Classic Romantic Makeup Looks That Are Swoon Worthy
I absolutely love it when our favorite wedding photographers email us GORGEOUS wedding photos of our brides…and dolls, this one is rocking my soul so hard. This classic romantic makeup look has me swooning!
Our makeup artist Sabrina did the makeup for this wedding and everything came together so beautifully. Enjoy this tasty treat on your Thursday morning.
These photos are the work of the uber talented Abby Dennison Photography. She captured this look so beautifully, don’t you think?
I always say a great makeup artist and a great photographer go hand in hand. Enjoy!
Get This Look
Eyes: Urban Decay Eye Shadows in white, kryola, warm brown and dark brown
Sabrina was also the master artist for this retro pin-up style look.
I love how the bride’s up-do perfectly complements her bight red pout! Thanks to Josh at Royal Escape Productions for perfectly capturing this Doll’s personality.
You don’t have to be a bride to want your makeup to go the distance. We all cringe when we look in the mirror at 3pm and see our freckles have popped through our foundation, our mascara is shadowing our lower lashes and our lipstick is (gasp) gone! Here are some great tips you can do to make your makeup sweat, shine and hug proof for the big day and every day beyond.
Your Foundation
1. Clean, hydrated skin. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. If you apply makeup to dry, un-moisturized skin, chances are your base will come off sooner and look uneven. The makeup or primer needs something to cling to!
2. Primer. A primer isn’t only there to make you makeup look fresh, it also helps keep your makeup on longer. Often primers double as mattifiers and pore minimizers so you can eliminate shine while giving your makeup a great surface to sit on. (Tip: primer needs to settle before makeup is applied so wait a few minutes before makeup application).
3. Foundation that works for your skin type. Foundations are not all created equal and some are built to last longer than others (Tip: to create a longer lasting base, spray your foundation brush or sponge with a setting spray before applying).
The Eyes Have It
4. Eye Primers or Cream Eye shadows. Wedding makeup is expected to last up to 15 hours. Avoid creased eye shadow by applying a primer made for the eyes or a long lasting cream eye shadow. The primers create a crease-free surface for your shadow to sit on and should make your eye makeup bullet proof. (Tip: eye primers need an oil based eye makeup remover to remove as they are built to stay).
5. Powder. You don’t need bucket loads of powder to make your makeup last, but you do need the right kind. Powders that are made to absorb oil and are color free are fantastic for long wear. Too much pressed powder can result in a cakey look so go easy.
Kissable Lips
6. Lips. If a bold lip is what you’re going for, use a long lasting or liquid lipstick. These tend to be matte and stay on for longer. A stain under gloss can also help it to last and high shine over nude lips will always give you more lip time. (Tip: Do carry a gloss and lipstick with you for touch-ups. Lips are the one thing that always need touching up).
7. Setting spray. Use a setting spray as insurance that your makeup will still look flawless even at the end of the night (Tip: hairspray is not a setting spray!)
8. Look after it. Maintain your look! If it’s a hot day and you’re sweating, use a tissue to blot down. If you are a crier, use a folded tissue or handkerchief and catch the tears before they hit your face. (Tip: Allocate a bridesmaid to be on makeup duty and have them remind you to touch up lips or de-shine throughout the day).
With these tips, you’ll have a makeup that lasts the day and long into the night.
The last thing we want in the heat of summer is heavy, clumpy makeup so many of us lighten our beauty routine to a more natural look. Lashes, however, are a year-round necessity. Our experts put together these five tips to ensure that you get perfect eyelashes without going to the expense of extensions.
1. Eyelash curlers are a must.
Lash curlers are optimal to getting that “wow” factor. Not all curlers are alike, though, so be sure to choose one that creates a beautiful upward curl. With a delicate motion, move from the lash base upward for maximum results. And always curl before applying mascara, not after. We love the glamorous curls you get with Shiseido’s curler. Silicon pad curls from base to tip and includes one replacement pad.
2. Rest between mascara applications.
Patience is a virtue. Give your lashes a little bit of drying time between each coat. This will allow the mascara to set allowing you to add volume with each coat.
3. Comb your lashes.
We don’t know about you but we hate clumpy lashes. To avoid this, use a metal-toothed lash comb. Wait a few seconds after applying your coat of mascara and then brush through your lashes. Once dry, apply your next coat and repeat. Try the Lift Off Lash Comb for a refined look.
4. Stick with one brand.
Mixing brands (layering one over the other) can lead to clumping as not all formulas are made to blend. Should you decide to experiment, keep your lash comb close by to catch any potential clumps.
5. Condition your lashes.
Just like your hair, your lashes need a little TLC. Lash conditioners work as a primer, creating a good foundation for mascara. Growth treatments like Latisse stimulate the eyelash growth cycle, making it longer, so lashes come in longer, darker and thicker,” but you must stick with the regime to see results. Full results take within 2-3 months, while improvements show within 4 weeks.
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.
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.
Our featured Real Bride for April is Julie who was married last March. She had such a fun wedding with some elements of Irish tradition and adorable ring bears!
What is your name and when was your wedding date?
My name is Julie Kotzbach and we were married on March 14, 2015
How did you and your groom meet?
Mike and I used to work together at a restaurant. He was a bartender and I waited tables. One days, after about 5 years of sort of knowing each other, he invited me to go hang out with him after work with some of his friends. I did. We hung out again a couple days later, and then started spending every day together. We got married just after 8 ½ years of dating.
We are dying to know, how did he propose?!
Mike proposed on Christmas Eve at my dad’s house. It was my dad’s birthday and we do Christmas with that side of my family the same day. Everyone was there. My dad and step-mom totally knew, and I had no idea. My dad called me into the living room (everyone was sitting around the room since we just opened presents), Mike snuck up behind me, my dad spun me around, and BAM! Mike was on one knee.
After he proposed lots of things that he’d said and had happened earlier in the day made total sense. He’s a sneaky little devil. I called my mom to tell her right away, but she already knew. Mike had gone to see my dad the week before to ask permission, and had gone to see my mom to tell her since she wouldn’t be there when it happened. He’s thoughtful like that.
What were your wedding colors? Did you have an overall theme for your wedding day celebration?
Our colors were grey and green. There wasn’t a theme per say. We found colors we liked, loved the space, and just kind of went with how I felt about everything. I guess maybe our paper gardenias became the theme since they took over our lives for a few months. Haha.
How large was our wedding party?
We had 4 bridesmaids, 2 groomsmen, 1 groomsmaid, 2 flower girls, and 2 ring bearers.
Where did you find yourdress? Would you say that finding your dress was a relatively easy or a difficult process?
I got my dress at David’s Bridal in Ahwatukee, it was the first and only store we went to. The consultant I had was great. I showed her all the David’s dresses I liked, but I should have shown her all my pictures. I tried on 4 dresses. The 3rd was a tea dress and I went in with the mindset that a tea dress was what I wanted. However, I wanted to like a long dress to compare. I put the dress and didn’t want to take it off. Surprising I went to my would-be dress pictures later, and the one I ended up getting was really similar to another once I had been looking at. Go figure.
Where did your ceremony and reception take place? Was there any special meaning behind the choice of venue(s)? We had our ceremony and reception at Chapel at the Farm in Gilbert. I had been looking for a venue and was starting to feel like I had to have a certain type of wedding. It sucked. I found Chapel and went over to the site. Then I realized I’d been there many times before. My mom and I have breakfast often at the little restaurant in front of the area. The moment I walked under the pavilion I immediately relaxed. This was the place. It was pretty, open, there was a big grass area for the kids, and we could make the space whatever we wanted.
What kind of flowers did you have in your bouquet and the ceremony/ reception?
Oh the flowers. My amazing friends came over to our house for 2 months before the wedding and helped me assemble 300 paper gardenias for the entire wedding. They were amazing when they were finished!
What was the flavor of your wedding cake? Did you have a groom’s cake?
We ended up not having a groom’s cake, even though I tried to talk Mike into getting a 1995 Chevy cake. Our cake had 3 tiers and we did a different flavor for each tier. The bottom was almond cake with almond buttercream. (I’m normally not into almond all the much, but the cake was amazing. We tried it at our tasting and I was surprised at how yummy it was!) The middle tier was chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting, and the top tier was vanilla cake with salted caramel filling. We had buttercream for the outer layer with a simple white on white design. The whole thing was totally delicious! We may have had cake for breakfast the next day.
Did you provide favors to your guests? If so, what were they?
Since we got married on Pi Day, I decided to have a little fun with it. I made mini recipe cards of some family pie recipes and other recipes pie recipes I loved, and turned then them into a mini cookbook with a binder ring.
What details from your wedding that made it unique to you?
The flowers were A LOT of work but they meant a lot to me, and spending that extra time with my friends was fun. I made 2 flavors of popcorn, packed in Chinese take-out boxes, the night before the wedding for cocktail hour. I love making popcorn. A blogger friend made custom peg dolls for our cake toppers, complete with flat top for make. One of my favorite things was leaving the wedding in Mike’s 1955 Chevy. He’d worked for a month to get her back in action so we could drive her home from the wedding. The other big thing was, the lead piper from our bagpipe band played me down the aisle. Mike chose the song. His sister walked down the aisle to it, when his dad passed they played it, and now he was welcoming me to the family with the same song. It was a big deal to me.
Other than marrying your husband, what was your favorite moment from your wedding day? There are two moments. The first was the Best Man’s speech. Kyle was so funny and sweet, and he had the whole thing memorized. Apparently there’s a 12 minute version of the speech I’m dying to hear. The second was at the after party. One of our bagpiper friends dedicated a song to me before the boys started playing their set. He never plays this song in public, it’s only for very close friends and family special occasions. It was a great song, and I was so flattered he thought to gift me that way.
Did you take a honeymoon? If so, where did you go?
We are hoping to honeymoon in Vegas for our anniversary.
What is one piece of wisdom you learned from your planning experience that you would like to share with future brides?Drama will happen, you can’t control it, don’t let it suck you in. We had a lot of back and forth with the guest list. Due to venue and budget limitations we were inviting family only. We managed to sneak in a few longtime friends after getting some no RSVPs back. There were people that got upset that their invitation came before another family member’s and vice versa. If anyone (moms, dads, etc.) start pushing you about RSVPs, put them on the job. If they want to know so badly, they can find out and report back to you. It added a lot of stress I didn’t need, so I made it someone else’s problem. Put them on the wedding team and make ‘em work!
Who were some of the other vendors that were a part of your dream team?
Hair and Makeup – Babydoll Weddings
I cannot say enough great stuff about Sabrina (and her staff)!! She’s amazing! My bridal trial was great. I had no idea how to explain what I wanted. I showed Sabrina some pics and she took it from there. She talked me into my first salon hair coloring ever and killed it! My hair and makeup day of was perfect. My curls lasted all day, which is unheard of, and I felt beautiful.
Dress – David’s Bridal Bride’s rings
Gemvara (online) – Groom’s ring
The Irish Jeweler (online) – Finding the right claddaghs (rings) was hard, but a little searching left Mike and I both happy. I had to custom order his ring from Dublin and the jeweler was awesome!
Cake – Piece of Cake Desserts
Rentals & Catering – Heidi’s Events & Catering (Jillian was so great to work with)
DJ – Cerrick Entertainment (Crissy kicks ass!!)
Photo Booth – AZ Photo Box (had a thumb drive of all the pics, photo strips and individual pics, to take home with us that night!)
Thank you so much Julie and Mike for sharing your special day with us! It was a honor to be included!
Perfect Pin-Up
Perfect Pin-Up
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.
How did you and your groom meet?
ias became the theme since they took over our lives for a few months. Haha.
op for make. One of my favorite things was leaving the wedding in Mike’s 1955 Chevy. He’d worked for a month to get her back in action so we could drive her home from the wedding. The other big thing was, the lead piper from our bagpipe band played me down the aisle. Mike chose the song. His sister walked down the aisle to it, when his dad passed they played it, and now he was welcoming me to the family with the same song. It was a big deal to me.
There are two moments. The first was the Best Man’s speech. Kyle was so funny and sweet, and he had the whole thing memorized. Apparently there’s a 12 minute version of the speech I’m dying to hear. The second was at the after party. One of our bagpiper friends dedicated a song to me before the boys started playing their set. He never plays this song in public, it’s only for very close friends and family special occasions. It was a great song, and I was so flattered he thought to gift me that way.
I cannot say enough great stuff about Sabrina (and her staff)!! She’s amazing! My bridal trial was great. I had no idea how to explain what I wanted. I showed Sabrina some pics and she took it from there. She talked me into my first salon hair coloring ever and killed it! My hair and makeup day of was perfect. My curls lasted all day, which is unheard of, and I felt beautiful.