Have you attended any holiday parties? I haven’t gone to any yet, but I’m most definitely looking forward to glamming it up when I do. I got to sit in on a chat with makeup artist Jemma Kidd about how to do holiday makeup looks for less and have some tips to share on how to do a sultry look she calls punk couture. I love this look, because it’s all about the smoky eyes.

JK

If you’re in the U.S. , you’re probably familiar with Jemma from her JK line at Target. I think Target has done a good job bringing in more fashionable makeup choices – a much better job than they’ve done with their clothing collaborations. The quality of Jemma’s makeup is similar to what you’d find at Sephora or at a department store but generally at more affordable prices.

The Punk Couture Look

Jemma says the punk couture look is a rocker chic, Deborah-Harry-meets-Kate-Moss look that’s great for evening parties, one that boosts confidence when you’re rockin’ it right. Here’s what you need to do to get this look…

• Apply a mid-tone shadow all over the lid and a dark shadow in the crease.
• Line eyes with a black pencil all the way around – from the inside corner to the outer, along top and bottom lash lines and in the waterline – and smudge.
• Finish eyes with lots of coats of mascara.
• Don’t worry about drawing a perfect line or if your mascara is a bit smudged. She says there’s no need to try to get everything perfect, that it’s A-OK to keep things a bit messy – hence, the rocker part of the look.
• Keep cheeks and lips toned down with soft, neutral shades to keep the focus on the eyes. Apply blush along the cheekbone and a dab of highlighter just above the cheekbone to catch light. For lips, use just a bit of a touch of lightly tinted gloss.

Most of the products you need for this look can be found in Jemma’s new JK Strike a Pose Swivel Palette (shown below). It’s $32 – probably more than you’d usually spend on a makeup set at Target. But it’s actually a good buy, considering the quality and that you’re getting four shadows, a blush, highlighter, and lip gloss (that’s seven products for about $4.50 each). I got a sample of this palette and like it a lot. It’s versatile and very good for toting around every day, because the colors don’t go overboard on the shimmer and can work year-round, day or night – not just for evening parties.

Do Tell

What kind of looks do you do with your makeup for the holidays? Have you tried any JK products? Do tell.