Consider having your makeup applied professionally. Schedule a trial run to avoid nasty surprises.Exfoliate your skin and follow with a gentle toner.Find a foundation for your skin type and with the closest match to your skin tone.
Avoid embarrassing lines and variations by blending it into your neck and hair line.Curl your lashes with an eyelash curler to make them appear longer.If your lashes are lacking, consider false eyelashes. They're easier to apply than you may think and you don't have to apply them all-around. Try cutting strips or using individual lashes to fill in sparse areas.
Brown/black mascara flatters most skin tones and hair colors. Prom is an emotional event so opt for waterproof. Bring some tissues just in case...For better pictures, use loose translucent powder on your face to cut down on your "shine" factor.
Take along a compact of pressed powder for some quick touch-ups.Crème eye-shadow has a tendency to crease, so stick with powder shadows for the long haul.Lipstick or lip gloss. Whatever you choose, take your tube with you for touch-ups. Here are some examples for suiting different kind of prom dresses: Makeup for Dark strapless formal evening dress 
Cooler colors like mauve, pink and silver look better.Choose lipsticks with matte finish rather than frosted ones. The shades should not be too dark or too light. Medium dull shades would look best. Bright pinks or reds are an absolutely NO! If you have dark lips, before applying lipstick, put some foundation and powder on your lips.Your blusher too should not be pinkish. Peachish blushers work best on dusky complexion. A gold eyeshadow would be complimentary where as a silver one may not look good.
How to makeup when you wear light formal dress:
Because it is a light color, there are limitless opportunities for looks. For eyes, I think it is key to go for a light gold (peachy-gold, even) like shades of Goldmine, Motif, Rose Blanc, etc. A cat eye would work well in this, especially if one were to go for matte or semi-matte red lips.
