10 Easy Tips for Fresh Makeup on Your Wedding Day.

Today, I had the pleasure to work on bride-to-be, Melissa. She's youthful, gorgeous and has got her big day well on its way. She's planning on having a midday, outdoor wedding. I know what your thinking, "Sounds fantastic!" Right? Well, yes and no. Yes, because every bride dreams of having a beautiful summer wedding. But, if you're like most women you can run into a tricky or should I say shiny situation. Midday, is not only one of the worst times for lighting in pictures, it is also one of the harshest lighting to conceal shine and redness! If you're a bride your probably younger and youthful skin retains more oil which can make your skin red, shiny or prone to breakouts. In pictures this means you'll probably look uneven and oily. No one wants to look like that on the most photographed day of their life! So, here a few tips avoid photo shine and fight redness:

1. Choose your ceremony time carefully. If possible, try and push your wedding to a later time in the day. Most photographers and makeup artists will agree that sunrise and sunset is the best time to take pictures. If you have an midday wedding try to take pictures after the ceremony when the sun wont be the highest in the sky.

2. Use green based concealers. They to fight red toned skin. Green is opposite to red on the color wheel and cancels the tone out. This will fight the visible look of breakouts or just the red undertone of sensitive areas.

3. Use an oil absorbing primer. Primer is important on wedding days because you want your foundation to last for hours without washing off. By using an oil absorbing product like No7 "Shine Free" primer it actually absorbs the oils your face produces and puts a barrier between natural oils and your foundation.

4. Stay away from shimmer. Any product that has glitter, shimmer or a frost finish to it should be avoided (with the exception of a highlight tone in your eyeshadow). Anything that is shimmery will just make you look shinier in photographs.

5. Make powder your best friend. Powder is really the quickest way to conceal shine. Add, a mineral veil over your foundation to set it. Choose a light powder that wont look cakey.


6. Avoid cremes. If you have naturally oily skin you should avoid creme based products altogether. Cremes smear and shine. Try to get a matte texture for blushes, foundations and eyeshadow. And leave the cremes behind for photo shoots.

7. Blot it! A lot of makeup lines sell blotting paper that absorbs oils. Give a few sheets to your maid of honor and have her keep you shine-free throughout the day.

8. Use an Acne wash. Even if you're not prone to break outs, using a gentle acne wash can prevent oily skin. Be careful not to over do it though. If you dry out your skin your body will overcompensate by creating even more oils. Try to find a happy balance.

9. Moisturize. I know that sounds like the opposite to what I've been saying. But, the goal isn't to dry out skin, it's to minimize oil and redness. The best way to do that is to have healthy skin that glows not shines. Use an oil free moisturizer that will balance facial tone.  

10. If your unsure pull out your camera. If you are a DIY girl and plan to do your own wedding makeup you should experiment with different shades, colors and textures of makeup. Take pictures of your different looks. Remember that some makeup looks absolutely beautiful until the flash of a camera hits it. 

I hope those tips will help you feel as confident and fresh as Melissa will look on her big day. Happy makeup-ing!

Classic beauty without sacrificing natural beauty

"Makeup is meant to be beautiful, and beautiful makeup is all about the colors you choose and where you place them--never about how much you put on." --Robert Jones

                 It is amazing to me that in this modern day I find myself explaining the benefits of makeup to woman. I often wonder how beautiful we'd think Audrey Hepburn would've been if she didn't wear a gradually widening liquid liner--a look that now called "The Audrey Eye." I wonder how sexy we would've thought Marilyn Monroe was if she hadn't learned to contour her nose. It's true, Marilyn Monroe is often credited as the first to start uses dark shades to minimize large features, making them look more defined. And, what would Betty Davis been known for if she hadn't worn dark mascara to extenuate her eyes?

I'm going to set the record straight, so before you turn your noses up, perk-up your ears and listen. Makeup's goal is to help you identify what is beautiful about YOU and so you can show it off! It's the same thing that you and I do with our different body types. Have a small waist? Great, wear lots of belts to show it off! Have a small chest size? Never fear, shirts with volume along the bust and necklaces will take care of that. We woman have learned to find our best and show it off. We do this with our clothes and our homes, even on our resumes. Our face should be no exception. It goes without saying, that every woman is different. God made people with a variety of facial features and shapes. Our differences are often what can make us beautiful. Makeup is all about taking those differences and showing them in their best light. Not to change them. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons woman are adverse to wearing makeup is because they think it takes away from their "natural look." But makeup isn't about changing you its about intensifying the things that make you, you. Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Betty Davis had the right idea: captivate others with their stunning differences.

That doesn't mean you should over do it and start piling the makeup on. I believe makeup should look natural. You don't want to walk around looking as if you're wearing a mask--no matter how pretty that mask might be. Makeup uses color's hue, temperature, value and intensity to diminish flaws and highlight beauty. It's use of texture also plays a crucial role in enhancing the total look of your face. Makeup should make you feel like you, not like you pretending to be someone you're not. Makeup is not one size-fits-all. That's why it's important to discover if you have Audrey's eyes or Marylin's sharp features. Makeup can help you discover that about yourself. Makeup can transform you into a classic beauty without sacrificing your natural, God-given beauty.

 

 

 

 

I have a few questions for you readers today

Do you know what the most beautiful feature about you is?

And more importantly do you know how to extenuate it?

Also, which beauty in Hollywood do you find attractive and why?

Don’t wear makeup? Tell me why.