Must-Have Makeup for Prom: Time for Pre-Prom Prep!

In addition to a beautiful dress & perfectly coiffed hair, you will need a specialized makeup routine to ensure your look lasts through the night. It's important to find long lasting makeup products that will survive a night of dancing and picture taking under hot studio lights. You also want to consider keeping your look young & fun, while coordinating with the prom theme chosen by your school.

(To see makeup suggestions & dresses for the top prom themes. click here!)

All the dancing & picture taking under hot studio lamps will put your makeup to the test! Select waterproof or water resistant mascara, eye liner, and lipstick. If you have oily skin, you also might want to choose water resistant foundation. Some good selections are Maybelline’s Volum’ Express Waterproof Mascara, Wet & Wild H2O Proof Liquid Liner, MUFE Aqua Rouge Lipstick, and Clinique Superbalanced Makeup.

Unless your complexion is very dry, this is a must-have. Most proms (regardless of theme) set up big studio lights, especially for picture taking. This hot lights amp up oil production, so be sure to apply an absorbent powder to prevent shine! Your best bet is one without Talc (because talc can create a whitish cast in photographs). Try Mattify Cosmetic's ULTRA Powder for Oily Skin. It’s packed with 100% natural oil absorbent ingredients and contains no skin irritants like Talc or Bismuth. You can apply with a powder puff after your foundation is in place, but be sure to blend with a fluffy powder brush to get an air-brushed, movie-star makeup look.

Highlight your best features & down-play your worst. Use a contouring bronzer to slim the sides of your face, and sides of your nose. See the before & after pic? Contouring creates a dramatic difference in the way you look. There are several tutorials for how to contour your face online, so read up & practice the weekend before prom, to perfect your technique. Contouring bronzers come in cream or powder form, so try out a few and see which will work best for you. If you have oily skin, be sure to select one that does not contain oil. Try NYX Matte Powder Bronzer or ELF Studio Contouring Bronzing Cream.

Highlighter is applied to the areas you want to brighten. Applied to the inner corner of eyes, under brow bones, at the center of cupid’s bow, and at the tip of your nose, highlighter will add an ethereal glow to your entire face. Try Mattify Cosmetics Powder Highlighter or ELF Cream All Over Color Stick.

After all of your makeup is in place, mist your complexion with a makeup setting spray to prevent smudges and transfer onto clothing. As we talked about, the special lighting used for pictures can cause problems with the beautiful makeup look you took so long to apply. The lights tend to melt & soften makeup, but Makeup Setting Spray will prevent this from happening. Try Urban Decay De-Slick Setting Spray or Model in a Bottle Spray.

These long lasting makeup items will ensure your prom stays looking fabulous, long after the dance has ended. Cheers to Prom Night!