Party Season

Dressing up your makeup for New Year's Eve can be fun, but it can also be daunting. You want to look especially amazing, but you still want to look like yourself. Makeup artist James Kaliardos (who's worked on the likes of model Coco Rocha) gives us his tips to working a party style without losing yourself to layers of colour and sparkle. Keep reading to find out his simple tips.

This time of year requires you to stretch your beauty skills to create new and exciting makeup looks for every seasonal soiree. Feeling adventurous? Neutrogena brand ambassador Amy Oresman gives the run-down on what to try — and what to avoid — as you prepare for your next event. Get her list of dos and don'ts for night-out makeup when you keep reading.

Party hopping? No matter how amazing you look when you walk out the door (and you definitely do!), sometimes things happen. But keeping a mini emergency kit can help you avoid serious mishaps. Grab a cute pouch and stuff it with some of these must-have items:

• Mini deodorant: Getting asked if you're dating anyone over and over again at dinner can really make you sweat, so keep a deodorant on hand for when you need a little extra protection.
• Pain reliever: That red wine that you're swilling in order to get through dinner can make your head spin, but an emergency stash of aspirin can help you get back on your feet.
• Hand lotion: Cracked, dry hands are the worst party accessory. Keeping some lotion in your emergency kit will make sure your fingers stay smooth.
• Travel perfume: Some department stores give out free samples of all its fragrances. Just ask a sales assistant for a sample, and you can stash one in your bag for when you need a little lift.
• Travel toothbrush and toothpaste: With all the eating that goes down during the festive season, keeping a toothbrush and toothpaste in your emergency kit is a necessity.
• Makeup stain: A stain like Stila Lip and Cheek Stain ($39) can be used in a bunch of ways, making it the perfect makeup-in-a-pinch product.
• Detergent pen: Spill something on your party dress? Kiss that stain goodbye with that handy detergent pen you have hiding in your purse.

Colour. It can be hard to incorporate into any makeup palette if you aren't careful. The rule of thumb for adding a dramatic tint is: all things in moderation. Take Demi Lovato's example and select one bright hue as an accent. She decided to go with a pop of blue at the US X Factor season finale this week. To get a similar look, apply a pigmented liner like CK One Color Gloss Eyecolor in Pop ($25) on two-thirds of the bottom lid, leaving the inner corners clear. Give the shape a cat-eye flick for added drama. Go for typical black eyeliner on the top lid to keep the look from getting too overwhelming. Finally, keep the remainder of the face in neutral hues. A colourful eyeliner is really the only thing you need to update your everyday makeup look for a party.

The party season is the prime time to test drive all those glitzy styles and bright lipsticks you've been eyeing all year. But between gift-giving and cocktailing, sometimes low-maintenance hair is a must. Enter Vanessa Hudgens. The actress stunned at an event last night wearing a ponytail that was more chic than cheerleader. The secret? Tons of texture and amped-up makeup.

A high ponytail like Vanessa's already offers plenty of polish, so make sure things aren't too slick. A quick spritz of a texturising spray, like Evo Mister Fantastic Texture Spray ($29.95), offers up great movement and gives your hair some grip. Sweep your hair into a high ponytail with your hands, but don't worry about it being too perfect. Wrap a small piece of hair around your elastic, and finish with a cat eye and a glossy lipstick. Your pony will look party-perfect — miles away from the football field sidelines.

Alcohol may sometimes be the enemy, because what else gave you that screaming hangover you need to disguise? Those vodka cranberries, that's what. But believe it or not, vodka is good at more things than just being the main component in a dirty martini. That crystal clear liquid that so many of us mix into our beverages does, in fact, have beauty benefits . . . just not necessarily from drinking it:

• For your razor: Your favourite razor will get a second shot (get it?) at life if you give it a little boozy bath. After use, drop your razor (blade side down) into a cup of vodka. The alcohol will disinfect the blade and stave off rusting. Your legs will thank you.
• For your hair: A roughed-up cuticle equals serious frizz and zero shine, but vodka can clear it right up. Add a shot's worth to your deep conditioner. It lowers your hair's pH, helping the cuticles to close, and sealed cuticles mean reduced frizz and lots of shine.
• For your breath: If you can keep yourself from swallowing, vodka is actually an effective breath freshener. Swish about half a shot's worth around in your mouth for 30 seconds to a minute, and your breath will go from poor to pleasant. Bonus: soaking your feet in vodka also helps remove odour. Who knew?