New Year’s Eve is around the corner, and as you know, getting dolled up is half the fun.
Whether you’re planning to toast to 2026 from your couch or have plans for a lively night out, we spoke with several top beauty pros to get the 4-1-1 on how to create a flawless, celebratory look.
First up: whatever look you’re going for — whether it’s a frosty, ’90s-inspired eyeshadow look, bold metallics or a fierce cat-eye with showstopping lashes, to name a few — don’t be afraid to go bold. “We are emerging from a period of “barely there” makeup and the ‘no mascara’ look this fall,” says Chanel makeup artist Kate Lee. “Shimmer and sparkle look great during these dark evenings, by candlelight or disco ball.”
When it comes to the perfect lipstick to complete your look, the experts tell Us that nude — whether matte or topped with a gorgeous clear gloss — is all you need. But if you tend to gravitate toward classic reds, Sean Harris shares how to take a “true red” to the next level. “Pair it with a richer liner like MAC Chestnut for a vampy twist,” he suggests.
Continue scrolling for makeup tips and tricks — plus how to get a streak-free, gorgeous faux spray tan:
MASTER YOUR METALLICS
Shimmering shades are a no-brainer for New Year’s Eve! Elevate the drama with the “color drench philosophy” — applying one shade from lashes to brown bone — a technique used by Chanel makeup artist Kate Lee. For a smoother application, put on eyeshadow before foundation so you can easily “remove any shimmer that may have dropped.” (One of her go-tos: Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Lid Lustre.)
DITCH BLACK MASCARA
“[Use] colored mascara to bring attention to the color of the iris,” suggests Lee. Try Chanel Le Volume De Chanel Mascara in Écorces!
SKIP THE CLASSIC RED LIP
“Tap in a nude lipstick to the center of the lips and work [it] out,” says pro Emily Gray, noting that she likes to pick “a truly light nude shade for this.” (She recommends Catrice Cosmetics Scandalous Matte Lipstick in 030 Me Right Now, specifically.). For the perfect “holiday shine,” fellow pro Sean Harris recommends adding a lustrous gloss — like Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer — on top.
NAIL YOUR EYELINER
“If you choose a liner in a corresponding shade to your shadow, it will help you to make the transition from lash line to lid seamless,” explains Lee. “To apply, choose a sharp, angled nylon brush [such as Chanel’s Les Pinceaux De Chanel Angled Eyeliner Brush].”
ADD EXTRA RADIANCE
“I love a great shimmery cheek highlight for New Year’s Eve,” Harris says, who tells Us to take Nars Light Reflecting Luminizing Powder and dab it on “high points of the cheekbones, brow bone, inner corners of the eyes and down the bridge of the nose.”
CREATE NATURAL-LOOKING, FULL LIPS
“I always overdraw the middle top and bottom to create a more plump lip effect,” says Gray. “I take a small brush or my finger and blend the edges of the lip liner in order to create more of a soft edge.” Harris also approves of lip liner, specifically a “good neutral brown” (think: the Ruby Kisses Plumping Lip Liner) that will pair perfectly with a nude lip.
BUILD A BALANCED BASE
To make a metallic or frosted eye look pop, aim for a complexion that’s not too dewy or matte. “If you have any flakiness or texture to your skin, use a classic Beautyblender to bounce the [foundation] in,” Gray tells Us.
LOCK IN MAKEUP
For the final touch, Gray swears by the Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Liquid Blurring Balm Mattifying Setting Spray as it lasts long and doesn’t leave a white cast. “Spray it 8 to 10 inches from [you], and make sure the mist touches every part of the face.”
TAN AHEAD
If you’re planning to get a spray tan prior to your party, Dolce Glow CEO and founder Isabel Alysa — who tanned Alix Earle throughout the latest season of Dancing With the Stars — says that scheduling your session 24 to 48 hours before your event “allows the color to fully develop and look its most natural.”
Skin prep is equally important, and the spray tan artist advises to “exfoliate and shave [or wax] 24 hours before you self-tan” to prevent unevenness. If you’re tanning yourself, she recommends using “a spray formula [such as Dolce Glow’s Self-Tanning Mist] instead of just a mousse — it distributes more evenly at a distance.”
Before tanning, “apply a thin layer of oil-free lotion to dry zones like wrists, elbows, knees, hands and feet first, so the tanner doesn’t grab too deeply in those [tricky spots],” she says. If you have no time to tan, accentuate areas like the collarbones and shoulders for a sexy “lifted, sculpted look” using Dolce Glow Gimme More Contour.
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