In today’s article, I’m going to give you 3 Prom Makeup Tips for a Perfect 2017 Prom So, sit back, get comfortable and get thinking about how you can achieve your perfect prom makeup look.
3 Prom Makeup Tips for a Perfect 2017 Prom
First, I will explain how you can make sure your prom makeup lasts all night with long-wearing makeup and primer. Next, we will go on to how you can get those perfect prom photographs and avoid flashback. And, I will finish with tips on how to make your favourite features stand out on the big night.
Be sure to make your makeup last all night with good priming techniques and long-lasting makeup products.
Choose products with a low SPF to avoid flashback on your photographs.
Choose your favourite facial feature to emphasise on the night and leave your friends and family amazed!
How to get your makeup to last all night!
The last thing you want when you’re celebrating your prom with your friends is to look in the mirror and find your makeup is patchy! But, don’t worry, there are simple ways to make sure you’re looking photo-ready from start to finish.
Primers
I am a huge fan of primers, I write about them a lot. I believe that the key to good makeup is making sure you have a solid base to work from. I do this with priming the skin before applying the makeup.
Primers will help hold on your makeup and avoid that scary patchy mirror scenario. You will also find that products are easier to apply and you get an even colour if you prime your skin well.
As well as using face primer, you should also prime your eyelids. This will stop your eye shadows from creasing and will help you when blending out the shadow.
My favourite primers are:
- MAC Skin Base Primer – I love this primer! It contains silicone which will give more slip to your skin and allow your foundation to glide on effortlessly. There are also optical diffusers in this primer that give you a smoother skin look and feel by blurring our the lines and pores. I always tell my clients that this product is like a filter for the skin.
- MAC 24-hour Extended Eye Base – this does exactly what it says on the box, it will keep your eye-shadow in place for 24 hours! It is also waterproof so if, like me, you tend to get watery eyes or a little teary it won’t disrupt the makeup. (We all know those prom nights can be emotional). I find this primer gives maximum coverage to your eye shadows and makes them look super pigmented. So, if you are looking for a more affordable way to get great eye shadow, invest in a quality eye primer.
You can also use other long-wearing products such as: blusher, eye pencils and waterproof mascara. My recommendations are:
- Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush – this blusher is super soft and easy to blend. If you have problems with your blushers not lasting then this product is perfect. The blusher will last for up to 12 hours and stay colour true without fading throughout the day. Remember, the amazonian clay are super pigmented so be careful how much you put on the brush.
- Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil – I love how creamy these pencils are, they don’t drag on the eyes at all. You also have a bit of play time before they set so you can blend them out to create a smokey look. However, once these pencils set they do not budge! It’s perfect for in the waterline too as it does not fade. There are various colours to choose from and eyelines are a great way to introduce a quick, pop of colour.
- MAC Extended Play Mascara – I love Extended Play Mascara! It’s a water-resistant mascara rather than waterproof* and it lasts up to 16 hours without transfer or smudge. The wand is nice and small so you can coat each individual lash and it’s perfect for the lower lash line. Also, if you have sensitive eyes or wear contacts then this product is ideal. The mascara has thermal-sensitive technology which makes it easy to remove with warm water.
*p.s I’m personally not a fan of waterproof mascaras but if you have got a favourite please carry on using it. I find that they are harder to work with and a pain to remove.
Avoiding the Dreaded Camera Flashback
We have all seen it, the dreaded ghostly white effect that the flash of a camera can have on your makeup. This is caused by the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of your foundation product. You can avoid this by simply using a foundation with low SPF, 10 or below, or with no SPF at all. But, remember to use foundation with SPF on a normal sunny day, I only advise this if you’re not going to be spending time in the sun.
My favourite products are:
- MAC Face and Body Foundation – if you don’t like wearing a lot of makeup or foundation this is perfect for you. The coverage is sheer allowing some of your natural skin colours to show through. The foundation also has 0 SPF which looks beautiful on camera. It has a subtle glow to the finish and I find this foundation works on a lot of skin types.
Pro Tip: if you’re not a fan of fake-tan but want a warm glow to your skin. You can use this on your legs, arms and chest. It won’t run, it’s easy to blend and you can wash it off the next day. I use this technique a lot on my skin.
- MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation – again, there is no SPF in this foundation and it’s my go-to foundation! It has super full coverage because it also acts as a concealer – a little goes a long way. I would start off by putting 2 small dots in the centre of the face and blend outwards. You can always add more if you need to. It has a satin finish which means it has a skin like texture. Itt lasts for a whole 24 hours and it’s waterproof so you can go dancing in the rain and it won’t go anywhere.
Pro Tip: I find this foundation goes on a lot paler and oxidises very quickly. I would recommend going a lighter shade to avoid an orange look to your face.
- L’Oreal Paris Infallible 24 Hour Foundation – it doesn’t state that there is an SPF in this foundation but I have tried it on camera and it photographs beautifully. This foundation is a perfect, long-wearing, drugstore foundation. I love that it looks like skin even though it is a medium buildable coverage. It does have a bit of glow but nothing too intense. I think this foundation would work really well on a normal, combination and oily skin type.
Choose your Stand-Out Feature
When it comes to picking a makeup style, you should ask yourself questions like:
- What’s my favourite feature?
- What do I want to stand out?
Then, I would base your makeup around that area of the face. For example, if you love your eyes and want them to be the main focus of the makeup, I would select colours that are going to compliment your eye colour and make them pop.
- Blue eyes- I would use warm tones such as, browns, oranges, copper tones and golds.
- Brown eyes- purple, pink, green and blue colours look great.
- Green eyes- red and copper tones work really well.
Pro Tip: if you are going for a bold eye, pair it with a nude lip and vice versa. This will make your preferred feature stand out and compliment the makeup.
That’s all for this blog post guys, I hope you all feel inspired and excited for your prom. I will be doing more blog posts to help you pick makeup for your prom, whether it’s to match your prom dress or a celebrity makeup style.
You can also check out some of the prom makeup styles I have created for my clients. Or, follow me on Instagram for lots of makeup inspiration.
