I Love Holiday Makeup (on a budget)

In collaboration with Meijer, the Midwest-based superstore that is a go-to source for beauty products for me, I’m excited to share my tips on how you can get a holiday makeup look! Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve been obsessed with beauty products. I’m such a sucker for good marketing and pretty packaging! I’m an avid magazine reader and I would make note of any product, especially an affordable product, that a reputable beauty guru raved about. My makeup bag has everything from sparkly MAC pigment to nude lipstick to black liquid eyeliner. I like to think that I have options.

Over the years, I’ve went through stages with my makeup – teenage years were filled with drugstore buys, in college I discovered the MAC store thanks to my BFF, and in grad school and early in my career, I was a frequent flyer at the Nordstrom makeup counters, NARS and Laura Mercier, specifically. Now, I find myself going back to more drugstore buys to mix and match low and high end products to create the perfect look. The amount of $$$ you spend doesn’t always equal the highest quality, I’ve found. Here, I’ll take you through the products I recommend using from Meijer to enhance your everyday look for the holiday season! The most important thing is to have fun with it! Here we go…

Before & after. When I look at my before, I’m thinking whoaaa girl needs some color. I chose to go with a bold lip and simple black eyes with a lot of mascara which is my go-to look for the holiday season. It’s simple but definitely more dramatic than my everyday look. Blush and bronzer are a must for a glow. Now for the details…

(Left): First, I dab on some Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Medium 25 under my eyes, on blemishes, and around my nose. This concealer provides natural coverage that conceals what I need it to. (Right): The Revlon Photoready BB Cream in 020 Light Medium has been on serious rotation for about a year now. I use it every.single.day. It’s so easy to apply, smoothes my skin, and evens out its tone. I use it as a moisturizer and primer under my makeup, applying after concealer. Although there are no photos of this, after concealer and BB Cream, I brush on a powder foundation. My current favorites are BareMinerals and also Revlon Photoready Powder in 020 Light Medium. I’m a fan of the entire Revlon Photoready line and love how it leaves an airbrushed quality to my skin.

Next up, blush. Oh man. I am blush loverrr. It brightens up your entire face and really helps to give you a great glow and palette for the rest of your makeup. While I am an avid user of NARS blush, I find that the Revlon Photoready blush delivers a great amount of pigment and is a solid alternative to the pricier options. The color I am wearing is 006 Naughty Nude and it’s just gorgeous in person.

Bronzer time. I wear bronzer every day, and even if I don’t wear blush, I have to swipe some on after my BB Cream. It brightens up my face and is a must-have! Especially during the Winter, when we all are looking just a lil’ pale! I’ve tried pricy bronzers before, but I’m telling you… the Maybelline Master Hi-Light Powdered Bronzer is da bomb. It has a bit of shimmer to it and leaves you with a glow which is perfect for a holiday look.

Enter… new favorite eyeliner… for real. I don’t think I’ll buy the lil’ eyeliner pencils again. Maybelline’s Master Kajal Eyeliner in Onyx Rush is a hit in my book. I feel like I have so much control with this pencil, which is great. For a more dramatic holiday look, I like to line my upper lid with a thick line of liner, and the outer half of my lower lash line with a noticeable but softer line. I extend the line out on the upper lid, creating a wing for a party effect. A “party wing” if you will. 🙂 I think it makes my eyes look much bigger. Although I didn’t add any shadow in this tutorial, I also enjoy adding shimmery silver or gold shadow to the inner part of my eyes, again, perfect for the holidays. Especially when adding the silver shadow, it makes the whites of my eyes look whiter + brighter, which is always a plus!

I won’t lie: Diorshow Blackout mascara is my tried and true mascara and I’ve tried to stray for a more affordable option, but it’s just not happening. The stuff is amazing and I swear the stuff makes my eyelashes twice as long and thick. After curling your lashes for adding drama, I recommend adding a few coats on your upper and lower eyelashes until your eyes pop.

I like to change up my lip color more than anything else in my makeup arsenal. Which is why I buy drugstore brands 99% of the time. CoverGirl is a fave of mine and I’m wearing Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in Tempt Seduction 355. As you can see, it’s a bright and bold lip color which pairs perfectly with a bold black eye. Add a black or white ensemble with some sparkly holiday bling and you should be party ready!