Credit: Easy festive makeup look
3 min read
All the proof needed that – regardless of skill level – a little bit of glitter can go a long way when it comes to Christmas make-up.
OK, I’m going to reason with you here. I’m a beauty journalist and I have been for over a decade. That means I spend my days writing about, playing with and learning about the latest and greatest in beauty products, trends and everything in between. But am I good at doing my own make-up? The answer is, categorically, no.
I’ve never trained as a make-up artist, I have no desire to ever paint the face of somebody other than myself and as far as skill goes, I don’t think I have much. I’ve never quite been able to perfect an eyeliner wing, I can’t really do a cut crease eyeshadow look and my ability to neatly line my lips is severely lacking.
While complex looks might be out of the question, it turns out that my strengths lie in turning what can only be described as a simple look into something that appears to be anything but. And it literally uses just a few different items that the majority of people could apply with their eyes closed.
The key products I’ve been using are Merit’s Solo Shadow in the shade Midcentury, £26, Makeup By Mario’s Master Pigment Pro Pencil in Perfect Brown, £26, and Half Magic Glitter Pill Eye Paint & Liner in Money Plz, £19, which I actually think is the key to amping up just about any look. But feel free to use anything remotely similar.
Here’s how I do it…
Step one: the eyeshadow
Once I’ve done the rest of my face, I move onto the eyes. I always prime my lids before any eyeshadow look (using Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Eye Primer, £23, which is the best I’ve ever used) and then I go in with this cream eye shadow. It’s a mid-brown shade that can be applied with a brush or fingers, and it can be layered up for a more sultry, slightly darker finish if you prefer. I smudge it over my whole lid, blending it up over the crease.
Shop Merit Solo Shadow in the shade Midcentury at Merit, £26
Step two: the brown liner
Next, I take what is probably my favourite eyeliner of all time – the clue is in the name here because it really is the perfect shade of brown and I find that it really works to elevate any eye make-up look. I apply it along my upper and lower waterlines, and then, using the brush on the opposite end, smudge a little bit underneath my lashline. That creates an effortless smokey eye, and you can wing out the liner if you fancy.
Shop Makeup By Mario Master Pigment Pro Pencil in The Perfect Brown at Sephora UK, £26
Step three: the glitter
Finally, the pièce de résistance: the glitter liner. The one I use is by Half Magic and it’s foolproof. I use the brush that comes with the product and, holding it sideways, I stamp it along my top lid as close to the lash line as I can get. You don’t have to have a steady hand here, and it doesn’t matter if it’s not super-neat because you’ll never be able to tell. Add lashings of your favourite mascara, wiggling the brush right from the root and up towards the tip for a smudgy, smoked-out type of lash, and you’re done.
Shop Half Magic Glitter Pill Eye Paint and Liner at Beauty Bay, £19
Images: Lucy Partington; courtesy of brands
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