Holiday Makeup Looks From My Favorite Boxes

After three years of reviewing literally thousands of makeup and beauty products, the holidays are my favorite time of year to dust off those palettes and lipsticks that I loved, but might feel too over the top for everyday wear. Truthfully, my everyday look is pretty... well, boring. Minimal makeup + lots of SPF is my go-to look and vibe. But something about this holiday season has me in a majorly celebratory mood. And with my party schedule looking a lot fuller than it had in 2020, I couldn't be more excited to plan out some colorful and fun looks.

Here are a few of my top contenders and the products I built them with:

The Work Holiday Party

Sure, I WFH these days, but Will has a slightly fancy holiday party this coming week. I want to look great, but not overdone. Along with a vintage shift dress, I think I will be rocking this olive and champagne look with a natural lip that makes masking easy if needed! I started with champagne shadow under my brow and added a soft brown to my crease. I then topped everything off with a metallic olive! A big dose of peach blush and I am ready to mingle.

Here is what I used in this look:

Glossier Monochromes Eyeshadow Palette in 'Prairie' - $22.00 (from my Glossier Monochrome Palette Review)

The first shade I added to my cart was Prarie, a shade Glossier describes as “a rich olive”. I have brown eyes with a little green, so this is a very easy sort of shade that I reach for often. It is also a color I think will be super flattering on loads of people! In typical Glossier fashion, they display all swatches on their site on different skin tones which really helped me make my color choices.

Kaja Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trio in 'Chocolate Dahlia' - $21.00 (from my October 2021 Allure Beauty Box)

In addition to being adorable, this little trio of eyeshadows couldn’t be easier to just, well, wear. The shades are soft and smooth, with two matte brown shades and a shimmering champagne. The lighter brown is a great all-over lid shade that you can accent with the darker in your crease then highlight in the center of your lid with the shimmer. I feel like this trio will please shadow minimalists (like myself) and also be useful to those who like a little more drama because the shades are very buildable. They apply as easily with a finger as they do a brush, and the compact size of this set makes it perfect for your purse.

Benefit Cosmetics Georgia Blush - $30.00 (from my October 2021 Boxycharm Premium)

Ok, anyone else out there used to swear by the original Georgia? I loved basically all of the Benefit boxed powders, but Georgia and Dandelion have always been my favorites. When they retired Georgia, I was pretty devastated. It looks like she is back but in a new shimmering finish! First things first: this has never been a dramatic blush, old or new. It is more of a natural peachy flush that is super sheer. If you approach it with that in mind, it is easy to love. If you open this box and expect a ton of color payoff? Not going to happen. That remains true for old Georgia and new Georgia. This new formula has in a really natural glow, creating a blush + highlighter effect you could honestly use all over your face. It has a fun peach scent and comes with a brush, though I have never found these Benefit box brushes to be worth using. Stick to your fave big fluffy brush instead.

The Family Party

I get my love of a bold lip from my nana, and I know this bold pink will make her smile. It is also a bright choice for the holidays! Of course, the pups are always welcome at my grandparents, so my best accessories will be Teddy and Tucker! This is a simple look with a great SPF (always a necessity!), pink lips, and a liquid highlighter for a little dewiness.

Here is what I used in this look:

FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color in 'Unlocked' - $25.00 (from my July 2021 IPSY Glam Bag Plus)

Be still my beating heart. I am absolutely weak for a loud pink lip. W.E.A.K. And Fenty Beauty over-delivered with this bold hot pink in a matte formula that has made me rethink how I feel about matte finishes in general. First, this glass bottle is just gorgeous. The special doe-foot applicator makes precise placement easy-peasy and the extra-long silver cap feels so fancy. The formula itself is one swipe opaque and though you get that matte finish, it never truly dries down, meaning your lips stay soft and velvety with zero flakiness. I have been wearing this regularly since I opened it and the compliments I get are near constant.

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 - $34.00 (from my Summer 2021 FabFitFun box)

I actually just bought a tube of Supergoop’s Glow Screen a week or so ago and I am in love. SPF is the #1 anti-aging cream on the market (seriously!) but so many of my clients hate it because it either feels dreadful on their face, breaks them out, has a chalky cast, or smells bad. Neither this totally invisible formula and their radiant Glow Screen cream suffer from these issues. This formula has a slightly powdery-feeling finish (it kind of reminds me of Smashbox’s Photo Finish Primer) and is completely undetectable on the face. It is lightweight and absorbs with ease, and would honestly make a great choice for anyone, but especially someone sunscreen averse. While the Glow Screen beats this one for me, I am going to happily make my way through this tube on days where I don’t need the added radiance.

Light Lock Highlight Fluid in 'Fight or Flight' - $32.00 (from my August 2021 IPSY Glam Bag X)

I have tried a few items from Halsey's About Face line and I have liked them. The packaging is very modern and pretty, and the formulas work well for me. This liquid highlighter is very pretty and provides an over-the-top glow. You can use it sparingly for something more demure or apply lots to blind your companions. I also tried mixing it with my favorite SPF as well my BB cream, and found that it is great for this sort of application! Both provide a natural dewiness that gives my skin a great glow without enhancing my pores.

The New Years Eve Party

My close friends are planning what might be my favorite NYE party theme ever: Space Disco. Yeah, it is over the top. And I am INTO IT. I thought this called for a shimmering and bold purple eye and radiant highlighter. I also decided to stick with a simple lip, because, well, masks. Mine will be covered in crystals.

Here is what I used in this look:

ATHR Beauty Moonlight Crystal Gemstone Palette - $58.00 (from my August 2021 IPSY Glam Bag X)

This palette is stunning. All of the shades inside are beautifully pigmented and buttery, and I can't help but appreciate a cooler blue/purple focused palette in what felt like a season of warm reds and oranges. I also imagine this being a dream holiday party sort of palette. In addition to being beautiful, the formulas themselves are made to help nourish your skin and the whole thing is free of animal products, talc, fragrance, parabens, and nanoparticles. Oh, and it is also sapphire infused, which makes me love it even more! I feel like each shade has something interesting about it, particularly Sapphire, which is a smoke grey with an electric teal shimmer!

Beauty Bakerie Milk & Honey Highlighting Palette - $38.00 (from my September 2021 BoxyCharm Premium)

Beauty Bakerie is such a cute brand and I always look forward to seeing them in a box. This honey-themed highlighter palette is adorable! Each of the pans is oversized and the packaging has a cute gold honeycomb pattern. The four shades inside are all stunning and SO buttery. There is a pale pink, champagne, bronze, and soft honey. These are a dream applied with a large fluffy brush or you can apply them with fingertips or a smaller brush for a more precise application. This is one of those palettes that just makes you smile whenever you open it.

Floss Lip Advocate in ‘Your Honor’ - $18.00 (from my February 2021 Allure Beauty Box)

So, 2020 was the year that made me really appreciate effortless makeup. With nowhere to go and masks to wear, the effort I put into my daily makeup routine went from medium coverage concealer + blush + mascara + shadow + highlighter + finishing powder down to a good brow gel, CC or BB cream, highlighter, and an effortless lip. Sure, I am pretty excited to get back to normal life, but some of these makeup habits will totally be sticking around and I think an easy lip might be my favorite of them all. This lip crayon is lightweight, buildable, and a breeze to apply (even without a mirror). This shade is a universally flattering pink and doubles as a cream blush in a pinch!

The After Party

This might be my favorite look of the entire year! After wearing loads of makeup, there is nothing like a double cleanse and a sheet mask right before hopping under the king-size heating blanket with a great podcast until I pass out.

Here is what I used in this look:

Dirty Lamb Apricot Cleansing Oil - $42.00 (from my September/October 2021 See New Skincare Box)

I adore oil cleansers and use them daily. They are perfect for all skin types (yes, even oily!), and also a secret weapon for removing SPF, makeup, and dirt with ease. This oil feels a little different than many out there because most oil cleansers emulsify with water to create a white sort of foam when you massage. This one doesn’t really do that and I feel like a lot more is left behind on my face even after rinsing. For me, this is a plus. For someone who might prefer something lighter, try this one before bed instead of during the day, especially if you are new to oil cleansers. I like to gently pat my face dry after a shower and gently massage my face since this stuff has a lot of slip. The ingredient list is wonderful: rice bran oil, apricot oil, and argan oil. It also smells incredible, with warm notes of cardamom complemented by bright ylang-ylang and lavender. This is one of my favorite oil cleansers, ever.

Vitamasques Cranberry & Apple Sheet Mask Set - $24.00 (from my Winter 2021 FabFitFun Box)

Sheet masks will always be one of those very easy pampering things that never get old for me. And this trio arrived with a cranberry + apple scent and filled with skin-loving probiotics all delivered in. creamy serum on a well-fitting mask. Because this box arrives with three, you can totally share these with friends, or... maybe not. I won’t tell.

Do you have any special holiday parties this year? What are your favorite makeup and beauty items from your boxes this year?