How to Get Cocktail Dress–Ready Skin (Without Leaving Your House)

Holiday parties present a fancy opportunity to feel dressed to the nines. Especially since much of planning for festive celebrations and the New Year can be stressful, picking out a cocktail dress and feeling radiant is a nice shift. But while plenty of people are schooled on how to shop for the right fit that flatters their body, few give extra TLC to their skin in the weeks before a big event. Even so, beauty, fashion and celebrity makeup artist Geoffrey Rodriguez says that preparing your skin for sleeveless and short cocktail wear is absolutely crucial. After all, it is your best accessory! “The whole point of wearing anything more revealing, in my mind, should be all about gorgeous, radiant skin,” he continues. “And while it’s slightly more challenging to keep the skin properly hydrated this time of year, a glowing complexion from head to toe can very easily be achieved at home,” Rodriguez adds.

As the countdown to the soiree grows near, follow these tips to be the showstopper you know you really are:

1. Treat yourself to a luxurious bath.

We know that your holiday to-do list is running like wildfire, but take a moment, exhale and close your eyes. Think back to summer when you indulged in a “you” day while on vacation. Celebrity and editorial makeup artist Mary Irwin says tyou can channel that after-spa sensation when your skin feels rested, rejuvenated and glowing by treating yourself to an at-home spa experience. This means using a scrub—like the Eminence Organic Skin Care Coconut Sugar Scrub—to rid away dry skin. Finish off your luxe bath routine with Sol de Janeiro’s Brazilian Bum Bum Cream—an ultra-rich moisturizer infused with vitamins and extracts—that is ideal for every part of your body—even if the name suggests otherwise.

2. Pair your favorite oil with a body brush.

Cleansing your skin is one thing, but giving your pores the A-list experience is another. The only issue, of course, is time. When you’re tasked with cupcakes to bake, deadlines to meet and gifts to buy, rubbing in thick lotion feels cumbersome. According to artistry and training lead at Artis, Lindsey Jackson, you can achieve a natural glow quickly by pairing your favorite body oil with a skin brush. “Simply take a small dollop of oil and swipe onto your arms or legs and gently glide the brush in circular motions to blend, using very light pressure,” she explains. “It will leave your skin hydrated, without missing a spot and having to spend extra time blending lotion into the skin,” Jackson adds.