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Two years ago I did my makeup at 7pm and took a photo at 12:04am. The glitter had migrated to my cheekbones. My liner had printed itself onto my eyelid like a stamp. My lipstick was on a wine glass in someone’s kitchen.
So I changed how I do it. Not the look, the order. The looks below all hold because of what goes underneath them, and because I stopped using products that were never built for a six hour night.
Here is the short version. Grip the base first, press glitter instead of sweeping it, use waterproof liner, and finish with a waterproof setting spray. Everything else is just which shade you feel like.
Below are the 7 nye makeup 2027 looks I rotate through, plus the one product that makes each one survive. I have also put the flash photo problem near the top, because it ruins more NYE photos than smudged liner does.
What is the best nye makeup 2027 look?
The best nye makeup 2027 look is a pressed glitter lid over a gripping primer, with waterproof liner and a no transfer lip. It photographs well under flash and holds for six hours without touch ups. Glitter stays put because it is pressed into a tacky cream base, not swept on with a brush.
That is the whole thesis. The rest of this post is the order, the technique, and which product does each job.
Why your NYE makeup slides off by 11pm
Three things happen at a party. The room gets warm, you drink something, and you touch your face more than you think.
Warm skin makes more oil. Oil breaks down the binders in powder shadow and cream blush. That is why your shadow looks patchy at 11pm even though it looked perfect at 7pm.
The fix is not more product. It is a gripping primer that gives makeup something to hold onto, then a waterproof topcoat at the end. I use a gel primer with a tacky finish and let it sit for 30 seconds before foundation.
If you only change one thing this year, change that. It did more for me than switching foundations ever did.
The flash photo problem nobody warns you about
You know the photos where your face looks lighter than your neck and slightly ghostly. That is usually SPF, not your foundation shade.
Mineral sunscreens use titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Both are white pigments that sit on top of skin and bounce light straight back at the camera. A phone flash is a direct light source, so it makes that bounce obvious.
For a night event, skip SPF in your base. You are indoors after dark. Use a non SPF primer and a non SPF foundation, and save the sunscreen for the morning.
The same rule applies to heavy translucent powders with silica. Use them only where you crease, which for most people is the inner eyelid and around the nose.
How to make glitter stay on your eyelid
Loose glitter needs something sticky underneath it. A dry shadow base will not hold it, which is why it ends up under your eyes by the second drink.
Here is the method I use. Pat a cream shadow or a liquid glitter base across the lid. Wait about 20 seconds until it goes tacky rather than wet.
Then press the glitter on with a flat fingertip or a small silicone tool. Press and lift. Do not sweep, because sweeping drags the pieces sideways and they lose contact with the base.
Do your eyes before your foundation on a glitter night. Fallout wipes away cleanly off bare skin, and you are not rebuilding your base at 8pm.
Gloss or no transfer: how to pick your NYE lip
You get one or the other, not both. A gloss will move. A no transfer lip will not move, but it will feel flat and dry by hour four.
I pick based on the night. Dinner and a long sit down table gets the no transfer liquid lip, because a gloss will be on the napkin by the starter.
Dancing and drinks gets the gloss, because I am reapplying anyway and gloss wears unevenly in a forgiving way. A matte liquid lip wears off in patches, and that looks worse than no lipstick at all.
If you want the middle option, do a no transfer lip and press a clear gloss on the center only. You get shine in photos and the color underneath survives.
The 7 nye makeup 2027 looks, and what holds each one
Each look below is built around one product doing the heavy lifting. Mix them however you like, but keep the primer and the setting spray in every single version.
The Glitter Lid
Stila
Glitter & Glow Liquid Glitter Eyeshadow
This is the glitter that converted me away from loose pots. It is a liquid base with the glitter already suspended in it, so the sticky part and the sparkle arrive together. Pat it on with your ring finger, let it set for a minute, and it does not budge. One coat reads festive, two coats reads full disco ball.
The Sharp Wing
NYX Professional Makeup
Epic Ink Liquid Eyeliner in Black
A pencil liner is the first thing to go once the room warms up. This one is waterproof, and the brush tip is flexible enough to draw a thin line and then thicken it. I do the wing before the shadow so I have a clean edge to build against. It comes off with an oil cleanser and not before.
The Glass Skin Glow
e.l.f.
Halo Glow Liquid Filter
This is what I use when I want to look lit from inside rather than highlighted on top. Mix a little into your foundation for an all over glow, or tap it on cheekbones and the bridge of your nose for something more targeted. It has no SPF, so it will not flash back in photos. That alone earns it a spot.
READ: holiday party makeup looks
The No Transfer Lip
Maybelline
Super Stay Vinyl Ink Longwear Liquid Lipcolor
A vinyl finish is the one glossy formula that actually stays. It dries down to a shiny film rather than a matte flat, so you get the look of gloss with the wear of a stain. Apply one thin layer, wait, then do a second. Skipping that wait is why people say long wear lips feel sticky.
The Glossy Lip
Fenty Beauty
Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Luminizer in Fenty Glow
Fenty Glow is the shade that looks like your lips with the lights turned up. The Heat version adds a light tingle and a little fullness, which is a nice thing on a night you are taking photos. It is thick without being gluey. Keep it in your bag, because this is a reapply at midnight situation.
The Base That Grips
e.l.f.
Power Grip Primer
This is the single step that changed my NYE makeup. It goes on clear and sticky, almost like a very light glue, and foundation sits on top of it instead of sinking in. Give it 30 seconds to turn tacky before you do anything else. If you buy one thing from this list, buy this.
READ: christmas red lipstick shades
The Lock It Down Step
Urban Decay
All Nighter Waterproof Makeup Setting Spray
Urban Decay rates this for up to 24 hours of hold, and the waterproof version is the one you want for a party. Hold it at arm’s length and spray in an X and then a T so you cover everything evenly. Let it dry on its own. Fanning your face or pressing with a sponge undoes the film it is trying to form.
| Product | Job on the night | Finish | Holds up through |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.l.f. Power Grip Primer | Grips the base | Clear, tacky | Warm rooms and long nights |
| Stila Glitter & Glow | Glitter lid | High sparkle | Dancing, low fallout |
| NYX Epic Ink Liner | Sharp wing | Matte black | Sweat and watery eyes |
| e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter | Lit from within glow | Luminous, no SPF | Flash photography |
| Maybelline Vinyl Ink | No transfer lip | Glossy, dries down | Dinner and glasses |
| Fenty Gloss Bomb Heat | Shiny reapply lip | Full gloss | Photos, needs touch ups |
| Urban Decay All Nighter | Locks everything | Natural | Up to 24 hours, waterproof |
If you liked this, the rest of our party makeup guides fill in the gaps. Start with holiday party makeup looks for the full face version, then pick a lip with christmas red lipstick shades or oxblood lipstick if red feels too expected.
For the eye, moon dust eyeshadow is the softer sister to a full glitter lid, and frosted lipstick pairs well with both. On the skin side, cloud skin makeup is the base I use when I want soft focus instead of glass, and our drugstore concealer picks cover the under eye after a late one.
Prep matters more than product on a party night, so the glass skin routine and a face mask for glowing skin the night before are both worth the 20 minutes.
evrygal recommends: Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Glitter Eyeshadow for nye makeup 2027, based on our hands-on testing.
NYE makeup only fails for boring reasons. The base had nothing to grip, the glitter had nothing sticky under it, or the lip was never built to survive dinner.
evrygal recommends the e.l.f. Power Grip Primer as the first thing you buy, because it fixes the problem underneath everything else, and the Stila Glitter & Glow if you want one product that makes the whole look.
Key Takeaways
- The best nye makeup 2027 looks start with a gripping primer, because glitter and gloss slide on bare skin
- Press glitter onto a tacky cream base instead of sweeping it, so the pieces sit flat and stop falling
- Skip SPF in your base for flash photos, because titanium dioxide and zinc oxide bounce light back and read as a white cast
- A waterproof liquid liner outlasts a pencil once the room gets warm
- Lock everything with a waterproof setting spray, then blot instead of powdering again at midnight
Last updated: October 18, 2026
FAQ
What makeup trends are big for NYE 2027?
Pressed glitter lids are still the main event, but the application has changed. People are pressing glitter into a cream base rather than sweeping loose pigment, which keeps the lid clean and the fallout down. Glossy vinyl lips have mostly replaced flat mattes, and bases are leaning luminous rather than powdered. The overall shift is toward skin that still looks like skin under a lot of sparkle.
How do I keep glitter from falling under my eyes?
Use a tacky base and press rather than sweep. Pat a cream shadow or liquid glitter base on first, wait about 20 seconds until it feels sticky instead of wet, then press the glitter on with a flat fingertip. Doing your eyes before your foundation also helps, because any fallout wipes off bare skin without wrecking your base.
Why does my makeup look white in flash photos?
It is almost always SPF. Mineral sunscreens use titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which are white pigments that reflect light straight back at the camera. A phone flash is a direct light source, so it makes that reflection obvious. For an evening event, use a primer and foundation without SPF and your photos will match your face.
Should I use setting spray or setting powder for a long night?
Both, but in small amounts and in the right places. Powder only where you crease, usually the inner eyelid and around the nose, because heavy powder everywhere can flash back and looks dry by hour four. Then finish with a waterproof setting spray in an X and a T pattern and let it dry on its own. At midnight, blot with a tissue instead of adding more powder.
How do I take glitter makeup off without wrecking my skin?
Start with an oil cleanser or a balm and give it a full minute of dry massage before you add water. Oil breaks the film that holds glitter and waterproof liner in place, so scrubbing is not necessary. Press a damp cloth over your closed eye for a few seconds, then wipe downward and outward. Follow with your normal gentle cleanser and a moisturizer, because your skin will be drier than usual after a late night.
