12 Thanksgiving Makeup Looks That Serve Main Course Energy

While turkey, mashed potatoes, and candied yams are always the stars of Thanksgiving dinner, if you’re the Kim Kardashian of the family like we assume you probably are, there’s arguably something more important on the table: the Thanksgiving lewk. What better time to try out new makeup trends and the most viral glam than when surrounded by friends and family? They’re the best audience, after all.

From gorgeous smoky shadows to classic red lips to glowing skin, we’ve got a feast of Thanksgiving makeup looks that’ll have you looking like the main course on the big day. Read on for all the inspo you’ll need to steal the show this holiday season.

1. Shimmery Bronze Smoke Show

A shimmery, smoky eye look is the most foolproof way to have main character energy. All you need is a defining eyeliner like LAURA MERCIER Caviar Tightline Eyeliner in Cocoa to line your lash line, a charcoal matte shadow stick, your fave bronze shadow, and an angled brush, then blend and smudge away. Perfect your look with BOBBI BROWN COSMETICS Smokey Eye Mascara for the ultimate effect. The best part about this Thanksgiving makeup look is that it’s easy to achieve—you don’t need to be precise with it.

2. Full Thanksgiving Glam 

Ready to serve full fall glam? Embrace warm tones and burnt blushes like CINTA LONDON in This Time and LAURA MERCIER Tinted Moisturizer Bronzer, then top it all off with a cool shimmer and bold lip color. Don’t forget to define your brows using ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Brow Wiz along with some major lashes for a full-course Thanksgiving look that’s guaranteed to wow every time. 

3. The Natural “No-Makeup Makeup” Look 

If “less is more” is more your vibe, then this beginner-friendly Thanksgiving makeup look is for you. Start with can’t-miss skincare products like the FORMULA Z Z-Flash™ Cryo Lift Eye Masks and AVANT SKINCARE Pro-Elongating Biotin Lash & Brow Fortifier Serum. Then apply a primer, a natural-finish foundation like KVD BEAUTY Good Apple Full-Coverage Transfer-Proof Serum Foundation, and concealer. Create a year-round sunkissed glow with the IL MAKIAGE High Point all-in-one face shaping palette, which features a matte bronzer, a pigmented blush, and two pearlescent highlighters. Last but not least, pop on your fave lip gloss or lip stain and you’re all set!

4. Lilac Flush

We know this one might be a little extra, but are you really the “Kim” if you aren’t giving extra? We’re obsessed with this Thanksgiving makeup look for its monochromatic elements and the way it’ll make you look like a Thanksgiving fairy. Just prime your face with a super glowy  base like the OPV BEAUTY Skin Gold Primer, grab your fave sparkly lilac shadow like the one in this VIOLET VOSS Disco Drip Eyeshadow Palette, and fairy dust away.

5. A Cooler Colorblock

All you need to pull off this number is a bold lip like the SHAINA B MIAMI Lipstick in Hibiscus Island or Sunset Sangria and a contrasting swipe of shadow—and voilà! Suddenly you look like the cool, older cousin that has a viable reason to show up to Thanksgiving dinner late—all thanks to your stunning makeup look.

6. The Great Glitter Revival

Whether it’s with gemstones or your trusty shimmer shadows, it doesn’t matter how you achieve this Thanksgiving makeup look as long as the end goal is glitter. We love the PAT McGRATH LABS Bijoux Brilliance Eye Shadow Palette in Lunar Nightshade of this show-stopper for its variety of pigmented shimmer and metallic shadows. Just swipe the seriously gorgeous shade of your choice along your lids, brow bone, and as a gloss topper on your lips for a glitter look that’ll have everyone at the dinner table talking.

7. That Holiday Glow

You know that glow you get when you’ve just had much-needed family time? Yeah, this look gives that vibe. All you really need is a light, glowy foundation, a champagne highlighter like the RARE BEAUTY Positive Light Liquid Luminizer Highlight, and a glossy lip and you’ve got yourself a Thanksgiving makeup look that’ll make you the star of the show.

8. The Glittery Black Wing

A little black wing can do no wrong no matter where you sport it—at the Thanksgiving dinner table is no different. Grab a liner with a super sharp tip like the ELEMAN BEAUTY Liquid Eye Liner and draw your wing out just enough to cause a little commotion among the aunties, then top off the classic Thanksgiving makeup look with a nude, glossy lip. Want to dish up even more glam? Go bold and apply your fave glitter shadow to your lids to really unleash the drama or even swipe on a show-stopping red lipstick.

9. Left 'Em on Red

When all else fails, slap on a red lip. But since we’re ditching basic Thanksgiving makeup looks this year, this iteration of the classic pout calls for lining your lips with a darker lip liner color, filling in with a red like the HUDA BEAUTY Lip Blush Creamy Lip and Cheek Stain in Rosy Kiss, and topping everything off with a super-shiny gloss.

10. Berry Thankful Glam

This Thanksgiving makeup look is like the TikTok-famous strawberry makeup, but fall edition. Just swap the pink and strawberry blushes and shadows for plum and berry shades like the ones in the TARTE™ Tartelette™ Juicy Amazonian Clay Palette. Then, to finish off the look, go for a berry bold lip.

11. Pumpkin Latte Makeup

Latte makeup is all over your FYP right now for a reason. To make it more fun and Thanksgiving-spirited, swap out the browns and champagnes for more bronze and peach tones. The shadows and highlighter shades in the PAT McGRATH LABS Bijoux Brilliance Eye Shadow Palette in Bronze Ecstasy will really sweeten the deal.

12. A Moment for Mauve

Mauve is really having a moment right now, so we figured giving it a spot at the Thanksgiving dinner made perfect sense. The way to really make this look the star of the show is by sticking with one shade of mauve for all over the face. Reach for a monochromatic palette like the HUDA BEAUTY Mauve Obsessions Palette to achieve this understated Thanksgiving makeup look.

Ready for more holiday makeup looks that outshine the tinsel? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started with your own IPSY beauty subscription. Already an IPSY member? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and TikTok @IPSY.

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