Belle of the ball

Smoky eye begone, try a new look for ball night. Photo / Supplied

Ball night preparations have taken on wedding-like proportions in recent years, but the idea is to have fun, so don't get too hung up on picture-perfect princessy looks. The clothes and hairstyles in 80s classic teen flicks such as Pretty in Pink may look horror-show dated, but the underlying sentiment speaks strong. Be yourself, find your own style.

A nod to current fashions never hurts though - and it sure makes a talking point when you check out the images a few years down the track. The near-mandatory smoky eyes and nude lips of recent years are flattering to most, but they're also starting to look a bit boring, so try something a bit more "done" or daring. Thank the likes of Lady Gaga for pushing the boundaries.

Retro biker chic is another strong influence. This can be simply achieved with a flick of eyeliner and a strongly coloured lip.

If you've got the budget, join the queues for a booking at the likes of M.A.C, Smashbox or Phoenix for professional help from makeup artists used to dealing with younger clients. If not, check out our expert advice and product picks that will help you get the look for less.

M.A.C tells me its counter bookings start months in advance of ball season, almost from the moment some of the bigger schools announce ball dates. Girls text their mothers from school to get them to phone through to secure a prime-time consultation, and dark mutterings emerge of students who had an early heads-up from parents on the board of trustees.

Makeup artist Phoenix Renata, who helps plenty of girls go glam at her two bijou makeup studios, says most just want to "look beautiful," but among the more adventurous looks she's helped pull off is a "snow flake".

"We made her skin look pearlescent and porcelain and added white and silver sparkly shadow to her eyes and glittery pale gloss to her lips. She even had white feather eye lashes! She looked like a snow queen."

Japanese pop culture fashions like the Lolita or Harajuku girls are also popular.

"We are often asked to create adventurous gothic makeup with a colourful twist."

Renata says girls are thinking more adventurously and also considering how their makeup ties in with their ball theme, dress and accessories. Here's her overview:

What looks will rock this season?

Strong colourful eye makeup: Girls are being more playful and experimenting with much stronger colours. Cobalt blue, turquoise, yellows and greens are popular. Glitter, sparkles and accessories such as diamantes and coloured lashes are also making an appearance.

1950s rockabilly: Eyes are accentuated with liquid eyeliner and lips are pouty and colourful in hot pink or luscious bright red.

What's a look that will last? If your foundation is applied well then that is a great start. Staying power is about layering and building up the makeup to make it resistant. For strong eyes I layer eyeliner pencil with a similar coloured eye shadow, I use up to 3 similar shades of shadow to build up the eyes and I always apply two or three layers of mascara.

How do you make your lips kiss-proof?

Blanking out your natural lip colour to start with works wonders - use a dab of concealer and blend over your lips, it is a fantastic lip base. Then layer, layer, layer lip pencil, then lipstick, then gloss.

Recommended products?

Glitter, false eye lashes, hot pink lipstick, emerald green eyeliner and sparkly caramel lip gloss.

Tips?

* Choose one feature (lips, cheeks or eyes) to stand out.

* Allow time for your makeup to be applied, nothing is more stressful than feeling rushed.

* Drink plenty of water the week before your ball to get your skin in tip-top condition.

* Have a clear vision for your overall ball style and ask advice of your hair stylist and makeup artist.

* For photographs, relax, be yourself and don't over-think it.