My Beauty Secret Weapon for Fierce Holiday Makeup? Festive Eyeliners
It’s time to have fun with glam again.
The holidays are right around the corner, and even though we’re practically going to be shrouded in darkness in approximately two weeks, I am giddy with excitement. Not only is this my favorite time of year to see my loved ones, but it’s also the best way to reaffirm my status as the Beyoncé of the family. In the past, I’ve made sure to don oversized hair accessories, festive red nails, and even makeup looks that spotlight the cuntiest red lip. This year, however, I want to focus on the eyes, and what better way to do so than with some fun, colorful eyeliners?
I am nothing if not always on theme, so of course, the eyeliners that I am lining up (no pun intended) for the season are, well, very extra. Think festive jewel tones and sparkling finishes that can add drama to an otherwise everyday makeup look. Plus, unexpected neutrals that can be wearable even outside of the holiday season. I’ve spent a long time testing and finding only the best formulas on the market, so think of this list as your curated shopping guide to low-effort, high-impact holiday eye makeup. Let’s get into it.
New Neutrals
One of my favorite ways to get away from black liner while retaining the sultry energy the shade brings is by opting for browns. The shade brings out the warmth in brown eyes, and when paired with a warm-toned eyeshadow look? It’s like like your eyes transform into puddles of milk chocolate.
This liquid formula from Make Up For Ever is criminally underrated. Not only does it offer one-swipe opacity, but the shade wood is also the perfect neutral brown that gives a similar depth as a black liner, without the stark contrast that the latter can sometimes leave behind. Bonus points: it’s actually waterproof.
When Meghan Markle said that this eyeliner was one of her favorites years ago, I immediately went out and bought one, and I haven’t looked back since. M.A.C.’s Costa Riche is a gorgeous coffee brown shade with a slight gold pearl suspended in the formula. Don’t let the slight shimmer scare you, though. I’ve used this product on my waterline, tightline, lashline, and as a lip liner, and I’ve never experienced any irritation. So, while I always recommend a small patch test, if you want an eyeliner that’s matte but not flat and as multipurpose as they come, pick this one up.
Golden Girls
Gold is a quintessential holiday shade. As an eyeliner, it can bring an opulent flair to your eyes, even if the rest of your makeup is extremely minimal. Fun tip: Use gold eyeliner as freckles à la Taylor Swift to sparkle all night long.
I promise this is the last time that I will be mentioning the aqua resist liners from Make Up For Ever, but the metallic shades are next level. They deliver the same one-swipe opacity as the matte shades, but they have little flecks of glitter in them that do not move once the formula dries down. The shade Gold Winner is one of the easiest and most long-lasting metallic eyeliners I have ever worked with.
For a straight-up disco ball eye moment, Urban Decay’s Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliners should be in your shopping cart. I’m partial to the shade goldmine for the holidays, which is a bright yellow gold, but I have quite a few color and they all deliver pigment and shine equally.
Silver Sirens
Silver is another one of those holiday eyeshadow shades that looks good on everyone. I don’t know what it is about the lighter shimmer shade that makes it so hard to formulate, but I’ve gone through so many that skip or drag on the eye, making for an uncomfortable user experience. The ones mentioned below, however, are the créme de la créme of the category.
For a silver eyeliner that packs a punch, Danessa Myricks’s Colorfix pigment in platinum should have your attention. The cream pigment comes in a tubular dispenser, so you can squeeze out the exact amount needed for any look you’re going for. Be warned: this formula is extremely pigmented, and you only need one dot of product to get the silvery eyeliner of your dreams.
Half Magic’s Glitterpuck in Cyber Diamond is one of my favorite multifunctional silver makeup products. It’s a pressed glitter, so I’ve tapped it over black eyeliner for an extra vibrant pop, but it can also be used on the body and face. You can even use it with a mixing medium to create a standalone true silver eyeliner shade that is the perfect opacity for your specific needs.
Duochromes, Anyone?
One of my favorite party tricks is a duo chrome manicure or eyeliner. If anyone is even as remotely interested in beauty as I am, the shiny finish in an unusual place like my eyelids always immediately draws them in, and just like that, we have a new friend at the party.
The Chameleon chrome eyeliners from Wet n Wild are one of my favorite discoveries of 2025. For less than 10 dollars, I get a formula that is pigmented, glides on like a gel, and looks like three different products in one? Yes please. I personally love the shade Electric Prism, but this is one of those eyeliner shade ranges that you can really never go wrong with, no matter what color you pick up.
No one talks about this line from Stila, and I don’t know why. The Stay All Day Chroma-Flash Liquid Eyeliners shift colors depending on the lighting, and just like the brand’s original Stay All Day liner, they last for hours. The shade mermaid is particularly well-suited for brown eyes thanks to the sapphire, teal, and magenta color story, but these are so fun to play with, you can close your eyes and just pick one. You’ll love it no matter what.
The Best Blues
There is something about a blue eyeliner that screams editorial, and as such, I will always have one (or a few) in my collection. Below are two of my absolute favorites that I’ve discovered over the years.
I am constantly torn between my love for the shades Dieu Bleu and Bleu de Minuit from Violette_Fr’s Yeaux Paints, so for all intents and purposes, consider this to be my stamp of approval for both of them. The matte version is a bright royal blue that shows up beautifully on all skin tones. The other is a midnight blue shade that has specks of purple, blue, and silver shimmer throughout it. The formula can be used for both eyeshadow and liner, and they make the most stunning stocking stuffers.
MAC Dazzleshadow Eye Shadow Sticks are one of the most compact and easy-to-use products on the market right now. While they are heavily marketed as eyeshadow, I constantly use the shade Bedazzled Denim as eyeliner, especially over a black wing. That technique makes the multi-colored pearls in the formula pop even more, and the best part? It takes all of five seconds to achieve the elevated eyeliner look.
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