2 Beauty Editor Approved Highlighters You Need to Add to Your Routine

1. Full Coverage Foundation

There was a time where wearing full-coverage foundation was all the rage. From drugstore to high-end brands, it seems like they were consistently shoved in consumers’ faces to help us achieve a ‘full beat’ without sitting in a makeup artist’s chair. Also, those of us with dark spots or hyperpigmentation may have relied on them when we were in the thick of our skincare woes.

But these days, wearing too much foundation isn’t as popular as natural and skincare makeup are prioritized. If anything, more people are interested in wearing light-to-medium coverage foundation, skin tints, or tinted moisturizers.

2. Too Much Concealer

It wasn’t until I watched this video by makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes that I realized some of us have been too heavy-handed with our concealers. There’s no reason we should be slapping products under the thinnest parts of our face, but we didn’t know any better!

Now that you know you can still get the desired effect with a minimal amount of concealer, don’t revert back to painting your under eyes!

3. 'Baking' Your Setting Powder

Before you throw away your setting powders, step away from your makeup drawer and have a sit-down chat with me. There isn’t anything wrong with applying them to your face to help ‘set’ your foundation and concealer. However, spending over 10 minutes ‘baking’ your powder (AKA letting it sit untouched) doesn’t work for everyone.

It can lead to creased makeup which can derail your look, plus it’s a pain to correct when you’re halfway through your routine!

4. Overlining Lips

I love a good lip liner, especially if it mirrors my favorite ‘90s makeup look. But, there’s such a thing as overdoing it. The key to lining your lips is following the natural flow of them. Going out of your way to draw above and under your lips’ lines comes off as comical and exaggerated. If anything, use a lip plumping gloss to help your lips look fuller.

5. Overtweezing Your Eyebrows

I don’t even have the words for this outdated makeup look besides wanting to say “no” 20 times in a row. But, I’ll bite and say why this shouldn’t be on your 2025 beauty moodboard.

Some people naturally have thinner eyebrows which is A-okay! However, purposely tweezing your eyebrows to smithereens is cringey. If you truly want to wear this look, here’s what you can do instead of tweezing:

• Create a faux bleached look by applying a skin tone colored setting powder all over your brows.
• Once they’ve ‘disappeared,’ take an eyebrow pencil or eyeliner to draw a thin line over them.

I’m…wondering what the ramifications of telling you how to do this will be, but only use go for this look if it’s a part of a themed party…like Halloween.

6. Exaggerated Highlighter On Cheeks

The shimmery look is in since it’s winter, but please don’t make it look like you dipped your cheeks into a vat of glitter. You can lightly dust highlighter onto your cheeks for a more natural glow that flows with the rest of your look. Otherwise you’ll look like a walking disco ball which could be the opposite of what you were going for.

7. Heavy Contour Or Bronzer

I know the ‘sculpted’ look is popular, but too much contour or bronzer can overpower the rest of your makeup and face. While it’s not impossible to fix if you do it by mistake, using the wrong shade of contour or bronzer may still peep through no matter how much you try to buff it out.

When in doubt, be gentle with your contour or bronzer application!

8. Incredibly Matte Makeup

Matte makeup that didn’t budge was the ‘It Girl’ look for oily and combination skin girls! We thought it was the answer to our skin’s incessant need to hydrate our faces instead of actually using skincare products that focused on combatting that issue (psst…Vitamin C serums help!).

But now’s the time to break up with this look for good for one reason: dewy skin looks healthier.

1. Red-Tinted Lipgloss 

"I love the simplicity of this look because it takes less than 10 minutes to complete. I prepped my skin with e.l.f. Cosmetics' Power Grip Primer before applying Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation and Sephora's Best Skin Ever Concealer, a touch of One/Size Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder, and Ami Colé's Hydrating Lip Oil Treatment in the shade Romance (cranberry color)! IMO, the subtle pop of lip color is great for someone who doesn't want to overdo it on Christmas." — Jasmine Williams, Brit + Co's Writer.

2. Icy Blue Eye Makeup  

"When I want to try something different than my classic gold lid, I love breaking out an ice blue or periwinkle shadow. ColourPop is my favorite brand to get eyeshadows from just because of how pigmented they are, and I went crazy with this LAV_ISH palette. More is more in this case, y'all! I layered Mood Boost, Escapism, Serenity, and Virtual Love all together until it was just right. I've also found that skipping eyeliner for this look helps it feel a little more carefree instead of polished, which is always fun." — Chloe Williams, Brit + Co's Entertainment Editor

3.Sunset Eyeshadow 

While it's easy for bronze looks to sway into the skin-like neutral territory, this cute Christmas makeup idea is more festive. The difference has everything to do with adding brown, gold, or even pink shimmer towards the inner corner and middle of your eyelids.

Our recommendations: Milani Gilded Mini Eyeshadow Palette or Urban Decay Naked Mini Eyeshadow Palette

4. Glittery Purple Eyeshadow

Go big or go home with a Christmas makeup look that's as bold as your holiday decor. It doesn't hold anything back with its glittery purple eyeshadow and crimson lipstick! It's going to show up in all your pictures without an issue. As an added bonus, let your nails match your eyeshadow! We have plenty of Christmas naildesigns that'll help you narrow down the right polish or press-on nails to go with this.

Our recommendation: Revolution Beauty Forever Flawless Eyeshadow Palette

5. Pink Shimmery Eyeshadow 

"I love the femininity of the sugar plum fairy, which makes this all-pink look one of my favorites! I've been loving the glowy look of the L'oreal true match nude serum foundation along with peachy blush. For the eye, I use the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette I got in high school along with the Rare Beauty All of the Above Weightless Eyeshadow Stick in Well-being. And to finish off the look, I don't go anywhere without my L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Lipstick in Sugar Plum (fitting!). This is my third tube and it's literally like my lips but better." — Chloe Williams, Brit + Co's Entertainment Editor

6. White Gold Shimmery Eyeshadow + Nude Lip Combo

"This is probably my favorite Christmas makeup look I've worn because I decided to be adventurous with my eyes by adding white gold glitter to them. I didn't want to go overboard so I kept it light by using the shade * from Too Faced's * palette. For my lips, I used Maybelline's SuperStay Matte Lipstick in the shade Seductress and their Lifter Lipgloss in Stone on my lips. It's a great look for anyone who plans to wear statement outfits on Christmas!" — Jasmine Williams, Brit + Co's Writer

7. Sugar Plum Ice Princess 

As much as we love intricate designs and makeup looks, we know the best ones don't involve a lot of things. Kayla Walden, one of Brit + Co's Staff Writers and in-house Content Creator, knows how to create stunning looks that only involve a few products. All she did was add a sparkly white eyeshadow all over her eyelids while lining her bottom waterline with a white eyeliner.

Watch Kayla's Christmas Makeup Tutorial Here!

And just like that, you'll have the perfect makeup this holiday season!

Romantic Silhouettes

Take Romantic Silhouettes, for example. This is a trend we've seen steadily gain traction over the past few years. Think curvy furniture, delicate floral prints, and soft blush hues — when curated thoughtfully, these elements can become timeless staples in your home.

Watch Shea's take on designing your home for 2025!

Western Cowboy

This is a design trend that totally surprised me, but I'm so happy to see it in the mix. Elements like leather furniture, rustic accessories, equestrian art, even wood walls, shown in this office designed by A1000XBetter, are making an impact in 2025 and beyond. But Shea notes that you can take this trend literally or just be inspired by the look. You can also mix it with other styles to personalize it for you. Add romantic pillows or ruffled tablecloths like McGee & Co. x Loeffler Randall Gardenia Ruffle Border Tablecloth – things you love that make it yours vs. based solely on one trend.

Saturated Colors

Shea predicts that rich hues like deep browns, oxblood red, and earthy greens will continue to dominate home decor colors going into 2025. House of Rolison's bathroom brown is an excellent example of this beautiful trend.

Pattern Drenching

Embracing a single pattern and drenching an entire room in it — from walls to pillows, headboards, and curtains — is a surprise trend for 2025. This maximalist approach, which has been quietly gaining traction, draws inspiration from Arts and Crafts designers like William Morris and has been in and out of vogue since the Victorian era.

Embellishments

This is a trend you can easily DIY to add an extra layer of charm to your decor. Think playful details like fringe accents —beautifully shown in McGee & Co.'s Philippa Settee — along with tassels, pleats, ruffles, and rope. It’s all about embracing texture and whimsy, so have fun with it!

Seaside Inspiration

Coastal decor has long been an influence in design and you can be inspired by it in many forms, from shell accents to beach-inspired artwork like McGee & Co.'s Distant Coastline art to textured seagrass baskets and jute rugs. Even the soothing hues of the sea — think soft blues, sandy neutrals, and gentle greens — can inspire your 2025 spaces.

Check out the full list of Studio McGee 2025 Design Trends!