Rhinestone Makeup Ideas That Will Shine in the New Year

December 14, 2023

By: Ariel Wodarcyk | Makeup.com by L'Oréal

Editor with rhinestone makeup on a graphic background

Have you ever finished your makeup, only to feel like there’s something missing? For some, the finishing touch might be a strip of false eyelashes, a swipe of a bold lip color or even just an inner corner highlight. For others, the final step might be to adorn your look with rhinestones, especially if you’re on your way to a holiday party or an NYE night out. If you're looking for rhinestone makeup ideas, you’ve come to the right place — below, we’ve gathered some of our favorite looks for you to try.

Rhinestone Makeup Ideas

Minimalist Sparkle

A scattering of rhinestones is a simple yet elegant way to dress up a neutral eye look. Here, our social editor Kat Pierre applied a light wash of champagne shadow from the limited-edition Lancôme Richelieu Wing Face & Eyeshadow Palette. For a similar look, you could also coat your lids with the Maybelline New York Color Tattoo Longwear Multi-Use Eyeshadow Stix in I Am Inspired.

Olive Green Shimmer

Multicolored rhinestones glisten against an olive green smoky eye and a thick, dramatic wing. To make your cat-eye as crisp as possible, we recommend tracing your lash line with a fine-tip liquid liner, like the NYX Professional Makeup Vivid Matte Liquid Liner, then cleaning up the edges with a cotton swab dipped in micellar water.

Sparkling Rosé

Here, creator @sabinadlacruz takes inspiration from K-pop stars, incorporating multiple shades of pink on her lids, lips and cheeks. Rhinestones along the lower lash line add a subtle hint of sparkle that will catch the light with every glance.

’90s Smoky Eye

Take a ’90s grunge-inspired smoky eye up a notch by adding two rhinestones in the placement of an eyebrow piercing. For a pop of shimmer in the center of the lid, creator @itsbeautybybrit applied the Half Magic Chromaddiction Shimmer in Fairies Are Real.

Star-Studded

Get this unexpected yet festive eye look by painting on blue liquid eyeshadows and adding silver sparkles and star-shaped rhinestones. This little multipack from Amazon contains a variety of differently shaped gems, from stars to hearts and butterflies.

Photographer: Kat Pierre Visual Designer: Juliana Campisi