Pretty prom makeup
Prom is a great time to try out a more grown-up makeup look. Aside from weddings, it’s one of the few occasions for teenagers to get dressed up and dolled up. If you’re not that familiar yet with what looks best for your features, it’s a good idea to go with a makeup artist that you can trust.
If you have not had your prom or graduation ball yet, I would definitely go with this advice for your makeup: When you’re still in school or just about to graduate, you want to look sophisticated, but never older than you are. (I am cringing at the memory of my junior prom, where the makeup artist did my makeup way too harshly.)
Makeup artist Janice Mata-Barillo, also known as Janice the Beauty Fairy, described how she came up with this look for Anika. “Anika is sweet 16. Since she’s very young and has a very pretty face, I don’t want her to look old with her makeup,” Janice said. • To cover blemishes, which is common in teenage skin, a creamy base was applied thinly. This was followed by a small amount of foundation. Concealer was applied under the eyes.
• Janice felt that since Anika already has the perfect face shape, no contouring was needed. When you’re young, contouring is really not necessary and tends to make you look a bit older. Enjoy those contour-free days while you can!
• Janice went with the gradient brow effect on Anika’s eyes: Very soft on the inner corners, and a bit more defined on the outer corners. Brows are important for a youthful look. Never draw them on too harshly, and go with a color just a little lighter than your hair.
• Anika’s soft smokey eyes were achieved with shades of copper, brown and gold, which are far less harsh for her age than black and gray. Black liner was used all around her eyes and softly blended to frame her eye shape. To keep the eyes looking bright, a lighter eyeshadow was applied on the inner corners. Use mascara and false lashes, since the look is for a special occasion.
• To give cheeks some dimension, a rosy plum blush was lightly dusted on her cheeks. A highlighter blended on the apples of the cheeks gives a young and pretty glow perfect for Anika’s age.
• A classic matte red lipstick contrasted nicely with Anika’s white prom dress and silver accessories, and did not look too harsh with her subtly smokey eyes.
• To finish the look, Anika’s hair was done in a soft updo with volume at the crown, accessorized with crystal hair pins. The updo showed off both her pretty face and the sparkly details on her dress.