I don’t wear a lot of makeup normally and I am afraid that I am going to look overly made up on my wedding day. How can I avoid this? – Jessica
How To Look Natural
Now days, a lot of girls are going for a natural look rather than a heavily made up finish. This is because, while we want to look gorgeous, we still want to look like ourselves. The last thing we want is to look back at the photos in a few years time and think “what the hell was I thinking!” when it all seemed like a good idea at the time. Looking natural doesn’t mean you need to look washed out! A good makeup artist should be able to identify your features and enhance them without looking too over the top. She should be able to give you a beautified version of you, instead of looking like someone else. Here are some tips to help you on your way.
Eyes You can never go wrong with neutral colors. Try to avoid from electric blues, apple greens and hot pinks. Even though they might be in fashion at the moment, save it for the Club. It’s not the kind of look you want for your wedding day.
Cheeks Don’t overdo the bronzer. Some brides like to go heavy on this product, but try not go crazy with it! You want to look as effortless as possible. You should be aiming to have a sunkissed look. I would suggest adding a touch of pink or peach to give you that healthy glow and avoid looking too orange and overdone.
Lips Vintage is back, so bright red is in, baby. Try and have only 1 strong feature to stand out, meaning if you have smokey eyes, go for natural lips. Natural eyes with eyeliner are perfect with a classic red lipstick. We love Mac’s Diva-Red.
I’ve heard that contouring is essential to creating the perfect look. I’m overwhelmed and don’t know how to start contouring. Can you help? – Sam C.
How To Start Contouring:
Dear Sam, Contouring seems overwhelming if you’ve never done it but it’s easier than you may think. The simplest way to understand contouring is to imagine a light over your head. The areas of the face that the light will illuminate are the highlights and the areas cast in shadows are the contours. It is easy to find the right products and you may already have some in your makeup collection. Use a foundation or concealer one shade darker than you skintone (the one you purchased after that last trip to the beach), or use a bronzer. Apply the darker shade to the areas that are “cast in shadow” which create your contours, add your foundation, blend-blend-blend to avoid harsh lines.
Be sure to wipe off the brush between highlight, contour and blending applications!
Ulta.com has a great step-by-step guide that explains highlighting and contouring. We’ve included the image below. Locate your face shape and see how easy it is to create the contouring that’s best for your face!
Dear Sabrina: What is the best way for preparing your skin for your wedding day?
There is a saying that goes something like “no amount of paint can cover a bad foundation”. We don’t know where it originated from, and maybe it was just something that is said to those folks in the cosmetology industry but we heard it and it stuck with us. The exact same goes for makeup. No amount of makeup can fix bad skin. A prime canvas is necessary to paint and prime skin is necessary to a {relatively} flawless look. So, it may be understandable why we did a happy dance when we opened Jackie’s email asking how to prepare her skin for her big day.
While makeup artists can work to create a smooth, primed foundation to work with but there are many steps that you can take as well.
Facials
It’s great to have a few facials leading up to your big day. Be sure to start them a couple of months before as facials tend to detoxify the face and you don’t want any blemishes to show up unexpected just before the wedding. While an at-home facial is an option, we strongly recommend a professional facial to ensure that any areas prone to problems are addressed. Be sure to use a good skin-care system daily (morning and night) to cleanse, exfoliate, hydrate and moisturize. Follow the recommended exfoliation schedule (generally not more than twice per week).
Sunscreen is your friend. Be sure to apply an SPF (we recommend a 15) before applying foundation. This will protect your skin from the suns harsh rays which cause wrinkles and freckles that could related to further damage or skin cancer. Click here to read our blog “Here Comes the Sun” and find our top sunscreen picks.
Hydration
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Our bodies are approximately 60% water (the percentage fluctuates based on age and gender). Drinking water helps to flush toxins from your body which includes your face. Grab a glass of water and capture a natural glow!
How to Make Your Wedding Makeup Last During a Heat Wave
Summer is in full swing in Arizona! We officially hit triple digit temperatures earlier in May and we have had many brides concerned about the resilience of their summer wedding makeup in this heat. Imagine our surprise when we opened our email box last week and found yet another question about this subject! The topic must be on every bride’s mind.
Kara M. in Scottsdale emailed “I’m getting married on Memorial Day weekend in an outdoor ceremony. I am a little worried about my makeup as each day gets hotter. I’m worried that I will have sweat lines down my face.
How do I keep my makeup fresh and streak free in this 100º+ heat?”
Well, Kara, you are lucky that my team of stylists, comprised of many AZ natives and long-time residents, are experts in dealing with the heat.
Here are 9 things to remember:
Skip the powder. Toning down shine with powder can create a chalky look that exaggerates fine lines and wrinkles. Use blotting papers instead to absorb excess oil without messing up your makeup.
Cool off before application. Let your skin cool down before applying any makeup as warm skin absorbs makeup. Remember blotting papers in lieu of powder!
Carry a facial mist. A facial mist delivers a fine spray that will cool your skin and will make your makeup last longer. Tip: Our go to facial mist is MAC Prep+Prime Fix+.
Use a primer. Primers are made to help makeup cling to the skin a little longer and they cut down on shine. Apply before putting on your foundation, but after your moisturizer.
Avoid heavy foundations. Heavy, full coverage foundations are more likely to melt and slip on hot, sweaty skin. In the warmer months, switch it up to a lighter product that is oil-free and won’t be heavy on your skin. Try to stay away from powder foundations to avoid caking should you start to glisten or sweat.
Switch from powders to creams. Powders can cake in the heat, which is super unattractive. During the summer, if you’re noticing caking, switch to cream blushes and eye shadows. Be sure to use an eyelid primer if you are concerned your shadow is caking (be sure to apply before shadow).
Go water resistant. Mascara that’s water resistant or waterproof is better able to withstand summer sweating. Liquid eyeliners also last longer than pencils when your lids are moist.
Avoid dark colors. If you’re going to be out in the sun, stay away from smoky eyes, dark blushes, and the like. These are a bit harsh in the bright summer sun, and are also more likely to be noticeable if they drip or smudge. Look for softer colors, particularly for the eyes.
Drink! Keeping your body cool from the inside out is the best way to keep your skin dry. Carry a stainless steel water bottle with you, and sip frequently. Add ice often to keep it cold. This can also double as a neck and face cooler when you need it! Tip: We love Hydro Flask for their insulated abilities!
We are so excited to introduce you to our Ask Sabrina blog! As the premier on-location wedding hair and makeup studio in Arizona you can only imagine how many questions we receive from brides-to-be seeking tips for their wedding day. We are so happy to be be able to share those questions and answers with you as well. Ask Sabrina will publish the second and fourth Mondays of each month. If you have a question that you would like answered just email us at media@babydollweddings.com and we will ask Sabrina and answer you via the blog!
This week’s question (and our inaugural one) comes from Stacey K. in Chandler. Stacey asks:
What is the truth about a bride wearing more makeup than normal on her wedding day?
Stacey, and all brides-to-be, this is a great question! We know that you have concerns about feeling and looking overly made-up for your wedding but there are a few factors we need to consider – the length of your day and photography/videography.
First, we all get up in the morning, go through our AM routine and head out to work. I don’t know about you but my makeup looks wilted by noon (earlier if its 115 degrees in the blazing AZ sun – your makeup literally melts off your face, right?) and it never looks fresh when I get home after work. Your wedding day is going to be as long as your work day, and that’s just the ceremony and reception portion! Your makeup may look a little heavy to you but it will get you through your first look to your last dance.
Second, any photographer/videographer will tell you to make sure your features are a little exaggerated so that you don’t look washed out on camera. You can’t repeat this day and we want to be sure that it is perfect. As always, we take our cues from you so should you feel that your look is too heavy, we will talk with you about alternatives to ensure you feel natural and beautiful as you walk down the aisle.
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