Photo credit: Kathryn Wirsing/Dana Tepper







From Seventeen

When it comes to getting ready for prom, you have a few choices: You can do your own makeup, ask someone like your mom or friends for help, or go to a professional. While a professional might be the preferred method of choice (sorry, mom!), it can get expensive. But there's always the makeup counter option at a chain like Sephora or a big department store! Those applications are often free, or they might require you to buy 2-5 products (that you'd hopefully want to have anyway). It depends on the store, makeup brand, and how busy the makeup artist is.

Knowing all that, we sent Seventeen.com digital intern Julia to Macy's Herald Square here in NYCto try makeup applications by Benefit, Urban Decay, and M.A.C. Her assignment? Ask the makeup artists for "pretty prom makeup" and see what they come up with. Here's how it went down:

Benefit

Photo credit: Kathryn Wirsing

What I Loved: The Benefit makeup artist was the only one who asked me what colors I wanted. I told her I loved blue and silver shades, since I don't normally go for cooler colors in my every day makeup and thought they could work for prom. I did like the shades she used, but my favorite part of this look was my skin and eyebrows. My face was dewy, but not greasy, and the foundation didn't feel thick. And my brows? They were on point.

What I Didn't Love: The silver shadow was beautiful, but seemed almost plain and one dimensional, because it was the only color on my lids. I would have blended in some other shades as well.

The Benefit makeup artist was the only one who asked me what colors I wanted.

Products Used: Triple Performing Face Moisturizer, $32, benefitcosmetics.com ; Longwear Powder Shadow in Blingo!, $20, benefitcosmetics.com; Air Patrol BB Cream Eyelid Primer, $29, benefitcosmetics.com; They're Real! Lengthening Mascara, $24, benefitcosmetics.com; The POREfessional, $44, benefitcosmetics.com; Big Beautiful Eyes Eyeshadow Palette, $32, benefitcosmetics.com; Dew the Hoola Liquid Bronzer, $28, benefitcosmetics.com; Rockateur Famously Provocative Cheek Powder, $29, benefitcosmetics.com; Watt's Up! Cream Highlighter Soft Focus Highlighter for Face, $30, benefitcosmetics.com; They're Real! Gel Eyeliner Pen in Black, $24, benefitcosmetics.com; Rockateur Ultra Plush Soft Rose Gold Lip Gloss, $16, benefitcosmetics.com

Story continues

Urban Decay

Photo credit: Kathryn Wirsing

What I Loved: I wanted a bold lip and the Urban Decay makeup artist delivered with a gorge bright pink, perfect for my skin tone. I was also obsessed with the eyeliner she gave me. It was probably the sharpest winged eyeliner I've ever seen!

What I Didn't Love: The buildable, BB cream-like foundation was pretty and comfortable on my skin, but wasn't full-coverage enough for prom; it was a little too natural. I thought my brows were a touch too natural also. I would have liked for them to be a bit more filled in and sharp.

I was obsessed with the eyeliner she gave me - the sharpest winged eyeliner I've ever seen!

Products Used: Eyeshadow Primer Potion, $20, urbandecay.com; Naked 3 Eyeshadow Palette, $54, urbandecay.com; Naked Skin One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector in Medium Dark, $54, urbandecay.com; Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in Medium Dark Neutral, $28, urbandecay.com ; Naked Skin Ultra Definition Pressed Finishing Powder in Naked Dark, $34, urbandecay.com; Beached Bronzer in Bronzed, $28, urbandecay.com; Total Perversion Eyeliner, $24, urbandecay.com; All- Nighter Makeup Setting Spray, $30, urbandecay.com; Matte Revolution Lipstick in Bittersweet, $11, urbandecay.com; Perversion Mascara, $22, urbandecay.com; Brow Beater Microfine Brow Pencil And Brush in Neutral Brown, $20, urbandecay.com; 24/7 Waterline Eye Pencil in Walk of Shame, $20, urbandecay.com

M.A.C.

Photo credit: Kathryn Wirsing

What I Loved: I loved that the makeup artist shared tricks with me! She taught me that putting eyelash primer on my brows can thicken them. I was also obsessed with my highlight - my cheekbones could've blinded someone! This was the most dramatic makeup application, but I couldn't stop taking selfies. It's perfect for prom because it looked flawless in each photo.

What I Didn't Love: As incredible as this makeup looked in pictures, it was over the top IRL. I felt like I had a ton of product caked on my face.

I couldn't stop taking selfies!

Products Used: False Lashes Maximizer, $17, maccosmetics.com; Liquid Eye Liner in Boot Black, $21, maccosmetics.com ; Select Cover-Up in NC30, $19, maccosmetics.com; Pro Longwear Nourishing Foundation in NC42 and NC35, $33, maccosmetics.com; Eye Shadow in Carbon, $16, maccosmetics.com; Eye Brows in Spiked, $16.50, maccosmetics.com; Prep + Prime Natural Radiance in Radiant Yellow, $41, maccosmetics.com ; Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Dark, $32, maccosmetics.com; Select Sheer/Pressed in NC55, $26, maccosmetics.com; Mineralize Blush in Petal Power, $27, maccosmetics.com; Mineralize Skin Finish in Global Glow, $32, maccosmetics.com; Mineralize Skinfinish/Future M.A.C. Powder in Otherearthly, $32, maccosmetics.com; Ariana Grande Viva Glam Lipstick, $17, maccosmetics.com; Lip Pencil in Cyber World, $16.50, maccosmetics.com; Prep + Prime Fix+ Spray, $22, maccosmetics.com

Overall Thoughts

Getting your makeup done at counters is so much fun, because you can really play and experiment with lots of different brands and shades. And I was pleasantly surprised by how knowledgable everyone was! I felt like a celebrity after each application. I loved something about each brand, but they were very different end results. Granted every artist will be different, but from this experience my recommendations would be: If you're brow-obsessed, go with Benefit. If you want a more pretty and natural look, Urban Decay could be for you. And if you want to look BOMB in photos and don't mind looking a little OTT in person, M.A.C. is the way to go!

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