Well wedding season is quickly approaching and there’s been a slew of celebrities recently tying the knot. Salma Hayek, Giselle Bundchen (+Tom Brady), Mandy Moore, Fergie and hunky new hubby Josh Duhamel (that’s the happy couple’s wedding pictures above), just to name a few biggies.
Weddings are one of my favorite jobs to book! It’s usually the happiest day of a woman’s life so they’re in a particularly good mood and it should show in pictures. This is the one day that the bride’s face is going to be photographed more than any other day in her life and the makeup look that is created needs to be timeless.
- If it’s in your budget, hire a makeup artist. Like I said, your pictures are going to be around for the rest of your life and that photographer is going to be concentrating on your face – not your $300 shoes. When in doubt where to spend your money – spend it on your face and someone that can help get you the look you’ve always dreamed about.
- If you can’t hire someone, practice practice practice. Start a few weeks before the big day and practice a couple looks and have a friend (or your fiance) photograph you so you can see how the makeup shows up in pictures. Then get their honest opinion, if they’re friends, they’ll be honest.
- Don’t try anything too crazy different from your normal everyday look. Although you do want to look a bit more glamorous than your usual self, you don’t want to look like a stranger walking down the aisle to the loved ones around you.
- Don’t use sunblock or foundation with a high SPF. This ingredient will cause the flashbulbs to reflect too much light on your face and make you appear washed out.
- Use pink blush. A brighter blush on the apples of your cheeks will make you appear to be a “blushing bride.” Go a bit heavier on the blush than you think you need to – but beware of a clown appearance.
- Set your concealer and foundation with a sheer loose powder. Translucent is great if used minimally – if you use too much you could end up looking chalky in photos, but it does help to keep down any shine. Use a powder puff to apply for best results and push the powder into the skin. A greasy bride does not = a pretty bride.
- Use waterproof eyeliner and mascara. Don’t take any chances that you won’t cry or tear up – because the majority of women will get some level of water works going! Waterproof formulas are your insurance for non-raccoon eyes. Maybelline Define-A-Lash ($7) in waterproof is one of my favs. Oh, and please curl your lashes before applying the mascara to open up your eyes.
- Apply your makeup in natural light or near a window. Fluorescent lighting (like at mall makeup counters!) is the pits and doesn’t give a realistic view of what the coloring of your makeup will turn out like.
- Longer lasting lipstick requires filled in lips with liner. Lipstick is the one product I can never guarantee is going to last thru kissing, talking, eating, and drinking champagne (all of which will happen no matter what). But to prolong the wear, color your lips in with a shade darker than your natural lip color, then add a lipstick on top of the filled in liner for an added punch. Revlon’s new formula, ColorStay Soft & Smooth lipcolor ($8)has really impressed me so far with an unbelievably smooth consistency and staying power in 36 shades to choose from. Oh – and give your lipcolor to a bridesmaid of mother of the bride to follow you around for touch ups throughout the night to keep you pucker camera ready.
- Finish off your eyes with a highlighting shadow. Use a flat(no shimmer) ivory or vanilla eye shadow on your brow bone to accentuate that upper part of your eye and make the rest of your eye makeup pop.
When doing your makeup for you wedding day, don’t rush it. Enjoy the time spent preparing and savor the day. It’s your moment to be pampered and feel like a princess – and if that means buying new makeup products for yourself or hiring someone to do the work for you – just do it!!!
