Get Your Party Face On!

By Jenny Bailly
Perfect party eyes
Photo: Grey Zisser

The Dress Code: Cocktail
The Focus: Eyes


Dramatic eye makeup can be rock 'n' roll or rebellious or (as we prefer it) beautifully refined. Just look at our model: When a healthy dose of black liner (Clinique Kohl Shaper for Eyes in Black Kohl, $15.50) is paired with a sheer yellow gold shadow (Nars Eyeshadow in Silent Night, $22), the effect is sumptuous but not too smoky. And it's a good look if you've been having a holiday season that's heavy on activity, light on sleep: "Playing up the eyes makes any shadows underneath them less noticeable," says Pati. Coat your lashes with mascara, and define brows with a pencil that's a shade lighter than their natural color. 

Keep the rest of the face simple: Even out redness or discoloration with concealer, and warm up your complexion by blending a golden bronze blush over your cheekbones. A creamy nude lipstick (try Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge in Rich Cashmere, $29) topped with a couple of dabs of golden gloss on the center of the mouth completes the look. If you have time to paint your nails, a light gold polish is festive but not so flashy that you have to take it off before work the next day. Try Essie Nail Color in Shifting Power, $8.

3 Steps to Stunning Eyes

How to get stunning eyes, step 11. Line the upper lid with a thick black pencil; start just above the pupil and concentrate the color on the outer corners. Smudge it out a bit with a Q-tip or your ring finger. Lightly trace the outer corners of the lower lid as well.

How to get stunning eyes, step 22. Blend a gold shadow over the center of the lids but no higher than the crease. (Lids can look puffy with a pale shimmery shade on the browbone.) To open up your eyes, add a touch of gold shadow along the lower inner corners, too.

How to get stunning eyes, step 3 3. Coat the upper lashes with mascara. Pati loves the orb-shaped brush on the new Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes ($27). Hold it vertically and brush it underneath the lashes to cover every one without leaving any stray marks on your lids.