How to Prep Your Skin for Graduation Makeup

You’re about to be the proud possessor of a diploma, and as such the one thing you can expect on graduation day—besides a long ceremony—is that everyone you know will be trying to capture you on film. Photos with friends, photos with family, photos with your cap on, photos with your cap off. The list goes on. You’ll appease your parents and pose—since it’s a special occasion—and hope that you look your best.

However, it’s preferable not to simply cross your fingers and hope for beautiful-looking skin on graduation day. In addition to studying for finals and planning your graduation outfit (even if no one will see it under your gown), you should start prepping your skin to ensure it’s ready for your graduation makeup. While it’s true you can rely on makeup to hide almost any imperfection, how your skin looks still matters. The better your skin’s tone and texture is, the better your graduation makeup will look. And when your look will be visible for years to come, thanks to those aforementioned photos, it’s worth a little prep work. Here’s how to prep your skin for graduation makeup.

THE WEEKS BEFORE…

Rather than rush to perfect your skin the night before the big day, begin prepping your skin in the weeks leading up to graduation.

Step 1: Get Familiar with a Spot Treatment

It’s a fact that stress can induce breakouts, and unfortunately, graduation can be a stressful time. Besides doing your best to relax, you’ll want to introduce a spot treatment to your routine to keep pre-existing blemishes under control and help prevent new ones from forming. Try the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, which is formulated with two of the most popular acne-fighting ingredients—salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide.

Step 2: Exfoliate Regularly

Honestly, truly, how often do you exfoliate? If you only reach for a face scrub when the mood strikes, you may not be sloughing away dead skin cells frequently enough, which can lead to dull-looking skin. To up your exfoliation game, start using a gentle scrub on a regular basis. The L’Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Nourish & Soften Face Scrub is a prime pick, not only because it’s formulated with cocoa, but because it’s gentle enough to use three times a week.

Step 3: Treat Yourself to a Brightening Face Mask

Remember when we said you should try to relax? Well, you can kick back and take care of your skin all at once—with a face mask. Of all the many options, one of the best types of face masks to use before graduation is one that provides a brightening effect. That way, when it’s finally time to graduate, your skin will have a healthy-looking glow. If you enjoy the convenience of sheet masks, try the Garnier SkinActive Moisture Bomb The Super Hydrating Sheet Mask – Glow-Boosting, which provides skin with a more luminous look after just one use.

Editor’s tip: Since graduation isn’t the only thing approaching—summer is too—try placing your mask in the fridge prior to use for a refreshing treat. 

THE DAY OF…

Graduation day is here and it’s almost time to apply your makeup, but first, skin care.

Step 1: Start Fresh

Don’t get off on the wrong foot. Before applying graduation makeup, or the rest of your skin care regimen, it’s a must to cleanse. Otherwise, you’ll be applying products right over dirt and other impurities. To keep things quick, saturate a cotton pad with micellar water and sweep it across your skin. Once the cotton pads run clean, you can move right along—no need to rinse.

Step 2: Moisturize—Regardless of Skin Type

Are you under the impression that you don’t need to moisturize? If that’s the case, we have news for you—you do. Even if you’re worried you’ll start to look oily half way through the ceremony, moisturizing is essential not only for taking care of your skin but for achieving optimal makeup application. The trick is to use a moisturizer that suits your skin type. For example: If you have oily skin, use a moisturizer that helps reduce shine, like the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion.

Step 3: Prime Your Skin for Makeup

Face it, graduation day is going to be a long one. You won’t be heading home and washing off your makeup after only a few hours—you’ll need your look to last. That’s why priming is a step you won’t want to skip. Prior to putting on your makeup, apply a makeup-extending face primer like the Dermablend Insta-Grip Jelly Primer.