40 Amazing Easy Christmas Makeup Ideas
The holiday season is the perfect time to combine festive flair with retro elegance. When you lean into vintage makeup — think old-Hollywood waves, pin-up red lips, soft blush, and subtle sparkle — you create a look that feels timeless yet fun. Bringing that into your Christmas makeup choices means you’re not just following a trend; you’re tapping into an aesthetic with character and charm. According to beauty editors, holiday makeup for 2024 features shimmering lids, red lips, deep berry tones, and playful color combos. facetuneapp.com+2Byrdie+2 It’s all about playful sparkle and classic polish.
For each of the 10 ideas below, I describe the look, how to achieve it step-by-step (including key products and techniques), tips to adapt it for comfort or ease, and a vintage twist to give it character. After the article, you’ll find high-resolution image prompts (9:16 portrait orientation) that you can use for Pinterest-style visuals or inspiration boards. Let’s dive in.
Idea 1: Classic Pin-Up Red & Winged Liner
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Description: This look channels the 1940s-1950s glamour: bold red lips, sharp winged eyeliner, softly defined eyes, and luminous skin. The “pin-up” style is a perfect backdrop for holiday sparkle when done with care. Wikipedia+1
How to achieve it:
- Prep skin with a radiant primer and full-coverage foundation that matches your skin tone. Set lightly with translucent powder.
- Define brows in a softly arched, full shape (not overly thin).
- On the eyes: apply a neutral shade on the lid and a soft taupe in the crease. Then draw a precise black liquid or gel liner wing. Keep lashes long and voluminous (false lashes optional).
- On the lips: choose a true, vintage red (matte or satin). Outline lips carefully, fill in, blot, and re-apply for staying power.
- Cheeks: a soft rose-pink blush on the apples, blended upward.
Vintage twist: Add a hint of shimmer on the lid (champagne) and pair with a velvet dress or faux-fur stole for that retro holiday party feel.
Tip: If you’re not comfortable with a heavy wing, try a shorter flick and keep the focus on the lips.
Idea 2: Emerald Green Smoky Eye + Nude Lip
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Description: Green has always had a place in vintage glamour, and during the holidays it makes perfect sense. A rich emerald smoky eye combined with clean lips gives high impact without overwhelming the face.
How to achieve it:
- After base makeup, apply an eyeshadow primer to ensure depth and lasting wear.
- Use a deep emerald or forest green on the lid, blending into a dark brown or soft black in the outer crease and lash line.
- apply a lighter golden-green shimmer near the inner corner to add glow.
- Use black eyeliner on upper lash line, and lightly on the lower lash line for definition. Finish with full lashes.
- On the cheeks: soft bronzer + muted blush, to keep the focus on eyes.
- Lips: pick a nude or soft peach satin formula to balance the bold eye.
Vintage twist: Pair with a velvet green dress or gold jewellery, letting the eye colour tie in with holiday décor.
Tip: If you prefer less drama, use green only as an accent on the lower lash line and keep the lid neutral.
Idea 3: Gold Shimmer Cut-Crease + Deep Berry Lip
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Description: Gold glitter or shimmer evokes the warmth of holiday lights; paired with a deep berry lip, this gives both elegance and vintage mood.
How to achieve it:
- On the eyes: carve out a cut-crease with a light base shade, then apply a metallic gold or champagne shimmer on the lid. Blend softly upward into a warm brown in the crease.
- Add a thin black liner along the lash line, and optional small flick. Use voluminous lashes.
- For skin: a subtle glow highlighter on cheekbones, but keep overall skin texture clean.
- Lips: choose a deep berry or wine-toned lip colour in matte or velvet finish.
Vintage twist: Think 1970s glam meets holiday party — gold earrings, tousled waves, rich skintone glow.
Tip: If cut-crease is new to you, use tape or a small brush to define your crease line for precision.
Idea 4: Frosted Silver Lid + Soft Pink Lip & Blush
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Description: For a lighter, more ethereal holiday look, frosted silver on the lids combined with soft pink lips and cheeks gives a vintage winter-wonderland feel.
How to achieve it:
- Start with a light base shadow, then apply a frosty or icy-silver shade across the entire lid. Blend slightly into the crease with a lighter grey or taupe.
- Add silver or white glitter in the inner corner for sparkle.
- Use black or charcoal liner softly — not too heavy. False lashes optional.
- Cheeks: use a pretty baby-pink blush on the apples, and finish with a luminous highlighter.
- Lips: pick a soft pink satin or gloss, matching your blush.
Vintage twist: This echo of 1960s mod glamour paired with a faux-fur collar or silver-toned accessories will feel retro chic.
Tip: If silver seems too bold, use it only on the lid and keep the outer crease in soft greys to tone down.
Idea 5: Candy-Cane Eyeliner Detail + Neutral Face + Bold Red Lip
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Description: This look gives a playful holiday detail (candy-cane style liner) but keeps the rest of the face clean and elegant. The red lip keeps it vintage.
How to achieve it:
- Base skin: smooth and even, minimal blush, light contour if desired.
- On the eyelid: use a neutral shadow (ivory or light beige) to keep the lid simple.
- The fun part: with a fine liner brush, draw alternating thin red + white lines along the upper lash line or outer flick (like a candy-cane). Finish with clear gloss if desired for extra shine.
- Lips: bold red, matching the red in the liner.
Vintage twist: The candy-cane detail gives it a fun holiday vibe, but the overall structure (clean face + red lip) keeps it classic.
Tip: If you’re unsure about red + white on the liner, start with a thin white line over your black liner, then add red dots or tiny stripes for subtle effect.
Idea 6: Matte Burgundy Lips + Minimal Eye + Soft Glow Skin
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Description: Sometimes less is more. A deep burgundy lip with a minimal eye look and softly glowing skin gives dramatic vintage charm with ease.
How to achieve it:
- Skin: matte base, light highlight on cheekbones, soft bronzer underneath to warm up complexion.
- Eyes: neutral beige or champagne shadow, thin brown liner, mascara. No heavy eyeliner or glitter.
- Lips: matte burgundy or wine shade. Line lips slightly outside for fullness if you like.
- Cheeks: minimal blush, just enough to bring colour.
Vintage twist: Evokes the 1960s-70s sophistication — think smoky-eyed icons but scaled down. Works great when you want elegance without heavy glam.
Tip: To keep lips from bleeding, use a lip liner and blot the first application before re-applying.
Idea 7: Pearl or Champagne Eye Highlight + Coral Lip + Rosy Cheeks
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Description: This look is lighter and fresh — perfect for daytime holiday events or those who prefer lighter makeup. The pearl/champagne lids add subtle sparkle; coral lips and rosy cheeks give warmth.
How to achieve it:
- Eyes: apply a champagne/pearl shimmer across the lid. Blend softly into a light taupe. Use light brown liner or skip liner for even softer look.
- Cheeks: apply a coral-rosy blush high on the cheekbones and extend toward the temples for a lifted look.
- Lips: coral satin or creamy finish — not super bold, but enough to give holiday warmth.
Vintage twist: Inspired by 1950s soft dimensional face makeup, with more emphasis on blush and lips rather than heavy eyes.
Tip: Choose a coral that matches your skin’s undertone (warm or cool) so it complements rather than clashes.
Idea 8: Emerald Lash Accent + Neutral Face + Berry Lip
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Description: A fun twist for vintage lovers — keep the face minimal and put the colour in an unexpected place: green lashes (upper, or lower lash line) paired with a berry lip for balance.
How to achieve it:
- Skin: luminous but not overly glowy. Use a semi-matte foundation and minimal highlight.
- Eyes: neutral shadow base (beige or light brown). On the upper lash line apply black liner. Then mascara mixed with an emerald green mascara (or use green lashes) to create lash accent.
- Lips: a rich berry tone.
Vintage twist: This look nods to the 1960s coloured lashes trend, but is made wearable with modern formula and minimal eye shadow.
Tip: If green lashes feel bold, apply green only on the outer half of lashes, or use a green eyeliner on the upper lash line instead of full lashes.
Idea 9: Retro Pink & Champagne Glam + Glossy Finish
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Description: For a genuine retro look: pastel pink eyeshadow, champagne shimmer, glossy lips, and soft curls in hair. This brings ’50s-’60s flair into the holiday season.
How to achieve it:
- Eyes: pastel bubble-gum pink across the lid, champagne shimmer on the inner half, soft brown in crease for gentle definition.
- Liner: thin brown or black line close to lashes.
- Lips: pick a mid-pink gloss or satin finish for the vintage feel.
- Skin: keep complexion dewy; consider a luminous primer and light setting spray for glow.
Vintage twist: The glossy lips and pink lids are throwbacks to mid-century glamour. Pair with soft waves or bouffant style hair.
Tip: If you have fair skin, make sure the pink shadow is soft and not too bright — blend well to avoid it looking harsh.
Idea 10: Golden Bashful Smoky Eye + Red/Berry Ombre Lip
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Description: For the grand holiday event: go for gold smoky eyes (softly blended) and an ombre lip that fades from red at the centre to berry at the edges. This is bold yet maintains vintage polish.
How to achieve it:
- Eyes: start with a warm gold shimmer on the lid, blend into matte bronzy-brown in crease and outer corner, soften with black in the very outer lash line for depth.
- Liner: black or deep brown; lashes full.
- Lips: use a bright red in the centre of lips, berry on the outer, and blend for soft ombre effect. Finish with matte or semi-matte.
- Skin: contoured lightly, highlight high points, and set with fine powder for longevity.
Vintage twist: The gold eye gives rich glamour, the ombre lip lifts the red lip trend into something slightly more modern yet retro in spirit.
Tip: For easier application, apply the two lip colours (red + berry) and then use a lip brush to blend the seam at the outer edges.
Final Tips for Vintage Holiday Makeup
- Prep is everything: Vintage makeup often uses a flawless base. Spend the time on skincare, primer, and foundation to ensure your look lasts.
- Balance bold features: If you choose a strong element (bold lips, coloured lashes, dramatic eye), keep another feature more subdued so the overall look remains balanced.
- Use good lighting: Especially for holiday photos, test your look under your actual photo lighting — vintage tones can look different under warm LED vs daylight.
- Choose the right finishes: Satin or velvet finishes for lips shout retro; matte skin or soft glow skin both work depending on the era you’re referencing.
- Hair and accessories matter: Vintage makeup is often paired with curled hair, satin headbands, pearls, or simple earrings. These extras help reinforce the vibe.
- Comfort counts: For events that last long, keep a lip stain or long-wear formula handy, blot glosses, and avoid too heavy layers of glitter that might fall into eyes.
- Personalise your vintage era: “Vintage” can mean the 1940s, ’50s, ’60s, ’70s. Pick your favourite era’s vibe and adapt colours accordingly (e.g., 40s more subdued, 50s bold lips, 60s pastel lids, 70s metallics).