These Valentine’s Day Makeup Looks Are Far From Cheesy

If Valentine's Day were a person, we'd hate-follow it on Instagram. Between the wave of Victoria's Secret sale emails and romantic-comedy tropes, it's hard to feel good on February 14 if you don't have someone special to spend it with.

Even so, a lot of us do make plans on Valentine's Day, whether we're in committed relationships or not. No matter the plan — a date with a single friend, drinks with a blind date (organized by a nosy coworker), or home-cooked dinner with your live-in S.O. — we like to start the night with our makeup.

Now, "date makeup" is the kind of B.S. we don't buy into; however, it's no secret that putting on a sexy red lip or sultry cat-eye makes us feel confident and powerful. So, why not try an empowering look on the one day a year Hallmark tries to make us feel otherwise? Just think: You're doing it for yourself — not the person sitting across from you at the table.

Just in case you're looking for some inspiration, we've rounded up some of the best makeup looks worth trying on Valentine's Day — or, really, any day.