8 Makeup Looks That Will Basically Beg You to Take Selfies
If you've ever gone to a formal, you know the most stressful part of getting ready for an event is figuring out what you're going to wear. That anxiety is closely followed by the question of WTF are you're going to do with your hair and makeup? Here, Regan Rabanal, MAC Cosmetics senior makeup artist, and celebrity hairstylist Laura Polko take the guesswork out of getting ready.
1. Amethyst Eye Shadow and Pale Pink Lip + Emerald Green Pleated Gown
It's safe to say that jewel tones go well with other jewel tones. If you're dying to wear a deep green dress, a pretty purple shadow is the perfect complement (as you can see below on model Kamie Crawford).
Emerald Plunge-Neck Pleated Gown, FAME AND PARTNERS, $249; Green Crystal Mismatched Earrings, ELIZABETH COLE, $268; Gold Tassel Necklace, LULU FROST, $238
To get the look: Create a smoky effect with a shimmery purple shadow stick, like Rimmel london ScandalEyes Shadow Stick in "Paranoid Purple," line the inner upper and lower rims of your eyes with a waterproof kohl pencil, and top your lashes with mascara.
Emerald Plunge-Neck Pleated Gown, FAME AND PARTNERS, $265; Green Crystal Mismatched Earrings, ELIZABETH COLE, $268; Gold Tassel Necklace, LULU FROST, $238; Gold Chain and Tassel Cuff, HENRI BENDEL, $139
With a plunging neckline like this one and a makeup look that is super-intense, Polko suggests keeping your hair minimal.
2. Bronze Makeup and Dewy Skin + Pastel Yellow Lace Midi
If you're planning on wearing a pastel yellow number to prom, like model Naja's, go with makeup that brings warmth to your face and has a coral undertone, Rabanal suggests. Orange and yellow are next to each other in the rainbow and naturally go together, so it will be a winning combo.
Yellow Lace Midi Dress, SELF PORTRAIT (Available at Net-A-Porter), $480; Gold Crystal Flower Earrings, LELE SADOUGHI, $198
To get the look: Add warmth to your skin with a matte bronzer, like NYX Cosmetics Matte Bronzer, along your hairline, bridge of nose, and high points of your cheeks. Next, dust a bronze shadow into the crease of your eyes, like MAC Cosmetics Eye Shadow X 9: Dusky Rose Times Nine in "Quiet Time," and pat a highlighter, like Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003 in "Nude" or "Fine Gold," along the top of your cheekbones toward your temples to give your skin a sexy sheen that will catch the light perfectly in your prom pics.
Finally, top your lashes with mascara, like Revlon Ultimate All-In-One Mascara, and dab a pinky salmon-colored gloss on your lips and cheeks, like MAC Cosmetics Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in "Rich & Restless" for a hint of coordinated color.
Yellow Lace Midi Dress, SELF PORTRAIT (Available at Net-A-Porter), $480; Gold Crystal Flower Earrings, LELE SADOUGHI, $198; Nude Scalloped Pump, PAUL ANDREW (Available at Shopbop), $675
As for your hair, Polko recommends smoothing it out using the heat of a blow-dryer and a round brush, deeply parting it to the side, and then using a 1.25-inch curling iron, like the GHD Soft Curl Iron, to give the hair in front a subtle bend. Finally, spray it with hairspray to smooth any flyaways and keep it back with three Scunci No-Slip Bobby Pins.
3. Bronze Smoky Eye + Dusty Rose Plunging Maxi
Any time you have multiple tones in a dress, it's nice to highlight them in your makeup to pull your look together. Here, Rabanal used a golden brown shimmery shadow to complement the dusty rose and gray tones.
Pink Patterned Maxi Dress, FOR LOVE & LEMONS, $365;Multicolor Stone Fan Earrings, ELIZABETH COLE, $173; Gold and Faux Pearl Cluster Ring, LULU FROST, $115
To get the look: Create a winged almond-shaped eye using creamy brown shadow with gold shimmer in it (try the bronze shadow in NYC New York Color Lovatics by Demi Eye Shadow Kit Compact), rim your inner upper and lower lashlines with black liner, like Prestige Eyeliner in "Black," and apply a few coats of mascara, like MAC Cosmetics In Extreme Dimension 3-D Black Lash. Then contour the cheeks (try L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro Contour Palette in "Deep"), and put a soft pink, like NYX Cosmetics Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in "Frappucino," to finish off the look.
Pink Patterned Maxi Dress, FOR LOVE & LEMONS, $365; Multicolor Stone Fan Earrings, ELIZABETH COLE, $173; Silver Strappy Heels, SCHUTZ, $170
As for a perfect hairstyle to pair with it, Polko suggests a unique Dutch braid that starts at the very back of your part that continues along your part, across your hairline, and is secured behind your ear into a baby ponytail with a Scunci elastic.
4. Periwinkle Liner + Laser-Cut Mini
"A lot of people want to experiment with color for a formal, so using it as an accent to your normal makeup is the easiest way to incorporate it without it feeling forced," Rabanal says.
Blue Lace Mini Dress, SELF PORTRAIT (Available at ASOS), $445; Gold Cube Dangle Earrings,YAEL SONIA, $8,000
To get the look: Line your lower lashline with MAC Cosmetics Technakohl Liner in "Metallic Deep Skyblue," then line your upper lashline with black liner, like Clio Waterproof Pen Liner in "Killer Black." Pat a pinkish berry stain onto your lips, like E.L.F. Cosmetics Lip Stain.
Blue Lace Mini Dress, SELF PORTRAIT (Available at ASOS), $445; Gold Cube Dangle Earrings, YAEL SONIA, $8000
Finish off your look with a sleek hairstyle. To recreate this one, Polko suggests creating a dead-center part using a fine-toothed comb, smoothing down the hair along your hairline with pomade, like Reverie Rake Styling Balm, and using L'Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Strong Hold Hairspray to keep it sleek.
5. Sleek Cat-Eye + Sexy LRD (Long Red Dress)
"When you're wearing a bold red dress like the one Kamie is in here, you want to apply makeup that will complement it, not compete with it, " Rabanal says.
Red Satin Wrap Dress, FAME AND PARTNERS, $219; Mismatched Gold Dangle Earrings, ELIZABETH COLE, $133; Gold Ram Head Collar Necklace, ELIZABETH COLE, $198
To get the look: Top your eyelids with a taupe-y brown shadow, like Maybelline New York Expert Wear Eyeshadow Single in "Tastefully Taupe," and then apply dramatic black liner using an angle brush pot of gel liner, like H&M Black Gel Eyeliner. Pro tip: Rabanal suggests lining your eyes as usual on the top and bottom, then drawing the flick of the cat-eye while your eyes are open, so you know exactly what the wing will look like when you're done. Um, genius. Dust on a pretty pink blush (try Milani Baked Blush in "Delizioso") and a berry stain, like Palladio Cosmetic Lip Stain in "Berry," to tie in your red dress but not take away from it.
Red Satin Wrap Dress, FAME AND PARTNERS, $219; Mismatched Gold Dangle Earrings, ELIZABETH COLE, $133; Gold Ram Head Collar Necklace, ELIZABETH COLE, $198; Gold Feather Cuff, LULU FROST, $250; Nude Strappy Heels, SCHUTZ, $170
For Kamie's sporty pony, Polko says to use a boar bristle brush and hair serum, like Living Proof Satin Hair Serum, to pull it into a bump-free sleek style. Secure with an elastic to finish.
6. Sexy Scarlet Lip + One-Shoulder White Gown
If you're opting for a super-glam, stunning stark white gown, go for that red lip classic thing that you like.
Ivory One-Shoulder Cape Dress, JILL JILL STUART, $328; Silver Crystal Staircase Earrings, DANNIJO, $495
To get the look: Apply your usual foundation with a makeup sponge. Subtly contour your cheeks with Rimmel London Kate Sculpting and Highlighting Kit. Use a waterproof black kohl liner, like Ardency Inn Modster Smooth Ride Supercharged Eyeliner in "Black," to line the inner rim of your eyes, then apply a few coats of mascara, like L'Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara, and then a matte red lip color, like CoverGirl Colorlicious Lipstick in "Hot."
Ivory One-Shoulder Cape Dress, JILL JILL STUART, $328; Silver Crystal Staircase Earrings, DANNIJO, $495; Silver and Crystal Cuff, HENRI BENDEL, $111
To copy Naja's coif, Polko recommends smoothing your hair with a blow-dryer-and-round-brush combo, sectioning out the middle of your hair from your hairline to the crown, and wrapping it around the iron toward the back of your head. That way you can wear your part however you'd like it. Finally, use a boar bristle brush, like Spornette's, to break up the curl and make it more uniform, giving it that Old Hollywood glamorous look.
7. Charcoal Smoky Eye and Neutral Lip + Black Cutout Gown
A long black dress like this is the ultimate backdrop to a dramatic makeup look, Rabanal says. "You can really create any look against it, but I chose a sultry smoky eye to play up the dress's drama."
Black Strappy Gown, JILL JILL STUART, $328; Gold Crystal Drop Earrings, ALEXIS BITTAR, $494
To get the look: Create a black smoky eye by applying black cream liner, Wet n Wild MegaEyes Creme Eyeliner, along your upper lashline and on the inner rim of your lower lash line. Next, smudge out the top liner with a tapered blending brush, like MAC's 224 brush, to create an almond shape to elongate your eye, leaving the lower lash liner alone. Then, contour your cheeks with a coral blush, like Revlon Powder Blush in "Classy Coral," apply a tawny lip color like CoverGirl Queen Collection Lipcolor in "Tawny Port," and trace your cupid's bow with gold powder, like MAC Cosmetics Mineralize SkinFinish in "Gold Deposit."
Black Strappy Gown, JILL JILL STUART, $328; Gold Crystal Drop Earrings, ALEXIS BITTAR, $494
To get Kamie's sleek hairstyle, straighten your hair, part your hair to the side in a deep part, slick it back into a low ponytail, and hit it with a shine hairspray, like Oribe Shine Light Reflecting Spray.
8. Mixed Metals Liner + Plunging Silver Grecian Mini
If your dress is in the neutral family and has a grayish tone with some warmth to it, choose a taupe smoky eye with pewter accents to complement its shimmery effect.
Silver Grecian Mini Dress, FAME AND PARTNERS, $219; Gold Vine Headband, LULU FROST, $195
To get the look: Create an elongated oval shape to your eye with a sheer bronze shadow, and then pat some pewter shadow, like ColourPop Liberty, onto the inner and outer corners of your eye, and under your lash line for dimension. Next, trace the upper and lower inner rim of your eyes with black liner (try MAC Cosmetics Pro Longwear Eye Liner), subtly contour your cheekbone with a powder that is a deeper shade than your skin tone, like Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation, and put a clear balm on your lips, like H&M Conscious Lip Balm in "Raspberry."
Silver Grecian Mini Dress, FAME AND PARTNERS, $219; Gold Vine Headband, LULU FROST, $195; White Crystal Flower Ring, LELE SADOUGHI, $150
To add the Grecian look of this dress, Polko says to go for braids, and then add a bejeweled headband underneath the braids to finish your look.
Models: Naja Derenoncourt, Kamie Crawford
Get non-boring fashion and beauty news directly in your feed. Follow Facebook.com/CosmoBeauty.
