Wednesday, March 13, 2019

BRIDAL BEAUTY TREATMENTS

Brides often ask me about facials and cosmetic treatments before their weddings....I always tell them to stop all procedures two weeks before the wedding to allow the skin to relax, glow and look normal.

Whatever you do to enhance your beauty, don't do it the day before the wedding. 

Saturday, February 16, 2019

WEDDING MAKEUP - PRICE VS. QUALITY

If your mother didn't tell you, then let me tell you - you get what you pay for.

Skimping on makeup on your wedding day is never a good idea.  When the wedding is over, all that's left are your memories and the photos.  Yes, the photos.  And if your makeup is not on point with photography ready makeup,  you will not like your photos, which defeats the purpose of spending all that money on photos.

Sure, you can call Glam Squad or a similar service and get a person that applies makeup for $75. But you need to ask yourself, what kind of person works for $40 because that's what the makeup person gets after Glam Squad takes their cut.  I mean, the makeup person has to buy makeup, supplies, skincare etc....so what kind of person would work for $40?  I will tell you.  A person with no experience.  Do you really want someone working on you and your bridal party with no experience?  Maybe it will work out and maybe it won't.  Do you want to take that chance on your wedding day?

I  tell my brides that choosing a bridal makeup artist is like choosing a plastic surgeon - don't look for bargains.  If you are on a budget, cut the food, the flowers or the shoes, but never skimp on your face.




BRIDAL QUESTION #2 CAN I WEAR RED LIPS AT MY WEDDING.

One of the questions I often get asked is:  Can I wear red lips on my wedding day?

My answer is always yes, yes and yes!  If red lips are your thing, go for it.  Red lips make a statement and really pop in photos.  The secret is to keep the eyes and cheeks soft and pretty and let the red lips be the makeup star.  Granted red lips are a bit more work than a nude or pink, but so worth it.


Red Lip Tips:

Stay away from liquid lipsticks.  Why?  These lipsticks do have staying power, but they also tend to look dry, peel and crack.  And once these lipsticks start to peel, there is no way to fix the damage other than to take it off and start all over.  What bride has time for that nonsense on her wedding day?

My red lip lip secret it to use a regular lipstick in a satin or semi-matte formula.  Use a red lip pencil to fill in the entire lip and apply three thin layers of lipstick with a puff of  translucent powder between each layer.  Finish with a final layer of lipstick.  Never use gloss or you will be asking for greasy mess.

I used this technique on my lovely bride Kristin (pictured below) and she swore to me she didn't need to touch up her lips the entire night!!


BLACK AND WHITE VS. COLOR PHOTOS

The trend now seems to be color wedding photos.  Don't get me wrong, I love color, but there is something so elegant about black and white photos.  I always try to encourage my brides to have their photographer do a combination of both color and black and white photos.

Friday, February 15, 2019

TOP BRIDAL MAKEUP QUESTIONS # 1

As a NYC makeup artist, I know first hand that brides usually have a ton of questions about their wedding day makeup.  To help brides navigate the bridal beauty process, I decided to start answering the most popular questions on my blog. 

How much time should I allow for hair and makeup on my wedding day?  

I get this question with every bride.  I always tell my brides more time is better than less time.  Why?  Last minute things always come up on the wedding day that the bride needs to address - such as flowers, guests, seating etc.. - and that eats up time.  Also, I always tell my brides to factor in extra time to enjoy the getting ready process with your bridesmaids and family.  

For the actual time, I like to count backwards from the time my bride needs to be in her dress for first looks or photos.  Depending on the time it took at the trial, I usually factor in 2 to 3 hours for bridal hair and makeup.  For example, if the bride needs to be in her dress at 3 pm, I would schedule her at 12 noon. 

Bridesmaids and others are scheduled every 45 minutes alternating between hair and makeup. I insist that bridesmaids, mothers or friends  bring photos of hair and makeup ideas to help us understand what they like and to ensure we give them the look they want.

TOP 5 TIPS FOR BRIDAL TRIAL SUCCESS

Every bride knows they need a makeup and hair trial - but most brides come to their trials unprepared.  To have a successful trial, a bride must do some beauty research and some serious thinking about how she wants to look on her big day.  I love creating a bridal look, but my vision might not be yours, so read below my top 5 tips to a successful wedding day makeup trial.

1.  Wear a white shirt or a similar color to your gown. Makeup looks very different in a black shirt      
     than a white shirt - you want to see your makeup in the color you will be wearing on your 
     wedding day. 

2.  Bring photos of makeup and hairstyles that inspire you.  Explain what you like about each photo. 
     Also, tell the artist what you dislike about past makeup/hair experiences.  For example - no red 
     lips, dark eyebrows, hair off the face, thick foundation etc..

3.  During the trial, be open and address anything that you don't like - now is the time to change 
     things or try new colors, so don't be afraid or think you will insult your artist - we are 
     professionals and want to make you feel beautiful.  

4.  Be open and listen to your artist for tips and tricks that might better flatter your face. 

5.  Take photos of the various finished styles - makeup can look very different in photos.