Nikol builds her warm, candlelit holiday look by priming and shading the eyes with a matte palette, smudging a soft liner at the lash line instead of a hard line, boosting her BB Crème and Serum Foundation with a glow fluid, and finishing with two cream lipsticks layered together for depth.
Key takeaways
- Start eye primer and eyeshadow in the center of the lid for more targeted color placement.
- A short, dense smudge brush with a dark matte shadow can replace liquid eyeliner if your hands are shaky.
- Curl lashes after powder eyeshadow is applied so the curler doesn't disturb the color.
- Mixing a glow-boosting fluid into BB Crème or Serum Foundation gives skin a candlelit sheen without a separate highlighter step.
- Color correcting can be done before or after your complexion product, not only as a first step.
- Layering two cream lipstick shades together creates more dimension than a single flat color.
Nikol's step-by-step routine
- Prep bare skin with a hydrating facial serum and clean lash lines with eyelid wipes; apply Dream Melt Lip Mask to lips.
- Apply Eye Primer starting in the center of the lid and blending outward in a thin layer.
- Choose a matte palette like Strong Brew 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette and press the middle shade onto the lid with the Nikol Beauty Eyeshadow Blending Brush.
- Blend the lightest shade along the brow bone, using it to soften any shadow that looks too intense.
- Use a short smudge brush with the darkest matte shade at the base of the lashes to create a soft liner effect, keeping it to about three-quarters of the lid.
- Curl lashes, then line with WaterProof Eyeliner Pencils at the base of the lashes, lifting slightly at the outer corner.
- Tap a little of the dark eyeshadow underneath the eye with the smudge brush for balance.
- Apply Volume UP Mascara in black on top lashes and brown on bottom lashes.
- Mix a glow-boosting fluid into BB Crème and/or Serum Foundation and apply with the Foundation Buffing Brush.
- Brighten under-eyes with Just Peachy Color Corrector, then spot-conceal with Creamy Concealer using the Concealer Brush.
- Add cream blush, bronzer, and highlighter from Classic Beach Glow, placing highlighter over fine lines.
- Line lips with Crystal Clear Invisible Water-Proof Lip Liner, then shape with a WaterProof Lip Liner Pencil.
- Layer Fleur Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #34 and Confidence Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #173, finish with Manifest & Glow #183, and tone down with Nikita Banana Brightening Powder if needed.
How do you prep skin and lips before a holiday makeup look?
Nikol starts on completely bare skin, pressing a hydrating facial serum in around the whole face and eye area to prep for color. She also uses eyelid wipes to clean along the lash line before any product goes on.
For lips, she applies a small amount of Dream Melt Lip Mask first so lips are soft and hydrated, which makes the lip color go on smoother later in the look.
How do you apply eye primer for a brighter, more even lid?
Nikol applies her Eye Primer starting in the center of the lid, where she wants the most coverage, then works outward with less product toward the inner and outer corners. She describes the first layer as sheer and thin, like pantyhose, so it melts into a powder finish instead of sitting wet.
Applied this way, the primer neutralizes discoloration on the lid so your eyeshadow color shows up true, rather than mixing with any darkness underneath.
Which eyeshadow look works best for a warm, candlelit holiday makeup?
Nikol considers a few eyeshadow options before choosing Strong Brew 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette for the night, since a matte formula works on any eye shape and is easy to layer. She also points out The Cabana 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette and Le Bottled Blonde 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette as sheerer, shinier options for anyone who prefers a lighter wash of color.
Using the Nikol Beauty Eyeshadow Blending Brush, she presses the middle shade onto the lid first, then flips the brush into the lightest shade to soften the brow bone and tone down any area that looks too intense, rather than starting the whole eye over.
How do you define mature eyes without a heavy liner line?
For intensity at the lash line, Nikol uses a short, dense smudge brush dipped into the darkest matte shade from her palette, pressing it at the base of the lashes like a liner and building it up rather than dragging it across. This is her go-to swap for anyone who finds liquid eyeliner frustrating or has shaky hands. She keeps the color to about three-quarters of the lid and cleans up any stray edges with an oil-free cotton pad.
She curls lashes after the eyeshadow is set, since powder won't be disturbed by the curler, then layers WaterProof Eyeliner Pencils in dark chocolate right at the lash base in the same soft, three-quarter line, lifting slightly at the outer corner for a lift without rounding the eye. A touch of the same dark shadow goes underneath with the smudge brush for balance, finished with Volume UP Mascara in black on top and brown underneath, using a gentle wiggle-and-lift motion.
How do you get glowing, candlelit skin for photos?
To create a warm, lit-from-within finish, Nikol mixes a few drops of a glow-boosting fluid into her BB Crème on one side of her face and a different glow fluid into her Serum Foundation on the other side, applying each with the Foundation Buffing Brush.
Because the BB Crème and Serum Foundation are semi-matte on their own, blending in a glow fluid adds light to the skin without looking like a separate highlighter layer — a technique she specifically ties to the cozy, firelight feel of this look.
How do you color correct and conceal for a refreshed, not covered-up, look?
Nikol uses Just Peachy Color Corrector under the eyes to brighten darkness, rolling it on and blending it into the complexion she's already applied — showing that color correcting doesn't have to be the very first step.
She also shares that an earlier deeper-toned color corrector is being replaced with Simply Apricot, a softer formula for correcting purple and deeper discoloration. Where more coverage is needed, she uses Creamy Concealer with the Concealer Brush, placing small, precise dots only where needed instead of a heavy overall layer.
How do you create a bold, long-lasting holiday lip?
After adding cream blush, bronzer, and highlighter from Classic Beach Glow — including placing highlighter directly over her smile lines — Nikol moves to the lips. She traces the lip line with Crystal Clear Invisible Water-Proof Lip Liner first to help prevent feathering, then shapes and fills in with a deeper WaterProof Lip Liner Pencil.
She layers Fleur Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #34 and Confidence Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #173 together for a pink-to-rose lip with dimension, finishes with Manifest & Glow #183 for shine, and suggests pressing on Nikita Banana Brightening Powder if the finished lip feels too intense and needs toning down.
Shop the look
Nikol uses Dream Melt Lip Mask, Eye Primer, Strong Brew 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette, The Cabana 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette. Explore the eyes collection for more of the pro-aging makeup she created for women over 40.
Frequently asked questions
What eyeshadow palette does Nikol use for a warm holiday look?
She uses Strong Brew 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette for a matte eye that works on any lid, and mentions The Cabana 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette and Le Bottled Blonde 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette as sheerer alternatives.
How can I make eyeliner easier if I have shaky hands or hooded lids?
Nikol suggests swapping liquid liner for a short, dense smudge brush with a dark matte eyeshadow pressed at the base of the lashes, which is easy to soften or clean up with an oil-free cotton pad.
What lipstick colors create this candlelit holiday lip?
She layers Fleur Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #34 and Confidence Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #173 together, then adds Manifest & Glow #183 on top for shine.
How do you get glowing skin for this look without extra highlighter?
Nikol mixes a glow-boosting fluid into her BB Crème or Serum Foundation before applying with the Foundation Buffing Brush, which adds sheen without an extra product step.
Do you have to color correct before applying foundation?
No — Nikol shows applying Just Peachy Color Corrector after her complexion product and blending it in, proving the order can be flexible.
What color corrector is Nikol updating for 2025?
Nikol says her previous deeper-toned corrector is being replaced with Simply Apricot, a softer formula for purple and deep discoloration.
