15 Valentine’s Day Makeup Ideas to Start Practicing ASAP (2024)

“I would opt for matte over shimmery shadow if I’m going for a more understated or sophisticated and classic look,” says makeup artist Amber Amos. Enter: this matte pink makeup on Kristin Froseth, which, thanks to the earthy mauve pink lips and eyes, keeps the ~romantic~ pink vibe without veering into bubblegum territory, if that’s not your thing.

If there were ever a day to try out a hot-pink lip, Valentine’s Day would be it. Channel your inner Megan Fox and grab a hot-pink lipstick (she’s wearing Buxom Full Force Plumping Lipstick) and pair it with a buildable mascara (and while we’re at it, just throw in the hot-pink bodysuit too—if it’s good enough for Megan, it’s good enough for me).

Go ahead and add this glittery-pink Valentine’s Day makeup to the list of reasons why Lizzo is iconic. “If I’m doing a strong eye, I usually start with it first, so I know that’s the focus,” says makeup artist Alexx Mayo. “For this look, I started with a Charlotte Tilbury Color Chameleon Eyeshadow Pencil in Champagne Diamonds to create the half-moon shape on the lid. Then I used the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Luxury Eyeshadow Palette for that extra sparkle.” And to get that crisp edge along the top of the eyeshadow? Mayo says to put a little makeup remover on a cotton swab and swipe it along the edge to clean it up.

Something that takes pink eyeshadow (or any shade, tbh) from regular to makeup artist–worthy, is trying something totally out of your comfort zone, like sweeping the eyeshadow all the way around your eye like on makeup artist Mai Quynh. And if you want that exact shade, they used the Catrice Cosmetics Self-Made Bae Eyeshadow Palette to create this eyeshadow look.

“Using matte shadows as eyeliner is absolutely the vibe this year,” says makeup artist Taylour Chanel. “By using those matte shadows and letting the edges be a bit diffused, it gives a sexy and playful take on typical liner, even on graphic eye looks.” Ready to recreate this diffused wing on makeup artist Emily Cheng? Dip a flat, angled eyeliner brush in black eyeshadow and guide the edge of the bristles out into a wing shape—just like you would with a regular eyeliner.

If too much pink makes you nervous, dial it back and opt for this subtle peachy look on Emeraude Toubia. To make it easy, you can skip your eyeshadow and instead sweep your favorite blush over both your cheeks and your eyes. To get a lifted blush look like this, dust the blush on the outer part of your eye with a blush brush, and buff it down your temples to the high points of your cheeks, as makeup artist Tami El Sombati has told Cosmopolitan.

And if you can’t deal with even a little bit of pink (you’re edgy, I get it), go for this sophisticated burgundy and gold Valentine’s Day look. Instead of pink eyeshadow or lips, pick a burgundy lipstick and a shimmery-gold eyeshadow. And for the dewy finish, tap your favorite liquid highlighter along your cheekbones, across the high points of your forehead and brow bones, down your nose, and on your Cupid’s bow.

Pro tip for recreating Becky G's electric-red eyeliner: Instead of applying colored liner across your upper lids, sweep your red eyeliner (carefully!) across your lower waterline for an inverted eye look. Smoke it out with a darker red eyeshadow, and finish with a thick layer of volumizing mascara.

You’re probably sensing a theme here, and yup, it’s the color pink. But as you might have realized, it’s totally customizable to your style and vibe, from straight-up Barbie pink to a soft, monochromatic baby pink, like Rachel Brosnahan wears here. Keeping your look single-hued makes it look planned and prepared—even though it can be thrown together 20 minutes before your V-Day plans.

Fact: Most of my lipstick collection (which is...large) consists of mattes. But matte lipstick can be really drying, and will put every dry flake on your lips on full display. So, as El Sombati has told Cosmopolitan, the best way to combat flakiness is by giving your lips a good exfoliation with a lip scrub first, so you have the smoothest canvas to work with.

Want a simple Valentine’s Day makeup idea that won’t have you sitting in front of your mirror for over an hour? Pick one element and do it boldly, like this red winged eyeliner. Draw out the wing with a red gel eyeliner, then dust on a little highlighter with an angled highlight brush for that ~glow~.

Lips, but make them the main character. Coral is by far the most underrated Valentine’s Day color and pairs really well with the soft-peach blush and taupe eyeshadow. IMO, you could just swipe on the coral lipstick and nothing else, and it would make a great V-Day look (not to mention a great spring makeup idea in general).

Once you’ve nailed the diffused winged eyeliner (ahem, refer to pic number five), you can wear it whenever you want to add a statement element to your makeup. Wing out your liner with a deep-red eyeshadow and leave your lips and cheeks on the neutral side to let your eyes carry the look.

Don’t feel like going OTT with your Valentine’s Day makeup? Follow Selena Gomez’s lead and opt for three basics: pink lipstick, warm blush, and brushed-up brows. Pro tip: A nice spoolie brush will help you shape your arches before you go in with product (and if you haven’t tried the soap brow trick yet, now’s the time).