High drama is required for evening makeup, with a little glitter, eyes that jump, and sensuous lips. You should pull out your best lip, eye, and complexion products to create a midnight look that will turn heads and make you feel like a glam goddess rather than going au naturel (unless that’s your preference). We sought the advice of professional makeup artists Jaleesa Jaikaran and Savannah St. Jean to assist us determine how to perfect our formal makeup appearances.
A licensed makeup artist with a studio in New York City is named Jaleesa Jaikaran.
Owner of Savannah Rae Beauty in Miramar Beach, Florida, and beauty specialist Savannah St. Jean.
Check out the following for a step-by-step tutorial on how to apply formal makeup for a classy night out.
Prepare Skin Correctly
Any makeup process should start with clean skin. Jaikaran advises using a face wash or cleanser made to meet the pH and hydration requirements of your skin while removing debris, bacteria, excess oil, and dead skin cells. When selecting a cleanser, she advises paying attention to your skin. “Choose a cleanser that won’t drain the moisture from the surface of the skin if it feels tight and dry.” In order to let lip products glide on more easily, she also suggests using a gentle sugar scrub to eliminate any roughness and peeling from the lips. The final stage in skin preparation calls for an excellent moisturizer that works to seal in all of the benefits you just applied to your face. This Mary Kay moisturizing serum is a favorite of Jaikaran’s since it leaves the skin feeling lightweight and glowing all over. She claims that it provides a wonderful foundation base that foundation can be applied over easily and seamlessly.
Choosing a Primer for Your Skin Type
Depending on the situation, you’ll utilize a specific primer formula. If you have oily skin, for instance, seek for the terms “mattifying” or “silicone-free,” as these formulations will help minimize shine in areas that produce oil or grease and will also smooth over enlarged pores that might otherwise cause foundation to appear textured. If you have dry skin, search for primers that utilize adjectives like “dewy,” “hydrating,” “luminous,” “brightening,” and “glowing,” such as this one from Pixi that boosts the skin’s luminosity with vitamin C.
Pick Your Foundation Carefully
You probably need a long-wearing foundation if it’s a particular event (after all, no one wants a greasy t-zone come midnight). Jaikaran advises choosing a foundation that provides 12 to 16 hours of wear without compromising the appearance of your skin or creasing and that leaves a perfect, airbrushed look. We like this medium-coverage option from Bobbi Brown because of its long-wearing, transfer- and sweat-resistant composition, which guarantees perfect skin for up to 16 hours.
Work in layers for foundations with medium to full coverage. Use a beauty sponge to gently wipe away excess foundation from regions of your face that are frequently dry after applying a thin layer of foundation to your skin (for example, the sides of your nose). Then add additional layers as required. You can achieve the most natural result by layering the product rather than using a large amount all at once.
If necessary, correct the color
According to Jaikaran, color correcting reduces the amount of concealer or foundation you may have applied on top of a dark circle or blemish. It basically involves choosing a color that will balance the darkness of the circles under your eyes. She says that your color corrector will range from a brilliant to brick-toned orange corrector for dark circles on medium to deep-toned complexion. Your color corrector would likely be in the peach range on light to tan skin tones. The secret, according to her, is to first put the color corrector on top of the area that needs to be corrected and then blend it in with your fingers or a brush. “You can safely cover the area with true to skin concealer when the region appears less dark and closer to your natural skin tone.”
Hide problem areas
That pleasant little guest who decided to appear on your face? St. Jean says it can be fixed with concealer, so don’t worry. The most troublesome spots that might need covering up are acne and under-eye bags, she claims. One expert suggestion is to dab a little translucent powder over the affected area before applying foundation and concealer if you have acne where the products seem to slide right off. After powdering the area, apply the concealer sparingly and use a little brush to soften the corners.
To get the greatest results, it’s recommended to use concealer sparingly under the eyes. Spot concealing is best because this area is prone to fine lines, says St. Jean, who also points out that it might not be essential to apply a thick layer of concealer all over the under-eye area; instead, start by doing so on the inner and outer eye areas and build up as needed. As a result, the area is less prone to creases. This concealer selection from Lancôme comes in wand shape, which is ideal for preventing over-application.
Utilize Powder Wisely
Even though you might be tempted, using less face powder is preferable. Instead than powdering the entire face, St. Jean advises concentrating on the parts that may appear overly shiny on camera, such as the middle of the forehead, the sides of the nose, and the chin. Use a small, fluffy brush to lightly tap the powder into the areas that require it while applying it. Choose a colorless powder, such as this one from Thrive Causemetics; it won’t mess up your newly applied foundation as much.
If you want dewy skin, choose a finishing powder with some iridescence; this will assist to reduce any unwelcome shine while still preserving a skin-like, radiant finish.
Choose a delicate contour.
Your makeup routine’s contouring stage has the power to make or break your appearance; too much will make you look overdone, but the ideal amount will bring definition to all the correct areas. We advise choosing a contour that is at least two to three shades darker than your actual skin tone in order to achieve a happy medium. Jaikaran advises using the product on the bottom of your cheeks, along the jawline, close to your hairline, at the top of your head, and along the sides of your nose to create a delicate contour. For the broad parts of the face, she advises using an angled brush and light strokes with the contour, being sure to buff upward. “To provide subtle definition and a more sculpted appearance to the forehead and nose areas, use a smaller brush and mix in the product.”
Blush Adds Color
At this stage, if your makeup still looks flat, add some blush to give it some life. We prefer cream formulations that last throughout the event and leave behind a natural flush because blush is one of the first cosmetics to fade. This product by Jane Iredale, which comes in five shades, is both aesthetically pleasing and beneficial to the skin. Jojoba seed oil smoothes the face while the blendable powder provides just the right amount of color.
Put a highlighter on.
Jaikaran advises applying highlighter to the high points of the face to draw attention to or emphasize certain features. She adds, “I really adore placing product along the bridge of the nose, under the brow bone, and on the highest points of the cheekbones. “Try putting highlighter along the cupid’s bow at the top of lips to add a little more glitter for a special event.”
Select an eye gaze
Consider a smokey eye, a timeless look. St. Jean suggests applying eyeshadow as follows: “Use a fluffy makeup brush to apply a dark eyeshadow wash all over the eyelid, and then blend the shadow into the crease. Avoid blending the darkness too far upwards. The objective of blending is to make the shadow’s edges softer.” To elevate the eye, simply apply a matte liquid eyeliner to the upper lash line. It’s time for lashes.
Enhance Lashes
A smoky eye might cause your lashes to be overshadowed, so choose a high-intensity volumizing mascara that will draw attention to them, like this one from Doucce, which has extra-large fiber bristles that help even the most resistant lashes grow longer and more voluminously.
Bridal Brows
We all know that the brows frame the face, thus maintaining them is essential. St. Jean advises brushing the brow hairs upward and outward when applying brow gel or pomade. It will open the eye area and make your brows appear larger by doing this. She advises using a sharpened brow pencil or a tiny, angled brush and some brow pigment to try to mimic brow hairs by flicking delicate lines upward if necessary if there are any sparse spots after doing this.
Animate Your Lips
Play up your lips with a liquid-to-matte formula like this one from Cover FX to complete your evening makeup look; it will persist through photos, eating, and drinking (sans crusty dryness, of course).
