School Formal Beauty
If you have teenage children or grandchildren, you’ll realise it’s that time of year again – school formals have arrived, and with them comes the dilemma of what to wear, who to ask, how to get there, and what makeup to wear. At least the last question is (relatively) easily sorted. There are plenty of fabulous skincare and beauty products that will have your teen looking gorgeous on the night. Read on below for our tips and tricks for the best school formal beauty.
Skincare
There is no need to change your skincare routine ahead of the big night, in fact if your skin is glowing and looking healthy, it’s probably best not to. If however, you’re suffering from a few last minute breakouts, or your skin is looking a little dull with the stress of exams and the school formal, we recommend adding any of these products to your routine, to give your skin a little TLC. Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips have been a teen skin saviour for many years, as they are a quick and easy way to get rid of blackheads fast. Simply apply the strip, wait, and remove, and voila, clean pores. We recommend using these once a week, for around 3 weeks before the formal, to give pores time to cleanse and tighten afterwards. 6 pack RRP $5.99. To keep any breakouts at bay in the lead up to the big day and beyond, it could be worth using the SkinB5 Acne Control Cleansing Mousse, a non-drying cleansing mousse with vitamin B5, green tea and aloe vera that gently helps to remove impurities and tighten pores, without irritation. And an insider tip, as it foams, teenage boys can use it for shaving too! 150ml RRP $34.60. For skin that is looking a little lacklustre and dull, try the Peter Thomas Roth FirmX Peeling Gel, which gently removes impurities and lifts and sweeps away dead skin cells to reveal gorgeous glowing skin. 100ml RRP $69.00. Or you could try the Ella Baché Revealing Fruit Enzyme Exfoliant, which is great for dull and blemish prone skin. The highly effective, bioactive exfoliator helps to deliver the radiance and smoothness of microdermabrasion without the stress to your skin. Papaya fruit enzyme combined with pineapple extract and salicylic acid breakdown and remove dull surface skin, leaving you with replenished and refined skin. 75g RRP $70.00. At the end of the night, cleanse your skin and remove your makeup with the new Biore Baking Soda Cleansing Micellar Water. The addition of Baking Soda to the Micellar Water is designed for teens, to help condition, smooth, and gently balance your skin without overdrying, in addition to removing oil and impurities. Best yet, it comes in a handy travel size as well as a larger size, so you can take it with you if you’re staying over at a friends. 75ml (pictured) RRP $4.99, 300ml RRP $10.99.
Foundation
You want your school formal foundation to keep oil at bay, and stay in place all night long – you have better things to do than keep touching up! Look for a foundation that absorbs oil and minimises pores, such as the Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation, which is designed to minimise the appearance of your pores. The formula contains genius blurring micro-powders that help to minimise the look of your pores and absorb oil for a naturally matte and poreless looking finish, that stays in place longer. Available in 40 shades, so you’re bound to find one to match your skin tone. 30ml RRP $21.95. If you prefer a bit of a glow, add a few drops of Barry M Liquid Chrome Highlighter Drops, to your foundation, which will highlight your bone structure, and give your face an all over lustrous glow. Available in 5 gorgeous shades. 12ml RRP $16.95.
Eyes
You’ll want your eyes to absolutely pop for your school formal – all those photos and selfies! Getting sensational looking eye make up is super simple with these 3 easy steps. Start with the Models Own Rockstar Eyeshadow Palette, featuring 10 colour popping eyeshadows designed to take you through the night like a rock star! Choose from blue hues, purple, and nudes to create the look you want, your way. Palette 7g RRP $29.95. NB, other colours are available if this one doesn’t match your dress. Give your eyes the perfect cats eye flick, with the Bourjois Eyecatching Liner. The unique one-sided flat tip allows you to easily stamp symmetrical cat-eye flicks on your outer eye every time. 1.6ml RRP $26.00. Make sure your mascara stays in place (and avoid the panda look) with a waterproof mascara. L’Oreal Paris Paradise Waterproof Mascara will not only stay in place all night long, it gives your lashes spectacular length and volume as well. The silky-smooth formula enriches your lashes with castor oil so they feel soft and never smudge. 6.4ml RRP $24.95.
Lips
The last thing you want to worry about is re-applying your lippie all night during your formal, so look for either a matte lipstick which you can top up with gloss, or a lip stain, for real lip colour staying power. We love theBalm theBalmJour, a newly released glossy lip stain. Yes, that’s right, it’s a gloss and stain in one – theBalmJour starts as a gloss, giving you lips a high shine to start the night, and finishes up as a stain, with the high-pigment colour of a lipstick. The serious staying power of the creamy, moisturizing lip stains mean you won’t spend your evening topping up colour. Available in 8 neutral to bold shades (our favourite is the gorgeous Aloha – pictured). 6.5ml RRP $19.95.
Nails
The easiest way to have gorgeous school formal nails has to be the Personail Nail Polish Strips. These clever Australian designed nail wraps are 100% nail polish, meaning they adhere to your nails exactly like nail polish does, just without the drying time or using a UV lamp – you can be ready to go in just 10 minutes (allow a little longer if applying a top coat). Personail lasts 10 days by itself, or up to 3 weeks if you apply a topcoat, so you know it’s not going to chip and ruin your big night, and the formula will not damage your nails. Each pack of Personail nail polish strips contains 16 strips, so you can find the perfect size your your nails – just apply to clean dry nails, file to your nail length, and go (apply a top coat if you prefer to lengthen the life of your colour). The nail polish strips come in plain colours, or patterns (both pictured), so you can find the look to match your outfit without any problems. One less thing to worry about ahead of the formal! Nail Polish Strips Pack of 16 RRP from $15.99. NB, these also come in smaller sizes for kids – pack of 16-18 RRP from $17.99.
Fragrance
You’re almost ready – your skin is clear, your makeup is glowing, and you want to make this a night to remember. Choose a fragrance that lingers on your skin, that is as feminine as you are, and you’ll have memories of your big night every time you smell that fragrance. We love the new Jimmy Choo Fever, a floral gourmand, that will envelope your skin and carry you into the night, leaving an addictive, sensual trail behind you. Fruity top notes of Black Plum Nectar, Lychee and Grapefruit give the fragrance a burst of freshness, while the middle notes of Heliotrope, Vanilla Orchid and Jasmine provide a sensual heart. The base notes of Roasted Tonka Bean, Benzoin and Sandalwood dry down to provide a lingering warmth. EDP 60ml RRP $105.00. Also available in 100ml and 40ml – 40ml Priceline only. Fans of Ariana Grande will love the new Ariana Grande Cloud a fragrance inspired by optimism and hope – which is just perfect for a school formal. The gorgeous cloud shaped bottle houses the addictive feminine scent, with opening notes of Lavender Blossom, Juicy Pear, and Bergamot. The middle notes of Creme de Coconut Praline and Vanilla Orchid are a decadent heart, whilst base notes of Musks and Woods give the scent a creamy sensuality. 30ml RRP $39.00. 100ml launching ahead of Christmas.
You should now be looking gorgeous ahead of your school formal. Have fun, and enjoy the best night of your life – so far………..
