Make a statement by wearing a bold eyeliner in any colour. Photo: Make Up For Ever
It's the last week of 2023 and come Monday, we’ll be starting a whole new year!
Make the most of these next few days by tying up any loose ends at work, getting started on your resolutions for 2024, and of course, putting together your party looks for the events, parties and gatherings to end the year.
Go all out with your makeup – bold lips, shimmery and metallic eyeshadow and face jewels are some of the hottest trends for party season.
Here are the most popular trends for party makeup this year, with emphasis on the eyes and lips, and creative ways to enhance your best features.
Bold eyeliner
One way to make a statement without spending too much time on your makeup is by wearing bold eyeliner in any colour.
A popular choice is electric blue when you want to experiment with bright or neon shades, notes Byrdie.com.
The site suggests making the liner as thin or as thick as you like, by applying the eyeliner pencil or gel along the lash line in an upward motion all the way towards the outer corners.
Finish this look off with several coats of volumising mascara to achieve an uber cool party look.
Read more: What are you wearing for the festivities? Red dresses top outfit searches
Red lips
It goes without saying that crimson lips are a party staple, so don’t skip out on this one if you want to look the part.
Whether your shade is a lighter cherry, burgundy or a deep red, complement your lip colour by brushing on a touch of blush, with subtle lip liner.
Keep your lip colour from bleeding or smudging by using a lip liner, to outline your lips, and for good measure, colour your entire lip area before applying lipstick.
This is so that when the colour fades, it won’t be obvious.
Crimson lips are a go-to look for parties. Photo: Dolce & Gabbana
Glittery eyeshadow
Complement your sequined and metallic outfits with similar colours to give your eyes a reflective shine that resembles foil.
Foiled eyeshadows can be applied to the eyelids without messing up the rest of your face and are a cool choice of shadow to experiment with this festive season.
You can also go with any shimmery or metallic shades to glide on to your eyelids, finishing off with eyeliner and even stick-on jewels if you want to take the look up a notch.
Razzle bedazzle
Stick-on jewels for your eye area, cheekbones and forehead are a great way to add drama to your look, and they are super easy to apply.
Beautycrew.com.au suggests drawing on your usual winged liner and mascara combo before using lash glue to place tiny gems around your eye shape to create a simple yet striking look.
Of course, if you have a knack for dramatic looks, you can always layer gemstones over elaborate eyeliner or eyeshadow styles.
Classic glam
You can’t go wrong with timeless looks that involve nothing more than subtle brown shadow, neutral or rose lipstick and light contouring and highlighter.
A classic smokey eye also falls under this category, with a light brush of shimmer in the inner eye corner to add some impact.
If you want an evening glam look that isn’t too much work, go for a tiny smudge of kohl on the lower lash line, slightly winged out.
Luscious lashes
False eyelashes are a pain to put on if you’re not used to them, but for year-end parties, they are one of the best makeup trends to try out and are an easy way to add glamour to your look.
Do some research to find out what type of lashes suits your eye shape, as there are various styles out there that look different on round eyes, monolids, near-set eyes and so on.
For hooded eyes which have a crease with a prominent brow bone, try a fluttery mix with long lashes directly above the pupil to open the eye at the centre.
Almond-shaped eyes which are slightly pointed at the ends with a wider centre are best paired with voluminous full lashes that are evenly distributed.
You can’t go wrong with timeless looks that involve nothing more than subtle brown shadow, neutral lipstick and light contouring. Photo: Nars
Read more: Pyjamas are poised to be the snug and stylish stars of holiday wardrobes
Long-lasting lips
If you don’t want to worry about your lip colour fading after a few hours of eating, drinking and talking, stained lips are a great idea.
InStyle.com lists three tips for wearing lip stain, staring with prepping your lips.
As lip stains are drier than regular lipsticks, use a lip scrub to smooth your lips over and remove any dry skin.
Then, swipe some on before sweeping on your lip stain as a protective moisturising layer keeps the dry skin at bay and gives the stain more staying power.
According to the site, since most stains tend to be pretty fluid or translucent, too much can slide around and make a mess, so use a light hand and apply the colour in workable layers.
Once you’ve reached the intensity you want, layer on a sheer lip balm.
