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11 Christmas Makeup Looks to Make a Grand Entrance With

Alright, friends, it’s holiday party season, which means you might be thinking about how to turn heads and make an entrance at upcoming events. And why not? It’s the perfect time of year to sparkle and shine with some glam. Whether you’re after a shimmery glow, lashes that go for miles, or lips that pop, these products will help give you some pretty amazing Christmas makeup looks this winter season.

Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Glides on smoothly and hides flaws well
  • Silky soft and lasts all day
  • Amazing lightweight, creamy texture
Price: $54.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Hides imperfections, makes skin look smoother & younger
  • Super lightweight and easy to apply
  • Long-lasting & a little goes a long way
Price: $39.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Gives a beautiful, dewy glow
  • Lightweight yet hides imperfections well
  • Extremely versatile
Price: $64.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Amazing value
  • Pretty eyeshadow shades
  • Comes with convenient travel sizes
Price: $196.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Looks natural and beautiful, not over-the-top
  • Applies and blends seamlessley and beautifully
  • Very buildable and won't cake
Price: $41.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Sets makeup in place for hours, even through water and sweat
  • Feels super light, breathable, and smooth
  • Doesn't smudge or smear
Price: $36.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Stunning, unique colors
  • Stays put all day long
  • A little goes a long way
Price: $23.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Most found it plumps the lips really well
  • Gorgeous, long-lasting shine and color
  • Smooth, buttery texture
Price: $25.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Buildable and highly pigmented (you don't need much)
  • Applies easily and smoothly
  • Beautiful texture
Price: $54.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Very shimmery and long-lasting
  • Versatile for many looks & colors
  • Won't dry out or flake off
Price: $24.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Amazing at volumizing and lengthening
  • Makes lashes full and thick
  • Easy-to-use applicator
Price: $29.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Our Unbiased Reviews
  1. 1. Tatcha The Silk Canvas Primer

    Pros:
    • Glides on smoothly and hides flaws well
    • Silky soft and lasts all day
    • Amazing lightweight, creamy texture
    Cons:
    • A bit pricey, but a little goes a long way
    • Slightly waxy feel
    • Heavy, though this works with heavier makeup

    The Silk Canvas primer from Tatcha is a velvety-silk powder balm that glides on easily and provides smooth protection over your skin to help makeup apply well and stay put for longer. With this super nourishing primer and its silk extracts – ideal for face, lips, and eyes – your skin will feel nourished, your pores will look smaller, and your imperfections, shine, and fine lines will vanish. The lightweight formula is oil-free, minimizes pores, and protects skin from pollutants and environmental stressors. And the great part is it’s the perfect base to keep your holiday makeup in place all night long.

    What might be the best part about a Tatcha purchase, though, is the fact that each purchase supports education equality to keep girls in school through the Girl’s Education Program in Asia and Africa, and the US’ Room to Read’s U.S. Literacy Initiative.

  2. 2. stila Hide and Chic Liquid Foundation Makeup

    Pros:
    • Hides imperfections, makes skin look smoother & younger
    • Super lightweight and easy to apply
    • Long-lasting & a little goes a long way
    Cons:
    • Thin/runny consistency isn't for everyone
    • Pump makes product come out fast (push halfway)
    • Some found color match tricky

    This liquid foundation from stila feels incredibly lightweight yet gives you the ultimate coverage to last your entire day or holiday event. Ideal for any skin type, the formula looks and feels refined, natural and healthy, provides buildable coverage, and gives a gorgeous, smooth, even, and airbrushed satin finish. It contains breathable silica-coated pigments that have a bounce and comfortable cushion, which leaves the makeup feeling great on your skin for hours and hours.

    To use, shake bottle and apply outward with fingertips from the center of your face. Comes in 30 shades.

  3. 3. Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter Face Foundation Primer & Highlight

    Pros:
    • Gives a beautiful, dewy glow
    • Lightweight yet hides imperfections well
    • Extremely versatile
    Cons:
    • Shade range is limited
    • Texture not for everyone (may settle)
    • Not ideal for acne-prone skin

    This lightweight liquid makeup from Charlotte Tilbury boosts your complexion by smoothing, blurring, and illuminating with a filtered effect. It can be worn in multiple ways to achieve that perfect holiday look. Use it as a tinted primer worn under foundation, mix it in with foundation, or highlight your cheekbones and high facial points.

    The cruelty-free formula contains no SLS & SLES sulfates or parabens and is made with:

    • finely-milled powders that give you a smooth, soft look,
    • glossy oil that moisturizes and optimizes how the light hits your skin, and
    • porcelain flower extract that brightens and moisturizes skin for up to 24 hours.
  4. 4. Estee Lauder Holiday Gift Set

    Pros:
    • Amazing value
    • Pretty eyeshadow shades
    • Comes with convenient travel sizes
    Cons:
    • Case is quite large
    • Can be hard to find
    • Colors may not suit everyone

    Looking for a little bit of everything to achieve some gorgeous holiday glam? How about some quality skincare products thrown in? Look no further than this Estee Lauder Holiday Gift set. It contains the following products:

    • 2 Advanced Night Repair Face Serums (full-size and deluxe travel size)
    • 2 Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex Gel Cremes (full & deluxe travel sizes)
    • 2 Resilience Multi-Effect Cremes (full-size and deluxe travel size)
    • 2 Pure Color Envy Palettes (9 shades each) for eyes and cheeks
    • 1 Full-Size Sumptuous Extreme Mascara
    • 2 Full-Size Pure Color Envy Lipsticks (in 539 Excite and 111 Tiger Eye)
    • 1 Full-Size Eye Makeup Remover

    Plus, you’ll get a handy train case to hold all these glam goodies.

  5. 5. Christian Dior Forever Couture Luminizer

    Pros:
    • Looks natural and beautiful, not over-the-top
    • Applies and blends seamlessley and beautifully
    • Very buildable and won't cake
    Cons:
    • Works better as a glitter than highlighter for some
    • Texture is too chunky for some
    • Light, cheaper packaging

    Christian Dior’s weightless Forever Couture Luminizer highlighter does a superb job of giving you a natural, glowing boost in a finely milled pressed powder that’s buildable and comfortable throughout the whole day or evening. Incredibly easy to apply, the naturally-hydrating formula (thanks to wild pansy extract) won’t cake on top of SPF or moisturizer, protects your natural hydration, and leaves skin with a radiant, iridescent finish.

    Bonus: the highlighter comes in four gorgeous shades in a paraben-free formula that contains 95% natural-origin pigments.

  6. 6. Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray

    Pros:
    • Sets makeup in place for hours, even through water and sweat
    • Feels super light, breathable, and smooth
    • Doesn't smudge or smear
    Cons:
    • Works better with lighter or less makeup
    • Fragrance might not be for everyone
    • Pricey for the amount needed

    There’s no sense in spending time glamming up your look if it won’t last you through the night. That’s why you’ll want to have a makeup setting spray, like this superfine, temperature-controlling, long-lasting pick from Urban Decay, in your beauty arsenal. It keeps your makeup locked in place for up to 16 hours without fading, settling, or smudging.

    The lightweight, award-winning setter is oil-free yet non-drying, so it won’t clog pores or dry out skin. And it goes on smoothly and evenly to give you natural-looking, vibrant skin. Bonus: the vegan, waterproof formula is cruelty and paraben-free.

  7. 7. Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Stunna Lip Paint

    Pros:
    • Stunning, unique colors
    • Stays put all day long
    • A little goes a long way
    Cons:
    • Some shades may dry darker than shown
    • May take a while to dry
    • Some found it hard to apply

    Rihanna’s lip paints come in 8 showstopping shades ideal for all skin tones. They’re specially designed to stay put all day or night, without the smudging, feathering, or vibrancy loss you get from other brands. All you need is one stroke of this weightless liquid on the wand which helps you apply with precision. The vegan and cruelty-free formula finishes matte, lasts for hours, and leaves your lips kissably smooth.

    To use, shake it up to activate pigment, define lips using the wand upright, then fill in with the wand facing down. For a softer look, add your favorite gloss on top.

  8. 8. Buxom Full-On Plumping Lip Polish

    Pros:
    • Most found it plumps the lips really well
    • Gorgeous, long-lasting shine and color
    • Smooth, buttery texture
    Cons:
    • Feels a bit sticky
    • Colors may look different on than shown
    • Not too effective at plumping for some

    Buxom’s Full-On Plumping Lip Polish contains a peptide complex that helps to plump the lips and make them appear fuller and more voluminous. Vitamins A and E offer long-lasting moisture, and you’ll enjoy a gorgeous, shimmery, high-shine finish with a slight tingle.

    This gloss is perfect on its own or layered over your fave glam lipstick shade for your big night out. It’s made without phthalates, sulfates, and parabens and comes in 3 finishes and 31 colors.

  9. 9. Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Blush

    Pros:
    • Buildable and highly pigmented (you don't need much)
    • Applies easily and smoothly
    • Beautiful texture
    Cons:
    • Pricey (but lasts a long time)
    • Brush bristles are stiff
    • Some shades don't show up well enough for some

    Estee Lauder’s dermatologist-tested, luxurious, smooth and silky powder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Blush is an easily blendable powder blush that nicely defines and sculpts cheeks, giving you a fresh pop of color and healthy glow and finishing naturally and flawlessly. It’s buildable and highly pigmented, so you can create a glamorous, dramatic holiday look in a variety of shades that stands out. And it comes in a pretty mirrored compact with a handy brush, so you can easily apply it on the go or reapply as needed during your events this season.

  10. 10. Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow Compact

    Pros:
    • Very shimmery and long-lasting
    • Versatile for many looks & colors
    • Won't dry out or flake off
    Cons:
    • Not as bold as others
    • More glitter than color
    • Can be messy to work with

    Make your eyes pop with Urban Decay’s vegan, long-wearing Moondust Eyeshadow Compact this holiday season. It’s got a gorgeous, glittery finish that goes on and stays on nice ‘n smooth, not clumpy. The cruelty-free formula’s unique technology makes it feel like a cream yet apply like a powder for a silky smooth, reflective look that sparkles all night long, and it’s free of sulfates and phthalates.

    For the best, most precise results, apply with a tapered eyeshadow brush. The shadow can be applied wet to get a foiled effect, or used as a highlighter on décolletage and cheekbones to really stand out among the crowd.

  11. 11. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

    Pros:
    • Amazing at volumizing and lengthening
    • Makes lashes full and thick
    • Easy-to-use applicator
    Cons:
    • Flakes for some users
    • Can smudge or smear easily
    • Not too long-lasting

    Want show-stopping eyes that pop wherever you go this holiday season? Try the award-winning vegan, cruelty-free Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. The lengthening, defining, curling, and volumizing formula offers dramatically-intense black color, and it lifts and separates easily, too.

    With this quality mascara, all you need is a single coat, and curl gets locked in thanks to film-forming polymer, volume lasts with the hourglass-shaped brush and acacia Senegal tree extract, and lashes stay plumped from collagen. Plus, the formula’s performance is pushed to the max thanks to the extra stiff brush bristles.

How Can I Create Nice Christmas Makeup Looks?

This winter, go for classic colors that pop, like a red lip, use a concealing foundation for flawless skin, and focus on making one feature super dramatic, like a smoky eye or bold, bright cheek.

What Is The Best Holiday Or Christmas Makeup?

Many fantastic brands make great makeup that's ideal for Christmas or holiday events. Try Estee Lauder, Fenty, and Christian Dior, among others.

As A Beginner, How Do I Apply Makeup For The Holidays? 

Applying Christmas or holiday makeup is easier than you think. Start with the eyes including primer, follow with a nice foundation with the right amount of coverage for you and set it with a powder or illuminizer, and finish with a nice blush and lipstick for your skin tone.

Get holiday party ready with top Christmas makeup looks using our guide to the best products.