3 Vegan Prom Makeup Looks

As the high school year is ending, seniors and juniors look forward to dancing the night away at their high school proms. Prom preparation often includes finding the perfect dress and maybe a matching tuxedo, adorable shoes, and the ideal makeup look. However, when it comes to finding makeup that supports your vegan ideals, you will find that many makeup products are made with animal products. Luckily, makeup brands such as Zuzu Luxe, Gabriel Cosmetics, and Tarte offer their vegan and non-vegan customers good, quality, and cruelty-free makeup. But a question arises: now that you have all these amazing plant-based makeups, how do you use them? Don’t worry because we’re here to help.

Before you get fancy
Before applying your makeup look, make sure you have a clean palette. Wash your face with a cleanser. This will remove all the dirt and dead skin from your face to make the makeup look a lot cleaner. After washing your face, apply toner and moisturizer. This will rehydrate your skin to make the makeup look smooth and polished. When it is time to remove your prom look, make sure to remove your makeup and wash your face with a cleanser. Washing your face at night is really important if you want to have clear and healthy skin.

Step right up
The following steps will act as a base for the three makeup looks. For each of the three looks, apply foundation to your face. Gabriel Cosmetics Moisturizing Liquid Foundation, 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented® 2nd Skin Foundation, or tarte’s shape tape hydrating foundation are a few vegan foundation products we love. Then, apply a loose powder that resembles your skin color to even the foundation. Finally, apply mascara on your lashes (some recommended products include 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented® Ultra Lengthening Mascara in Black Tea and the Zuzu Luxe Mascara).

Look 1: Campsis radicans
Looking to go to prom with a light natural look? If so, this eyeshadow look created by Jasmine Flores (aka, @_beautyinbloom_) is for you. Inspired by the orange campsis radicans created with the Zuzu Luxe Sunsation palette, this look begins with the palette shade “Dawn” as the base color on your eyelid. This will make the blending easier for the rest of the look. Add the shade “Sunlight” to the crease to add a pop of color. Apply the darker shade “Morn” onto the outer corner and blend into the crease, adding dimension to the eye. Finally, apply the lighter color “Dream Maker” to the lid and inner corner of the eye to highlight (this color was blended out with sunlight to prevent harsh lines). Finish the look with a Zuzu Luxe Liquid Eyeliner. The felt tip allows the application to be smooth and a nice sharp wing that will brought the look together and added a bit of “spunk” to this light look. For cheeks, use blush on the apples of your cheeks along with mineral bronzer on the cheekbones, nose bridge, and jawbone to add structure to the face.

Look 2: Eye of the storm
Also created by Flores, this eye look has a more dramatic yet subtle aesthetic. The eyeshadow palettes for this look is a combination of the palette used for the first look with more from the Beach Boho palette from Zuzu Luxe. Start by using the base “Free Spirit” before applying “Moonlight” onto the outer crease, and mesh both eyeshadows so there are no hard lines. Add “Driftwood” to darken the outer corner. To bring the look together, use “Dream Maker” and the lighter color from the Sunsation pallet, and blend it with “Moonlight” to create an ombré effect. Add Zuzu Luxe Mineral Bronzer in shade D-28 on the temples, slightly under the cheekbones, and on the jawline to add warmth to the face. Complete the look with a the matte lipstick “Vibin” from the Tarteist collection.

Look 3: Steel magnolia
Of the three eyeshadow looks, this one is the easiest and is perfect for the girl who took a nap on prom day, has 10 minutes before her date picks her up, and is in dire need of a simple and quick makeup look. I should know because I created this look! All you need for the eyes are two eyeshadow colors from two different palettes and eyeliner. Start by applying the shade “Moonlight” from the ZuZu Luxe Beach Boho palette (this color gives the eye a pearl-gray tint). Then, on the crease, apply the 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Eye Shadow. Once both colors are on the lid, blend them together. Finish the look with ZuZu Luxe liquid eyeliner. For the cheeks, apply Zuzu Luxe Blush in raspberry. For lips, use a dark purple or a deep red color.

Ana Sofia Rodriguez is a vegan teen journalist who likes to write about fashion, culture, and anything else her mind can come up with.

Photo courtesy of Tarte