Having a Moment: Party Makeup

A festive event calls for playful makeup. Take a cue from Diane Kruger and opt out of your trusty black liner in favor of a bright aqua shade. A thin line and a winged stroke will add extra flair. But twisted hair and a splashy neon dress are optional.

It wouldn’t be “the holidays” without a little metallic action. Scarlett accents her newly chopped bob with scorching gold eyeliner. We think the look takes first place.

Late-night fetes warrant some drama, let’s be honest. Here, SJP masters the sultry-eye look with creamy bronzed skin and windswept hair. We think the combo makes it modern rather than gothic.

Sometimes red carpet makeup does translate to the real world. Here, we love how Marion Cotillard wears both a strong lip and a strong eye. It’s glamour to the max, and we like it.

Kristen Stewart always nails the edgy beauty thing, which is a perfect look for a youthful gathering of friends. At a recent awards show, she paired her signature smoky eye (this time it was a matte gunmetal shade) with her hair color du jour, a chestnut ginger.

A big-time party can mean breaking out looks we normally wouldn’t go near. That’s why we support matching eyes and lips for some real old-fashioned glamour. But could Blake Lively really look bad in any trend?

Sometimes the outfit dictates the makeup, and we all know that the holidays are the time to get loud. Here Gwyneth complements an uber-bright dress with dewy skin, a subtle eye and glossy nude lips. Cheers.

Nothing says glamour like major lashes. Kerry Washington rocks the trend with a subtle smoky eye, flushed cheeks and clear gloss. Perfect for a sophisticated dinner party.

You can never go wrong with a striking red lip for an elegant cocktail party. Here Rachel Weisz teams a crimson mouth with strong, arched brows and radiant, glowing skin for a breathtakingly classic look.

Dressy doesn't always have to mean that you pile on loads of makeup, as evidenced by Jessica Biel. We love the subtle use of a reddish-brown shadow on her upper lids and just a touch in the outer corners of her eyes.

January Jones has definitely mastered an updated version of an old Hollywood cat's-eye. The winged effect created by the gray shadow even makes her amazing cheekbones look more angular and stunning.

Sometimes all it takes to feel dressed up is a red lip. Even if Anne Hathaway had no eye makeup on, she'd still look ready for the cameras ... and the afterparty.

The Kardashians are known for many things, one of which is extraordinary lashes. Now there are almost certainly some fakes added in there, but wow, does Kim look flirty and fabulous.

So maybe red's not your thing, but what about a poppy pink à la Katy Perry at the American Music Awards? Paired with a sultry eye, there's nothing teenybopper about them.

Sticking with a neutral palette (and a touch of bronzer) creates a really polished effect. And we definitely prefer a polished Jessica Simpson.

When you wear your hair pulled back in a super-sleek bun like Jessica Alba's, it's the perfect opportunity to go all out on your eyes. Follow her lead and mix some brown tones in with your standard gray/black smoky shadows.

It often gets forgotten in a sea of eyes and lips when you're talking party makeup, but gorgeous skin is really the key to any look. Halle Berry's is pure perfection. Even if yours isn't, a good primer and a tinted moisturizer go a long way.

We already saw a subtle, dewy Gwyneth earlier, but we loved this look so much we had to include her twice. Lining the inner rims of your lower lids is one of our favorite instant makeup tricks. It's one of our favorite go-to's when we're getting ready in a rush.

If, like Reese Witherspoon, you don't wear loads of makeup in your day-to-day life, a dash of shimmery silver in the inner corners of your eyes is an easy way to take things up just a notch during holiday party season.

Katie Holmes very smartly played off the pink tones in her pretty printed dress when picking out her blush and lipstick. They complement each other perfectly without one overwhelming the other.

Do not fear yellow-gold eye shadow, especially if you have golden-toned skin like Rihanna. We never would have thought to pair it with a green liner in the inner rim of the upper lids, but we must say it's pretty genius.