Checklist · 12 picks · 4 categories
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The dress, the tux, the photos: that part's planned. This list is the tiny kit that keeps it all together until the after-party.
Fashion tape comes first, with stylist-backed picks from Bustle for strips, a roll and sensitive skin. Then makeup that survives a sweaty dance floor: Shop TODAY's favorite setting sprays, from a drugstore dewy mist to a waterproof award winner. Toss blotting papers from BestReviews' picks and a stain pen in your clutch for shine and spills, and pack foldable flats for when your heels give up. Each card shows the drawback the testers called out, like tape that won't hold heavy fabric, so you can test everything at home before the big night.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you need the everyday makeup itself; the Makeup Basics list has skin tint, concealer and mascara.
Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 30, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Fashion Secrets FashionTape | budget | $15-25 | keeping a plunging neckline or gapping strap in place | 1 outlet |
| Fearless Sensitive Skin Tape | budget | under $15 | sensitive skin and light fabrics | 1 outlet |
| Braza Flash Tape | mid | $15-25 | custom lengths for hems and long slits | 1 outlet |
| Tide To Go Instant Stain Remover Pen | budget | under $15 | spills on the go, before they set | 2 outlets agree |
| OxiClean Stain Remover Pen | budget | under $15 | lipstick and foundation marks on a collar | 1 outlet |
Best fashion tapebudget pick · 3 tins of 36 strips
Best for keeping a plunging neckline or gapping strap in place
Bustle's pro pick for fashion tape strips: stylist Stephanie Gisondi-Little says they're hypoallergenic, invisible and leave no marks on fabric.
1 outlet. Bustle pro pick: best fashion tape strips.
$15-25
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budget pick · 50 strips
Best for sensitive skin and light fabrics
Bustle's best fashion tape for sensitive skin: made to feel comfortable and non-irritating on the most sensitive skin types.
Heads up. Won't hold heavier fabrics like wool and denim
1 outlet. Bustle best fashion tape for sensitive skin.
under $15
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mid pick · 2 x 20 ft rolls
Best for custom lengths for hems and long slits
Bustle's pro pick for a fashion tape roll: wardrobe stylist Taylor Greeley likes that it's double-sided and you can rip off just the amount you need.
Heads up. Can leave a tacky film on delicate, silky fabrics, per stylist Taylor Greeley
1 outlet. Bustle pro pick: best fashion tape roll.
$15-25
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Best stain removerbudget pick · Compact
Best for spills on the go, before they set
Shop TODAY's best pen: in its test it was great at getting rid of opaque stains like coffee and oil.
Heads up. The angled tip is hard to use
2 outlets agree. Shop TODAY best pen. NBC Select best spot treatment.
under $15
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budget pick · 4 pens
Best for lipstick and foundation marks on a collar
Shop TODAY's best for tough stains: a strong pick for dried or deep stains like lipstick and foundation.
Heads up. The liquid comes out fast
1 outlet. Shop TODAY best for tough stains.
under $15
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Makeup Setting Spray | mid | $25-50 | sweaty dance floors and humid nights | 1 outlet |
| e.l.f. Power Grip Dewy Setting Spray | budget | under $15 | a dewy finish on a small budget | 1 outlet |
| Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray | splurge | $25-50 | full glam that has to last from photos to after-party | 1 outlet |
Best setting spraymid pick · 1 oz or 4 oz
Best for sweaty dance floors and humid nights
Shop TODAY's best waterproof setting spray, and a 2026 Shop TODAY Beauty Awards winner: a classic, updated with better wear and a finer mist.
Heads up. No continuous nozzle
1 outlet. Shop TODAY best waterproof setting spray.
$25-50
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budget pick · 2.7 oz
Best for a dewy finish on a small budget
Shop TODAY's best drugstore setting spray: an affordable, non-greasy bi-phase mist with aloe and hyaluronic acid and a radiant finish.
Heads up. It has a smell
1 outlet. Shop TODAY best drugstore setting spray.
under $15
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splurge pick · 1.1 to 6.76 oz
Best for full glam that has to last from photos to after-party
Shop TODAY's best setting spray for long-lasting makeup: promises up to 16 hours, and editor Audrey Ekman says it doesn't feel tacky or crunchy.
Heads up. May make makeup feel stiff
1 outlet. Shop TODAY best setting spray for long-lasting makeup.
$25-50
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Best blotting papersbudget pick · 100 sheets
Best for quick shine checks in the bathroom mirror
A BestReviews top pick for blotting papers: it blots without smearing your makeup.
Heads up. Can be hard to tell which side to use
1 outlet. BestReviews top Pick blotting papers.
under $15
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mid pick · 30 sheets
Best for a clutch-sized splurge for oily skin
BestReviews' best of the best blotting papers: made from natural abaca leaf, which doesn't over-dry skin.
Heads up. Seems to take more sheets to pick up oil than other brands
1 outlet. BestReviews best of the Best blotting papers.
under $15
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Best foldable flatsbudget pick · Comes in a pouch
Best for swapping out of heels before the dance floor
NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin packed these in her bag for a wedding: they came in a little pouch, fit in a medium-sized bag, and felt heavenly after hours in heels.
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
$15-25
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mid pick · 6 to 12, half sizes
Best for a flat that also works the rest of the year
Shop TODAY's Abigail Barr found these comfortable and well fitting, and light enough to fold up in a bag for the trip home after a night in heels.
Heads up. Not much arch support, and her feet got sweaty on hotter days
Limited evidence. No outlet has named this one yet. It is here as a reasonable option, not a reviewed one.
$25-50
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
Blotting papers, a stain pen, a few strips of fashion tape, your lip color and your phone. Foldable flats can ride in a bigger bag or the car.
Not always. Bustle notes the Fearless tape won't hold heavier fabrics like wool and denim, and stylist Taylor Greeley says Braza Flash Tape can leave a tacky film on delicate, silky fabrics. Test a small spot before prom night.
If you're dancing for hours, it helps. Shop TODAY's picks range from the budget e.l.f. Power Grip to the waterproof Urban Decay All Nighter for hot, crowded rooms.