Prom Makeup Tips
Prom season is upon us, and while you may be focused on finding a date or choosing your dress, what often causes people the most amount of stress before the dance is their makeup. Whether your eyeshadow is not blending or that blush is NOT your shade, makeup can make or break your prom night. But have no fear! I am here to impart some advice for making the perfect kit for any dance or event.
Foundation: Liquid or Powder? Light or Full Coverage?
When going through the makeup aisle, you’ll be bombarded with different options, but by far the most common type of foundation that you’ll see is liquid foundation. This is for good reason. Liquid foundation is easy to blend out and can work on numerous skin types. Powder foundation, on the other hand, will only work if you have very oily skin and takes a bit more finesse to make work.
As for what type of coverage you should look for, I recommend a medium coverage. That way, you don’t get the cakie-ness of many full-coverage foundations, but you’ll be able to even out your skin tone better and cover up blemishes better than a light-coverage foundation.
Foundation: How do I find my shade?
Foundation is the foundation of your makeup look (duh). If you’re going to spend the most time picking a product, make sure it’s your foundation. While it is arguably the most important makeup step, it is also the most intimidating. After all, if you’re even one shade off, your whole look will be ruined.
I suggest going to Sephora to get a shade match. That doesn’t mean that you actually have to buy your foundation there, but the free samples can give you a place to start.
Whichever brand you choose at Sephora doesn’t matter if you’re just going there for the shade match and if an employee is giving you a shade match, ask if you can also take home a sample of one shade lighter and one chase darker. You never know what that in-store lighting can do to you.
If you’re matching yourself, make sure you are matching against your face, not your neck or hands.
Foundation: What foundation is good for me?
Before you buy a foundation, I recommend looking up reviews from people who A) Have the same skin tone as you and B) Have the same skin type (dry, oily, etc.).
What might work for someone with oily skin will probably look terrible on someone with dry skin, and there’s no point in buying a foundation that doesn’t even come in your shade.
Generally, if you have oily skin, a matte foundation should prevent you from looking shiny, and for those with dry skin (such as myself), a foundation with a dewy finish will make your skin look hydrated.
Foundation: Drug store or Luxury?
If you’re going to splurge on one step of your makeup routine, I would recommend you spend that money on foundation. Foundation can last you for years so even if you’re paying a bit more the price is worth it. That being said, there are a lot of options at the drugstore as well, especially if you’re just starting out.
Foundation: My Recommendations
If you’re looking to get your first foundation, I would suggest the Maybelline Fit Me foundation. What is nice about this foundation line is that they come in both matte and dewy finishes (not to mention powder foundations and concealers), so no matter what type of skin you have, you’ll find a foundation that suits you. I personally used to use their matte foundation. Even though it was a matte foundation, I didn’t find it drying and the shade match was practically perfect.
Of course, I also have to recommend the Haus Labs foundation if you’re looking to splurge. This foundation practically melts into your skin and it has very buildable coverage, allowing you to put on a little for an everyday look or to build it up for something more full coverage and glam.
Blush
In full honesty, I really don’t pay that much attention to my blush and usually use the same shade for all occasions. My recommendation for blush is ELF’s putty blushes. They come in numerous shades and they offer a natural finish.
Contour and Bronzer
Is there technically a difference between contour and bronzer? Yes. Do you really need to worry about it? No! Generally, contour is generally cooler in tone whereas bronzer is warmer. For some bronzer/contour recommendations, I would go with NYX’s wonder stick which is both a contour and highlighter, and ELF’s putty bronzer, which comes in the same format as their blush.
Eyeshadow
This is what sets apart your everyday makeup and full glam. I really recommend practicing a 2016-esque eyeshadow look for prom. After all, if you’re going full out with your dress, why not bring that same level of opulence to your makeup? A good eyeshadow palette should contain a black, neutral shades, and (of course) shimmer. My go-to recommendation is NYX’s ultimate palette which is a blend of glam and everyday use.
Mascara, Eyeliner, and Everything Else
In full honesty, the rest of your look is up to your own personal preference. It’s up to you if you like lengthening or volumizing mascara, or if you work best with pencil or liquid liner. Overall, my biggest advice with your makeup is to use it. Don’t buy a new product or try a new look on the day of prom, trust me.