Easy Prom Hair and Makeup Tips

You don’t have to spend a fortune on your hair and makeup for prom when you can easily do it yourself with a few simple suggestions.

Prom is all about becoming a real-life princess for a night. So why not have the hair and makeup to match? Be the prettiest girl at the prom by following these tips. They’re a surefire way to have all eyes on you on the big night.

Primping for Prom: a Soft Look vs. an Edgier Look

It’s okay to go for a classic look for the prom. It’s classic for a reason-it looks flattering on everyone. Starting with your eyes, line the upper and lower lashlines with a moistened deep purple eyeshadow in powder form. Make sure to get from the inside corner to just beyond the outside corner of the lid to form a sleek cat-eye look. Repeat again, only this time, apply dry powder in the same color over lids, and then lightly smudge. Brush a bright pink shadow from the inside of your lid to the center, being careful not to go above the crease. Blend a lavender eyeshadow over your entire lid, sweeping some just beyond the outside corner. Coat top lashes with a volumizing mascara in black to make your peepers really pop. Use a cotton ball to dab a soft pink blush over the apples of your cheeks. Finish up by using an opaque pink lip gloss to make lips glisten.

For those girls not afraid to try something different, apply a soft, cool green eye shadow over your entire lid, from lashline to crease, then swipe on two coats of black mascara. To soften the look, line the inside rim of the lower lashline with a white eye pencil. This look is all about using earthy, natural colors, so create dewy cheeks by using a liquid blush in an apricot shade and apply to the apples of your cheeks. Have your lips subtly match your cheeks by gliding on an apricot-colored lip gloss.

Get Cinderella Hair

There are two hair styles to utilize for prom: an elegant updo or cascading waves. Either look is fine for a fancy event, but you need to decide which ‘do looks best on you.

To create a sweeping updo, rub volumizing mousse into your roots all the way down to the tips of your towel-dried hair. To help encourage volume, flip your head upside down and blow-dry your hair using your fingers to diffuse the heat which makes your hair more pliable.

Once your hair is dry, flip your head upright and create a neat side part. Take the hair behind your ears and secure into a ponytail with an elastic hair tie at the crown of your head. Tease the ponytail and then spritz it with mega hold hairspray. Lift up the top layer of the ponytail and gently smooth out the underside of it with a flat brush. Leave the rest of the ponytail teased to give the bun height. Curl the entire ponytail into a barrel-shaped curl and secure it into the base of the tail with bobby pins.

Pull the unsecured hair that was not pulled into the ponytail loosely back, pinning it into the ponytail. Gently pull some strands down to attractively frame your face. Feel free to leave them straight or curl them. After you’ve perfected the look, spray a lightweight hairspray over the ‘do for an all-night hold.

Get Ultra Feminine Curls

Nothing is more girly than loose curls that flow around your shoulders and spill over your back. Prom is the perfect time to showcase a sleek updo, but it can also be the time to go another, more flowing, route. Stand out by showing off gorgeous soft curls that’ll make every girl jealous.

Softly towel-dry your hair and apply a root lifter to your roots. Comb it through to the ends with a wide-tooth comb. Flip your head upside and blow-dry your hair using a medium setting. Use a heat-activated styling spray before curling with a medium-sized curling iron (a 1 to 1½” barrel should do the trick). Curl hair in 1″ sections to ensure you’ve spiraled each and every strand of hair.

Once your tresses are curled, loosen ’em up by brushing with a flat brush. The purpose is to create soft waves rather than tight, too-perfect curls. At this point, you can either part your hair to the side and leave your tresses unclipped or sweep your hair up in a partial updo. If you like your hair down, spray with a light-weight hairspray and you’ll be on your way. If not, take the two sections of hair that frame your face, pulling them back to the crown of your head. Secure with two or three bobby pins and let whichever pieces fall around your face stay. Spray with hairspray and you’re done!