My Summer Brides

This has been one crazy summer for weather! My brides this summer have been stellar. They have planned from other states and perservered through rain and humidity. All the while looking radiant and beautiful, from the inside out.....

This past Saturday, my bride asked me a question that wasn't in the normal wheelhouse of makeup questions. She recognized that I spend a considerable amount of time with brides on their wedding day and asked me how they reacted or what they felt during that time. She was in a state of calm at that moment and wondered if that was normal...lol. I told her I was sure she would run the gamut of emotions leading up to "the walk" which will most likely result in her heart thumping in her chest!

Since I don't usually get asked a question too far off of what I am there for, I carried this thought home with me and reflected on it a bit more. I have been married for almost 19 years and I have only this advice to impart.... Savor all of it....Stop, enjoy, and reflect often on this day. It's hectic and can get away from you. Take time alone, laugh with friends, and revel in your beauty when you see yourself for the first time before you take that walk down the isle.... 

I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of my brides this Summer, you are such sweet girls! Many blessings to you in your marriage and in your life! Here's to the beautiful weddings of my Fall brides!

 

The Blossoming Bride

I'm blogging today because I'm feeling a little creatively stiffled....I have done quite a few weddings this year and I have had the pleasure of creating looks for some beautiful women. However, I feel the need to put out some information to all brides, who might not be aware of all the different makeup looks there are in within your grasp! 85% of women want the look of the smokey eye, while the other percentage want to get really creative, which I love and adore,  (i.e Rockabilly or Vintage brides). Don't get me wrong, the smokey eye is a fantastic look to emphasize your eyes, but let me introduce you to another look that has me so excited to do this season....The Blossoming Bride look!

When I think of this look, I think of outdoor weddings and photos amist Cherry trees, Lilac trees, and Orchards. This look is youthful, radiant, feminine and floral inspired!

Lets start with foundation...Airbrush! It's a light water based formula that sits on top of the skin for an absolutely flawless look that allows skin to breathe.

Lips: If you choose your lips as a focal point, make sure you are comfortable wearing the shade you choose. Don't choose red if you aren't extremely comfortable wearing red. Test out lip colors a few months before your wedding.You also don't want to choose a shade that your fiance has never seen you wear. I've heard a lot of men say they don't want their wife walking down the aisle looking like a stranger. Of course not, can you imagine the look on his face!  Wear them during a night out, or just around your house. You want to make sure you can rock the color you choose without feeling self-conscious and unsure about your choice.  If you choose this look, I suggest a pop of pink for a summer wedding. Nothing says summer like pink and there is a great pink shade created for every skin tone out there.

Eyes: Select eye shadows that look light and fresh! Such as soft pastels, delicate pinks, blues, light grey, white, or greens. When applying shadow, I would just apply a wash of your desired colour over eyelids and keep the application light. Liner should be kept close to the lash line to create definition.

 

Lashes are an absolute must! Enhancing your lashes will make your eyes stand out and make them look really pretty, whilst adding that feminine touch! I would use either a lightweight quarter strip lash or individual pieces, to enhance natural lashes, without making them appear too heavy.

This look is simply stunning and will be beautiful in your wedding photos... Whatever your makeup choice is, just know that a pre-trial is best if you are on the fence about choosing! Don't wait until the "day of", get with your makeup artist and discuss it! Please feel free to visit my board on Pinterest for some inspiration. http://pinterest.com/makeupninja/bridal-makeup/

 

Big lashes, Tangerine Lips, Peaches and Cream Skin, Oh My!

Adios Winter! Spring is here and I for one, couldn't be more pleased to say goodbye to my winter blues! I am excited to share with you a few of my favorite 2013 Spring Trends....



Coral and Tangerine lipstick are my favorite color hues for lips. It's a classy and sophisticated alternative to red. Wear the bold hue with a minimal eye and a paler coral with a smokey eye.

Lashes! I am a huge fan of trio lashes, three lash pieces on one strand. These blend in effortlessly with your natural lashes for a dramatic pump to a smokey or minimal eye makeup look.

Give any complexion a Peaches and Cream look with the right blush shade!

Fair skin with a warm undertone should use an apricot shade as an overall highlighter. A strong peachy yellow tint goes well with your coloring.

 

Fair skin with a cool undertone should use a peachy-pink color because it balances warmth. Try a whipped texture for a natural, flushed from within look.

 

Medium skin with a warm undertone should try an amber hue, which will make you glow. The mix of yellow, orange, and beige gives a subtle dimension to medium-warm skin.

Medium skin with a cool undertone will benefit from a balance of pink to achieve a subtle spring flush. Try a sheer tawny rose shade on the apples of cheeks.

Deep skin with a warm undertone could easily pull off a neon bright with their strong warm base and deep golden undetone. Choose a cream base formula for a luminous sheen.

Deep skin with a cool undertone needs an orange powder with a strong neutral base for their cooler skin tone that radiates tangerine tints. Keep it looking like a natural flush!

 Enjoy the warmer weather to come as we look forward to the summer trends!

To Prime or not to Prime

So....Your makeup slides off your face or disappears during the day. This is a common complaint I hear a lot! Are you using a primer? If you don't know what it means to prime your face, listen up... I'm about to make your day!

The 24 hour holding agent for your foundation, why not? We paint our nails, our house etc., why not our faces? When building a beauty regimen for ourselves, a face primer is often overlooked. Back in the day, makeup artists didn't have high tech primers that produced amazing effects such as refining our skin's texture, evening our skin's tone, or minimizing our pores.

When selecting a primer, think about what it is that your skin needs. Is it for photography or for everyday, with a bit of SPF? A primer with silicone is excellent for giving makeup that fresh look, but can show shiny spots in photography. If you have a color correcting issue like redness, opt for a color correcting primer with a green pigment, while a pink tint can liven up a dull complexion.

Whatever your foundation problem is, it's sure to be corrected with a primer suitable to your skin type. You will be so glad to know this come the hot humid months of summer!

Blah....January.

The only good thing about January for me is my sweet Momma's birthday. The weather we are having where I live is dreadful and the holiday spirit and glitter is all but erased. Yes people, I have the blahs....

This is suppose to be the new year and the start of new beginnings, I should be revived and joyful! Instead, two weeks into January and I have the winter blues. If you are with me, we need some mood enhancing beauty products to perk us up. Here are three products that have made me feel more like, maybe getting on my exercise bike? :)

I am starting with Aromatherapy, the smells of peppermint, grapefruit, and lemon can be inspiring and invigorating to say the least! I am currently trying John Frieda's root awakening to invigorate and energize, because let's face it, those are the key words here! This shampoo and conditioner gently cleanses your hair with a scent of peppermint and a slight cooling sensation. I would also suggest a visit to the Bath Junkie to create your own blend of inspiring scents.


Moving onto the category of dull and dry skin, try incorporating a lotion with some caffenine such as Jergen's Skin Firming Advanced Moisturizer. Nothing is worse than dull itchy dry skin! It's hard to believe that caffiene not only gives you energy, but can also diminish the look of fine lines and cellulite when used over time.

Lastly, a punch of color for my cheeks. Loreal Visible Lift cream blush in a peachy color that is infused with tourmaline pearls to bring about that radience that is lacking this time of year. It's a hybrid cream/ powder formula that won't settle into pores and fine lines, but rather gives you a flawless even tone.

I hope your moods will be lifted with anything you decide to try and keep in mind that Spring Break isn't too far off!

Tis the season for a red pout!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Someone asked me if I buy a new red lipstick every season, of course I do! I am also constantly asked about how to choose the right shade of red for your skin tone, so here is a little direction in that area....

If you’re very fair with a porcelain or ivory complexion, you should go for sheer colors. 

If you wear a sheer red it could be warm or cool. You don't want to look gothic so you want something sheer so it’s a lot more wearable. Almost between a lipstick and a gloss.  Also for light skin tones if you’re going to go with the lipstick rather than a gloss, select a red shade with a blue undertone. A good way to test if your lipstick has a blue undertone is by marking on a plain white piece of paper to see if it has more blue, yellow or brown tints in it.

When you are medium-olive toned you can go a little cool and a little warm. A lipstick with a little yellow and blue combined is good. Many red colors have either a yellow undertone or just brown or blue. Medium skin tones can do all of the above! So lucky..:)

For darker skin tones, you need a darker, richer, burgundy red. A little of brown and yellow undertone. The problem with dark skin is a too blue undertone looks too pinky so you need a burgundy or brown base to it.

Far too often women miss out on wearing this wonderful shade for fear of picking the wrong color, I hope this helps, so you can have some very merry lips this season!

Golden Eye

Golden eye.... Sounds like a James Bond movie right? Not this time....It's the golden look carried over from summer, with a little kick that will warm up your holiday!

I have been obsessed with gold eyeshadow all summer and now it's time to take it into this season , but punch it up a little for a dramatic smokey look that's different from the traditional smokey eye. The key to this look is in smudging/ blending the liner!


Step

1. Prep and prime face

2. Sweep a velvety gold or bronze gold shadow from brow to lid. I use MAC shadow in Woodwinked because it's one of my favorites.                

3. Optional to take a medium brown shadow to the crease.

4. Take a darker brown like Urban Decay's Twice Baked Chocolate Brown and line upper and lower lash line.

5. Highlight your brow with a white shimmer shadow such as MAC Dazzelight.

6. Use a black liner to tightline your eyes for that added "pop!"

7. Coat with black mascara.

This is the look that will enhance any eye color and goes with just about any outfit for this season.