It’s February, which means that holiday of pinks, reds, hearts, and cupids is almost upon us. For those of us with a hot date to look forward to that night, choosing the outfit, the hair-do, and, perhaps most importantly, the makeup for your big night out is always a fun challenge. With that in mind, let me make life a little simpler for you. Here are a few fantastic makeup ideas for that special evening, from the minimal to the hot pink.

1. Keep It Simple

Let’s be honest: most men want to see their beautiful date rather than the pound of makeup on her face. This look is special without veering into the territory of circus clown. The most important step to me is always making your skin look as glowy and flawless as possible. This means using a fantastic moisturizer followed by your foundation of choice. Personally, I prefer just a bit of Fresh’s Supernova Radiance Pen under the eyes and Face Luster on my skin. Finding a blush for that natural glow is just as important. Crème blushes like Tarte’s cheek stains give you a very natural look and when they’re paired with a great highlighter. My favorites are from Benefit. All of their highlighters are great, but at the moment I’m loving Watt’s Up in a “C” from the brow-bone down over your cheeks or just a light dusting of One Hot Minute over the cheeks.

Some soft eye shadow in a color that makes your eyes pop goes a long way. I’d recommend a shimmery base color with a darker contouring color in the crease of the eye and a highlighter just under the eyebrow. To define the eye, a small wingtip with black liquid liner always looks classic. Finally, since it’s Valentine’s Day: a red lip is absolutely appropriate. Of course, you also want a look that won’t smudge all over the place when your date kisses you! A great lip tint like Tarte’s Lipsurgence is the perfect solution: it will give you great color, keep your lips soft and moisturized, and it will stay in place when you’re eating dinner or getting that goodnight kiss.

2. The Smoky Eye

If you’d like a little more oomph in your look, a classic smoky eye is a perfect way to do it. One great thing about the smoky eye look is that you don’t have to stick with just black or brown shadows. A smoky eye in any color can look fantastic, especially if the color you choose makes your eyes pop.

The easiest way to a great smoky eye is to apply your primer over your entire lid. This will give your look staying power. Then take a pencil liner and line all around the eye, connecting the upper and lower lash lines. Then take a brush and carefully smudge the lines you’ve just created. For shadow, you’ll want a medium shade, a dark contouring shade, and a highlighting shade all in complimentary colors. Your medium shade should go on the outer portion of your upper eyelid, essentially going in the crease. Then take your lightest shade and apply it to the inner portion of your upper eyelid.. Finally, apply your darkest shade to the areas where you’ve applied eyeliner, intensifying until you are satisfied with your smoky eye. Then you can apply your highlighting shade to the brow bone and inner corners of your eyes, put on a couple coats of your favorite mascara, and you’re good to go! With a strong smoky eye, it’s best to keep the rest of your makeup simple: a bit of blush and a neutral lip is all you need.

3. Hot Pink

I know when I think of color for Valentine’s Day, the first one I think of is pink. There are all kinds of ways to incorporate pink into your Valentine’s makeup, from a subtle shadow or lip gloss to in-your-face hot pink eyes or lips. The above look is obviously a strong pink, but it still works! The most important thing to remember is to have fun with your look. If your Valentine’s Day date happens to be a night out with the girls, all the more reason to choose a bright color and play around with it.

Hopefully you found some inspiration here for your Valentine’s Day look. The most important thing to remember is that your date thinks you’re beautiful for your own lovely face, not the makeup you’re wearing. So just have fun with it and remember that your smile will be your most important accessory.

Anika Guldstrand put this makeup guide together for HalloweenCostumes.com, which sells cute costumes for women for any holiday.

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About the Author: Carleen Coulter