The Ultimate Guide To Holiday Makeup, According To Celebrity Artist Patrick Ta
The expert breaks down his pro tips for channeling that seasonal sparkle.
By Tiffany Dodson - published
As one of Hollywood's premier makeup artists, Patrick Ta has adorned the faces of top celebrities like Gigi Hadid, Adriana Lima, Megan Fox, and Camila Cabello, among others. Ta is also the founder of his best-selling, namesake makeup line, Patrick Ta Beauty, which is currently available online at Sephora and Rakuten.
"In addition to our foundation, which I'm truly obsessed with, our Major Dimension Eyeshadow Palette has the perfect shades, everyday shades, to create eye definition," Ta tells BAZAAR.com. "It was the number one palette sold in Sephora for quite some time. [One of the things I love most about Major Dimension] is that the palette includes a few really beautiful glitter and shimmer shades to top on your eyelids and create more of that holiday twinkle."
For a few easy tips and tricks to channel your own holiday glam at home, we catch up with the expert to learn more about the seasonal makeup staples he always keeps in his kit. Plus, Ta shares three essential components of a quick and effortless signature look this season (especially when you have less than 10 minutes to spare). Read on for the artist's complete, and easy-to-replicate, holiday makeup how-to.
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What do you love most about holiday makeup?
I love that during the holidays you're able to play up shimmer looks on the eyes a bit more without it being overkill. I love when I see someone on the street wearing translucent shimmer and the sun hits their eyes whenever they're blinking, or even just on social media—those little things I'm so drawn to.
What are some key elements you always include when doing these looks on your clients?
Doing holiday glam is one of the easiest ways to apply makeup for me, because I mostly focus on creating beautiful, glowy skin. I typically don't use too much shadow on the eyes, just a really clean contour color to shape and define the lid, depending on how my clients like their eye shapes to be built out. Then, I like to add just a little bit of mascara.
I also love using fun, bold lip colors you don't typically wear as often in other months. During the holidays, I use a burgundy, or really beautiful bright red, lip on my clients. I feel like it adds more of an emphasis to the complete look, since the skin is so glowy and dewy, and there aren't too many other focal points on the face; it's really just the lips.
Supermodel Adriana Lima in That’s Why She’s Late by Patrick Ta Beauty. (Photo: Patrick Ta)
Actress Megan Fox in She Must Be New by Patrick Ta Beauty. (Photo: Patrick Ta)
Which holiday-specific lip shades do you always keep in your kit?
I have a bunch of products from my brand that I often recommend for a bold lip, like our That's Why She's Late matte lipstick, which is a beautiful red, and then we have a shade called She's Must Be New that's one of my go-to burgundy shades.
SHOP MORE OF PATRICK TA'S HOLIDAY MAKEUP FAVORITES
Patrick Ta Beauty Major Dimension Eyeshadow Palette
Credit: Sephora
Patrick Ta Beauty Major Dimension II Rose Eyeshadow Palette
Credit: Sephora
Patrick Ta Beauty Dual-Ended Complexion Brush
Credit: Sephora
Patrick Ta Beauty Major Glow Balm
Credit: Sephora
Patrick Ta Beauty Major Volume Mascara
Credit: Sephora
Patrick Ta Beauty Major Beauty Headlines Precision Lip Crayon
Credit: Sephora
If someone has very little time to pull their makeup together, what would be some of your tips for executing a successful look?
If someone doesn't have a lot of time to do their makeup, I think the easiest way to look elevated and chic, and get that "cool girl" effect, is by adding to what you're already wearing. For example, if you didn't wear too much makeup during the workday, then just add a little bit of shimmer to the eyelid—not a metallic, but more of a translucent shimmer—with your fingers, swipe on a few coats of mascara, and finish with a burgundy or red lip. It's a quick and easy way to effortlessly refresh your makeup and look like you're putting a lot of effort behind it.
Are there any specific holiday makeup trends you've been seeing this season?
I think something that's trending right now and has been for a while is that translucent shimmer on the eyelid. My brand and others have created eye shadow palettes that really emphasize natural beauty but still make it easy to define the eyes. The super-smoky eyes aren't really as popular right now—it's really all about accentuating natural beauty, but elevating it in a way so it shines through a lot more.
This article originally appeared in Harper's BAZAAR US.