Makeup is something I’m very passionate about and interested in. I’ve always loved creating looks of my own, so I was really excited when it came to picking makeup for my formal.
If you haven’t seen part 1 of this series, I strongly suggest you head on over and check it out first, as it contains all the background information and a bunch of helpful hints that I won’t be covering in this part.
For my year 12 formal, I ended up choosing a slightly more intricate dress, so when it came to makeup, I didn’t want anything too dramatic. I just wanted to enhance the overall image.
I decided to stick to fairly neutral colours, but used them in a way that would create that effortless, supermodel glam look.
In year 1o, I had a similar idea, but rather than glam, I went for that Amazonian, bronzed look which was much more natural. I won’t be going into detail on how I did it on this post, but if you would like to see it, comment below or send me a tweet and I will happily do so.
If you’re doing your own makeup like I did, the absolute BEST tip I can give you, is to practice at least once before the big day. That way, if things don’t go smoothly or something just doesn’t look right, you have time to perfect it. After all, formal/prom day is supposed to be fun, not stressful!
Here, you can see the results of my trial run which happened about 2 days before the formal. I didn’t bother doing my skin makeup here, because I wasn’t going anywhere and didn’t want to waste it, but I was really happy with how the eyes turned out, minus a few details.
I apologise for this extremely cringe-worthy selfie, but this is the only picture I took of my makeup on the day. When it comes to big events, I rarely take photos of myself as I like to live in the moment, which isn’t so great when it comes to blog posts! But this is how it looked in weird fluorescent lighting with no editing- just for the benefit of the tutorial.
How to
1. Put on your favourite music. It honestly makes a huge difference in not only how you feel, but ultimately, how the makeup goes on.
2. I have quite dry skin, so I started with my Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser to smooth everything out before the foundation. I also applied my holy grail lip balm, the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick.
TIP: The first step is always prep, especially when it comes to events like these. This extra step will ensure you won’t have to touch up as much throughout the night, which equals more fun for you!
3. Next, I applied my Nars Sheer Glow Foundation with the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. A lot of people are deterred by the name of this as it sounds like it has no coverage. On the contrary, it’s definitely not sheer and doesn’t really glow that much. It just gives you that effortlessly flawless look and is super long lasting. I wouldn’t recommend it for oily skin, but I think the majority of people would enjoy this one.
For reference, I’m the colour Light 4, Deauville and an NC20 in MAC foundations.
TIP: When it comes to special events and flash photography, avoid products that contain SPF to eliminate the dreaded “white cast”.
4. As for my brows, I wanted a little more drama than I have naturally, but nothing too strong. I filled them in and refined my natural shape with the MAC brows (pencil) in the colour Fling, which is perfect for any blondes out there. I also softened them with the Australis brow and lash comb.
TIP: Always build up the colour slowly. If your brows come out too strong, there’s no turning back.
5. For the eyes, I used the Tanya Burr fairytale eye palette. This is honestly my most used combo of eyeshadows- it’s amazing how many different looks you can create with just four colours. Whenever someone asks me for product recommendations, this is the first thing I mention as the colours are universally flattering and the quality is out of this world- well done Tan!
I started by packing cream tea all over the lid and up to the brow bone with a Zoeva 227 Luxe Soft Definer brush. Sneaky tip: using a colour like this as a base makes your eyes look a lot bigger, and helps the other colours to blend in seamlessly.
Next, I took velvet cushion sharply through my crease on the Zoeva 231 Luxe Petit Crease brush. I also worked it into my outer corner and created a winged shape starting from the outer edge of my lower lash line towards the tail of my brow, stopping just short of the brow bone. I then lightly blended the edges with the 227 brush. You can see this shape in the above pictures where my eyes are closed if this doesn’t make sense.
I really wanted to elongate my eyes in this look, so I then took witches cat on the Zoeva 317 Wing Liner brush. I put a tiny amount along my upper lash line to make my eyelashes look thicker, then followed the winged shape I created with velvet cushion. I also put a tiny bit on the very outer corner of my crease, and blended with the 227.
I also put a combination of velvet cushion and witches cat along the outer half of my lower lash line.
TIP: If you haven’t done complex eyeshadow looks before, check out a few YouTube makeup tutorials to get a feel for the placement and a visualisation on how to blend.
6. This is where the eyes transformed completely. On an Australis flat shader brush, I packed MAC’s pigment in English Gilt all over the lid and into the inner corners. This is the perfect ‘rose gold’ shade and absolutely no picture can do it justice.
Very sadly, this was part of the limited edition Objects of Affection collection and came in a set with 4 other pigments, so it’s unavailable at the moment. However, MAC do bring everything back at some stage, so keep your eyes peeled for it!
For alternatives, do check out the pigments from the permanent collection at MAC– there’s quite a range and all of the colours are beautiful!
7. Next, I tightlined and ran the Estee Lauder Pure Colour Intense Kajal Eyeliner along the outer half of my water line. I also added a tiny bit to my lash line and blended it with the Zoeva 317. This really intensified the look and set the stage for the lashes.
I then applied 2 coats of Maybelline’s The Falsies-Flared mascara to my upper and lower lashes.
TIP: If you aren’t comfortable with using a pencil, liquid, or gel liner, slightly dampen your winged liner brush and dip it into a black or brown eyeshadow, then apply it in the same way. That way, if you do mess up, you can easily blend it in and you won’t notice any mishaps.
8. I then applied the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in the “Kim Kardashian Highlight” triangle shape under my eyes, and covered any spots. I blended this with the Zoeva 142 Concealer Buffer.
TIP: Normally, it can be quite flattering to go a shade lighter with your under eye concealer, as it really lifts your complexion. But for special events, I would be careful and do a flash test beforehand, as it could potentially flash back and give you white rings under your eyes in photos.
9. To set everything in place and amp up the coverage, I applied my go to MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation (NC20) with a Napoleon Perdis s26 Finishing Powder Brush.
TIP: If you’re applying a powder foundation as a finishing powder, avoid using too dense of a brush, as you will most likely apply far too much.
10. For blush and bronzer, I used the Tanya Burr Rosy Flush Cheek Palette (currently out of stock). Like the eyeshadows, this palette would be great for the majority of skin tones, and I really recommend it if you can get your hands on it!
First, I “brontoured” with the beach bronze shade on the Zoeva 106 Powder Brush. This is basically bronzing up your skin in a way that also contours your face- be careful with this though, as it doesn’t work for everyone.
I basically take the product on the tip of the brush, and apply it in an upward motion from under my cheekbones and blend heavily. I also bronzed up my temples, top of my forehead, nose, and slightly on my chin and neck to even everything out.
I then applied the Pretty Peony blush to the apples of my cheeks with the Zoeva 127 Luxe Sheer Cheek brush.
11. On the same brush, I highlighted the tops of my cheekbones, bridge of my nose, brow bone, inner corners, and my cupids bow with the MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle.
Highlighting is a step that makes a huge difference to any makeup look, and it’s a step I definitely don’t skip!
12. This is where the glam factor really gets amplified! I applied the MAC 36 false lashes which have a wispy, fluttery length and really wing out at the edges. This really enhanced my natural eye shape and brought drama to the look.
I personally find applying false lashes quite easy (sorry!) so I’m not sure what tips I can give. I don’t use tweezers, I just use my hands and always look down into a mirror to get them as close as possible to the natural lash line.
If you need any extra help, I would check out any of Tanya Burr’s tutorials, or Chloe Morello’s video.
13. To complete the look, I removed any excess lip balm, and applied my favourite peachy nude lip colour- the Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in the colour Bellini.
And there we have it!
My top tips for prom/formal makeup are:
- DO MULTIPLE TEST RUNS!
- Be yourself. Yes, you may want to try out new products and application techniques, but at the end of the day, the confidence within you will shine through if you feel comfortable with what you’re wearing.
- Don’t get too stressed about things going wrong. Put on your favourite music to keep you calm!
- You don’t have to use super expensive products- Priceline has some great high end alternatives and the staff are really great at helping you find exactly what you’re looking for.
- Make sure you allocate yourself a good amount of time to do this on the day and really take your time with the application for best results.
One thing to remember: makeup doesn’t define beauty. Yes, it’s fun to play around with, but that doesn’t mean you have to wear it to be considered beautiful. If you feel beautiful on the inside, this will reflect on the outside. So lift your chin, and smile- that’s all you need- you are beautiful inside and out!
Hopefully I’ve helped you in some sort of way. I hope that every single one of you has a magical day or night, and remember to enjoy yourself. x
p.s. Shoutout to all of my amazing friends you can see in the photos. Thank you for your unconditional support and friendship- I don’t know what I would do without you!
