For a holiday look, Nikol builds a soft neutral eye with eye primer and a sheen or matte palette, lifts the outer liner slightly instead of drawing a full wing, color corrects under-eye darkness, then layers lip liner, a glossy base and a bold lipstick shade like Confidence, Fleur or Actually, I Can for a customizable berry or fuchsia lip.
Key takeaways
- Priming the eyelid first prevents eyeshadow from looking muddy, especially on mature skin.
- Le Bottled Blonde gives a soft sheen while Strong Brew offers the same neutral coffee tones in matte.
- A slight lift at the outer corner of the eyeliner opens the eye without creating a heavy, drooping wing.
- Color correctors like Just Peachy and the Eye Brightener can be used together or alone depending on how dark the under-eye area is.
- A bold lip can be built in layers (clear liner, lip liner, gloss base, lipstick, gloss topper) so you control the intensity instead of committing to full strength right away.
- Mixing shades like Fleur and Actually, I Can — or Confidence and Fleur — lets you create a custom color that's unique to you.
- Doing the eyes first means any eyeshadow fallout can be wiped away before you start the complexion.
Nikol's step-by-step routine
- Prep lips with the Dream Melt Lip Mask as an overnight treatment, or use Rose Lip Balm #100 during the day.
- Smooth an eye cream into the under-eye area, then place the These Bags Are Designer-Eye Mask over the top so everything absorbs before makeup.
- Apply one pump of Fiercely Smooth Face Primer, starting in the T-zone, for hydration and a smooth base.
- Use the Concealer Brush to apply Eye Primer over the lid and into the inner corner to neutralize discoloration before any color goes on.
- Apply the middle shade from the Le Bottled Blonde 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette (sheen) or Strong Brew 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette (matte) with the same Concealer Brush, then soften the lightest shade onto the brow bone.
- Use a tapered blending brush for precise crease contouring, a short smudge brush at the lash line for a smoky base, and the Nikol Beauty Eyeshadow Blending Brush to blend everything out.
- Line the eyes close to the lash line with a dark chocolate WaterProof Eyeliner Pencil, lifting slightly at the outer corner rather than drawing a full wing, then soften with the smudge brush.
- Wipe away any eyeshadow fallout with an oil-free pad so it doesn't mix into your concealer or color corrector.
- Curl the lashes, then apply Volume UP Mascara in black on the top lashes and the dark brown shade on the bottom lashes for a softer finish.
- Spot treat darkness with Just Peachy Color Corrector in the inner corner and/or the Eye Brightener over the darkest areas, depending on how much lift you need.
- Apply Serum Foundation (about four drops) with your fingers and buff it in with the Foundation Buffing Brush.
- Conceal over the color-corrected areas with Creamy Concealer using the Concealer Brush.
- Outline the lips with Crystal Clear Invisible Water-Proof Lip Liner to stop color from feathering, then line with a shade from the WaterProof Lip Liner Pencils, such as Unapologetic.
- Apply Manifest & Glow #183 as a sheer golden base layer, then top with a Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick shade like Confidence, Fleur or Actually, I Can.
- Add Upgrade Lip Gloss #94 to the center of the lips for extra shine and dimension, or blot with a tissue to take the color down a notch.
- Finish with Classic Beach Glow for blush, highlight and bronzer, applied last with a flat foundation brush.
How do you prep lips and skin before a holiday makeup look?
Nikol starts with lip prep, using the Dream Melt Lip Mask as an overnight treatment. She notes that Rose Lip Balm #100 — a clear, fragrance-free solid balm — can be a better daytime option, while the Dream Melt Lip Mask, made with safflower oil and shea butter, is designed to be part of an overnight skincare routine.
For the eye area she rubs in an eye cream and then wears the These Bags Are Designer-Eye Mask over the top so everything sinks in and the skin is hydrated and ready for makeup. She follows with a lightweight serum, noting that a light serum layers better under primer than a heavy cream, which can cause pilling.
For the face, she applies one pump of Fiercely Smooth Face Primer, dabbing it on and starting in the T-zone. It's a lightweight, hydrating, pink-toned formula that brightens and lets the rest of the makeup glide on smoothly.
Why prime your eyelids before applying eyeshadow?
Before any color goes on the lid, Nikol applies Eye Primer with the Concealer Brush, working it all the way into the inner corner. This step erases natural pigmentation on the eyelid so eyeshadow doesn't look muddy once it's applied — otherwise, she says, you might as well skip eyeshadow altogether.
She calls this an especially important base step for mature eyes, comparing brightening the area to opening the curtains on a beautiful bright day instead of letting darkness show through your eye makeup.
What's the difference between a sheen and matte neutral eyeshadow palette?
For this look, Nikol reaches for the Le Bottled Blonde 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette, a neutral set that's all sheen. If you don't like sheen, or feel it emphasizes crepey texture, she recommends the Strong Brew 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette, which has the same nude, coffee-toned shades in a fully matte finish. The shadows are gluten-free, talc-free and cruelty-free.
She applies the middle shade with her Concealer Brush and softens the lightest shade onto the brow bone for an easy wash of color that can be built up. A short smudge brush — small and domed — is used at the lash line for a smoky base and to erase liner mistakes, while a tapered blending brush gives the precision needed to contour the crease. A big fluffy eyeshadow brush, she explains, has too much hair to get into that spot intentionally, so she keeps it for blending everything out.
How do you line and define mature eyes without looking heavy?
Nikol applies a dark chocolate shade from the WaterProof Eyeliner Pencils, working the color into the lash line and lifting slightly at the outer corner rather than following the eye all the way down or drawing a dramatic wing. Staying close to the lash line keeps the eye from looking heavy, and the small lift gives the illusion of a lifted eye.
Because the pencil is a softer, waterproof formula, she recommends keeping a rounded (not pointed) tip with the Pencil Sharpener and using light pressure — dragging or pressing hard will give you color everywhere. She then smudges the line while it's still workable, since once it sets, it won't move.
For mascara, she applies Volume UP Mascara in black on the top lashes, working back and forth at the base and then piecing the lashes out, and switches to the dark brown shade on the bottom lashes for a softer, balanced finish. The formula is water resistant and suitable for contact lens wearers and sensitive eyes, and the wand has teeth all around it to grip and separate the lashes.
How do you brighten dark circles when concealer alone isn't enough?
Nikol uses Just Peachy Color Corrector in the inner corner where darkness tends to concentrate, working it upward so there's less product sitting directly underneath the eye. It's a cream formula with shea butter, so the skin needs to be properly prepped or you'll see skipping.
If darkness persists after color correcting and concealer, she layers in the Eye Brightener — a click-up pen with a pink hue that's part of the color-correcting family — directly over the darkest blue and gray areas for an extra lift, applying it with her Concealer Brush. She also points out you can concentrate it wherever you want more brightness, such as the forehead area. The formula contains hyaluronic acid, isn't heavy and moves with the skin.
A tip on the click-up pen: when it's brand new you're pushing product up through the brush, so go a few clicks at a time and wait rather than twisting until product floods out.
How do you build a bold lip without it feeling too intense?
Nikol outlines her lips with Crystal Clear Invisible Water-Proof Lip Liner first to create a border that keeps color from traveling into fine lines, then lines with a shade from the WaterProof Lip Liner Pencils, such as Unapologetic — a liner with enough pink in it to work with both Fleur and Confidence. She also blots down some of the lip mask first so the lips aren't too slippery, and notes the liner can be used to fill in the whole lip as a base for extra staying power.
She applies Manifest & Glow #183 as a sheer golden layer before her lipstick, explaining that the extra layer between lip and lipstick means the color goes on less full-bodied. From there she layers on a Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick shade — Confidence (a berry with golden metallic flakes), Fleur (fuchsia) or Actually, I Can (a brighter pink) — and shows that the shades can be mixed, such as Actually, I Can with a little Fleur on top, or Confidence mixed with Fleur.
For precision in the corners, she uses the retractable tapered lip brush in the Nikol Beauty Concealer/Lip Brush from the Essential Makeup Brush Set. If a color still feels too strong, she blots with a tissue to take it down a notch, or adds Upgrade Lip Gloss #94 to just the center of the lips as a softer, glossy topper.
How do you finish the complexion once the eyes and lips are done?
Nikol applies Serum Foundation with her fingers — about four drops, since a little goes a long way — and buffs it in with the Foundation Buffing Brush for a light, smooth finish. She then goes back over the brightened under-eye areas with Creamy Concealer and her Concealer Brush.
She saves blush for last when she's wearing a darker or brighter lip, using Classic Beach Glow — an all-in-one cream palette with blush, highlighter and bronzer — applied with a flat foundation brush. The cream formula melts into the skin rather than sitting on top, so it's a good option for dry skin, and the highlighter isn't glittery, giving a radiant rather than sparkly finish. For bronzer she dabs just the tip of the brush and places it at the base of the cheekbone, working upward, and if it ever feels like too much she blends it out with the foundation buffing brush.
Why does a bold lip matter so much in a finished look?
Nikol compares a bright lip to adding a colorful scarf around your neck — it lifts the whole look and acts as an accessory. With a cocktail outfit, she says, a nude lip can leave the look feeling like something is missing, no matter how beautiful the eyes and skin are.
She encourages experimenting at home first: wear the bright lip while you're vacuuming or cleaning so you get used to seeing yourself in it, rather than putting it on for the first time right before a holiday party. And 'bold' is relative — if a soft pink is a stretch for you, that's your version of a statement lip.
Shop the look
Nikol uses Dream Melt Lip Mask, Rose Lip Balm #100, These Bags Are Designer-Eye Mask, Fiercely Smooth Face Primer. Explore the lips collection for more of the pro-aging makeup she created for women over 40.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Nikol apply eye primer before eyeshadow?
Eye Primer erases natural pigmentation on the eyelid so your eyeshadow color stays true instead of looking muddy, which she says is an especially important base step for mature eyes.
What's the difference between the Le Bottled Blonde and Strong Brew eyeshadow palettes?
Le Bottled Blonde is a neutral palette that's all sheen, while Strong Brew offers the same nude, coffee-toned shades in a fully matte formula.
How do you make bold lipstick shades like Confidence or Fleur feel more wearable?
Nikol layers Manifest & Glow #183 underneath for a sheerer finish, blots with a tissue to tone down the intensity, or mixes shades like Fleur and Actually, I Can to create a custom color.
Should you put mascara on the bottom lashes?
Nikol uses the dark brown shade of Volume UP Mascara on the bottom lashes so the smaller lashes show up softly, while keeping black on top for definition.
What do you do if concealer alone doesn't cover dark circles?
After your color corrector and concealer, concentrate the Eye Brightener directly over the darkest blue or gray areas for extra lift.
How do you keep lipstick from feathering?
Outline the lips with Crystal Clear Invisible Water-Proof Lip Liner first — it's completely clear and creates a border that keeps color from moving into fine lines.
