Matric Dance Beauty Prep: Your Complete Guide

The matric dance is one of the most photographed nights of your life. Between the dress, the shoes, the partner and the venue, your beauty routine needs to be rock-solid — lasting from the pre-drinks photos all the way to the after-party. Here's how to prepare like a pro.

Start With Your Skin — Two Weeks Out

Great makeup starts with great skin. In the two weeks leading up to the dance, establish a simple routine: cleanse, moisturise and apply SPF daily. Exfoliate gently twice a week to ensure a smooth canvas. Avoid trying new products too close to the event — you don't want a surprise breakout.

Foundation That Lasts the Night

A regular foundation won't survive a South African summer evening. You need something designed for longevity. Revlon ColorStay offers up to 24-hour wear, which means your base will look as flawless at midnight as it did at 5pm. Their range includes formulas for both oily/combination and normal/dry skin, so you can match your skin type precisely.

Pro tip: apply with a damp beauty sponge for a natural finish, or a brush for fuller coverage. Set with a light translucent powder on the T-zone only — over-powdering can make skin look flat in photos.

Eyes and Lips That Photograph Well

For eyes, choose a colour palette that complements your dress. Neutral tones (bronze, taupe, champagne) work universally, while deeper shades (burgundy, forest green, navy) add drama. A waterproof eyeliner and mascara are non-negotiable — especially if there will be tears of joy.

For lips, the Revlon ColorStay range includes long-lasting lip colours that won't transfer onto glasses or your partner's collar. Apply, blot, and reapply for extra staying power.

Choosing Your Matric Dance Fragrance

Your scent is the finishing touch. Choose something you love but haven't overworn — so it becomes uniquely associated with this night. Revlon Pink Happiness is a bright, youthful floral that photographs well (yes, scent affects how you carry yourself in photos). For something bolder, Fire & Ice brings warm spice and confidence.

Apply to pulse points — wrists, behind ears, and the décolletage — about 30 minutes before leaving. This gives the top notes time to settle into the heart of the fragrance.

The Matric Dance Competition

Here's a bonus: if you purchase Revlon Pink Happiness or Fire & Ice fragrances, you can enter the Revlon Fragrances Matric Dance Competition for a chance to win one of six R50,000 matric dance experiences, plus your share of R150,000 in prizes. It's the perfect excuse to pick up a fragrance you were going to buy anyway.

Emergency Kit Essentials

Pack a small clutch-friendly kit for touch-ups: blotting papers, your lip colour, a travel-size fragrance, bobby pins, and a mini Mitchum antiperspirant — because even the most composed dancer needs freshness backup on a warm evening.