Hokay, so I know that the idea of doing your makeup specifically for St. Patrick’s Day might seem a little corny at first. But I’m not talking about drawing a shamrock on your lids or painting an intricate mural of the rolling hills of Ireland on your face. Nah, I’m talkin’ about cool ways to incorporate green (lime, kelly, forest, camo, etc.) into your eye or lip makeup for a subtle—yet pretty—nod to St. Patty’s Day. It’s easy, it’s pretty, and it makes you feel like you tried juuust enough, without feeling like you went overboard. And, lucky for you, the world of Instagram is flush with inspo, so keep scrolling for some cute St. Patrick’s Day makeup ideas for March 17.
1. This Lime-Green St. Patrick’s Day Eyeliner
If you’re into St. Patty’s day, but you’re also, like, ~cool~, pay a subtle(ish) nod to the holiday with a thick swipe of lime liner and leave the rest of your makeup neutral and clean.
2. This Peachy-and-Green Makeup Combo
St. Patrick’s Day just got a little bit more modern with this matte lip and hazy eyeshadow situation. Swipe a peach lipstick over your lips, then blend a mint-green eyeshadow over your lids for a definitively spring-y finish.
3. This Green Lipstick for St. Patrick’s Day
Leave it to Fenty to make another product perfect for St. Patrick’s Day (and, like, every other day if you’re not afraid of colour). This forest-green lipstick feels especially easy to experiment with when you’re also doing it to be festive, so don’t get nervous to try out a green-as-hell lipstick for once.
4. These Smokey Eyes for St. Patrick’s Day
Wanna look like you have your everything together on the ~sloppiest~ day of the year? Embrace this super-smokey, jewel-toned makeup look, which will be the cleanest, crispest thing you’ll see on March 17.
5. This Green Mascara for St. Patrick’s Day
I vote for you wearing this makeup every single day of the year, but if you’re only willing to line your waterlines and cover your lashes in green on St. Patty’s Day, I’ll take it. Try rimming your eyes in Urban Decay’s 24/7 in Electric Empire, then swiping! mascara in Green On on your eyelashes.
6. This Bright-Green Cat Eye Makeup
Sorry, but the 2020 way of wearing green is going to be neon, lime, or neon-lime, because #trends. If you’re feelin’ the Billie Eilish-approved shade for St. Patrick’s Day (which is, you know, fitting), try showing it with a thick cat-eye swoop.
7. This Subtle St. Patrick’s Day Makeup
This matte makeup look doesn’t exactly scream “ST. PATTY’S DAY!” and that’s a good thing (because let’s be real—this can get tacky fast). Blend a hazy, camo-green eyeshadow over your top lids (try Marc Jacobs Eye-Conic Eyeshadow in Edgitorial) and a mustard-yellow shadow under your lash-line for a soft wash of colour.
8. This Neon-Green Inner Eyeshadow
Nope, the Euphoria craze isn’t going away anytime soon, and I’m completely fine with that. I mean, look how cool this flushed-cheek, green-eye combo is. Recreate it for St. Patrick’s Day by building up layers on the inner corners of your eyes.
9. This Full-Lid Glitter Eyeshadow
Um, if celebrity makeup artist Hung Vanngo approves this lime-green eye for St. Patrick’s Day, I’m gonna go ahead and say you should try it out. Blend a creamy lime eyeshadow over your lid and up to your crease, forming a cat-eye shape, then tap on a shimmery, lime-green powder on top.
10. This Olive-Green Eyeshadow Look
Ugh, this olive eyeshadow is so gorgeous it can—and should—be worn every other day of the week outside of St. Patrick’s Day. Blend an iridescent, olive-green eyeshadow around your lash lines, over your lids, and up past your crease, smoking out the edges for a ~sultry~ finish.
11. This Smokey-Green St. Patrick’s Day Makeup
I would like to have this whole look/face/dress combo right now, please and thank you. Sadly, we cannot all be Jodie Comer for St. Patrick’s Day, buuuut at least you can kind of cop the same vibes with a silvery-green smokey eye. Try scribbling over your lids and into the shape of a wing, then blend it out with a fluffy eyeshadow brush.
12. This Emerald Cat Eye for St. Patrick’s Day
K, this makeup looks intimidating, but I promise it’s not. Just draw your regular ol’ cat eye with black liquid eyeliner, then, once it dries, trace the inner half with a green cream eyeliner, gently smudging the two colours together in the middle with your finger.
13. This Metallic-Gold St. Patrick’s Day Makeup
Hey! Maybe you hate green! Maybe you’re not liking any of these ideas! Maybe you’re wondering if St. Patrick’s Day just isn’t your time! False. Don’t reject colour altogether—instead, try a little iridescent gold swiped across your lids (Hourglass Scattered Light Shadow in Vivid is my favourite) for a bb wash of colour that doesn’t feel too intense.
14. This Two-Toned Eye Makeup Look
…Or, go full-out for St. Patrick’s Day with this striped, green and gold look (an eyeshadow palette will be your best friend here for playing with colours). Keep the rest of your makeup neutral and dew-y to let the focus stay on your eyes.
15. This Neon-Green Floating Eyeliner
I mean, if there’s ever a time to try neon floating eyeliner, it’s most definitely St. Patrick’s Day, where as long as you’re wearing green, you’re doin’ it right. With an opaque neon eyeliner trace a swooping line over your crease and out past your brow, then add a dot under your lower lashes if you’re really feelin’ the green.