Holiday Beauty Trends 2026: Top Trends & How to Turn Them Into High-Converting Ads

The holiday season is the most profitable period of the year for beauty brands—but also the most competitive. Consumers are actively searching for the latest holiday beauty trends, stocking up on gift sets, and preparing for parties, travel, and New Year celebrations. This surge in demand presents a massive opportunity for brands that know how to combine trend-based creativity with data-driven ad execution.

In this guide, we’ll break down the top holiday beauty trends for 2026 and show you exactly how to convert each trend into high-performing ad campaigns across Meta, TikTok, Google, and other platforms. You’ll also learn how to research competitor creatives, structure your holiday funnel, and avoid the most common seasonal advertising mistakes.

Why Holiday Beauty Trends Matter for Your Ad Performance

Holiday beauty trends directly influence how consumers search, scroll, and shop. During Q4, people are not just buying makeup and skincare—they are buying looks, experiences, and social validation. Ads that align with current trends consistently outperform generic product ads because they feel timely, relevant, and emotionally resonant.

Trend-driven advertising delivers several advantages:

• Higher click-through rates due to visual freshness

• Better engagement from social-first content formats

• Increased conversion rates driven by emotional and seasonal urgency

• Stronger brand recall during peak spending windows

For advertisers, trends provide ready-made creative angles. Instead of guessing what visuals or messaging might work, you can plug directly into what customers are already excited about.

Top Holiday Beauty Trends 2026 (and How to Advertise Them)

Trend #1 – Wine-Stained Lips & Bold Holiday Makeup

Deep reds, plums, and wine-toned lips dominate the 2026 holiday season. This look aligns perfectly with festive nights, office parties, New Year events, and gift-ready glamour.

How to Turn This Trend Into Ads

• Use short UGC-style transformation videos showing “day look → party look.”

• Highlight benefits like long-wear, no-smudge, and one-swipe payoff.

• Emphasize emotional triggers such as confidence, elegance, and nightlife.

Sample Ad Concepts & Hooks

• “Your holiday lipstick shouldn’t fade before midnight.”

• “One swipe. All-night glam.”

• “The only wine that should stain—your lips.”

Formats that work best: vertical video, before/after visuals, influencer close-ups.

Take a page from categories like New Year book ads, where the messaging is clear, concise, and timed around a specific moment (“start the year with…”). Do the same with lips: “start holiday season with your boldest shade yet.”

Trend #2 – Frosted, Icy Eyes & Sparkle Looks

Cool-toned shadows, shimmer lids, metallic liners, and glitter textures are driving holiday eye makeup trends in 2026. These looks photograph beautifully and perform exceptionally well in motion-based creatives.

How to Turn This Trend Into Ads

• Close-up eye shots with sparkle transitions.

• “Desk-to-disco” transformations.

• Fast cuts synced to holiday audio trends.

Sample Ad Hooks

• “Your eyes deserve their own holiday lights.”

• “Glow without filters.”

• “One palette. Endless party looks.”

Carousel ads perform well here, allowing brands to showcase multiple shimmering styles in one creative.

Think about how Christmas food ads showcase close-ups of texture—steam, glaze, crispiness. Your frosted eye creatives should do the same with shimmer, metallic payoff, and dimension.

Trend #3 – Dewy Winter Skin & Hydration Routines

Cold weather increases skin dryness, which makes hydration-focused skincare trends essential during the holiday season. Consumers are actively seeking glow-enhancing serums, moisturizers, and overnight recovery routines.

How to Turn This Trend Into Ads

• Problem-solution storytelling (dry → dull → glowing).

• Visual texture shots of serums, masks, and creams.

• Quick “3-step routine” creatives.

Sample Ad Hooks

• “Winter air is drying your skin faster than you think.”

• “Holiday glow starts before the makeup.”

• “Fix winter dryness before the party invitations roll in.”

Skincare ads benefit heavily from testimonial-based UGC and side-by-side transformation visuals.

In the same way New Year food ads highlight “fresh start” meals and lighter choices after indulgent holidays, your dewy-skin campaigns should lean into resetting and repairing: “Reset your skin for the new year.”

Trend #4 – Glam Holiday Hair & Party Styles

At-home hair styling is booming during the holiday season, driven by heated tools, gloss sprays, and anti-frizz products. Consumers want professional looks without expensive salon visits.

How to Turn This Trend Into Ads

• “Get Ready With Me” (GRWM) hair routines.

• Speed transformations in under 20 seconds.

• Before/after frizz control comparisons.

Sample Ad Hooks

• “5-minute party hair that actually lasts.”

• “Humidity-proof holiday glam.”

• “From flat to festive in seconds.”

Look at the emotional storytelling in traditional Waitrose Christmas Adverts—they rarely just show food. They show family, warmth, and shared experiences. Apply that same emotional framing to hair: show laughter before a party, last-minute prep, and the confidence that comes with a finished look.

Trend #5 – Limited-Edition Holiday Packaging & Gift Sets

Holiday-exclusive bundles, value packs, and giftable packaging dramatically increase average order value during Q4.

How to Turn This Trend Into Ads

• Unboxing-style product reveal videos.

• “Gift for her” and “stocking stuffer” breakdowns.

• Urgency-based messaging tied to limited inventory.

Sample Ad Hooks

• “The easiest holiday gift you’ll ever buy.”

• “Limited edition—once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

• “The full routine, wrapped and ready.”

Best Ad Formats for Holiday Beauty Campaigns

Your creative format should always match both the trend and the purchase intent of the audience.

How to Find Winning Holiday Beauty Ads with AdSpyder

Step 1 – Search for Holiday Beauty Keywords

Start by searching phrases like:

• “Holiday makeup”

• “Christmas skincare routine”

• “Beauty gift set ad”

• “Winter glow serum”

Step 2 – Filter by Country, Platform & Ad Type

Narrow results by:

• Platform: Meta, TikTok, Google

• Region: US, UK, EU, APAC

• Ad format: Video, carousel, image

Step 3 – Analyze Hooks, Creatives & Landing Pages

Focus on:

• First 3 seconds of video hooks

• Offer structures (discounts, bundles, free gifts)

• Visual framing (UGC vs studio)

• Landing page conversion flow

Step 4 – Build Your Creative Swipe File

Save high-performing ads into categorized folders:

• Makeup

• Skincare

• Hair

• Gift sets
  Use these insights to brief designers and creators with proven data—not assumptions.

Building a High-Converting Holiday Beauty Ad Funnel

Top of Funnel (TOF) – Trend Awareness

Goal: Reach, views, engagement
Creative types:

• GRWM videos

• Trend breakdowns

• Transformation clips
  Metrics: View rate, CTR, engagement

Middle of Funnel (MOF) – Education & Consideration

Goal: Build trust and product understanding
Creative types:

• Tutorials

• Ingredient breakdowns

• Product routines
  Metrics: Add-to-cart, session duration

Bottom of Funnel (BOF) – Conversions & Retargeting

Goal: Maximize purchases
Creative types:

• Bundles

• Countdown timers

• Customer reviews
  Metrics: ROAS, purchases, AOV

7 Common Holiday Beauty Ad Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

1. Generic visuals without seasonal context – Add holiday lighting, colors, and music.

2. No strong offer or CTA – Every ad must clearly answer “why now?”

3. Creative fatigue from repeated content – Refresh weekly during peak months.

4. Over-polished studio ads only – Balance with raw UGC for trust.

5. Ignoring mobile-first design – Optimize for vertical viewing.

6. Slow or non-holiday landing pages – Match ad visuals to page design.

7. Skipping competitor ad research – Regular spying prevents wasted spend.

Holiday Beauty Campaign Checklist for 2026

• Trend research completed

• Holiday creatives produced

• UGC creators briefed

• Offers finalized

• Gift bundles configured

• Retargeting audiences built

• Landing pages seasonally optimized

• Tracking verified

• Competitor ads analyzed

Holiday Beauty Advertising FAQs

When should beauty brands start running holiday ads?
Most brands should launch awareness campaigns by early October and scale aggressively from mid-November through New Year.

What beauty ads convert best during holidays?
UGC transformation videos, gift set promotions, and routine-based tutorials consistently outperform static ads.

How can I make my ads stand out during high competition?
Use trend-aligned creatives, short hooks, authentic creators, and offer-driven messaging.

How do I find winning holiday beauty ad ideas fast?
By analyzing high-performing competitor ads and reverse-engineering their creatives, offers, and funnels.

Turn 2026 Holiday Beauty Trends Into Winning Ad Campaigns

Holiday success isn’t driven by trends alone—it’s driven by execution. Brands that pair timely creative with strategic funnel design, competitive ad research, and high-velocity testing consistently outperform those relying on guesswork.

By aligning your advertising strategy with real consumer behavior and proven campaign structures, you position your brand to dominate Q4 performance while building long-term creative assets that extend into the New Year.