Princess Makeover

This one opens on a plain-faced princess standing in front of a castle backdrop, and Princess Makeover starts you at the skin layer before anything else unlocks, so a first pick of a foundation shade quietly sets the tone for every color choice that follows it.

The stations move in the usual fairytale order: skin and blush first, then eyes, lips and a final face layer, followed by hair styles running from a loose curl to a braided updo, and finally a wardrobe of ballgowns, capes and jeweled crowns. Each layer sits on top of the last, so a high collar or a cape can cover a necklace picked earlier if the order gets crossed.

A straightforward makeover game like this one lives or dies on how well the gown and the makeup end up matching, and here the fairytale setting, a castle, soft lighting, a hint of sparkle, gives every combination a consistent backdrop to be judged against. A round ends with the finished princess posed against that backdrop, the closest thing here to a finished portrait.

Picking the gown before the eyeshadow saves a redo, since a jewel-toned dress usually calls for a different eye color than a pastel one. Matching the crown's metal tone to any other jewelry keeps the accessories from clashing under the castle lighting. Checking the hair against the neckline matters too, since a high collar can hide half of a longer hairstyle.