GIF Guide: The Step-by-Step Breakdown to Working Festive Gold Eyeshadow

Fact: Mixing and mingling at a holiday party is even more fun when you know you look fabulous. In terms of makeup, it doesn't get much more fabulous than a standout gold eyeshadow, but one false move could leave you looking more like a metallic mess than Mariah Carey. The trick? Careful layering, and precise amounts of shimmer in the right places.

We teamed up with pro makeup artist Nick Barose, who drew inspiration from a look he created on Lupita Nyong'o, and showed us how to nail the method. With InStyle.com's Jennifer Velez as a model, Barose demonstrates exactly where to place the shimmer, where to blend, and of course, which complementary lip color to choose. Keep reading to see how you can give your party makeup a red carpet twist!

Armed with Lancome's Artliner in Black ($31; lancome-usa.com), Barose defined Jennifer's upper lash line, and extended past the outer corner of the eye into a dramatic wing.

He then picked up the Lancome Color Design Palette in Kissed By Gold ($50; lancome-usa.com) and used a wet shadow brush to apply the medium tone all over the lids. "If you dampen your brush, it makes the color look extra-metallic, but make sure you can do that with the formula you're using," Barose says. "It has to be a wet and dry formula, otherwise it will go hard as a rock." Take the color up to the crease, then use the lighter hue to diffuse any hard lines. "Concentrate most of the color on the inner corners so the metallic really shows," he adds. Barose then grabbed his blending brush, mixed the darkest color with a touch of the gold, and used it to define Jennifer's crease.

After a few coats of Hypnose Mascara ($28; lancome-usa.com), Barose ran the darkest color from the palette along Jennifer's lower lashes. A sweep of black liner along the top lash line intensified the effect.

For added drama, Barose used Urban Decay's Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Midnight Cowboy ($19; sephora.com) on the inner corners. "Place it on the top and bottom---you really don't need a lot," he says. "The glitter is so fine, it's just an extra accent, and the glitter is so fine. It's a great way to layer all the metallic gold colors."

Lancome's L'Absolu Rouge in Exotic Orchid ($30; lancome-usa.com) complemented the dramatic effect, without competing. "The eye is already intricate and the shimmer has some drama, so applying the lipstick doesn't have to be complicated," he says. "Use a lip brush to create a subtle color so you don't lose the focal point."

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