Prom Makeup Advice, Tips, and Tricks
Prom makeup can be one of the most fun parts of prom preparation, taking an exciting evening look to the next level. Just a pop of color on the lips or a touch of powder goes a long way, making the skin glow and the confidence show. Picking makeup to match your prom dress is an opportunity to get creative and play with a rainbow of exciting shades. Whether you wish to do your own makeup for prom or get a professional to do everything for you, the process can be a total cinch. Explore all options on the color wheel, or just the ones that you’re comfortable with, to highlight the eyes, emphasize the lips, and enhance the skin. No matter what, leave ample time to experiment with prom makeup and feel free to ask close friends and family for their advice. If you’re seeing a makeup artist on prom night, you can get a professional opinion too. PromGirl has even compiled a list of little makeup tricks to help set you in the right direction and absolutely nail it on prom night.
Prom Makeup Tip #1: Match Colors to Your Prom Dress
A prom dress might be the first and most visible part of your evening look, but lipstick, eyeliner, concealer, and more heighten the allure to the max. A dash of sparkle and a little shine are like the sprinkles and frosting on top of the cake, ensuring every inch of you is gleaming from the start of prom night to the moment the lights go out. If the prom dress already shimmers on its own with sequins, rhinestones, or glitter, mirror some of the shine with eyeshadow and opt for more subtle, neutral shades for the rest of the makeup. A soft, light pink lip might work the best. However, if the prom dress you’re wearing is a sold color, like black or white, play with contrast because you can. Bold red lipstick makes a statement with these dress colors, and there’s a right shade for everyone, so try a few. If red isn’t your cup of tea, hot pinks and magentas are also trendy colors for grabbing attention and flaunting your flirty fashion sense. For a light pink dress, go for lighter makeup colors as well. Choose muted pinks that complement the skin tone for the eyeshadow and blush, while getting a little glossy with the lips so that they pop. Darker lipsticks, like the burgundy or deep brown that are really on-trend right now, are fantastic options for dark-colored prom dresses.
Prom Makeup Tip #2: Prep the Skin
Preparing the skin well in advance will provide a wonderful foundation for all of your prom makeup. Cleansing, moisturizing, and clearing up blemishes makes a huge difference, allowing the skin to shine beautifully on its own. In fact, if your prom dress is bold, you might not even wish to use much prom makeup. Going overboard with foundations and concealers to cover up “problem areas” isn’t always an effective solution to dealing with little spots or scars. Too much makeup could make the skin seem cakey or draw even more attention to the issue at hand. With so many wonderful acne and scar products on the market now, try a few well before prom to find what works for you. Similarly, using cleansers and lotions regularly keeps the skin fresh and soft. The result: A smooth, healthy base for all of your prom makeup.
Prom Makeup Tip #3: Do a Trial Run
It’s all about trial and error when deciding on your ideal prom makeup. Because there is never one color, brand, or product that suits everyone, it’s not only alright to try a number of them, it’s encouraged. Test out some concealer and foundation colors on your hand in the store or with an associate that works there. They might even have more makeup advice for elevating your prom night look! At some makeup or department stores, employees will help you test out all of the makeup you want to try, from eyeshadow and mascara to lipstick and lipliner. Going to a professional at a salon before prom? The trial and error rule still applies: Set up an early consultation to see what some of your options are and ask for pictures of the consultant’s work to get a sense of his/her style. This helps to avoid any potential last-minute prom makeup issues.
Prom Makeup Tip #4: Go Bold Once
Prom night is basically an excuse to go bold, so if that’s been on your mind, go for it! The trick with using daring or eye-catching prom makeup is to choose one area to feature. This means emphasizing one part of the face with color. For instance, a bright lipstick can be truly exquisite, but it doesn’t have the same impact when paired with equally loud eyeliners or eyeshadows. When bold shades are selected for every bit of makeup, they all fight for attention, and none of them win. Exciting colors can also sometimes clash, or take away from the impact of the prom dress itself. Do a little research to find out what your best options might be based on your specific dress and skin tone. Makeup is supposed to highlight your best features, so emphasize the area of your face where you want to draw attention.
Prom Makeup Tip #5: Keep Remover Handy
Mistakes happen, so keep makeup remover handy at all times. There are a ton of different makeup removers to choose from now, even if you have very sensitive skin. Sometimes a tissue or Q-Tip will work well too, but, either way, you want to make sure you’re prepared for touch ups at home, during prom pics, at the venue, and at after prom activities. This prom makeup trick couldn’t get any simpler now that makeup remover wipes are an option. Easily used at home or stashed in a clutch, these little miracles are an absolute lifesaver when it comes to an accidental splotch of mascara on your eyelid or the first makeup go-around when you are still experimenting with colors.
Prom Makeup Tip #6: Get Inspiration
Why not steal a prom makeup look from your fav celebrity? Setting the stage for the rest of the country, celebrities are a fantastic source of inspiration for makeup ideas. The stars have access to panels of makeup experts, stylists, and designers to glam them up any day of the week. Many also frequent runway shows to get the latest and greatest trends. Thankfully, you can benefit from their research too! Getting fresh prom makeup inspiration from well-known actresses and singers is as easy as picking up a magazine or turning on the TV. Internet browsing is just as, if not more, fruitful. Be on the lookout for celebrities wearing evening gowns similar to your prom dress in style or color and see how their makeup could translate to your prom makeup look. Just be mindful that the results vary depending upon skin tone and face shape.
Prom Makeup Tip #7: Find Your Tone
Tackle your tone to get the right makeup for prom. Everybody’s skin is slightly different, but, for the most part, there are ranges that people fall within. Skin tone is probably the determining factor behind what makeup complements your face and defines your features the best. Makeup artist Leah Bennett, who’s worked with stars like Carmen Electra and Adrienne Bailon, suggests earth tones for skin with yellow undertones, warm shades for mocha skin tones, and pale pinks for very light complexions. To get the perfect shade for you, try mixing a few colors together. No one shade is perfect, but there’s always a little wiggle room with the possibility of blending.
Prom Makeup Tip #8: Blot for Lasting Beauty
To keep prom makeup looking on-point all night, blotting sheets work wonders. These little, but powerful, sheets absorb oil that can build up on the skin over the course of the event. Blotting papers usually come in very small, perfectly totable packages to store in a clutch or purse. Even if makeup is long-lasting or waterproof, skin gets naturally shiny over time as oil builds up around the pores. Take a quick bathroom break for touch ups with the blotting wipes to help your face seem freshly done at after prom and beyond.
Prom Makeup Tip #9: Pack a Stain Remover Stick
Staining your prom dress can feel like a total nightmare when it happens, but it shouldn’t interfere with your fun, let alone ruin your night. While doing your makeup, try putting a napkin or towel over your dress to protect it from any potential marks. If you happen to get makeup on your prom dress, step one: Don’t fret. Makeup removal from a prom dress isn’t impossible. There are convenient little stain-fighting pens available for these unfortunate situations. Try testing the stain remover pen on the inner lining of the dress first to make sure it doesn’t damage the color or fabric, and, if all seems well, just dab it on and go.
