With makeup scattered across the desk, piles of clothes thrown about and blaring pregame music, getting ready for a night out can be hectic. Getting caught up in the moment is easy, but don’t add to your stress. Hair falling out of place or a makeup stain on your outfit can easily ruin any look or anyone’s mood! Many of us have set routines, consisting of three main components: hair, makeup and outfit. While heavily debated, which order makes the most sense for a night out?
Start With Hair
Whether straight, curled or blown out, doing your hair first creates a base to build the rest of your look. If you need to wash or dry your hair this is the perfect opportunity to style immediately after. This step takes longer than the others but take your time to perfect your look, it is such an important element to feeling confident.
To ensure your hair doesn’t lose its shape, consider using hair oil to prevent frizz and hairspray to keep everything in place. You can also pin it out of your face while you complete your next step — makeup.
Makeup Second
Makeup should always come second; it is not worth the risk of spilling product or staining the perfect outfit you took forever to find. Now with your hair styled, you can use makeup to compliment it.
Start with a clean moisturized face and follow your routine as normal. VALLEY recommends starting with a good base of primer and concealer and following with eyes and lip to finish. When you’re satisfied with your look, use setting spray and powder to keep everything set for the night!
Finally, The Outfit
You can always try on clothing options before the other steps but physically putting on the clothes should be last. This step should be the quickest part of your routine right before you leave. Not only does waiting to wear your outfit keep it perfect, but who wants to get ready in anything uncomfortable?
Once you figure out what you are wearing either before or after, make sure when putting it on to be careful not to mess up your look. There is no need to rush and it’s a lot easier to touch up your makeup than get a stain out of a top! Always remember to accessorize once finished … and just like that your routine is perfected!
Opinions on the perfect night-out order vary from person to person, but logically starting with hair, then makeup and ending with your outfit is the most hassle-free way to get ready for a night out. Take your time with each step and by using this sequence your look will remain perfect for when you finally arrive to where you are going. Whether it be a bar, frats or even a game day tailgate, using this approach will help you feel confident and look your best.
What order do you swear by when getting ready? Tag @VALLEYmag on X with your thoughts!
