For a special occasion, especially an evening event, many women choose to put on a party face with a little bit of extra makeup. For a formal occasion, a special date, a holiday party, or even a ladies' night out, applying more glamorous makeup than what is ordinarily worn can make a woman feel beautiful, confident and sexy.
How to Apply Party Makeup Step by Step
Start with clean, lightly moisturized skin. Then follow these ten simple steps to create your perfect party look:
- Apply a makeup primer under your foundation to help your makeup stay put all night long. To help eye makeup stay put for the entire night, place primer, a touch of concealer, or foundation on the eyelids as well.
- Before you apply your foundation, use a concealer that matches your skin tone to cover problem areas. Concealer will help disguise dark circles and shadows.
- Choose a sheer foundation to even out your skin tone, and don't forget to apply it to your neck and chest area as well if you plan to wear a low cut dress. Blending is key for a flawless look.
- To prevent unwanted shine and set your foundation, apply translucent face powder. A shimmery one is a great choice for a party look. Powder will also help the foundation to last longer on the face without touchups.
- Blush is a must for a festive party look. Choose a slightly brighter shade than natural to add a little extra glow to your skin.
- Before applying eye makeup, curl your eyelashes to open up your eyes. For a more dramatic look, you can also add false eyelashes
- For a smoky eye look, apply a neutral base eye shadow from lash line to brows, line your eyes along the lash line with a dark eyeliner pencil, and smudge with your fingers or a Q-Tip to soften the look. Then apply a medium shadow on the lid in the crease, and blend any harsh lines.
- Apply eye pencil on the eyebrows to help define them and make your party look eyes pop. Use light feathery strokes to add emphasis without looking overdone.
- Before adding mascara, powder your lashes to thicken them and to increase the staying power of your makeup. Add several coats, allowing each one to thoroughly dry before adding another.
- Finish with lip gloss or lipstick, keeping in mind that if you want to keep the emphasis on your eyes, a shiny gloss might be the best choice for your lips. If you are keeping your eyes fairly neutral, you can play up your lips with a bright red lipstick; always a great choice for parties.
Party Face Tips
Any sort of party or event that takes place in the evening allows a woman to be more adventurous with her makeup. For the most part, makeup worn during the evening hours can be thicker and darker than what is normally worn during the day. With a few easy tips you can be sure to get the right party makeup look.
- Make sure you know the event you are going to and whether it is casual or formal, and match your makeup style appropriately.
- Before leaving the house, check your makeup in the type of lighting that will be at the party to make sure it looks flawless.
- Before applying primer, rub the face with ice for several minutes. The ice will cool the face and tighten pores, which will encourage the makeup to stay put for a longer period of time.
- Try deep-colored eye shadow pigments instead of standard eye shadows to add intensity to your eyes. An added benefit is that pigments tend to resist fading.
- Consider using waterproof mascara and eyeliner to keep makeup from running, especially if you will be dancing or in a warm environment.
- Pearl or frost eye shadow and lipstick formulas may be too shimmery for everyday wear, but they are great choices for party makeup.
Add Some Gold
One great party makeup look features hints of gold. Opt for eye shadows with a touch of gold, shimmering lipsticks, or even body lotions to add a golden sparkle. Gold cosmetic dust can also be purchased to brush a golden glow onto cheekbones, shoulder blades, under the brows, or wherever you want a little extra shimmer.
Be Yourself
Many women can't wait to attend formal events, parties, or special occasions because they love the feeling of getting dressed in a great outfit and applying their party face. However, for anyone who is not used to a lot of makeup, there are a few things to remember:
- If you don't normally wear a lot of makeup, it may feel uncomfortable to apply heavier makeup it on the night of a party or event. Practicing the application of makeup beforehand can help to ensure that it will look right in the spotlight.
- Don't spend the evening feeling like a clown. In other words, avoid so much makeup that it appears overdone and completely unnatural.
Create Your Perfect Party Look
The most important thing to remember when creating your perfect party makeup face is that you want to not only look great but also be comfortable with the look you are going for. You don't want to try a new look that you will be worrying about touching up and checking all night long. Make sure your makeup makes you feel confident and you are sure to have a perfect party-ready face.
