I have not learned any professional makeup tricks. I am very fair with blonde hair age-late 40's but look like 38. Will be competing standard/silver pro/am. What is best lipstick color - red/blue to make teeth look whiter or heavy frosted gloss? How do you keep gloss from running over lipliner? Can blush substitute for bronzer? Also what is best eye shadow color (hazel green eyes)? I know this is all subjective - but would appreciate any feedback.

Your best bet might be to go to a makeup counter like MAC. You can bring them a picture of you in your dress -- or at least of your dress -- and tell them you're going to be in a ballroom competition and get them to help you pick things.

The colors are all going to depend on your skin tone and your dress color. Personally, I like to wear rich reds, not bright ones, but ones that are just slightly browned a bit. MAC's "Mystic" is one of my favorites, as is "O." I hate lip gloss and so don't use it. I always use blush and have never used bronzer. I do, however, use self-tanning cream on my face and any other parts of my body that will show in my dress. I use eyeshadows in neutrals that go with my skin tone -- deep pinky browns, or pinky greys, with an accent color that brings out my eye color or contrasts (but doesn't clash) with my dress.

It takes some experimentation to find the best personal look. Is there a female teacher at your studio you can ask for a bit of advice, or another student who has been doing this longer than you? I'm just suggesting that you talk to someone in person because that way they can take your skin tone, eye color, and hair color into account.

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Thank you, Laura. I appreciate your comments. I like your eye shadow colors. I usually wear a burgandy/plum color - never goes wrong. I see such beautiful makeup applications on youth as well as pro competitors - but often black shadow and lots of glitter. What self-tanner do you use?

If Burgundy/Plum works for you, then go for it. I wore burgundy last weekend, in fact.

My favorite self-tanner is from Estee Lauder. I'm very fair, so I get their "medium" shade. I do two applications and come out looking just a bit sun-kissed but not super tan. I don't do Latin so I don't want that browned look.

The black shadow and glitter can look harsh and overdone if you're not used to it and if you're not sure how to put it on. Since you're asking makeup questions I'm assuming this is pretty much your first competition. My suggestion is to be dramatic with the makeup application: thicker and darker eyeliner than usual, more deeply pigmented shades of colors that you know work on you, don't blend everything all soft focus but let there be some dramatic contrast between what you put on your brow bone and on your eyelids. You want to be super glamorous but not frightening. I like to test my makeup by standing about 10 feet away from a mirror. If my features look good from that far away, then I know I have enough on.

I highly suggest wearing fake eyelashes (but buy them at the drug store or a beauty supply place where they're a LOT cheaper). If you can't bear to wear them, then get the most volumizing mascara you can. I'm partial to Lancome's Flextentials. Or maybe it's Amplicils. They'll know when you go ask.

I prefer MAC eyeshadow to Lancome for competition wear because MAC's pigments are deeper. Lancome seems better to me for real-life wear.

Thank you again, Laura. You sound like a pro. I haven't competed in 1 1/2 yrs and this will be my 5th. Am waiting for arrival of custom-made gown so don't have it to work with yet and comp this weekend. I do like dramatic makeup but hyper sensitive to lots of components, so limit myself to less these days. Will wear heavy volume mascara/eye liner. Gown is acqua/blue zircon stones. Do you think red/claret lipstick or plum/pink? Under normal circumstances I am always made up well, but am a total novice for theatrical.

I'm not a pro, but I've been dancing in Pro/Am and amateur events for seven years now.

I have to be careful about glitter myself -- it gets into my contacts.

Your gown sounds like it's "cool" colors, so you should pick the lipstick that is "cool" in shade. Go for the lipstick that has neutral or blueish undertones, not the one that has warmer-orange/coral/definite brown undertones. And get a lip liner to go with it. My ex-Pro/Am teacher's Pro partner taught me a little trick: line your lips, and the color in your entire mouth with the lip liner. Then apply your lipstick over it. It makes it stay on longer, and intesifies the color. Then, go back around the lip line with the pencil again to define the edges.

Again, Laura, your comments are much appreciated. I do feel better guided by what you've said.