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!
Summer is all about lightening your beauty routine— such as ditching your foundation and blush in favor of a swipe of bronzer and letting your hair succumb to their natural waves. The flip side to warm weather’s unbuttoned ease is its ability to make your whole look melt. If you are looking for a simplified summer beauty routine considering trying some of the following tips:
Tinted Moisturizer
Using a product that multitasks, like a tinted moisturizer with SPF, turns three steps into one. Choose one that is a little bit darker than your skin tone. It adds a warmer glow to your skin immediately while protecting you from the suns harsh rays. Plus, you can apply it with your fingers the way you would your moisturizer — much easier than foundation.
Cheeks and Eyes
Use the same product on multiple areas instead of individual blushes and eyeshadows. Choose something that has a bronzy tone to it but stay away from anything peachy. Our pick is Nars the Multiple Bronzer, $39. Finish the look with a waterproof (aka sweat proof) mascara that will add volume to your luscious lashes. Try MAC’s Haute & Naughty Waterproof Lash, $23.
Kissable Lips
A tinted gloss is a girl’s best friend during the summer. Loaded with mango and shea butters, our favorite tint is not-sheer but not-opaque which means it delivers the right amount of soft, subtle color to your pout. Clinique Chubby Stick, $17.
Why You Need To Add A BB Cream To Your Beauty Regimen
BB Creams, or Beauty Balms (also known as Blemish Balms), were originally developed in Germany by a dermatologist who wanted a single cream that would protect skin and provide coverage after laser treatments. They are formulated to do the job of five or six other products: moisturizer, primer, sunscreen, skin treatment, concealer, and foundation while providing sheer to medium coverage. South Korean beauty bloggers first discovered this wondrous all-in-one product and it quickly spread throughout Asia before finally making its way to the Western Hemisphere approximately four years ago. Today, just about every makeup brand carries a BB Cream.
Why You Need a BB Cream
Aside from the multi-purpose functionality of this product, a BB cream will help you achieve fuller coverage without having to move up to a heavier foundation. A pea-sized dab of BB cream can provide just the right amount of coverage for a casual day. Add a foundation on top of it for a slightly heavier, flawless look.
Most BB Creams come in light to medium shades (medium tends to be the darkest shade available). For this reason, we recommend color matching at your favorite makeup counter to be sure the shade is right for you.
We are MAC lovers and so it is a no-brainer that our favorite BB Cream is MAC’s Prep +Prime:
MAC Prep+Prime BB Beauty Balm Compact SPF 35: A beauty balm that blurs imperfections and evens skin tone immediately. Provides medium coverage, satin finish, and is available in 12 shades. $31.00
Try it, we guarantee you will love the results! Oh, and guys, believe it or not, there are BB Creams available for you, too!
Our stylists are frequently asked how to create the perfect wedding day eyes. These simple tips will insure that your eyes are bright and beautiful whether you choose a classic, romantic or dramatic look.
Erase Dark Circles
Did you stay up late dishing with your bride tribe? Dark circles are an easy fix with the right concealer. First, apply foundation and then gently pat your concealer in the corner of your eyes working outward. Gently press concealer onto your skin – never rub. To add staying power, top with a translucent powder.
The Brows Have It
Consider having your brows shaped the week prior to the wedding by a professional that uses tweezers. Waxing and threading don’t remove individual hairs and you want to make sure that your shape is clean and near perfect. To enhance your brows, select a powder with the same undertone as your hair color but be sure it looks natural in the daylight. Outline the natural shape of your brows with an angled brush designed for this application then lightly fill in with powder and pencil if needed. We love Urban Decay’s brow box.
Expert Eye Shadow
Create the perfect canvas for your shadow by applying primer to your eyes. This will keep your eyeshadow from creasing and extend the wear time. When applying color, opt for soft, subtle, neutral shades to enhance your eyes. A creme base, layered with matte powder, will extend the life of your shadow from your first look all the way through your last dance.
Liquid or Pencil Liner
Liquid liner can look heavy, especially in photos so our experts recommend a pencil liner in charcoal, navy or mahogany to enhance your eyes. While black is a popular go-to, you may find it is too severe. Consider amplifying your liner by applying a bit of shadow over the top (be sure to use a slightly damp brush to apply).
Bat Your Lashes
False lashes are popular additions to your wedding day beauty regimen but if you are a big crier you may want to rethink them. Shedding tears of joy will cause your lashes to lift. You can create a dramatic effect with your own lashes. Start by curling the lashes, starting at the lid to create lift. Follow this with a volumizing mascara (note, you can swipe a small amount of baby powder across your lashes to help the mascara grab thus creating more volume) but be sure it is waterproof! Now you are ready to face your groom and the camera.
There’s nothing less satisfying than not getting those full 8 hours of sleep, and when if comes to planning your wedding, or just dealing with everyday life it can be hard. Thank goodness for the magic and wonders of concealer! Now you might be used to putting on your concealer by tracing a half-moon right on the dark circles under your eyes, but for a more seamless look try tracing a downward triangle. This way the bottom point reaches the apples of your cheeks and the other two points should reach the corners of your eyes. This trick helps you blend the color with the rest of your face while also highlighting your cheeks! Give it a try and let us know what you think!
photo credit: 
Consider having your brows shaped the week prior to the wedding by a professional that uses tweezers. Waxing and threading don’t remove individual hairs and you want to make sure that your shape is clean and near perfect. To enhance your brows, select a powder with the same undertone as your hair color but be sure it looks natural in the daylight. Outline the natural shape of your brows with an angled brush designed for this application then lightly fill in with powder and pencil if needed. We love 
Liquid liner can look heavy, especially in photos so our experts recommend a pencil liner in charcoal, navy or mahogany to enhance your eyes. While black is a popular go-to, you may find it is too severe. Consider amplifying your liner by applying a bit of shadow over the top (be sure to use a slightly damp brush to apply).
False lashes are popular additions to your wedding day beauty regimen but if you are a big crier you may want to rethink them. Shedding tears of joy will cause your lashes to lift. You can create a dramatic effect with your own lashes. Start by curling the lashes, starting at the lid to create lift. Follow this with a volumizing mascara (note, you can swipe a small amount of baby powder across your lashes to help the mascara grab thus creating more volume) but be sure it is waterproof! Now you are ready to face your groom and the camera.