Quick – what makeup colors IMMEDIATELY come to mind when you think Valentine’s Day? Pink and Red right?! Even though red and pink ARE traditional, there are many other makeup shades and looks you can don for the holiday! So today is all about Valentine’s Day Beauty Must-Haves.
February 14th is right around the corner and it’s all about hearts, cupids, chocolates, radiating love and fabulousness! I know some people think it’s an unnecessary holiday, but not me. I choose it to be a day where I celebrate and dote on ALL of my loved ones – my hubby, my kiddos, our dog Taco, my best friends…everyone!
Now what kind of makeup look embodies this day of romance and immediately comes to mind?
One might go straight to a statement red or pink lip. But hear me out, these bold lips can get meessssy if you know what I mean (champagne, kisses, etc)!
I think a good smokey eye, glowing skin, and sheer shiny lips make for a winning romantic look!
Smokey eyes have a sort of rebellious side to them while also being a bit sexy. And when you do something as bold as a smokey eye, you just know you have to balance it with a bit more subdued lips and cheeks.
And don’t be intimidated by a smokey eye – I’ve got a few tricks of my sleeve to show you. And as you can see in these pictures already, it’s a very wearable low-key smokey eye that doesn’t jump out at you.
Now let’s create together a whole ROMANTIC mood with some fantastic makeup products I LOVE to use on my face when Cupid’s day comes around…
TL;DR
Jennifer shares how to Get The Look of Love with Valentine’s Day Beauty Must-Haves
Jennifer’s product recommendations are shoppable via text links and image widgets
Valentine’s Day Beauty Must-Haves – Get The Look of Love
Step 1: Glowing Skin
Because we know we’ll be doing a heavier eye look, we do NOT want heavy skin makeup. I love to get an even skin glow that is hard to decipher what is actually making it glow – rather than a bunch of shimmer products!
To do that, I use these 3 products in harmony:
- Peach & Lily Glass Skin Veil Mist, $31. This beautiful skin spray that contains cucumber and peach extract can be spritzed liberally throughout the day for glass skin on-demand! I use it before I apply makeup, and even after to give my makeup layers bounce and glow. It’s a gorgeous K Beauty product. Check it out in action (at the very end) on this Instagram reel I created about a recent skin hydration treatment I did called Skin Vive at our local med spa.
- Saie Glowy Super Gel, $28. I sometimes mix this straight in with my foundation and then sometimes I layer it first, then foundation – works both ways! I love how very sheer this is in shade “Sunglow” (warm bronze) but gives my skin just a hint of warmth that isn’t overwhelming. You can also use it as a glowy hydrating body shimmer and apply it on your collarbone and chest!
- Makeup By Mario Surreal Skin foundation, $41. He’s the makeup artist to the stars who has created his own popular line of cosmetics! This is a breathable, medium coverage foundation that blends to illuminate the complexion. I am wearing shade 6W. (this was an Allure Magazine Best of Beauty winner for 2023)
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Step 2: Dreamy Smokey Eye
Is there really anything dreamier than a smokey eye?!! I’ve got photos to take you step by step thru this to show you how it can be easily achieved with a little bit of work and the right tools.
I start with eyeshadow, eyeliner, then a shimmer topper! I’m going for a warm brown romantic look instead of the usual heavy black or gray smokey eye. I find using browns makes the look easier to pull off!
Products using:
- Makeup by Mario Master Mattes palette, $50. It keeps selling out, but then luckily he brings it back! I’m obsessed with this palette – the skin tone browns are to die for.
- GXVE Beauty “Hopscotch – shimmery bronze” Line It Up Clean beauty eyeliner, $20.
- Urban Decay Moondust Shimmer eyeshadow singles, “space cowboy,” $24. Such a beautiful topper to place on top of any shade of shadow to make it come to life! Works with cool and warm tones.
- Maybelline The Falsies Surreal Lashes mascara, $9. This formula is giving me mega lashes these days.
- Girly dangle bow earrings from Amazon, $12. I mean, earrings are an accessory for the face and I’m obsessed with these – can’t wait to buy them in silver too.
Steps for this smokey eye are simple.
- Start with a light brown shade and color in from the lash line up to right above the crease from corner to corner.
- Then take a smaller brush, and about 2 shades darker of brown and start again at the lash line and blur it up to your almost your crease – should have a gradient look.
- Take this same shade of brown and sweep it along your entire lower lash line keeping very close to the lashline so it stays nice and tight.
- Grab a skinny liner brush, dip in the blackest shade and then sweep close along the upper lash line until very smooth and blurred. This is serving as your liner on top – but without having to actually use an actual eyeliner pencil!
5. Now get that bronzed eyeliner and drag it along the inner waterline of the entire lower lash line to darken.
6. Spritz the Peach + Lily spray (for tackiness) on top of this BK Beauty brush made specifically for applying shimmer shadows, then grab a good bit of the “Space Cowboy” shadow and tap it right into the center of the eyelid, then along the top of the brown shadow you put along the lower lash line.
7. Finish with curling the lashes and two coats of mascara on upper and lower lashes!
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Step 3: Flushed Cheeks
You’re going to want to pair these eyes with the look of a realistic love flush!! This calls for two cream products that sink nicely into the skin and don’t look powdery. Contour and warm up your bone structure first with the e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Contour wand, $9. I am really into this tiny sponge wand that makes contouring a breeze and precise. I’m wearing shade light/medium here.
Then the real glam comes in with the Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Highlighter wand, $42, in “Pillow Talk Medium.” I apply this gorgeous multi-use illuminating gel that can be worn as a highlighter or blush for buildable color and an instant glow. I dotted it very high up on the cheekbones with this Soft Pinch blush brush, $23, that is my go-to brush for liquid and cream highlighters and blushes.
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Step 4: Shimmery Sheer Lips
Matte dark lips can get really messy and hard to keep up with. So for Valentine’s Day, you should pick a low maintenance lip color that is easy to apply and makes lips look extra juicy (and kissable!).
There’s a brand new lip product in town that was just released, and it’s a fun one! Let me introduce you to the Buxom Plump Shot Lip Serums, $29, in the Multi-Chrome finishes! These multi-chrome tints do glisten with a color shifting effect and prismatic plump. I’m wearing new shade “Dreamy Dolly.” ( a mauve with red + violet shift) They feel hydrating, lightweight, and with a slight tingle sensation of plumping action.
Final Details:
*Since we didn’t do a pink/red lip, choose a pink + red top to go with your smokey eye! You can go comfy Alpaca striped Crew sweater, $110, oversized Dressed in LaLa Cardigan, $92 or cutie Bloomingdales 3 pink Mock Neck sweater, $88.
* Amazon chunky dome gold ring, $23, is a great statement piece.
* If you’ve been looking for a new alluring scent, look no further than the fragrance line from Sol De Janiero. My personal faves right now that I constantly get compliments on are the Cheirosa ’68 – which smells like a lightweight dupe for Baccarat Rouge 540 – and then the original Cherirosa ’62 – which they are most well known for and has a warm vanilla + caramel scent.
* If you haven’t tried this intoxicatingly beautiful Gisou Infused Hair Perfume, $44, yet, do it! You’ll get hooked on having your head smell so good!
Don’t forget to check out last week’s Popular TikTok Makeup Hacks for my tutorials!
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