Simple Tips To Help You Create The Perfect Makeup Look For A Night Out

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Unless you like to experiment with your appearance every day, you probably have your makeup routine down pat — A bit of tinted foundation applied hastily with a beauty blender, a wash of bronzer over the eyes, some blush, and lip gloss to finish off. While the "no makeup-makeup look" certainly works well during the day, it doesn't always translate as well at night. If you're stuck in a makeup rut and you're not sure how to do evening glam, read ahead.

Whether you're enjoying a girls' night out or having a date night with your boo, you want a makeup look that will last all night throughout every activity. During the day, you can opt for glowy cheeks and bright eyes — but the night requires shimmery lids, bold lips, and full coverage. It can take some practice to make full glam look decent, but we have a few tips to help you create the perfect makeup look for a night out.

It's all about the prep

Before you get started, wash away the day with an oil-based cleanser and then water-based face wash. For makeup to last properly and go on smoothly, you'll need to start with a fresh base. Once that's done, you can follow up with your regular hydrating skincare routine. Focus on products that will hydrate your skin without leaving it too greasy.

To even out your skin, exfoliate with The Ordinary's Mandelic Acid 10% + HA. A gentle AHA combined with hyaluronic acid, this serum will smooth out uneven texture while drawing moisture deep into the skin. Once that's absorbed, go in with your favorite moisturizer and follow it up with a primer. The primer you use depends on what it is that your skin needs. For example, if you have large pores, use the Maybelline Master Prime Pore Minimizer and tap it over the skin.

For dry skin, try the Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Glow Serum to get a lit-from-within glow using the hydrating power of hyaluronic acid. To achieve a flawless look, try layering makeup primers. On top of the base primer that addresses your skin type, go in with a tacky primer that your makeup will stick to. The elf Power Grip Primer + 4% Niacinamide creates a smooth base for foundation while brightening the skin thanks to the niacinamide.

Start with the eyes

While the primer is drying down, you'll want to work on your eyeshadow and brows. Although the eyes are typically one of the latter steps of one's makeup routine, doing the eyes first can help you clean up any mistakes with concealer later on. If you're not the best at eyeshadow, you can follow these steps for an eye look that looks great during the evening but only takes five minutes.

After you've applied your eye primer, go in with a glittery brown that's a few shades darker than your skin tone. Use a flat eyeshadow brush to tap the pigment onto your lids, focusing on the center while avoiding the crease. Once that's applied, use a blending brush to blend a slightly darker, matte eyeshadow into the crease. Blend upwards, apply some pigment to the outer corner of the eye, and blend back and forth. Finish off with a transition shade above the crease.

Instead of struggling to apply eyeliner, use a small brush like this elf concealer brush to place some black eyeshadow along your upper lash line, bringing it outwards like you would with normal eyeliner. Bring it down underneath the lower lash line and intensify it with the Kulfi Underlined Kajal Eyeliner.

Color correct for the perfect base

The key to an even base isn't some pricey primer or a $1,000 moisturizer. Color correcting will rid you of any pesky discoloration that the foundation may not always fix. If you jumped on the color-correcting train back in 2016 and promptly jumped off because it made you look like you were cosplaying Shrek, then you've probably been using color corrector wrong.

First, you need to know which color corrector to use for different problem areas. To neutralize the redness in your cheeks, go in with a green shade. While pink helps to hide the dullness in your skin, orange and red cover up discoloration. Yellow blocks out the blues and purples under the surface of the skin with purple masking yellowing under the eyes and cheeks. Assess what it is you need to cover up and decide the colors you'll need.

When it comes to picking the right color corrector, the depth of the color will need to match up with the depth of your skin tone. If you're fair-skinned with hyperpigmentation, go with a light tangerine rather than a deep red that's suitable for darker skin. Apply a small amount of color corrector to the area and let it sit while you do your brows. Afterward, gently tap it into the skin with your fingers for a more natural look.

Look for the perfect match

When you think of evening glam, layers and layers of makeup may come to mind. However, layering as little makeup as possible will prevent your face from appearing cakey. To make your foundation look as skin-like as possible, you'll need to get the perfect foundation match. Once you figure out your skin's undertone, find a foundation that matches both your skin tone and undertone.

Use a buildable, long-wearing foundation, such as the Urban Decay Stay Naked Foundation. Apply some to the back of your hand then dot it on your face, focusing solely on the places that you need coverage. Using a brush for an even base, tap the pigment into the skin rather than swiping. Avoid placing too much foundation in the t-zone area and under the eyes, since you'll be putting concealer here. To get long-lasting makeup, spritz on some setting spray in between each layer of makeup.

Once you have even coverage, dot some cream blush onto the apples of your cheeks. Don't be afraid to be a bit heavy-handed — your blush will be the first part of your makeup to fade away. After blending it out, apply concealer under your eyes and onto your t-zone area. For precision, clean up the corners of your eyeshadow and lips for a crisper look. Blend out the concealer after you've gone in with your bronzer or contour.

Powder, powder, powder

Although recent makeup trends have given most people a preference for a glowy finish, the powder is the key to having your makeup last all night. Using a powder puff, use a pressed powder that matches your concealer shade and gently apply a small amount under the eyes, on the t-zone, and wherever you placed your concealer. Next, go in with a loose translucent powder, such as the Morphe Bake & Set Soft-Focus Setting Powder.

Let it sit for some time, then gently wipe it away with a brush. Do the same for the rest of the face, using similar-colored pressed powders for your blush and contour and baking with a translucent powder. To seal in your makeup, use both a finishing spray and a setting spray. They may sound like the same thing, simply with two disparate names, but they serve a different purpose entirely.

While a setting spray increases the longevity of your makeup, a finishing spray meshes the makeup layers together, locking it into place. Go in with the Makeup Revolution Superfix Misting Spray and finish off with a setting spray that matches your skin's concern. For dry skin, try the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Setting Spray. If you tend to get oily, use the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray.