4 Ways To Wear The Angelic Eye Makeup Trend For The Holidays

Thanks to TikTok and runway trends, 2023 is officially the year of eye makeup. Whether it’s the siren eyes versus doe eyes debate or using four hypnotizing dots of white eyeliner to make people fall in love with you, the eyes are undoubtedly having a main character moment.

One particular trend that’s emerged just in time for the holidays is angelic eyes — a look that features shimmery hues, glints of gold, and crystal accents. With holiday parties in full swing, now’s the perfect time to dust off those shimmery eyeshadow palettes sitting in your beauty drawer.

Ahead, we’re showcasing a handful of ethereal eye makeup trends, courtesy of celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin. Martin, who works with A-listers like Dakota Johnson and Jessica Alba and is known for Meghan Markle’s wedding-day makeup, created the four wearable, jewelry-inspired looks on Bustle’s own beauty editors. Use the festive glam below as inspo for your next holiday party, and trust that your eyes will be the star of the show.

Angel Tears

If you’re into more of a subtle beat, try a sheer wash of glittery tones over the eyes. Sure, glitter is usually associated with high-glam, high-effort looks, but Martin offers a subtle approach that one might call “naked glitter” — at first invisible to the eye, it only takes a tilt of your head for a glint of sparkles to appear.

You might’ve seen this beauty vibe in the year’s trending mermaid-core aesthetic, where wearers opt for a soft, wet-like shine on the eyes. Typically, shimmery shadows are layered on top of matte-colored pigments, but Martin skips the first step to create a more sheer effect and only darkens the edge of the lid for added depth.

To recreate the look, pat a white holographic eyeshadow all over your lid (your finger works best). Then, apply crystal eye gems in small clusters and varying sizes at the inner and outer corners of your eyes using tweezers. If you’re looking for a more ethereal finish, skip eyeliner altogether.

Get The Look:

1. Orce Come Closer Serum Foundation #40 & 50
2. Dior Backstage Flash Perfector Concealer #2N
3. Isamaya Industrial Colour Pigments 2.0 Eye Shadow Palette
4. Claire’s Anodized Skin Gems
5. Too Cool For School Artclass by Rodin Shading in Neutral
6. Kimchi Drama Queen The Highlighter Palette
7. Rare Beauty Liquid Luminizer in Mesmerize
8. Benefit 24-Hour Brow Setter Clear Brow Gel
9. Makeup Forever Aqua Smoky Lash
10. GXVE BY GWEN STEFANI Bubble Pop Electric High-Performance Clean Lip Gloss in Sweet Tooth
11. Tatcha The Silk Powder Protective Setting Powder

Pure Prism

At first glance, this silvery eye appears to be straightforward — but take a closer look and you’ll see the metallic pigment melt into purples and pearlescent hues. To create dimension, Martin layers the shades Invisible and Protected from Danesssa Myricks’ Light Works V Eyeshadow Palette across the lids. Striking the right balance is key — too much, and the glitter becomes muddled; too little, and the iridescent effect might go unnoticed.

The technique is simple: Dampen your brush with water or setting spray, and coat it with a silver eyeshadow to build a base. The wet brush intensifies the eyeshadow’s pigment, bringing out its metallic tones. Then, add a pop of purple to line the eyes, creating more dimension. To amplify the effect, highlight the inner corners with a pearly shadow. Finish off the look with a slick of berry gloss from Tatcha’s Kissu Lip Mask for a light-reflective glow.

Get The Look:

1. Orce Come Closer Serum Foundation #10
2. Live Tinted Hueskin Serum Concealer #19
3. Danessa Myricks Beauty Lightwork V: I Am Palette For Eyes And Face
4. Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer in Mesmerize
5. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Eyeshadow Palette
6. Tatcha The Kissu Lip Mask in Wisteria
7. MAC Lip Pencil in Heroine
8. Tatcha The Silk Powder
9. Lancôme Hypnose Mascara

Gilded Age

Move aside, red — gold is officially the move for the season’s most festive shade. Not only does it pair well with almost any color, but it also adds instant warmth to any makeup look.

For a party-ready vibe, Martin paints a champagne wash across the lid — try a cream eyeshadow, like Danessa Myricks’ Colorfix Liquid Metals in 24K. For a more high-shine finish, blend it with a mixing medium, like the one from M.A.C., or tap a sheer, glossy highlighter on top. Martin skips blush and finishes by layering a spice-toned satin-finish lip cream over a matte brown lipstick.

Get The Look:

1. Live Tinted Serum Hueskin Concealer #18
2. Danessa Myricks Colorfix Liquid Metals #24k
3. Makeup by Mario Ultra Suede Lipstick in Maurice
4. Makeup by Mario Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme in Spice
5. Nars Climax Mascara

Foil Me Once

For a head-turning eye moment, try a copper cream eyeshadow, like Danessa Myricks Liquid Metal, then add chunky amethyst foil from Danessa Myricks’ Chrome Flakes on the top and bottom lids for a 3-D pop of color.

Accentuate the eyes even further by adding a gold highlight to the inner corners. To complete the look, follow Martin’s lead by using Victoria Beckham’s Lip Definer and Lancôme’s clear gloss for the perfect ’90s-inspired pout.

Get The Look:

1. Orce Come Closer Serum Foundation #60
2. Live Tinted Hueskin Serum Concealer #10
3. Danessa Myricks Colorfix Liquid Metals in Spark
4. Danessa Myricks Beauty Infinite Chrome Flakes Multichrome Gel in Super Star
5. Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked in Snake
6. Victoria Beckham Lip Definer #6
7. Lancôme Juicy Tube Original Lipgloss in Raspberry Cool
8. Victoria Beckham Vast Lash Mascara
9. Tatcha The Serum Stick

Models: Faith Xue, Rachel Lapidos, Erin Stovall, Kiara Brown

Photographs by Saloni Agarwal

Makeup: Daniel Martin

Hair: Ro Morgan

Video: Ryan Mitchel

Associate Creative Director, Video: Samuel Schultz

Photo Director: Alex Pollack

Editor in Chief: Charlotte Owen

Executive Beauty Director: Faith Xue

SVP Creative: Karen Hibbert