It’s that time of year again…that special time when high school junior and senior girls start stressing – prom is right around the corner and there’s no amount of preparing you feel like you can do to make this day go smoothly. Well, that’s wrong. While this is an important day, it’s important to remember what really matters. Being with friends, feeling confident and, of course, looking amazing for prom night.
So how do you look your best for prom? The first step is a big one that may take a conscious effort to complete – STOP STRESSING! Not only is stress bad for your studies (finals are coming up soon…) but it also takes a toll on your body. Stress can cause you to break out, even for those who normally don’t have acne problems. This doesn’t just mean on your face, either – body acne is caused by stress as well. And no one wants to be wearing a beautiful strapless dress with huge red growths all over their chest or back, and chances are, whatever you are worried about will work itself out in the end.
If this message reached you too late and your body acne is already flaring up, there’s still time to save your skin. First, don’t over-wash. Ridding your body of all its natural oils makes your skin more susceptible to dirt entering your pores. Dirt in pores = acne flare ups. I’ve always passed up the body washes that are made to banish bacne, and used the same toner I used on my face to dry up any unsightly spots. Use something gentle – like Clinique’s Toning Lotion (I use #2). Keep to it for about a week and your skin will look good as new.
And if you’re experiencing acne on your face, do not, and I mean it, DO NOT, switch anything in your routine. Changing skin care products can give you a bad reaction, and it actually takes your skin around six weeks to readjust to a new product. In those six weeks, you can get more than a few bumps as your skin adjusts. So stick to your daily regimen, even if you feel that zit won’t be gone for the big night. I promise it will!
One of the most important things on prom, second to your dress, is how your makeup and hair look. Let’s talk makeup first. There are a few things you should remember:
There will be TONS of pictures being taken of you. Try not to wear too dark of a color on your eyes, and steer clear of heavy eyeliner. This will make your eyes appear smaller, especially when your eyes are scrunched from smiling.
While super shimmery shadows look amazing in real life, they don’t shoot that well. Ever notice how most eye shadows for weddings are matte colors? It’s so you can see the color in pictures, not the reflection off of your eye from the flash. Try great matte or pearlescent colors, which look flawless in photography.
Pick a makeup artist with experience! Everyone calls themselves a makeup artist these days – be sure to pick someone who has a portfolio you can view before deciding, who will do a trial on you if requested, and someone who listens to you. Nothing is worse than getting your makeup done by someone who does what they want, not what YOU want.
As for your skin, use something with light reflecting properties – use bronzer under cheekbones and highlighting powder right above your blush – your skin will look perfect.
Go easy on the hairspray. When you pay for an updo, you want it to stay throughout the night and after. The biggest mistake most women make, however, is to over-starch your hair with hairspray. If you do, and a curl falls out, good luck using your curling iron to fix it. Not only will it stick to the barrel, but it will most likely look creased and crispy when you’re done.
My suggestion? Use a non-aerosol hairspray (so hard for me to say that, I love me some Aquanet!) with medium to strong hold. Suave has come out with a great line of Professional products that are easy on your budget and work great, pick up one of these at your local drug store and keep it handy until you leave.
Most importantly, make sure to have fun. This only comes around, well, for most people, once in your life, so make your night worthwhile. Don’t touch your face on the dance floor, and if your hair starts to fall, just go with it! Sometimes messy updo’s are sexy!
No comments:
Post a Comment