Valentine's season is upon us, and with it comes the expectation to create the perfect romantic look. Why not look to your favorite opera characters for inspiration? Love is a huge part of opera, and thankfully, we have a plethora of characters and relationships in love to help us find a perfect expression of how we feel about V-Day.

Juliette

Are you newly in love? Are you frequently described as sweet, naïve, or glowing? Maybe you just love this holiday and everything for which we've made it stand. This year, reflect the romantic heroine you are with a soft look that emphasizes glowing skin and pink lips. The good news is that this look transitions from any work environment to date night! You could make this look monochromatic with pink blush and eyeshadow or play with shades of pink. A little shimmer or glitter lends some extra Valentine magic to your look! Go ahead and embrace this bridal style.

Rusalka

Are you feeling a little wistful this year? Yearning for something more, whether or not it's true love? Valentine’s Day may be traditionally cheerful and pink, but every holiday has depth. Go for blues and greens this year—greenery is even Pantone’s 2017 color of the year! Channel your inner mermaid or water goblin. A little blue eyeliner or glitter on your lower lashline gives a nod to tears without looking gloomy. Dare to go against the grain and express how you really feel and not what the holiday dictates. This colorful burst of teal embraces green and blue at once with a splash of the classic smokey eye.

Carmen

Are you both feminine and strong? Do you own your sex appeal? A little inspiration from Carmen might be in order! Bright lips - whether red, hot pink, or violet - reflect your confidence and ownership of this holiday. Your lips are your little black dress’s best accessory, and they remind everyone you encounter that what you have to say is worth hearing. Pair your bright lip with a classic cat eye, or go minimal and keep your eyes bare. Either way, you embrace the powerful side of this holiday and prove that romance and leadership can go hand-in-hand.

Dorine

Do you own your look, but know that bright lipstick just makes a mess? Smokey eyes and nude lips are sexy and mess-free. You’re inspired by the women who have enough life experience to know what works and what is practical. When applying a nude lip, you can go bare, use a true nude, or use a shade that mimics your natural lip shade. Emphasis on the eyes can be done with traditional blacks, silvers, or browns. For a more modern twist, use any color. No limits! 

Queen of the Night

Are you done with the silliness of this holiday? Maybe you don’t like the pressure to spend money for a Hallmark holiday, maybe you’re in the anger stage of grieving a lost relationship, or maybe pink just isn’t your thing. Take some inspiration from the Queen of the Night and have some fun with your makeup in an alternative way. Use strong, dark shades on your lips, eyes, or both. You can even work in glitter, but no one will mistake your glitter for sweet or fairy-like. Go for the anti-romantic heroine this year, and turn heads in the process. The Queen is always memorable.

Bradamante

Maybe you don’t hate Valentine’s Day. You might even be romantic. But one thing you know for certain is that a lot of makeup just is not for you. You don’t want to be bothered with makeup or cute holiday looks, and you may want to skip out on the little black dress, too. Look to Bradamante, who went looking for Ruggiero disguised as her brother. It's 2017, and you can wear what you like! We all know everyone wears stage makeup in productions, but Bradamante, at least at this stage in her story, does not wear makeup. Apply a little CC cream if you want to, but there’s no reason to feel like you have to wear makeup at all just because it’s a Hallmark holiday. Be yourself and go natural!