Party Makeup: Big Night Out Beauty Secrets

Get your skin looking flawless weeks before the big event by doing the following: Drink a lot of water, avoid salty foods, reduce caffeine, and get your skin ready with treatments that work more quickly, says Grayson. He loves Olay Professional Pro-X Intensive Firming Treatment, a two-step kit that combines a mega-hydrating mask and serum-packed anti-aging ingredients.

It's tempting to use a full-coverage foundation and lots of powder, but the combo will only make your skin look cakey and dull. A better option is to use a sheer, buildable base and a cream blush (Grayson likes Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation and Giorgio Armani Sheer Color Fluids). "These formulas are transparent so your skin shows through, creating a more radiant effect than powders."

At the Oscars, Grayson carried Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Eye Roller in his makeup kit. "It was a must-have for reducing puffiness after a teary-eyed acceptance speech." If you're the type who cries at weddings, stash this easy-to-tote pen in your purse for a quickie post-ceremony touch-up. Bonus: It also minimizes fine lines.

"Backstage I sometimes have less than a minute to touch up celebrity complexions before they go on camera," says Grayson. That's why he always has Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer on hand. "The dual-color concealer disguises blemishes, covers under-eye circles, and evens out your complexion."

It's inevitable that your complexion will start to cross the line from glowy to greasy, especially if you're working a crowded room or hitting the dance floor. But reaching for your powder compact is a bad idea, says Grayson. He instructed all the makeup artists working with him backstage at the Oscars to carry MAC Blotting Papers to remove excess oil but keep the celebs' skin glowing.

When it comes to party makeup, a smoky eye is like champagne — completely expected. But instead of layering on dark powder shadows, try something shimmery and sheer. Grayson loves the new CoverGirl Smoky ShadowBlast, a double-ended stick that comes in a slew of pretty shades like translucent grays, blues, and purples. Swipe it on then follow with an eyelash curler and two coats of a lengthening/volumizing mascara.

Whether you're working a bold red, bright pink, or soft coral lip color, top it off with a clear gloss (bonus points if it has flecks of gold shimmer). "Not only will your lips feel more hydrated, but they'll reflect the light and appear fuller," says Grayson. A good one: MAC Clear Lipglass.

Stars really are just like us. Case in point: Most of them were really nervous before taking the stage at the Oscars, says Grayson. That's why he kept Secret Flawless Clear Crystal Clear Gel on hand just in case the celebs needed a quick swipe. If you can't fit a stick of the stuff in your tiny evening clutch, switch to a clinical-strength formula a week or so before the party. Apply it at bedtime and again in the morning for a double dose of wetness and odor protection.