This post shows you beautiful makeup ideas for Thanksgiving.
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Fall is here, and in the blink of an eye, we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving!
One thing you could be serving this holiday is looks.
Since it’s never too early to start planning your next Thanksgiving makeup look, I’ve created a list of 25 Makeup Ideas for Thanksgiving to inspire you.
Whether you’re spending Thanksgiving with family, friends, or a significant other, there’s no denying that having that touch of glam can make you feel confident and festive.
Keep reading, and I’ll show you some gorgeous fall makeup looks, along with beauty expert approved items to help you achieve a flawless Thanksgiving look.
Preparing Your Skin
Before we dive into these easy Thanksgiving makeup looks, remember the importance of preparing your skin for any beauty routine.
The cold weather during the Fall season can dry out your skin. Make sure to exfoliate and moisturize beforehand.
This will ensure a smooth canvas for your makeup application and prevent any dry patches from ruining the rest of your makeup.
I recommend for the day using The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum or Cocokind Ceramid Barrier Serum. Both will provide hydration without being too heavy on the skin.
Then follow up with a moisturizer like this one from Weleda. A Makeup Artist I’ve worked with swears by this moisturizer for under makeup!
It’s so important to add SPF (minimum 30) as your last skincare prep. This is a product you can never skip especially for your daytime makeup unless it’s in your cream or foundation already.
At night, use the Bloomeffects Royal Tulip Nectar as the last step in your nighttime skincare routine. Wake up with plump, hydrated skin to make the daytime prep so much smoother.
Once your skin is prepped, start your makeup routine with a long-wear primer. Some favorites are: One/Size Secure The Sweat Waterproof Mattifying Primer or the Milk Makeup Hydrogrip Primer.
Now that your skin is perfectly prepped, it’s time to be inspired and delve into these cute makeup ideas for your Thanksgiving gathering.
Warm and Cozy Eyes Makeup Ideas
Thanksgiving is all about the warm and cozy vibes, so why not incorporate that into your eye makeup?
You can achieve this by using warm tones like soft browns, oranges, or gold eyeshadows.
These shades will complement the Fall colors of Thanksgiving and add a touch of warmth for that perfect ‘pumpkin spice’ look.
You can simply swipe on a single color and blend it up and out to brow bones for a softer look. Or, add a bit more depth and dimension with a blown-out smokey eye.
Some palettes I recommend are the Patrick Ta Major Dimension Eyeshadow Palette or the Danessa Myricks Groundwork: Defining Neutrals palette. The Patrick Ta will provide you with shimmery shades for a more glam look, while the Danessa Myricks palette has a mix of matte shades and creams to give you versatile and oil-absorbing options.
The Danessa Myricks option is talc-free, but if you’re looking for a more overall clean beauty option try out The Necessary Eyeshadow Palette from Ilia or Lawless The Dreamy Dozen Volume Two!
To add some extra drama to your Thanksgiving makeup look, you can also opt for a classic cat eye eyeliner, a pop of glitter, or false lashes.
Just make sure to use waterproof products in case of any tears from all the laughter and joy during dinner!
Create a Flawless Complexion
One of the biggest struggles when it comes to makeup for Thanksgiving is keeping your complexion looking flawless throughout the entire day. Between cooking, eating, and socializing, it’s easy for your makeup to start fading or melting away.
Starting with a good primer that will help keep your foundation in place all day long. The Hourglass Vanish Airbrush primer is another favorite and is a great option for all skin types.
Underpainting
Is one of the newer makeup trends that creates a softer, sculpted look without the harsh lines of typical contouring. Professional Makeup Artists like Scott Barnes, who created the ‘J.Low’ Glow, have done this method for years!
Basically, you conceal, highlight, and contour with your liquid or cream products first. Blend out, then add your foundation on top. The idea is that you’ll use maybe a pump or so of foundation and have a more skin-like natural quality to your complexion.
If you need to do any color correcting, Huda Beauty has a wonderful range of undereye color correctors called #FAUXFILTER.
If you don’t need color correcting, skip that step and conceal/brighten with concealers like Tarte Shape Tape Ultra Creamy Concealer or the Maybelline Age Rewind. These have such a wide shade range that you can easily find a contour color with them as well.
After that’s complete, use a long-wearing foundation and blend it over the underpainting. The HausLabs foundation is the best for these long days. Not only is it medium to buildable coverage, but the shade range is widely inclusive. During this time of year, I have dry to sensitive skin, and you would never know with this foundation!
Set your face with a loose powder like the Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder or the Kosas Cloud Set Baked Setting & Smoothing Powder. These powders will help keep your makeup in place while also giving you a radiant finish.
This will withstand any Thanksgiving feast and keep your skin looking flawless.
Makeup Ideas for a Bold Lip
A bold statement lip is always a great option for any occasion, and your Thanksgiving dinner is no exception. As another makeup idea for Thanksgiving, choose a rich, deep color like a burgundy, red, or berry shade to tie in with the fall theme. It’s an easy glamorous option for the evening or dinner anyway!
It’s also one of my favorite ways to wear the trendy Red color of the season. You can read more about it in my post here.
Make sure to choose a long-lasting formula so you don’t have to worry about reapplying throughout the day.
Some of my favorite options are the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil in ‘Affection’ or the Lip Soufflé Matte Cream Lipstick in ‘Transform’.
If you want a lighter, daytime makeup lip option, try out E.L.F.’s trending Glow Reviver Lip Oil in ‘Red’ or Ami Colé Hydrating Lip Treatment Oil in ‘Romance’. Both options will give you a pop of color without being too intense for a family gathering. However, with these, you will need to reapply.
Warm Rosy Cheeks
To complete your Thanksgiving makeup look, don’t forget to add some rosy blush! It gives a natural flush and adds warmth and liveliness to any makeup look.
You can achieve this with a cream or a powder blush, depending on your preferred formula.
Try out Saie’s Liquid Cheek Blush in Rosy, Spicy, or Poppy depending on your skin tone. Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in ‘Worth‘ and ‘Virtue‘ are also great options. Rare Beauty’s Melting Cream Blush in ‘Nearly Apricot’ is a top pick for the season though. And with these, you need the tiniest amount since they’re so pigmented. You can always add more if you need to!
For deeper skin tones, berry-toned blush will a better option for you.
These cream and liquid blushes bring a glow back into your complexion after setting it with powders. It’s a subtle and natural-looking finish that can elevate your makeup without having to add a highlighter (unless you want of course). Plus, these formulas tend to last longer on the skin compared to powder blushes.
If you prefer powder blushes, try out Milani’s Baked Blush in ‘Luminoso’ or Patrick Ta’s Major Headlines Blush Duo in ‘She’s Blushing’ for a beautiful rosy glow. These blushes also have great staying power and can withstand any Thanksgiving festivities.
Lastly, use a makeup SETTING spray like Urban Decay’s All Nighter Setting Spray or the Morphe Continuous Setting Mist to lock in all your hard work. These sprays will keep your makeup from fading or melting off throughout the day.
For the Natural Girlies – Makeup Ideas
Thanksgiving is all about being thankful for what we have, so why not let your natural beauty shine through? If you want a simple, but still stunning makeup idea for Thanksgiving — I’ve got the products for you.
Skip heavy contouring and focus on brightening and evening out your complexion.
I mentioned this before, but using a color corrector under your eyes is an instant wide-awake effect. This is really great if you’ve been up all night prepping for dinner! Huda Beauty’s #FAUXFILTER has a beautiful shade range for light to dark skin tones. I’ve used Naturium Vitamin Bright Illuminating Eye Cream and love the radiant look it leaves too.
You can add concealer if you need it, but the goal is to keep it light, natural, and EASY.
Next, simply apply a tinted serum over your face and blend down to your neck. I recommend Odacité Tinted Suncreen or Tower 28’s Tinted Suncreen Foundation for more color options.
Lightly set with powder, and add a few coats of mascara with a cream eyeshadow like E.L.F.’s ‘Copper Chic’. Keep things neutral with a brown tone liner and brown gloss or a warm rosy tone lipstick.
Finish off with a light dusting of bronzer for a sun-kissed appearance. You can even use the bronzer over the eyelids instead of the cream shadow! This is probably the easiest and quickest makeup idea for Thanksgiving you can try and do every day.
Festive Nails
Don’t forget about your nails when planning your Thanksgiving look. Deep jewel tones, metallics, and glitter are all great options for a festive manicure. You can also experiment with nail art by incorporating Fall designs such as leaves or pumpkins. Find more Fall Nail inspiration with my post here.
Final Touches
To complete your Thanksgiving makeup look, don’t forget about the final touches. Use a setting spray to keep everything in place throughout the day and touch up with a blotting paper or powder to control any excess oil.
Get inspired and try something new this holiday with these 25 Makeup Ideas for Thanksgiving. Experiment with different colors, textures, and techniques to find the perfect look for you.
And most importantly, have fun and be confident in your look! Whether you go for bold lips or a natural glow, enjoy the holiday with your loved ones! And most importantly, be thankful for your unique beauty. Cheers to a beautiful and grateful Thanksgiving!
Drop a comment and let me know what inspired you!
