December comes with all the holiday parties and festive outings. Instead of rocking your go-to liquid eyeshadow or monochromatic makeup, embrace a merry and bright spirit with jewel-toned eyeshadow and liner. The bold colors are often thought to be hard to pull off because of those rich pigments, but, with a simple approach, even newbies can nail the look. Ahead, celebrity makeup artist and Avon spokesperson Kelsey Deenihan shares four quick and easy jewel-toned makeup ideas she created for Lucy Hale and Millie Bobby Brown that will sleigh the holidays.
Sapphire
You’ll need:
- sapphire blue liquid eyeliner
- makeup remover
- blue glimmer eyeshadow
- densely bristled eyeshadow brush
Instructions:
1. Draw a thin, diagonal line upward from the outer corner of the lid with a blue liquid liner. “For all winged liner looks, I use the end tip of the brow as a reference point to ensure both eyes have symmetry in their angle,” Deenihan says.
2. Draw a second line that connects the tip of that line to the center of the lash line. Fill in the blank space. “To create a precise sharp angle on the wing, dip a tapered cotton swab in makeup remover to erase any smudges or unevenness,” Deenihan says.
3. Extend the liner to the inner corner of the eye to create the base.
4. Enhance the thickness by tracing over it two or three times.
5. Finish with a dab of blue glimmer eyeshadow on top of the liner. To avoid a mess, Deenihan recommends a densely bristled brush like Avon’s Pro Cream Eye Shadow Bush ($7).
Citrine
You’ll need:
- eye primer
- peach citrine eyeshadow
- nude shimmer eyeshadow
- black mascara
Instructions:
1. Prime your eyelids. “This is going to neutralize any discoloration on the lids and enhance the vibrancy of the shade,” Deenihan says.
2. Apply the peach shadow to the crease and the lower lash line using back-and-forth motions. “I love Avon’s True Color Eyeshadow Duo in Orange Crush ($6) because the formula is so pigmented and blendable,” Deenihan says.
3. Blend the color upward and outward, so it diffuses over the eye area. Tap a little more pigment onto the outer eyelid to add dimension.
4. Add a shimmer shade to the brow bone and inner eyelid. “The light will catch the sheen and automatically create dimension in the shadow,” Deenihan notes.
5. Finish with a few coats of lengthening black mascara.
Emerald
You’ll need:
- eye primer
- emerald green eyeshadow
- gold or silver loose pigment eyeshadow
- soft ivory loose pigment eyeshadow
- black mascara
Instructions:
1. Prime your eyelids.
2. Swipe the green shadow onto your lid and into your crease, stopping before the brown bone.
3. Blend a light gold or silver loose eye pigment into the crease and along the lower lash line.
4. Apply a soft ivory loose pigment eyeshadow onto the brow bones and inner corners of the eyes. “The contrast of the green and off white will be subtle but will make the green appear even more vibrant,” Deenihan says.
5. Finish with a few coats of black mascara to add volume. “For this look, I used Avon’s True Color Love at 1st Lash Mascara ($12),” Deenihan says.
Ruby
You’ll need:
- white eyeliner
- small eyeshadow brush
- ruby red eyeshadow
- shimmery beige eyeshadow
- pink mascara
Instructions:
1. Apply white liner to your lower waterline from your tear duct to the outer corner. “This not only creates contrast against the lower shadow, but it also makes the eyes appear wider and more awake,” Deenihan says.
2. Tap a small shadow brush very lightly into the ruby red pigment. Brush onto the lash line underneath the white liner. “The key to pulling off a lower lash line eyeshadow look is all about creating a balance between the subtle top lid and intense pop of color on the lower lash line,” Deenihan says.
3. Diffuse the color along the lash line, using small back-and-forth motions to blend.
4. Keep your upper eyelids bare or add a touch of shimmery beige.
5. Brush pink mascara onto lower lashes.
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Photos via Kelsey Deenihan