Project Vanity

Hi Miss Liz! I am an avid reader of your blog. Haha. As we all know March is coming up and graduation season is abound nanaman. I am a graduating student looking to do her own makeup and I was wondering if you can recommend any makeup and makeup look that would suit the occasion. Is there any foundation that would look good on stage and camera that wouldn't make me look like a floating head? Haha. And are there types of make ups that I should avoid? Thank you po. :)

Congratulations! It's nice that you're taking time to make sure you look good on your big day. I didn't have this luxury when it was my time. If you can only see pictures from my graduation... Haha! Dameng no-no's!:-) Anyway, here are some makeup tips that come to mind, main consideration really is to look your best in the pictures that you'll be stuck with for the rest of your life). Hehe.:-)

1. Use primer to make makeup last longer and to counteract too much oiliness.

2. Choose foundation that:
a) matches your skin
b) is long-wearing
c) is matte or with satin finish - dewy finish might reflect camera light and make your face appear too shiny
d) has no SPF - this leaves a white cast which may not be obvious face to face but would show up on pictures

3. Make sure to apply foundation not just on your face but on other exposed areas such as the ears, neck, and shoulders - this saves you the trouble of appearing like a floating head :-)

4. Use matte eye shadows and blush - too much glimmer reflects camera light and it does not show well in pictures.

5. Choose waterproof eyeliners and mascaras - you'll need these budge- and smudge-proof for when you sweat and cry your tears of joy :-)

5. Be judicious when using highlighters - same reason as #4.

6. Lipstick - use long-wearing lipstick. I think Liz mentioned how she extends lipstick wear - prep lips by use of balm, wipe off, use pencil liner to minimize lipstick sliding off, apply initial coat of lipstick, press lips on tissue, apply final coat of lipstick, and gloss if necessary. Oh, and be wary of lipstick transferring to your teeth!

7. Keep this handy in your purse as well:
mirror
tissue
oil blotter
powder and lipstick for retouching

I hope you find this helpful. And don't forget to wear the best accessory - smile! You've made it after all!

For overall makeup look, you cannot go wrong with neutrals. No crazy colors in keeping with the formality of the ceremony, and I think in time you'll appreciate how classy you looked in your grad pics. Parang classic bridal makeup lang.:-)

Thank you miss Yani! I just really want to look good kasi yung grad photos mo especially sa college, pang forever na po yan eh. Hahaha. Can you recommend any foundation that is long wearing and matte po? :)

You can try MUD Make-up designory cream foundation compact. It gives a semi-matte finish and provides good coverage (even for undereye circles and blemishes). It's not too pricey at 1200. My makeup artist used this on me when I had to attend a wedding last year. It worked for me because it did not look cakey, still looked natural, and it photographed well. You can also check out Makeup Forever foundation (Mat Velvet). I've heard good reviews from friends but I have not personally tried.

Wow, This is such a great question! Hoping that Ms. Liz will do a little tutorial about this, I'm also planning to do my own make up during the graduation (hopefully), but I am scared that it may turn out into a big disaster. haha

@Pauline: Agree! Especially with Feb approaching - prom season na naman! A tutorial on this would be super helpful.:-)

Couldn't agree more. Sana miss Liz would do a tutorial on graduation/prom make up using products at student friendly prices. :)