MANILA, Philippines?Considering that the girls who go to the prom are usually about 15-17 years old, this is a good time to celebrate coolness and youth. Still, a surprising number of them manage to look older than they really are. Why? Because they opt for dark colors, overwhelming designs and mature makeup.

When going to the prom, make sure that you look and feel as young as you really are. While it?s a good idea to leaf through fashion magazines in order to clearly convey the look you want to your makeup artist or designer, avoid aping the looks found in high-concept magazines (like Vogue or Nylon, for instance) that are difficult to pull off in real life?imagine doing a slow dance with your date while your eyes are coated with thick black eyeliner and neon-green eye shadow!

The prom is one of the few times in your life that you can get away with nearly anything you want. So go ahead and wear that tiara and fluffy ball skirt if you think you can get away with it, as long as you?re sure that you won?t be worried about the tiara slipping off your head the entire night.

Bright colors

Being young also means that you can get away with wearing bright colors, so for now, ditch the black velvet dress and opt for jewel-toned gowns. Pink, purple, yellow, green and blue are popular colors this season, so go all out on color without worrying that you might look like a crayon. To make your gown pop, accessorize with bright ribbon necklaces, wire cuff bracelets, cocktail rings and long strands of pearls. Don?t limit yourself to gold or silver sandals?the more colorful your shoes are, the better. Also, make sure you?re wearing comfortable shoes; you can?t dance the night away in painful heels, after all. For colorful, comfortable footwear, check out Melissa Shoes at www.melissaphilippines.com.

Ask your makeup artist to make you look young and fresh; if he or she starts to pile on heavy layers of foundation, head for the hills. After all, you won?t need lots of foundation unless you have problem skin (like blemishes or acne scars), so make sure you communicate with your makeup artist. Try to do research on the makeup artist?s previous work as well, so you know what to expect. After all, you wouldn?t want to go to the prom looking like a kabuki actor.

When having makeup done, make sure the colors used will complement (and not match) your dress. If you?re wearing a purple gown, stay away from eggplant or plum shadows, and veer toward light pink, silver and gold hues, depending on your skin tone.

You can use red lipstick if you really want to, but be warned: It can look too strong for your age, so use in moderation. Smoky eyes are also glamorous, but without the proper attitude needed to carry such a strong look, you?ll only end up looking like a raccoon.

Makeup looks to check out this season are Shu Uemura?s Rebirth collection, Lancome L.U.C.I. Spring/Summer 2008, L?Oreal Mineral Makeup, Smashbox Greenroom and Kanebo Coffret D?Or. The shades for the season include lime green, yellow, turquoise, frosty blue and baby pink?perfect for the prom season.

We particularly like Shu Uemura?s shades this season: lime green, orange, and periwinkle will definitely make your eyes pop without looking over the top. The star product, the Tri-Color Eye Pencil, has two variants: Energy Flow (yellow, white, orange) and Aqua Flow (light blue, gray, green).

Lancome?s L.U.C.I. collection is also inspired by light, airy shades. The collection uses iridescent bright colors (such as shimmery aqua and lilac) enhanced with a silvery base. Our top pick? The shimmery white Star Powder, which you can use to highlight your shoulders (great for catching the light from the mirrorball at the prom!)

Smashbox Greenroom, on the other hand, is less ethereal and more earthy. It has two bronzers and two sets of eye shadow in nature-inspired colors, great for morenas who want to enhance their caramel skin.

Want to look like a Japanese pop star? Check out Kanebo?s Coffret D?Or, a collection that will surely appeal to those who want to highlight their pale, luminous skin. The collection has several sets of sparkly eye shadow that would look great in a dimly lit ballroom.

E-mail the author at biancaconsunji@yahoo.com