How will VIOLET ring in 2023? With a bit of smoke (on the eyes) and a lot of stamina (on the lips), baby. We’ve always believed that NYE glam calls for a little something special; it’s when we bring all the dazzle we want to carry into the new year. Here, Carrie Barber—Founder & Creative Director of MAKE Beauty and VIOLET alum—walks us through two looks that rise to the occasion, whether you’re headed to a black-tie ball drop or simply glamming up to stay in.

LIPS THAT LAST ALL NIGHT

“An iconic, foolproof look for any occasion. While it can be easily disregarded because of ‘The Midnight Kiss’, this look is as much about your skin as it is about the lip.” - C.B.

SKIN PREP: Hydration and a good base are key for a radiant, smooth complexion. I use the Victoria Beckham by Augustinus Bader Priming Moisturizer as my makeup primer for long nights because my makeup grips to it without pilling and it is very moisturizing without ever getting greasy.

BROWS: I love how the MAKE brow gel defines and shapes my brows. It really coats individual hairs, sets, and lasts all day without flaking or getting crunchy.

COMPLEXION: With a lip look, I want my skin to look like the best version of itself. I use the MAKE Diffusion Dew Radiant Skin Tint (launching at VIOLET GREY next month!) all over to smooth out any uneven skin tone. Because of the small amount of finely milled mica in the formula, this makes your skin instantly more radiant. I spot conceal with MAKE’s Skin Mimetic Concealer (also launching next month at VIOLET GREY), then go into select areas to give that lifted concealer look you see all over TikTok.

SOFT CONTOUR & HIGHLIGHT: MAKE’s Heat Stroke Cheek Tint is my go-to for a soft sculpt because it not only does the job as a contour but adds a touch of warmth and melts into the skin. The Westman Atelier Super Loaded Tinted Highlighter in Peau de Rosé is perfect for rounding out that beaming skin because it gives a glow and a touch of pink for perfect rosy cheeks.

LASHES: Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk mascara is one of my favorite mascaras with a molded brush because you use the flat edge to load product onto lashes and then the bristle edges to brush product through, giving you the perfect soft feathered lash.

LIPS: I layer MAKE’s Serum Balm Intense in Berry Moon over Westman Atelier's Lip Suede in Les Rouges, which acts almost like a lip liner to intensify the color and make it last all night.

EASIEST SMOKEY EYE

“So easy. This look only requires a few steps and almost no precision. I first tried it after seeing Eva Green’s makeup in Casino Royale…the eye makeup she wears with the Roberto Cavalli dress.” - C.B.

SKIN PREP: This look is also about skin, but I want to do it at the end so that I only use complexion products where I need them. Before I start my eye makeup, I apply 111Skin’s Sub-Zero eye masks because they cool, de-puff, and capture any fallout from the eyeshadow.

EYES: The easiest way for me to do this look is to start with MAKE’s Continuum Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in Eclipse. I apply it to the waterline and lash line to create the most definition around the eyes. Then, I smudge a thick-ish layer, doesn’t have to be precise, of eyeliner around my eyes and use a small fluffy brush to build and blend it into an elongated winged shape. Because it’s New Year’s Eve, I’m going to top it with Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Lid Lustre in Onyx; I love the almost foil-like finish. When applying mascara with a smokey eye, I try to get as close to the lashes as possible and then apply a double coat to the outer lashes.

COMPLEXION & LIPS: I keep it as minimal and skin-like as possible so that the eyes can really be the focus. I’m using the MAKE concealer all over, almost like a foundation, again doing the soft sculpt with the MAKE Heat Stroke Cheek Tint and finishing off with the MAKE Serum Balm in Lilac Layer for plump, hydrated lips.