*AD: In collaboration with Boots

Sian Victoria © - Boots beauty: Ecotools, Pixi, Barry M, XX Revolution, KVC, bareMinerals, Kylie Cosmetics

Festive Special Occasion Brow & Eye cosmetics

The past year or two I’ve been focusing a lot on vegan and cruelty-free skincare. I’ve been loving the notable difference in my skins texture and overall complexion thanks to enhancing my beauty regime to be kinder to my skin, animals, and the planet. Like a lot of people working from home, it’s not very often nowadays that I put a full face of makeup on. Mostly, that I’m now a lot more confident to go out semi-natural too.

But now that it’s the party season I feel that I owe it to myself to start making more of an effort especially when it comes to eye makeup. I feel that I’ve lost my identity these past 18 months. I can’t remember the last time I created my signature cat-eye look, a style I’d never leave the house without. Not to mention, the last time I applied glitter or a colour other than nude to my eyelids.

Sian Victoria © - Boots beauty: Barry M Metallic Cream Eyeshadow & Revolution FleeXX Brow Pomade

Sian Victoria © - Boots beauty: Pixi Large Lash Mascara, Kylie Cosmetics Kybrow Highlighter

Since Boots has always been my first beauty store of choice for refreshing the contents of my makeup bag. As well as my first point of call for stocking up on 3 for 2 Christmas gifts for family and friends. I’ve been looking forward to creating a festive makeup look in partnership with Boots by choosing a selection of makeup that will not only give me a much-needed glamour overhaul. But are also cruelty-free and vegan. Because you can look fabulous this season while wearing kinder cosmetics.

The Base

Since we all need a little more sparkle in our lives this time of year. I’ll be focusing more on the brows and eyes. But firstly, creating a flawless complexion for the base is what’s going to make your brows and eye makeup pop. Think of your face as the canvas and your eyes as the masterpiece that will make the whole piece stand out.

To do this I apply The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer. It’s a non-greasy matte hydrater that will blur the look of pores and imperfections and help your makeup stay in place for longer while you’re out all night enjoying the festivities.

Sian Victoria © - bareMinerals Tinted Brow Gel & KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner

For evening out skin tone and providing full coverage to hide imperfections I use The Ordinary Coverage Foundation by mixing shades 1.1 N in fair neutral and 1.2 N in light. The formulation is light yet highly pigmented. Helping to prevent that heavy makeup look which can sometimes make the skin appear more aged and collect within fine lines. I then touch up with concealer to hide dark circles and press with a matte translucent face setting powder.

To enhance and give the contours of my face definition I apply a contouring stick to sculpt my cheeks and the Makeup Obsession X Rady Moonlight/Sunlight Highlight Palette in shades Treasure Hunt and Nocturnal to highlight cheekbones to give the skin a radiant glow-up.

The Brows

Remember that brows are sisters, not twins, so try not to obsess too much if they aren’t perfectly identical like mine. To keep my eyebrows tame and in shape I’m using the Spoolie brush head from the EcoTools - Daily Essentials Total Face Kit.

This interchangeable kit is perfect for keeping your brushes clean while on the go. There’s a large and small brush head that’s used to snap on the different brushes, helping to cut down on waste. The packaging is also biodegradable, and the paper is plantable so you can grow some beautiful wildflowers. Of course, the brushes are vegan and cruelty-free too.

Sian Victoria © - Before & After using XX Revolution FleeXX Brow Pomade & bareMinerals Brow Gel

Next, I’m using the XX Revolution FleeXX Brow Pomade in an Ash Brown shade to fill in my fair brows. The rich and creamy pomade easily sculpts your brows with the angled brush applicator provided. I prefer my brows to be defined but natural-looking, so if you’re looking to create more of a statement you may want to use a eyebrow pencil too.

Since my brows aren’t naturally full or even, I like to use cosmetics that will encourage them to grow. So, the bareMinerals Strength & Length Serum-Infused Tinted Brow Gel in shade coffee brown is perfect for encouraging fuller-looking brows while adding colour and definition throughout the day.

The vegan serum utilises Red Clover Flower and potent peptides to keep brows looking fuller and healthier. While the lightweight mineral pigments provide a buildable, natural tint without making them look stiff or flaky.

To add the finishing touch to brows I’m using the Kylie Cosmetics Kybrow Highlighter in shade 003 Medium shimmer. The soft silky formula glides effortlessly under the brow arch to add definition. It can also be used as an eyeshadow base and on the inner corner of eyes to add a beautiful glow to make the eyes appear bigger.

Sian Victoria © - Using Pixi Large Lash Mascara

Sian Victoria © - Eye makeup before & after using XX Revolution Palette, Barry M Cream eyeshadows & KVD Tattoo Liner

The Eyes

Now onto the eyes where you can unleash your creativity and create any look you desire to stand out this festive season. I’m definitely not an MUA and have always shied away from doing anything too extravagant with my eye makeup. But the festive season is the best time to experiment with different looks.

By playing around with eyeliner styles to find the one that suits your eye shape best and different styles of eyelashes to enhance the lash line by applying a fuller-looking set.

Followed by eyeshadow palettes to mix up, customise and blend until you find your new festive look. Try to find two to three different looks so that you’re using a variety of shades in your palette and have a new look for each big festive occasion you have.

For this eye makeup look I started with the Pixi Large Lash Mascara in bold black. By wiggling the wand at the lash root and fanning the outer and inner lashes. Building the pigment up as I go along to create fuller darker eyelashes.

The Pixi brush helps to prevent clumping by separating each lash. But after gently using an eyelash curler I like to use a dry spoolie brush head to plump and separate them further to make them, even more, fuller and longer. As my eyelashes are naturally long, this saves me having to apply false ones and transforms my fair lashes.

Sian Victoria © - Boots festive eye makeup look

When shopping for eye makeup at Boots you’ll be spoilt for choice as there is a large selection of vegan and cruelty-free eyeliners, mascaras, eyeshadows, and palettes so you’re certainly not missing out by choosing kinder cosmetics. I especially love the Barry M Euphoric Metallic Eyeshadow Cream in shade Honoured and Bewildered.

They are perfect for effortlessly applying a shimmering eye colour for casual daytime wear during the festive season or for using to build up shades with the XX Revolution CrystalXX Eyeshadow Palette Platinum for evenings out.

Followed by a sleek line and a flick of KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner Trooper in black to add emphasis and a little drama to eyes while making them appear bigger. Adding a white or black liner to the top and bottom of the inner eye line can open eyes up more too.

Eye makeup Steps:

For the eyeshadow base, I used the Kylie Cosmetics Kybrow Highlighter using my finger to apply to the lids and above the crease.

Then using the small angled crease brush head from the EcoTools kit and the XX Revolution Eyeshadow Palette. I started with the shimmering karat shade on the inner, and blending the quartz, amethyst and grey crystal outwards to the outer lid to create a foil finish.

Then using a slim liner brush I applied the Barry M Metallic eyeshadow creams underneath the lower lashes, with Bewildered on the inner line and the darker Honoured shade on the outer inner line.

To complete the look, I applied the KVD Beauty Tattoo Liner. Creating a thick winged liner and finishing with glossy red lips.

To conclude

So, there you go. A glamourous new look ready for the festive season and there are so many more eye make-up looks to be created with this shimmering foil palette from Boots to transform your eyes for all those special occasions.

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