Glittery Holiday Makeup (From the Drugstore!)

I love a bit of sparkle in the dark months of winter. This time of year the combination of sparkly gold eyeshadow and dark red lipstick seems very appropriate. Although I love the festive makeup at department stores, it gives me great joy to create a luxe look on a budget. So I searched the drugstore for beautiful makeup and found it at a fraction of the cost of high-end brands. 

The makeup I’m wearing in these photos all came from the drugstore, ULTA or Target. Most of them cost under $10 and all of them can be found on sale if you’re willing to look around for the best deal. The photos have not been retouched, leaving all the flaws of my 43-year-old skin intact. I don’t look as perfect as a Maybelline ad but I think you can see how well the products work. I promise that each item, no matter how kind to the wallet, works beautifully and will stay put through an evening of dancing and fun. The look is festive enough for a party, but simple enough to wear out for dinner and a movie as well.

Face

When I was young I wore makeup for fun. I still like trendy makeup but now I also use it for camouflage. Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup is a delightfully light foundation that smooths out discolorations and sets to a slightly dewy matte finish that I find very flattering. Because the foundation is sheer I often need a bit of help with dark circles under my eyes. Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer is a newer product at the drugstore but I think it might be my favorite under eye concealer of all time. The formula is slightly reflective but with just a bit of blending you won’t notice it’s there, nor will you notice the dark circles because they have disappeared as well.

Once upon a time I didn’t wear any blush at all. Even with a full face of foundation my checks were so red they needed nothing to accentuate the natural color. No longer. Thankfully Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush in Flushed is there to help. It looks hot pink but goes on sheer and natural. If I need an extra pop of color when I’ve finished with my makeup I brush on a bit of  e.l.f. Studio Blush in Pink Passion. At only $3 at Target, it’s truly a bargain. Finally I set it all with Sonia Kashuk Barely There Loose Powder in Colorless Matte.

Eyes

I’ve always liked simple eyeshadow and the clean, sophisticated look of gel eyeliner.  The eyeshadow and eyeliner manufactured by drugstore brands has improved dramatically in recent years, making it inexpensive to experiment with new colors and styles. I started my glittery eye look with Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo 24Hr Eyeshadow. This cream eyeshadow works very well as a long-lasting, shimmery eye shadow base coat. Over it I swept L’Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Eternal Sunshine for a sparkly gold look. Next I carefully painted on a line of e.l.f. Cream Eyeliner in Black. It’s important to be patient as it takes a few minutes to set. When allowed to dry and worn over an eye shadow primer it lasts for hours. The gel is easy to apply, but I still used my favorite Eco Tools Eye Liner Brush to create a nice, clean line. Finally I sweep a bit L’Oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara in Blackest Black on my lashes.

Lips

Some people say that women over 40 should not wear red lipstick. I say phooey to that. Red lipstick is always appropriate. I suppose eventually I’ll give up my favorite dark red glitter lipstick, CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in Everlasting, but not yet. Dark red lips need to be applied carefully no matter what your age, so I recommend starting with Revlon ColorStay Liner For Lips in Wine. Once you’ve drawn on the perfect line fill in your lips with the lipstick for a sophisticated glitter lip look.

What do you think of my festive winter makeup look? Would you wear makeup like this yourself? Have you tried any of these products?