the lid. Finish with a sharp black wing and false lashes.
26. Silver lids and a red kiss under a Santa hat
SaveCredit: Faces Canada
This is the look for the family Christmas photo. Silver shimmer on the lids, rosy cheeks and a bright red lip.
Pat a silver shimmer over the lids and add mascara. Use a pink blush on the apples of the cheeks for that cold weather flush. Finish with a matte red lip, then put on your Santa hat.
27. Emerald glam for a holiday party
SaveCredit: Goldie
Green shadow on the lower lash line and a dramatic wing, with an updo and emerald earrings. It is full glam for the work party.
Draw a dramatic black wing and add false lashes. Smudge a bright emerald shimmer along the lower lash line and onto the inner corner. Keep the lips a soft nude so the green stands out.
28. Freckles and tiny Christmas stickers
SaveCredit: Glisten Cosmetics
Faux freckles and a few little face stickers make a sweet and playful look. Kids love helping with this one.
Dot freckles across the nose and cheeks with a brown brow pencil and soften them with your finger. Press a few small Christmas face stickers, like a Santa hat and snowflakes, at the outer corner of one eye.
29. Peppermint candy cane makeup
SaveCredit: Beautylish
Red brows, rosy cheeks and candy cane striped lips. It is a full peppermint look for a costume party or the kids’ Christmas program.
Brush red shadow through the brows and blend a pink blush high on the cheeks. Fill the lips with white and paint diagonal red stripes across them with a fine brush. Add red liner on the upper lashes.
30. Christmas elf makeup
SaveCredit: Goldie
Green and red eyes, rosy cheeks and freckles. Add pointy ears and a Santa hat and you are one of Santa’s helpers.
Blend a bright green shadow over the lid and line the crease with white. Add red under the lower lashes and on the tip of the nose. Dot on freckles and use plenty of pink blush. A red lip and elf ears finish it.
Tips for Christmas makeup that lasts all night
Start with a primer on the lids. Shimmer and glitter grip it better, and the color will not crease by dessert.
Use a glitter glue or a damp flat brush for loose glitter. Press it on, do not swipe it, and tap off the extra before you do your foundation so the fallout wipes away easily.
Pick one focus. A bold red lip pairs best with soft eyes, and a big glitter or graphic eye pairs best with a nude lip.
Line your lips with a pencil that matches your red lipstick. It keeps the color from bleeding and helps it last through dinner and a glass of eggnog.
Face paint, cream liner and face stickers are the easiest way to add snowflakes, stripes and little trees. Water based face paint washes off with soap and warm water.
Remove glitter with an oil cleanser or a bit of coconut oil on a cotton pad, then wash your face as usual.
Christmas makeup FAQ
What colors are best for Christmas makeup? Red, gold, green and silver are the classic Christmas colors. A red lip, gold glitter lids or a green smoky eye all say Christmas right away, and icy blue and silver give you a softer winter look.
What is a good Christmas makeup look for beginners? A classic red lip with mascara, a swipe of gold shimmer on the lids or a simple green wing are all quick to do. Start with one of those before you try painted designs.
How do I do candy cane eyeliner? Draw a thin white wing first and let it set. Then paint short diagonal red stripes across it with a fine brush and a red liquid liner.
Is Christmas makeup safe for kids? Use face paint or makeup made for skin, test a little on the arm first, and keep glitter away from the eyes for little ones. Stickers and painted freckles are the gentlest kid friendly looks.
