Beauty Tips for Brides

Your wedding day will be a magical and wonderful time that you will remember for the rest of your life, but with so much going on and so much to do it can be a very stressful time.  With the right planning, your make-up look can be one of the easy tasks to cross off your To-Do list.  Whether you are planning to apply your make-up yourself or hire a professional Make-up artist for your big day, here are a few things you should keep in mind.  

 Make-up is used to enhance natural beauty and build confidence, when used in the right way it can leave you feeling exhilarated and ready to take on the world.  This doesn’t mean you need to plaster layer upon layer on your face and end up looking like a clown, it just means you will need to plan ahead and choose a look that best suits you, your skin and your personality.  If you don’t normally wear make-up then you shouldn’t feel you have to walk down the aisle with a fully made up face, using a small amount of product in the right areas will help you look and feel your best all day.  Just remember, it’s your day, your wedding and as you walk down the aisle you want to look and feel like you, but the best you possible.

You should try and test your make-up looks a few times before the big day; this will give you enough time to change anything you aren’t sure about before the last minute.  It also allows you to choose the right shades and colours rather than making the wrong choice on the morning of your wedding.  It is also useful to take photographs of your look each time you test it, this will help you see what it will look like. 

While you are thinking about your wedding preparations, you also need to think about your skin.  If you are one of the very few lucky women in the world that can use soap and water and wake up every morning with perfect skin then you won’t have a problem on your big day.  But if like the rest of us you are prone to breakouts, have oily or dry patches then you need to take your skin into account in the preparation for your wedding.  A good skincare routine can help to balance out any problem areas you are having and can add to a stress free make-up application.  Any new skin care routine should be started at least 3-4 months before your wedding day; this will help ensure your skin is used to all products and reduces the risk of irritation.

When planning your make-up look you will need to tailor the look and the colouring not only to yourself, but to the time of day of your wedding ceremony.  For a day time wedding, your make up should be kept more natural whereas you can use a more dramatic look for an evening ceremony.

 For a day wedding look, keep the make-up light and natural both on the eyes and the lips.  This type of ceremony is not a great choice for those prone to breakouts as you will want to wear less foundation and concealer.  Because of the natural, soft light that is visible during the day you need to make sure you do not over do the make-up application as you don’t want your finished look to seem cakey.  Heavy powder will also look artificial under morning light, so make sure you dust powder on lightly to retain a matte, yet natural appearance.  The natural daylight will accentuate any colours on the skin, so try to wear less eye shadow and stick to warm, softer shades that compliment your eye colour and blend, blend, blend!  The light will not only show harsh colours, but will also enhance any areas that have not been blended properly.  As the day passes, the light will get stronger and will make lines more visible so you can never blend too much. 

Refrain from using bright, bold colours at any time of day, ignore what the latest fashion style of make-up is and go with what suits your face and your natural features.  Keeping to a ‘classic’ look will ensure you will still be happy to get your wedding photos out to show guests in years to come. 

For evening weddings, you can allow for a more glamorous and dramatic look, this is the best time of day for a ceremony for people that don’t have perfect skin as you can get away with wearing more make-up and still looks natural.   Although an evening ceremony will give you a bit more freedom on colour, you should still try to stick to neutral shades and just add a bit of intensity, this will mean you can still look glamorous without adding lots of colour to your look.  Remember, your photographs will be taken with a flash in the evening, so make sure you try this out in your tests as the colours will show up completely different in the photographs.  Sculpting the face for an evening look is very important; it will add colour and dimension to the face as the camera flash will flatten the look of the face, adding a bronzer will also give the skin a magical glow. 

You will need to make sure your eyes are defined for your wedding day look, it may be harder to do this for a day look but you will need to use softer colours and lighter lines to do this.  For an evening look, you can use more definition but please do not think this just means darker.  Sharper, smoother lines and shapes will help add definition from your eyes to your lips and cheekbones.  You will also be able to use richer lip colours as they won’t show up too intense in the photographs.

I know I have mentioned a lot more about the light and photo’s than I have the style of dress or the colour of the flowers etc.  If you stick to a ‘classic’ timeless look and use soft, warm colours then you can’t really go wrong.  But if you choose bright, daring colours or pile on the products for a natural morning wedding or stick with a natural look for an evening wedding, then I know you will regret it when you get the photographs back. 

In addition to this, here are a few more quick tips:

ü  Always wear waterproof mascara, as you don’t want to worry about getting panda eyes while being emotional on your big day.

ü  False eyelashes are a great way to add definition to your eyes and are a must for an evening wedding. 

ü  Individual lashes are a great way to add thickness to naturally sparse lashes.  If you do not want to use lashes, apply layers of mascara for as much definition as possible.

ü  Do define the eyes well at the lash line to help them stand out.

ü  Matte foundations are best for all photographs, as they reduce shine. 

ü  Do test all products in your trials before the wedding to make sure they do not react or irritate your skin.

ü  In the final build up to your big day, sleep on a fresh clean pillow case each night to reduce the risk of break outs.

ü  Drink plenty of water as you will be amazed at what it will do for your skin.

ü  Take photos of your make-up look in each trial or experiment.

ü  Use a setting agent like ‘Model in a Bottle’ a quick spray of this on top of your finished look will help it last all day long.

û  For afternoon weddings, do not wear foundation that has a sheen or dewiness to it, this is the harshest light to get married in because the sunlight is directly above you.  Any sort of sheen will make you look shiny in photos.

û  Do not leave your make-up plans until the last minute, you need to experiment and find out what suits you.

û  Do not plaster your face with products, you will look cakey, the right products will work for you in the right amount.

Finally, be sure to remember your wedding day should be enjoyable for you, so enjoy your make-up, smile and have a wonderful, magical day!

8 Steps on how to make sure you're foundation lasts all day!

If you're like me and don't have much time during the day for touch ups to your make-up, then you want to trust that once you apply your foundation in the morning it will last all day with the smallest amount of interference.  So here are my quick tips to help your foundation last longer!


1. -  Start with a clean face, this will ensure your products glide on smoothly and your skin is clear of dirt and excess oils.

2. - Apply your moisturiser and leave it for 5 minutes to fully soak into your skin.  If after 5 minutes, you can still feel the moisturiser on your skin, then you are using the wrong formula and should opt for a lighter product.

If you have oily skin, choose a light-weight formula that will add hydration but reduce the appearance of oil and shine. For dry skin, use a rich, concentrated moisturiser that will add moisture back into your skin and help prevent flaking.

3. - Next step is to apply primer.  This product is made to help smoothen the surface of your skin to help any further products you use to glide on and stay on for long periods of time. A primer will act like a 'magnet' between your moisturiser and your foundation.

At the moment, I am loving Mary Kay Cosmetic's Foundation Primer (£14/29ml) but I also really like Benefit's Porefessional (£23.50/22ml) and Maybelline The Smoother Skin Retexturising Primer (£9.99/7ml).

4. - Once your primer has settled into the skin, apply your concealer and highlighter in the normal way. If you have heavy blemishes, you may need to apply additional layers of concealer on top of your foundation for a full coverage.

5. - Next step is to apply your foundation.  Do this in the way that is most comfortable for you, whether this is using your fingers, a sponge or brush.  Personally, I prefer to use a buffing brush as I feel this gives you a lovely airbrushed finish.

6. - Once you have applied your foundation, leave it to settle for 5 minutes.  Now I appreciate that not many people have loads of time in the morning, but if you want to help your make-up to last then it is important to allow your make-up to settle before applying the next layer. Perhaps you can use this time to do something else, like start getting dressed or have breakfast?  Personally I like to apply my foundation and then have my morning cup of tea.

7. - Once you have allowed your foundation to settle onto your skin, powder!! This is a very essential step if you have oily skin like I do.  Apply a layer of translucent powder onto your skin using a large powder brush, or try using a mineral powder foundation and buff into your skin using a buffing brush. This will set your foundation and help it to last.

8. - This step is optional, but beneficial if you have oily skin.  Keep a pack of oil blotters in your bag for touch ups throughout the day.  I say touch ups, but the blotting papers will gently remove the excess oil that sits on your skin and will leave a slight powder behind to help keep you looking matt throughout the day.

Now you should be set to stay looking pretty all day long!!

Enjoy my lovelies!!

Make Up Tip No.5 - How to make the most of your brows

All of us have them, but many of us forget that they need as much attention as our lashes or lips do when it comes to make-up.

When it comes to the shape of your brows, here is the general rule for shape.  Start by placing a make-up brush or pencil along the side of your nose, this is where your eyebrow should start.  Then turn it slightly so the brush/pencil is still resting on the edge of your nostril but is now running along the outside edge of the eye, this is where your eyebrow should end.  Finally, if you keep the brush/pencil at the edge of the nostril but this time run it through the iris of the eye, this is where the point of the arch of your eyebrow should be.

Image courtesy of http://www.beauty-advices.com

Once you have your eyebrows in the right shape, you should use make-up to define the brows. Now be aware I am not suggesting you have to colour your brows in like a clown, but just that with a light hand you can define the shape and colour of your brows to make them look perfect.

There are many different products that you can use for your brows, for example, pencils, powders and gels that can all be used to create the desired effect.  Whichever medium you choose, use light feathery strokes this will keep your brows looking natural.

Make Up Tip No.4 - How to apply Mascara

Applying mascara doesnt have to be as tricky as it may seem, so here are a few tips to help you make the most of those beautiful lashes.

Make-up does go off, all products have an expiration period and you should be aware of this if you are keen to keep a healthy make-up bag, for more information on this, read about it here.

The average expiration period for mascara is 3 months, this is because the tube of the mascara acts as a breeding ground for bacteria.  You see we all have very tiny bacteria on our lashes and as you use your mascara it takes off some of this bacteria and distributes it into your mascara tube.  Now although this sounds gross, it is purely natural and nothing to worry about.  But the build up of bacteria in the mascara tube is exactly why you shouldn't keep your mascara for too long.  In addition to this, don't pump the mascara wand into the tube as this brings air into the tube and allows the bacteria to grow faster.

Image courtesy of www.bestbeauty-tips.com

Now enough of the technicalities, this tip is to help you apply mascara. When starting a new mascara you may find the wand holds a lot of excess product, to remove this simply scrape the wand across the opening of the tube as this allows the mascara to be kept for later applications and not wasted.

Once you have the right amount of product on the wand, you should rest the brush at the base of your lashes, it is best to start with your top lashes as these will need the most product on them.  Personally I find it easiest to have my eyes half open and looking down slightly as this will allow you to apply the product with minimal risk of it transferring onto your eyelid. Once you have positioned the mascara brush at the base of your lashes, gently wiggle the brush from side to side in a zig-zag motion moving away from your eye so you are applying the product to the full length of the lashes.  Once you have done this once, move along the lash line and start again.  Repeat this action until your lashes are completely coated in mascara, you may like to apply more than one coat depending on the look you are going for.

If you find your lashes are looking a bit clumpy, try using a clean mascara wand to comb through the lashes to separate as required.

I hope this is helpful and that you enjoy reading my tips as much as I enjoy writing them!

The first shots from my Červená Fox Shoot

I've just been sent the first shots from the shoot I did with Nils Bratby from Immortaleye Studio

Here's Červená Fox in a lovely Latex outfit from Rubber Monkey Latex

Photo's by Nils Bratby from Immortaleye Studio

Make-up by Me of course, Dani Duffy

This was a great shoot and we had lots of fun! Can't wait to see the rest of the images

Quick Make-up Tips: Lips

Your lips contain very few oil glands & no sweat glands which means they don't produce the natural oils the rest of your skin does.

Your lips lose moisture 3 times faster than the skin on your cheeks. This is why it is very important to take care of your lips.

If your lips are feeling dry and cracked, try applying a layer of lip balm underneath your favourite colour. 

Quick Make-up Tips: Colour

Although we have now entered Spring, when the weather is still cold be careful your skin doesnt look blue or dull. 

To help avoid this, stay away from grey, brown and blue makeup tones and steer towards using peaches and pinks. Opt for slightly brighter shades and you'll look perfect.