How to Do Your Makeup for Evening and Formal Events

Jaleesa Jaikaran is a New York City-based professional makeup artist.
Savannah St. Jean is a beauty expert and the owner of Savannah Rae Beauty in Miramar Beach, Florida.

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Prep Your Skin

Clean skin should be the first step to any makeup routine. Professional makeup artist Jaleesa Jaikaran says to cleanse the skin with a face wash or cleanser designed to support your skin’s pH and hydration needs while targeting the removal of dirt, bacteria, excess oil, and dead skill cells. "Listen to your skin when choosing a cleanser," she says. "If it feels tight and drier, select a gentle cleanser that will not strip the moisture away from the surface of the skin." She also recommends making a mild sugar scrub to remove any texture and peeling on the lips, then following up with a lip mask—this allows for lip products to glide on seamlessly. Finally, the last step in prepping the skin requires a great moisturizer that works to lock in all of the goodness (oils and serums) you just applied to the face. Jaikaran is a fan of this hydrating serum from Mary Kay, as it feels lightweight and leaves an incredible all-over glow to the skin. "This creates a great base to lay foundation over top for smooth and seamless application," she says.

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Prime According to Your Skin Type

The point of a makeup primer is to create a smooth base for products so that they last all day. The kind of primer formula you use will depend on the needs of your skin. For example, if you have oily skin, look for the words "mattifying" or "silicone-free," as these formulas will help reduce shine in areas that produce oil or grease, and will also smooth over enlarged pores that would otherwise cause foundation to appear textured. If you have dry skin, look for words like "dewy," "hydrating," "luminous," "brightening," and "glowing" when shopping for a primer, like Pixi by Petra +C VIT Brightening Perfector ($18) that uses vitamin C to amp up the skins radiance.

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Choose Your Foundation Wisely

If its a special event (or one where youll be photographed), chances are you need your foundation to be long-wearing (after all, no one wants a greasy t-zone come midnight). Jaikaran says to select a foundation that has over 12 to 16 hours of staying power without compromising your skin or creasing, as well as one that creates a flawless, airbrushed finish. Were fans of this medium-coverage pick from Bobbi Brown, which promises up to 16 hours of flawless skin with its long-wear, transfer-, and sweat-resistant formula.

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Color Correct If Needed

"Color correcting helps minimize the layers of concealer or foundation you may have used to hide a dark circle or blemish," notes Jaikaran. "It is essentially using a color that will cancel out or neutralize the darkness of the circles on your face." She notes that for dark circles on medium to deep-toned skin, your color corrector will range from a bright to brick-toned orange corrector. On light to tan skin tones, your color corrector would probably be in the peach range. "The trick is to apply the color corrector first on top of the area needing correction and then tap in the product with fingers or a brush," she says. "When the area appears less dark and closer to your natural skin tone, you can safely conceal using true to skin concealer."

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Conceal Trouble Areas

That friendly little visitor that decided to show up on your face? Dont fret—beauty expert Savannah St. Jean says its nothing some concealer cant fix. "Acne and under-eye circles are the most problematic areas that may require concealing," she says. "If you have acne that your foundation and concealer seems to just slide right off of, one pro tip is to apply a little bit of translucent powder to the area prior to applying your foundation and concealer." Once the area is powdered, lightly press the concealer onto the area and blend out the edges using a small brush.

When it comes to the under-eye area, its better to use concealer sparingly for best results. "This area is prone to fine lines, so spot concealing is ideal," notes St. Jean, who adds that it may be unnecessary to apply a heavy layer of concealer all over the under-eye area—start by applying it on the inner and outer eye area and build up as necessary. This makes the area less prone to creasing, too. Because this concealer pick from Lancôme is in wand form, its perfect for ensuring you dont over-apply.

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Use Powder Strategically

Though you may be tempted to slather on the face powder, less is more. "Rather than applying powder all over the face, I recommend only powdering the areas that will read too shiny on camera like the middle of the forehead, sides of the nose, and chin," suggests St. Jean. "When applying the powder, use a small fluffy brush and gently tap the product into the areas that need it." Go for a colorless powder like this one from Thrive Causemetics—its less likely to disrupt your freshly applied foundation.

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Go For a Subtle Contour

Contouring is the step of your makeup routine that can make or break your look—too much will make it look overly done, but the right amount will add definition in all the right places. We recommend going for a happy medium with a subtle contour thats at least two to three shades darker than your natural skin tone. To achieve a subtle contour, Jaikaran recommends applying the product to the underside of the cheeks, along the jawline, near your hairline, at the top of the head, and along the sides of your nose. "Create light strokes with the [contour] and use an angled brush for the large areas of the face, making sure to buff upward," she says. "For the forehead and nose areas, use a smaller brush and blend in the product to create subtle definition and a more sculpted appearance."

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Add Color With Blush

If you find your makeup looking flat at this point, now is the time to add in some life with blush. Since blush is one of the first things to fade, were fans of cream formulas that leave behind a natural flush as the event goes on. Jane Iredales Glow Time Blush Stick ($38) is available in five hues and is as beautiful on the skin as it is good for it—jojoba seed oil smoothes the skin while the blendable formula adds the perfect amount of color.

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Apply Highlighter

According to Jaikaran, highlighter should be placed on the high points of the face to accentuate or bring forward those areas. "I really love applying product on the highest points of the cheekbones, under the brow bone, and along the bridge of the nose," she notes. "To add a bit of extra glam for a special event, try applying highlighter along the cupid’s bow at the top of lips."

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Choose an Eye Look

Go for the classic: a smoky eye. Heres how St. Jean recommends applying your eyeshadows: "Apply a wash of dark eyeshadow on the entire eyelid and then blend the shadow along the crease with a fluffy eyeshadow brush. Be careful not to blend the shadow too far upwards. By blending, the goal is to soften the edges of the shadow." Pop on a matte liquid eyeliner on the upper lash line to lift the eye et voila! Youre ready for lashes.

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Accentuate Lashes

A smoky eye can make your lashes take a back seat, so opt for a high-intensity volumizing mascara thatll accentuate your lashes like Too Faced Better Than Sex Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara ($29), which features a collagen and curling polymer formula to lengthen and amp up the volume in even the most naturally stubborn lashes. If youre going for a more subdued eye and want your eyelashes to steal the show, apply a set of false lashes. Our pick is ColourPop Falsies Faux Mink Lashes ($8).

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Groom Brows

By now we know that brows frame the face, so grooming them is a must. "If using a brow pomade or gel, brush the brow hairs upwards and outwards," recommends St. Jean. "By doing this, it will open the eye area and give your brows a fuller appearance." If after doing this, there are any sparse areas, she suggests using a sharpened brow pencil or a smaller angled brush and some brow pigment to try to recreate brow hairs by flicking fine lines upwards where needed. Note that if your makeup is on the heavier side, you may want a slightly more natural bow.

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Play Up Your Lips

To finish off your evening makeup look, play up your lips with a formula like this one from Cover FX—it has a liquid-to-matte formula that is sure to last through photos, eating, and drinking (sans dryness, of course). Depending on your outfit, choose a bold color like a red or fuschia pink, or something more subdued like a soft rose. If you dont mind reapplying, you can add some lip gloss over top. We like Lancôme Juicy Tubes Long-Wear Lip Gloss ($24) for its high shine. A light layer is all you need to last for several hours.

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Finish with a Setting Spray or Powder

After you have completed your evening look, its time to lock it all in so it doesnt budge. A good setting spray or powder will help here. If using a spray, hold the bottle a few inches from your face and mist all over. For a powder, swirl a soft fluffy brush in the pan and apply in a circular motion throughout your face, paying extra attention to your t-zone and other ares that tend to get oily faster. If you have an oily complexion or are prone to extra shine, a setting powder can also help to soak up that unwanted greasiness versus a spray option.