Glitz, Glitter & the Perfect Little Mess

Glitz, Glitter & the Perfect Little Mess

How to throw the easiest New Year’s Eve party ever.

A successful New Year's eve means lots of glitter, laughs, and of course, champagne. Not to mention, this time of year is the perfect excuse to get all dolled up. How you close 2016 and kick off 2017 sets the tone for the year ahead. While some may think there's a lot that goes into throwing a festive gathering, we're here to tell you, it can be really easy — and inexpensive too.

The big night is just around the corner (don’t you feel like it always sneaks up so fast?). So, grab your closest friends, a few bottles of champagne — and get celebrating!

Here’s what you need:

Location, location

Personally, we love intimate gatherings. Opting to stay at home means all your supplies are only an arm's reach away and you can keep it cozy! You’ll also save a ton of money (bonus!). Create a designated spot to do most of the celebrating, like a living room where you have some space for displaying goodies, and decorate heavily there as the focal point of your bash (this also keeps all guests in one area, rather than spread out).

Flowers…are always a good idea

Flowers are one of the most beautiful ways to add something special to your party. You can pickup gorgeous seasonal blooms at your local farmer’s market, grocery store or florist. Here, we used soft pink roses and greenery. To make the bouquet festive, we sprayed the ends of the greenery with gold spray paint. To try this, look for spray paint that’s safe for florals and lightly spray your greenery or blooms before you arrange them. Be sure to use spray paint at a properly prepped outdoor location (spray paint can be a little messy).

Glitter, confetti, and all the glitz

This is where you get creative! All those things that come to mind when you think of New Year’s Eve — gather it up, and a lot of it! Like glitter, confetti, and tinsel (all things you can find at your local craft store, or even dollar store). Work around your centerpiece. In our case, we used florals and went from there. Dress things up without overthinking it — a little here, a little there. You can add books, a basket of metallic ornaments (mini discoballs are adorable!) and incorporate the necessities, like party poppers, noisemakers and hats into your decoration. You want your party to look fun and festive of course, but also welcoming for guest to just dig in, pour a drink, or put on a party hat.

Treats and drinks

When hosting a late evening gathering, you can provide guests with treats and drinks rather than a full spread of food. Include easy to grab snacks, your signature homemade cookies, or anything else that you know majority will enjoy — while still taking the presentation into consideration. You can also use edible glitter to top cupcakes or any other treats in order to incorporate them into the decorations.

Get your game on

Games make for great conversation starts or ice breakers. We created party game cards which are a fun way to look back at the year and pass the time until midnight. Also, everyone loves a good 8-ball reading! The sky's the limit when it comes to party games.

Now that you’ve dressed up your space, dedicate some time to you! Needs some tips on your makeup look for the festivities? We asked the pros at Blushington Mwakeup & Beauty Lounge how to get party ready this season — here’s what they had to say:

Glam up for the Countdown

This season it's all about bronzed and radiant skin with clean, defined and illuminated eyes finished with a modern lip! Start your flawless glow with a luminous base like Jouer's Luminizing Moisture tint paired with the Jouer Anti-Aging Concealer. Sculpt out the cheeks with a bronzer/highlighter duo. At Blushington, we love Kevyn Aucoin Tropical Days to get dimension. Use the bronzer in the hollows of the cheek and the highlighter on the cheekbones. Try a blush like Becca's Rose Gold Pressed Shimmering Skin Perfector on the apples of the cheek.

For the eyes, apply a soft matte brown in the crease like Girlactik Star Shadow in Skin and pop a shimmery gold on the lid with Girlactik Star Shadow in Golda. For the more adventurous types, add our exclusive Girlactik Shadow Stick in Dazzle to amp up the sparkle! Line the top of the lash line with Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner and smudge the bottom lashline with Stila Smudge Stick in Lionfish. Apply Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara to the lashes for major impact! Finally, for your lips, you can pick a perfect modern red shade that's more versatile than a bright classic red such as Julie Hewett's Coco Noir lipstick.

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Happy New Year!