Prom Beauty on a Budget

Who says a picture perfect prom means having to get your hair and makeup done professionally? We’re not ones to say no to someone primping us, but it sure can get expensive! And with the latest and greatest DIYs out there, you can successfully put together just about any beauty look worthy of a crown. So, before you start primping, there are two important points to keep in mind — not only do you have to ensure your makeup and hair can last ALL night, but also that they photograph well! One day you’ll look back at these photos and thank us for the advice. Trust us, we weren’t as lucky.

($12.95) L’Oréal Paris Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer: Starting off with a primer is the absolute key to ensuring your makeup lasts through the long night. If you’re going to do your own makeup for prom, do as the professionals do and start off with a lightweight base to reduce the appearance of pores and smooth your complexion for a healthy glow in person and a luminous (not shiny!) look on camera.

RELATED: How to Apply Primer Like a Pro

($10.95) L’Oréal Paris True Match Super Blendable Makeup: Finding the right foundation to match your exact skin tone is essential — and not just for prom, but for any occasion! Too light and the flash of a camera will wash you out, but too dark and it will be obvious that your coverage doesn’t match the color of your neck (it’s happened to the best of us). True Match makeup precisely matches your skin tone and texture for a natural appearance.

($5) NYX Concealer Jar: We know how excited you are for prom, so we wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t get a wink of sleep the night before. Be sure to cover up any dark circles underneath your eyes or even a surprise pimple that decided to pop up at the worst time. A full-coverage, long-lasting concealer is must for fresh-faced photos — plus you can dab some on your brow bone underneath the arch for really defined eyebrows and on your lids to prevent your eye shadow from creasing.

($10) NYX Studio Finishing Powder: A TRUE miracle, setting powder or translucent powder will set your foundation and concealer in place and give you an even, airbrushed finish. Dab some on your t-zone before your group photo sesh and keep it in your purse for touch-ups!

($32) Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette: This all-in-one product takes the place of your blush, bronzer and highlighter — a combo that will give you glam, supermodel cheekbones and a natural flush that looks amazing on camera. This video will help you contour the right way!

($11.99) Maybelline The Blushed Nudes Palette in Nude: This is where the real fun comes in! This versatile, 12-shade palette gives you the option to go from light and natural (to pair with a bold lip) or full-on sultry with a smoldering smoky eye. You can even create a dramatic cat eye using a liner brush and the darkest shade in the palette. Or opt in for a bright, pastel look!

($9.99) Maybelline Superstay 24 Color: Smudged lipstick? No thank you! You don’t want to have to worry about reapplying your lipstick every few minutes on prom night — especially if you’re expecting a kiss from the prom king. These shades range from nude to pearly pink and even blazing red.  

RELATED: How to Make Your Lipstick Last

($4.29) Garnier Fructis Flexible Control Anti-Humidity Aerosol Hair Spray: Whether you’re going with one of our best updo tutorials, a sleek and straight style, braids, beach waves or even our 5 DIY prom hairstyles, a spritz of hairspray will keep your locks in place so that you can dance the night away! Plus, flyaways in photos are not what you want to remember about this night!

Looks like you’ve got a few bucks left! Get yourself a new bottle of nail polish or a strip of falsies for extra lush lashes!

Looking for some more makeup inspo? Look no further! We have plenty of makeup tips and tutorials.