Being present in the pageant world has taught the current Miss Alabama USA, Hannah McMurphy, a ton about makeup: what looks good, what doesn’t, and a whole lot of trial and error. But, before her current namesake, and prior to being fully invested in the pageant community, Hannah worked, and still works, as a hair and makeup artist for weddings, pageants, and formal events.

Despite weddings and pageants having vastly different end-products, one ending with a ring on one’s finger and the other, hopefully, a crown atop one’s head, they do share some commonalities in the makeup realm. When approaching makeup in both the wedding and pageant style, here are a few tips and tricks your local Alabama representative has dubbed as fool-proof:

• Eyelashes are a MUST! They tie together the look and add extra glam and definition to the eyes.

• Brows are SO important! Fill those babies in, and remember they’re sisters NOT twins.

  • “Usually a shade range of one to three shades lighter or darker of your natural hair color is the safe zone for brow fill-in color.”

• Bronzing your face gives more dimension and liveliness to your features. Don’t be scared of it! Just remember to build the color up.

• For a “snatched” looking nose, contour along the bridge of your nose, not on the sides as that can make it look wider. Go in with a highlight and lightly apply it in a thin, but blended, line down your bridge. For added contour, take an under-eye powder and place it along the sides of your nose around the contoured area. This will blend the wider parts of your nose into your face and accentuate only the contoured part.

• A good under-eye powder will brighten up your face, make it appear more open, and clean up any fall-out.

  • “Under-eye powder is GREAT in moderation. Don’t put too much on, though, it can flash back with flash photography and make you appear like you have white circles under your eyes.”

    • Try: bareMinerals Well Rested Under Eye Powder Concealer

• Slightly over line your lips for a poutier look.

  • “This tip can go south very fast. You only want to over line the fullest part of your lips right above the natural lip line. I always use a gloss, too, to pack a little more punch.”

Photo: Arden Upton H&MU: Madeleine Hulsey

Photo: GrantFoto H&MU: Makenna Henning

Photo: Arden Upton H&MU: Madeleine Hulsey

Photo: Austin Ryde H&MU: Austin Ryde