Stunning ball makeup
The Ball season is upon us again so that means its time for teenage girls to go crazy planning their look for the most exciting night of the year. Just this weekend I had the pleasure of doing the hair & makeup on a stunning group of Dio girls- the theme of the ball being Hollywood Glamour. All the girls had their look planned & knew exactly what they wanted, with photos to show me for hair & makeup inspiration. If you are in the midst of planning your ball (or if you are a mother or an aunty surrounded by makeup crazy teenage girls) here is a Q & A providing tips & tricks for looking mind-blowingly gorgeous on the big night.
What rules apply for teen makeup?
When you are a teenager its the one time in your life that you can freely follow trends & enjoy fashion without limitations. Wear what you love & don’t be scared to express yourself! Too many young girls have cookie cutter style & I love to see individuality & creativity. However it is important to remain age appropriate, so look to celebrities within your age bracket, such as Jennifer Laurence, Selena Gomez & Taylor Swift . Check out websites like E Entertainment that have shots of red carpet events that you can study, like the MTV Awards or the recent Met Gala in New York where the theme was 1940′s Hollywood (see the above pic of Taylor at the Gala- so inspirational!)
What should teenage girls avoid?
Too much foundation!!! I have done so many ball makeups on beautiful young girls with perfect skin who beg me to trowel on the foundation… Its important to even out the skin with a liquid base, conceal blemishes & to cut down shine with a good mineral powder, but my advice is to avoid a mask of foundation. Also make sure that your face matches your neck & décolletage, particularly if you have had a spray tan as nothing looks worse than a pale chalky face & a bronzed body!
How does Ball makeup differ to everyday makeup?
In the evening you can get away with a lot more makeup as the lighting is more subtle than in the daytime. Be brave with shimmer, add more blusher & pump up the lip colour! You can also double the strength of your normal smokey eye & apply a full set of false lashes to add that wow factor. Its also important to remember that you need your makeup to last all night, so ask your makeup artist to use a good Primer before your foundation goes on as it helps to smooth out the skin, even out pores & make the foundation last. (Clinique Superprimer is my fave)
Should you consider what you are wearing before you decide on a look?
This is probably the single most important thing to take into consideration. Decide on your dress, then plan your accessories & by that stage you can start to think about lips nails & eyes. Try to tie in colours; eg if your shoes are bright pink add some fuchsia lips & if you are wearing silver or gold, glam up your eyes with a metallic shadow. One of the girls I did in the weekend had a silver & blue sequinned dress so I gave her navy blue smokey eyes with silvery lids- she loved it.
Any other advice on how to look my best?
Remember that beauty does come from the inside, so don’t expect to glow like J-Lo if you have been on a junk food bender the week before the Ball! Eat healthily & get into a good skincare routine, taking care to cleanse well & moisturise everyday. If you are on a budget, try Cetaphil skincare as its mild, effective & reasonably priced. Avoid sugar drinks & alcohol, then drink as much water as you can as all these things combined make for a clear complexion as well as a flatter tummy. When it comes to hair & makeup, put yourself in the hands of someone you trust & make sure you are happy with the result. Remember if you feel great, you will look even better!
Heres a photo of my gorgeous friend Monica Cronin off to the Dio ball (She’s also a model with Red 11) I kept her skin natural & dewy with high shimmer across the cheeks & brow bones- this really sets off her smokey eye makeup & nude glossy lips… so divine! Nikki x
