Best prom makeup for blue eyes

Prom night-- possibly one of the most exciting nights of your entire life! This is a night you're going to remember forever. Everyone is going to be looking their best, and everyone will want to stand out. You have one fabulous feature that can help you do that-- your eyes!

Blue eyes are among the rarest eye colors (in fact, they're so rare they will probably be extinct in a few decades!). After you've picked your dress, your hair style, gotten your nails done and are all set to put on your face, turn your attention to make your eyes gorgeous and alluring! There are a couple of different ways to pull off some great looks that will highlight this beautiful feature.

When you're getting ready for a formal evening, it can be very tempting to want to put on a lot of make up. It's a formal, after all, and you're getting into your fanciest outfit, so it almost seems like a given.

Well-- it's not! Sometimes, understatement works best. Too much make up can sometimes compete with the feature you're trying to show off instead of enhancing it.

If you look at the picture above, the girl has such a beautiful, light peaches-and-cream complexion and such dark eyebrows and lashes that she didn't need to overdo it much to get a dramatic look. Remember-- less can be more. By keeping her eye shadow color light and neutral, and using a thick black liner and mascara, her blue eyes really pop-- they are the star of her face!

If you do decide to go with a color for your blue eyes, you have to keep a few things in mind:

- skin tone

- shade of blue

- dress/accessores

You don't want your chosen eye color to clash with any of those things.

The first thing to consider is your skin tone. Get some colored papers or fabrics (printer paper, construction paper, or raid your wardrobe for different colored shirts). Go somewhere there is good, natural lighting, such as near a window on a sunny day. Look in the mirror and hold up different colors to your skin.

Do you notice the way your skin looks different near different colors? That's because your skin tone is made up of a lot of different shades. The wrong color can make your skin look ruddy and red, or sallow and yellowish. You want to choose the color family that brings out your best natural tones in your skin. If your skin looks great next to a lavender sweater, it's going to look great with lavender eye shadow. If neutrals suit you best, go for the creams and tans.

Consider also which colors best bring out the shade of blue in your eyes. If your eyes are a bright, clear blue, you might notice that oranges and yellows really make them pop-- it might be a good base color for your eye shadow choice. Those with grayish-blue eyes may notice that white and black make them smolder.

Play around with colors to find those that work best with your skin and eyes-- and don't forget that they should also match your dress!

It can be very tempting to pick up a lot of bold, shimmery, glitter colors for your eyes. It is a glitzy and glamorous evening, after all, right?

Wrong-- when it comes to eye shimmer, a little goes a long way. Too much, and you may find your prom pictures make your eyes look like a disco ball reject from the 70s.

If you do want to add some shimmer, the most strategic places to put a little is right below the eyebrow, following along the line of the arch, or lining the bottom of your eyes. You may notice in the photo above that the young lady added some shimmery liner to bring out her eyes, and left the rest of the glittery stuff in her jewelry to make her sparkle.

It's important to shape your eyes well-- this can take practice but it's worth developing the skill.

The first important shape is the eyebrow. If you've never tweezed your eyebrows before, you don't want to start just before prom-- trust me! Go to a professional! If you have tweezed your brows and developed some skill in that area, tweeze them and shape them the night or two before prom so they will not be red or irritated on prom night.

The next shape you want to focus on is bringing out the outer edges of the eyes for a more glamorous, deep-set look. Always sweep the make up brush up and away, toward the temple, creating a gently, shadowy 'point'. Use the darkest color of your eye shadow set to do this.

The final step is in shaping your eyeliner. It should start out near (not in) the inner corner of your eye as very thin, and get thicker as it reaches the outer corner of your eye. You can even extend it a little beyond that outer corner to give yourself 'doe eyes', but make sure to follow your natural crease.

See below for visual aids.

For eyelashes, mascara is the best option, as it dramatically enhances the looks of your eyes. For making a perfect combination with splendid blue eyes, use black or deep brown mascara. Mascara is best applied in layered, light coats- allowing a minute or so for them to dry in between. Trying to put on a thick layer all at once will result in gunky, clumpy lashes.

Fake lashes are another option for a glamorous night like this, particularly if your natural lashes are thin and light. If you are intending to use fake eyelashes then practice with them ahead of time.

Finish off the look with a flawless complexion (or well-applied cover-up), a faint blush in your cheeks and luscious lips-- you will be the belle of the ball!