The holiday season is here—which means your makeup bag is about to get a well-deserved workout. Between cozy family gatherings, festive office parties, and New Year’s Eve celebrations, there’s no shortage of opportunities to have fun with your look. This time of year calls for festive makeup moments that feel as joyful and sparkly as the season itself, whether you’re drawn to timeless elegance or something a little more daring.
If you’re in need of inspiration, we’re sharing a lineup of festive makeup ideas ahead, including modern takes on classic glam and party-ready styles that tap into the season’s hottest trends. Keep reading for all the inspo, plus tips to help your holiday makeup stay flawless from the first toast to the last dance.
Holiday Party Makeup Basics: 5 Tips for a Festive Look That Lasts
Before diving into our favorite holiday makeup looks, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to prep and application. Ahead, we’re sharing how to create a festive makeup look that truly stands out—and stays flawless all night long.
Tip 1: Prep your skin well
Proper skin prep and priming are the secret to making your holiday makeup look fresh and flawless all night. Cleansing and hydrating help your foundation glide on smoothly, while primer creates a seamless base that grips makeup, blurs texture, and extends wear. For long-lasting wear, try The Face Glue Gripping Primer—it’s formulated to help grip makeup in place for up to 24 hours without a sticky or tacky feel.
Tip 2: Choose long-lasting formulas
Choosing long-lasting formulas is key to keeping your holiday party makeup look fresh all night long. Look for formulas labeled “transfer-resistant,” “smudge-proof,” or “waterproof”—these will tend to have the longest-lasting wear. It’s also a good idea to stash any essentials in your bag so you can touch up your look as needed throughout the evening.
Tip 3: Play with festive colors and finishes
The holidays are the perfect excuse to have fun with color and textures. Now’s the perfect time to swap your everyday neutrals for rich jewel tones, metallic shadows, and even a touch of glitter. Think emerald green lids, copper shimmer, or a pop of ruby red on the lips—these festive hues instantly feel celebratory and elevate any look, whether you’re keeping it classic or going all out.
Tip 4: Choose one feature to emphasize
When it comes to festive makeup, picking one feature to spotlight keeps your look balanced and sophisticated. A bold red lip pairs beautifully with softly defined eyes, while a smoky or glittery eye look shines best with a more neutral lip. Focusing on a single standout element lets it truly pop, so your overall look feels intentional, not overdone.
Tip 5: Always set your makeup
To lock in all your hard work, always finish by setting your makeup. A light mist of setting spray can help prevent smudging, fading, and shine, keeping your look fresh through hours of celebrating. If you need your makeup to stay put all night, try The Face Glue Setting Spray. Its waterproof formula helps lock in makeup for up to 24 hours without fading, smudging, or transferring.
3 Holiday Party Makeup Looks To Try This Season
Ready to get inspired? Ahead, we’re breaking down three of our favorite festive makeup looks—from modern takes on classic glam to bold, playful styles—so you can find the perfect look for every holiday occasion.
1. Classic holiday glam
If you’re attending a holiday party or formal event and want a look that feels festive without being over-the-top, classic glam is hard to beat. This elegant look pairs bold red lips with defined eyeliner and soft, shimmery eyeshadow for a touch of sparkle that still feels grown-up.
To get the look, prime your skin, then apply a long-lasting foundation to even out your complexion. Next, sweep a shimmery champagne or gold-toned shadow, like the Ultimate Glow Shots Liquid Eyeshadow in Highkey Lychee, across your lids for a hint of shine. After blending out your shadow, draw a wing along your upper lash line with a waterproof liquid eyeliner, such as the classic Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Black. Add mascara to define your lashes, or pop on some falsies for an extra dramatic look.
Lastly comes the pièce de résistance: your bold red lip. For a classic crimson that’ll stay put throughout the evening, try the Shine Loud High Shine Lip Color in On a Mission. It features a long-lasting base coat plus a high-shine top coat for intense color payoff with a glossy, reflective finish. If you’d prefer something slightly moodier, a deep berry-toned matte lip is the way to go. Get it with the Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick in Sizzlin.
Pro Tip: To help ensure your bold lip stays bold all night long, try filling in your lips with liner before applying your lipstick. The Lip Lingerie Lip Liner Stain in Up All Night can serve as the perfect base for your statement pout.
2. Sparkly lids and icy highlighter
Opting for festive eye makeup is a great way to stand out at your next holiday party. If you’d like to stray away from the expected, try an icy look with shades of light blue and silver that evoke a frosty, wintry vibe.
The focal point of this look is your lids, so you’ll want to choose an eyeshadow that’ll stay put throughout the evening. We love the Ultimate Glow Shots Liquid Eyeshadow in Blueberry Baller—the pale blue shade is reminiscent of a winter wonderland, and the easy-to-apply formula delivers up to 12 hours of wear without any flaking or fallout. Apply the liquid shadow to your lids, blending it up toward your brow bone for a bold, shimmery finish. Then, define your lash line with a deep blue eyeliner. Opt for a matte shade for a more balanced look, or lean into the festive feel with a metallic liner, like the Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Denim Dazzle.
Once you’re satisfied with your eye makeup, add a chilly flush to your cheeks with a bright pink blush (we love the Buttermelt Blush in My Butta Half). Highlight your cheekbones with the silvery Buttermelt Highlighter in Bright & Butta for extra glow, then swipe on a light pink lip gloss to tie your festive makeup look together. We love the Fat Oil Lip Drip in Missed Call, but if you’d like to add a little more sparkle (because really—why not?), try the Butter Gloss Non-Sticky Lip Gloss in She Got Money.
3. Vibrant liner with sparkly accents
If you’re looking to break away from the mold and try something a little different, consider leaning into one of this season’s biggest beauty trends: graphic eyeliner. We love this look because it’s fun, customizable, and allows you to experiment with your creative side.
To create your graphic look, you’ll need a long-lasting eyeliner in a fun, festive shade. Try the Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Stick in Emerald Cut if you prefer pencil liners, or use the Vivid Brights Liquid Eyeliner in On Red if you favor liquid formulas. Start by tracing your upper lash line as normal, extending the liner outward at the corner to create an exaggerated wing. Then, draw a curved line just above your natural crease that parallels the shape of your orbital bone. At the outer corner, connect your lash line eyeliner with your crease liner to create a graphic negative space wing. From there, you can add whatever accents you please: glitter, shimmery eyeshadow, or even rhinestones can all make your look stand out even more.
Because this graphic eye makeup look is so bold, it’s best to keep the rest of your makeup minimal for balance. Dab the Fat Cheeks Juicy Liquid Blush onto your cheeks, brush up your brows, and swipe on a tinted lip gloss to tie your look together. For the latter, try the Lip I.V. Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain in Drippin’ in Rose—it applies like a gloss and leaves behind a soft matte stain after the shiny finish wears away.
Festive Makeup Tips To Elevate Any Look
If you’re looking to put a festive twist on your everyday makeup look, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Incorporate holiday colors: Bring the season into your look with classic festive shades like red, green, gold, and silver, or opt for rich jewel tones like emerald, sapphire, and amethyst. These colors feel celebratory and can be used on the eyes, lips, or even cheeks to tie your whole look together.
- Add sparkle: Glitter eyeshadow, shimmer highlighter, or glossy finishes add instant festive flair. A touch of sparkle catches the light and elevates any makeup from everyday to party-ready in seconds.
- Play with texture: Mixing finishes—like metallic eyeshadow with a velvet lip or glossy accents over matte shades—adds dimension and visual interest. Combining textures creates a more dynamic, polished look that feels intentionally festive.
- Use hydrating products: Hydrating formulas help keep your skin feeling balanced in cooler winter weather while giving your complexion a luminous, healthy-looking finish.
How To Make Your Holiday Makeup Last All Night
Keeping your festive makeup looking flawless from the first toast to the last dance takes a little planning—but it’s completely doable. With the right prep, products, and tricks, you can enjoy every party without worrying about smudges or fading.
1. Prep your skin well
Well-prepped skin is the foundation of long-lasting makeup. Start with a gentle cleanse and a nourishing moisturizer to create a smooth canvas, then follow with a primer that suits your skin type. Priming not only helps your makeup adhere better but can also blur texture and extend wear, so your look stays polished all night.
2. Use long-wearing products
Opt for formulas designed to last through hours of celebration. Transfer-resistant foundations, smudge-proof liners, and budge-proof lip colors hold up to eating, drinking, and dancing, keeping your look intact. Choosing long-wearing products minimizes the need for constant touch-ups and ensures your makeup looks freshly applied from sunup to sundown (or vice versa).
3. Build in layers
Layering your products strategically can significantly extend your makeup’s longevity. For example, applying a powder blush over a cream or liquid formula helps the color last longer, while filling in your lips with liner before lipstick prevents bleeding and feathering. Small layering techniques like these make a big difference in keeping your look flawless throughout the night.
4. Always set your look
Lock in your makeup with a setting powder or spray to prevent smudging, fading, and unwanted shine. A light dusting or spritz creates a protective barrier that helps everything stay in place, from bold eyes to statement lips. This final step gives your festive look staying power, so you can focus on celebrating without worry.
5. Bring essentials for touch-ups
Even with long-lasting products, a few quick touch-ups can keep your look flawless. Pack your must-haves in your bag so you can touch up your look on the go and ensure you’re photo-ready all night long.
How To Remove Holiday Makeup at the End of the Night
After a night of celebrating, taking the time to properly remove your makeup is essential for keeping your skin healthy and glowing. Long-wear, glittery, and waterproof makeup for a holiday party can be stubborn, but a careful routine ensures all traces come off without irritation.
1. Start with an oil-based cleanser
An oil-based cleanser is your first step for breaking down stubborn makeup. These formulas effectively dissolve waterproof liners, long-wear foundation, and glitter, lifting products from the skin without harsh rubbing. Massage the cleansing oil over dry skin to help dissolve your makeup, then rinse your face with lukewarm water to wash away the residue.
2. Remove impurities with micellar water
After the initial cleanse, swipe micellar water over your face to catch any remaining traces of makeup or residue. If you don’t have micellar water on hand, you can also wash your face again with a gentle water-based cleanser to ensure your skin is completely clean.
3. Smooth on moisturizer
After removing all of your holiday makeup, replenish your skin by smoothing on a hydrating moisturizer. Look for a formula designed for your skin type and concerns to help keep your complexion looking and feeling its best.
Next Up: How To Elevate Your Makeup Routine
Got a festive makeup look you love? We want to see it! Share a pic on social and tag us @nyxcosmetics.
PRODUCTS USED
THE FACE GLUE GRIPPING PRIMER
Up to 24h hydrating and gripping makeup prepping glue
THE FACE GLUE SETTING SPRAY
Up to 24h makeup lock and shield, waterproof setting spray
Lip Lingerie Lip Liner Stain
Ballpoint felt tip lip liner for precise, no-bleed nude perfection in twelve shades
Fat Cheeks Juicy Liquid Blush
Get juicy, hydrated cheeks with a 24H hydrating liquid blush for a healthy, dewy glow.
Lip I.V. Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain
Lip gloss + long-lasting lip stain in 20 shades.
Buttermelt Blush
High pigment buttery soft powder blush. Fade & transfer resistant with up to 12HR wear.
BUTTERMELT HIGHLIGHTER
Butter smooth glowy highlighter in eight shades.
Fat Oil Lip Drip
Hydrating tinted lip oil scented with Suga Baddie
Butter Gloss Non-Sticky Lip Gloss
Fan Fave Buttery Gloss
Epic Wear Waterproof Eyeliner Stick
High-impact, waterproof eyeliner pencil
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Ultimate Glow Shots Liquid Eyeshadow
Liquid Shimmery Eyeshadow
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Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
Waterproof felt-tip liquid eyeliner pen
SHINE LOUD HIGH SHINE LIP COLOR
High-shine, long-lasting lip gloss
Vivid Brights Colored Liquid Eyeliner
Transfer and fade-resistant colorful liquid eyeliner
Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick
16H Full-Bodied Matte Liquid Lipstick
