Getting Prom Ready

With prom season now upon us, instead of doing another round of makeup tutorials, I thought I'd put together my tips and recommendations of how to get ready. Even if you're not going to prom, these tips are suitable for any special occasion. 

Skincare:

Prepping the skin is just as important as the makeup. If your skin looks good without makeup, it's going to look great with makeup. Whenever I have a special occasion coming up, there are certain products I use beforehand.

1. About a day or two before the event, I'll do a deep pore cleansing mask to clarify the skin and really clear up any breakouts. My favourite one is the Una Brennan Salicylic Clay Mask because it clears my skin up without making me go through a breakout stage. I recommend using a flat foundation brush to apply your mask for an even application. 
2. On the day of the event, I like to use an exfoliating mask to really smooth out the skin so foundation sits better. My mask of choice is the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask because it leaves a really glowing base. 

Hair:

If your hair is anything like mine, it's a mammoth task to style. For that reason, I like to get my hair done by my hairdresser because I know it will look good. That being said, there are things I do to prep my hair prior to an important event like prom. I like to do a deep conditioning treatment a couple days before so my hair is nice and shiny and hydrated.

Body:

On the day of the event, exfoliate and hydrate. This combination will make the skin glow. I like to slather my limbs with a body butter so that my skin looks and feels really smooth. You might want to consider products like the Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs or the This Works Perfect Legs Skin Miracle. They're basically lotions which have a slight tint to them. I've not tried either of them, but I've heard great things. If you're going to use something like that, try it out at least once before the big event. You don't want any surprises on the day. 

Nails:

Prepping the nails is really important if you're doing them yourself. Hydrate your cuticles, file your nails and buff them. If it's a really special occasion, I'll get Shellac done because I don't have to worry about it chipping or smudging. This means I can even get them done a couple of days before so there's less to do on the day of the event. 

Makeup:

My biggest tip is to stick to products you know. Now is not the time to try out a product for the first time. Use products you know work well for you. You might also want to avoid products with SPF as they tend to give you a white cast in flash photography. 

The other bit of advice is to practise the look you're going to do if you haven't done it before. When I went to prom, I tried out my makeup several times to make sure I knew what I wanted to do and how it was going to last. If you're doing your friends makeup too, get together beforehand to trial the look they want. That way on the day, you won't get stressed thinking about what you might want to do or what looks good. 

One last generic tip, if you get waxing, threading or any kind of hair removal that isn't shaving, schedule it a few days before the event. You never know if your going to get any redness so it's just better to have a few days for things to settle down. If that isn't option and you do end up getting a bit of redness, try putting a cold flannel on the area. This is also a great tip if you have a puffy face or puffy eyes. It will immediately soothe the area and bring down the swelling. 

So those are all my tips on getting ready for prom or any other special occasion! If you have any extra additions, please leave them in the comments. If do you want a prom makeup tutorial, I did a series last year which you can check out. They include a golden eye look, a romantic makeup tutorial and a red lips and winged liner tutorial. All of those posts have extra tips and tricks too. If you want even more makeup goodness, I recommend this tutorial by the lovely Karima Mckimmie. I've mentioned her before but I love her channel and blog. She gives great advice and her tutorials are stunning. Her take on makeup is very Lisa Eldridge esque and I just love her to bits. Her prom tutorial in particular is filled with useful tips and three different variations of the look. 

Thanks for reading,

Avani 

xoxo