As Valentine’s Day approaches, it’s time to consider what your go-to makeup look for the occasion will be. Whether you’re spending a romantic day with your partner, celebrating with friends, or taking the day all to your sweet self, take the opportunity to play with makeup! Here are my top 5 Valentine’s Day eye looks to try this year.
Even if you’re spending the day at home (likely for many of us), take the opportunity to play with makeup! Here are our top 5 Valentine’s Day eye looks to try this year.
Glitter wings: prosecco-inspired glam
Any excuse to use the Glammer Liners! A plain black winged liner is classic, yes, but a glitter liner gets the heart fluttering. The Glammer liner in the shade “Legend” reminds me of a flute of shimmering prosecco, the symbol of any fabulous occasion.
This look can be taken as far as you want it to go. From a sheer base and a touch of mascara to full glam with contour, lashes, and all.
How-to:
- Apply your go-to base according to how you feel that day and your skin type. Want matte full coverage? Go on. Dewy tinted moisturizer? Do it
- A little bronzer dusted around the perimeter of the face and across the cheeks and nose is flattering against the gold of the liner
- Add a little peachy or pink blush and a gold highlight to the cheeks (as full-on or subtle as you like)
- Prime the eyes with a primer or cream shadow to the brow
- Use a neutral taupe shadow to buff into the crease for definition
- Take a black or deep brown liquid liner and draw along the lash line from the inner to outer corners, thickening as you reach the outer corner
- Add your wing in small strokes (wipe away with makeup remover and start again if you need to!)
- Leave the liner to dry before drawing over the top with your glitter liner, leave to dry, then add another layer
- You can buff bronzer or taupe shadow into the lower lash line or leave it clean for a fresher take
- Add plenty of mascara
- I love a brown-nude lipstick or nude gloss with this look but you could experiment with different shades and saturations. True red would look stunning (if not a little Christmas-y)
Pink and purple haze with no liner: whimsical romance
Long live the lilac phase! Pink and purple shadows buffed together and diffused with a clean brush…like something from a dream (a romantic one).
The Scorpio palette is lovely for this look if you want deeper, more jewel-like pinks and purples (the shades “Sensual and Intelligent”). For a lighter, more feminine wash, “Te Amo” from the P.S I Love You palette is pretty.
How-to:
- Leave your base for last as you might be facing some shadow fall-out with all that buffing action
- Lay down an eyeshadow primer or skin-matching cream shadow
- Dab your purple shadow (with a fluffy brush) into the outer corner and crease. We’re just aiming to place the color at this stage
- Take your pink shadow on the same brush and dab into the inner part of the lid
- Take the purple and dab into the inner third of the lid
- Take a clean fluffy brush and use buffing motions to blend the shades together and diffuse the edges
- Repeat under the lower lash line (keeping the color very close to the lash line as the buffing will bring it further down)
- Pop a little champagne, gold, or silver shimmer into the inner corner and stand back
- If it needs a little more definition, add a tiny bit of taupe, chocolate, or bronze shadow into the crease and buff until it is undetectable
- Add loads of fluttery mascara
- Pink blush and creamy silver highlight look incredible with this look
- Add a little tinted pink lip balm and gaze at your fairy-sweet self
Matte red block color: editorial and unique
I always consider red eyeshadow as the ultimate “in your face” statement against beauty rules. As a redhead, I was always told NOT to wear pinks and reds as it would make me look like I had allergies (apparently). I’m here to say that actually, the right red and pink tones look blimmin’ amazing on any skin tone.
An opaque, matte red added liberally to the lids with a sharp edge and minimal liner looks fierce and sexy. Let’s try it.
“Trap Queen” from Investiglam has just enough brown to flatter skin tones that err on the red side. Glam Land from the Magical Dust palette offers a more purple-burgundy take if true red just doesn’t fly with you.
How-to:
- Apply your usual base makeup and ensure that any redness is corrected with concealer. The cleaner the base, the better.
- Lay down an eyeshadow base or skin-matching cream shadow
- Take your red shadow on a flat, stubby brush and press it into the lid, stopping once you reach the crease
- You can create any shape you like, but I think a slight wing at the outer corner is flattering
- Keep pressing color onto the lid until you’ve got an opaque and even application
- Take a flat-edged, stiff brush and use a little concealer to sharpen the edges
- Plenty of mascara
- Gently contour the face and add a tiny trace of blush to add color to the cheeks
- I like to stick to plain balm on the lips as it allows the eyes to take the main stage
Chocolate-brown smoky smudges: slept-in, sexy, soft
One of my all-time favorite eye looks is the classic brown smokey eye. The soft, blown-out color draws the attention to the eyes and lends itself to most blush and lip colors.
The very appropriate love-themed P.S I Love You palette is ideal for this look because it has the creamy, irresistible shades “Soulmate and My Everything”.
How-to:
- Apply your go-to base according to your skin type. I think a satin finish looks beautiful with this look
- Apply an apricot, peach, pink, or neutral blush to the apples of the cheeks
- A slight contour gives this look “90s supermodel” structure so give it a try with a light hand
- Lay down an eyeshadow base or skin-matching cream shadow
- “Wiggle” a chocolate brown cream eye pencil into the upper and lower lash lines and use a stubby brush to smudge and smoke it out
- Take a matte chocolate-brown eyeshadow on a short, fluffy brush and buff into the lid, through the crease, and along the lower lash line
- You can leave the shadow there! Or, add a little extra dimension by dabbing a shimmery gold, bronze, or champagne in the inner corner and on the center of the mobile lid
- If you like a more sultry eye, line the waterline with your pencil, or leave clean for wider eyes
- Add mascara
- A cream-finish nude lip with a slightly deeper nude-brown liner is a no-brainer
Silvery-white angel eyes: “Ever After” inspired
And finally, a look inspired by Drew Barrymore at the ball in “Ever After”. Silvery, shimmery, entirely fairytale-like eyes crafted with pale, icy shades. I picked the Les Do Makeup x LiveGlam palette for this look as it has the perfect white shimmer, “Uh Hello”. It also has a crease shade for every skin tone.
How-to:
- Apply your go-to base routine. I like a more sheer base with this look, with a dewy finish. You could mix MAC Strobe Cream in Silver with your foundation to really pop that silver gleam
- Lay down an eyeshadow base or skin-matching cream shadow
- Take a stark white shadow (preferably with a little shimmer) on a medium fluffy brush and buff over the entire lid
- Take a silver shimmer on your ring finger and press into the center of the lid and the inner corner
- If you feel more comfortable with more definition, you can take a cool-toned taupe or charcoal matte shade and gently buff through the crease and lower lash line
- Finish with mascara and a clear or silvery-pink gloss
- Diamantes: optional but very, very encouraged
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