A masquerade mask changes what your makeup needs to do. With most of the face covered, your eyes carry more of the look than they normally would — and depending on the mask style, the makeup near your hairline and temples is doing double duty, since it's what the mask itself will touch all night.
Let your eyes do the work
Because a mask covers the brow bone, cheeks, or full face depending on the style, eye makeup reads as bolder than it would unmasked — a look that might feel like too much on its own can be exactly right under a mask. Full-face and half-face masks make different demands: with a half mask like our Phantom styles, only the eyes show through the cutouts, so definition matters more than blending. With a lighter lace eye mask, more of the surrounding skin is visible, so the makeup needs to look finished from a few feet away, not just through the eye holes.
Match your mask's metal tone
The same rule that works for jewelry works for masks: warm metallics like gold pair naturally with champagne, bronze, and warm copper eyeshadow, while silver and rhinestone masks look sharper with cool-toned platinum or taupe shades. It's a small detail, but it's the difference between a coordinated look and two competing metallics.
Go easy where the mask actually touches
Heavy foundation or powder along the hairline, temples, and cheekbones can transfer onto the inside of a mask over a few hours, which is uncomfortable and can leave marks on the mask lining. A lighter touch in those specific areas, with your usual coverage everywhere else, keeps both your skin and your mask cleaner by the end of the night.
Plan for a long night
A mask traps a small amount of warmth against the skin, and formal events like galas and weddings tend to run long. Waterproof mascara and a setting spray are worth it if you'll be wearing the mask for more than an hour or two — much more than for an unmasked evening.
Don't forget your lips
With an eye or half-face mask, your lips become one of the only unobstructed parts of your face, which means lip color reads as a bigger part of the overall look than it usually would. A stronger lip than you'd normally wear often balances a mask well, especially with lighter lace styles where the rest of the makeup is more understated.