Weddingbee PRO

Here are two questions that I recently received from readers:

Just a silly question -what should I wear to get ready in? Something I can unbutton or easily take off my head so I don't mess anything up? ~Paige

Sweetheart, there are no silly questions! You are right about a button up or something with a loose neck. Not really an issue for me, but for hair. If you have a festive or cute tank this is a great opportunity to wear it and you will look adorable in photos.

I have small wrinkles underneath my eyes; I guess I would say mild crow’s feet? I am paranoid about them showing in wedding pics, and I read in a magazine, to ask your makeup artist to not put powder over this area because it would bring out the wrinkles. Is this true? Any tips on how to de-emphasize that area? I'm thinking I might not have any choice in the matter. Thank you Lo! ~Victoria

Great question, Victoria. Everyone has wrinkles around or under their eyes, but it is important to brighten or lighten the under eye area. If you look really closely in the mirror you may notice the wrinkles more because of the concealer, but no one else sees this. If they are that close -tell them to back off! It is well worth the tradeoff of lightning the area. This is what I suggest when applying concealer:
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I am a big fan of engagement photos, and I often do the bride's makeup for the shoot. Engagement photos are so important for many reasons.

1. Helps you become more comfortable in front of the camera: The more times you are photographed, the more at ease you will be. The best photos are when people are comfortable, happy and authentic. For all of those people who hate “posing” for photos or think they aren't photogenic, a professional shoot can be completely different. Most photographers don't want you to pose, they want you to be in the moment and interact with your partner. When you take a couple hundred photos with a pro you are likely to get a few good ones.
2. Builds a bond with the photographer: You will spend a good portion of your wedding day with your photographer, and this is a great opportunity to get to know how you work best together.
3. See how you photograph with makeup: While it isn't necessary to wear the exact same makeup as you will on your wedding day, you can get a sense of how much the camera diffuses makeup. I recommend putting on more blush than you normally would, go for a slightly brighter lip and apply a thicker, darker eyeliner (on top lash line). Since the makeup is just for a photo shoot you don't need to worry about what it looks like in real life. I guarantee you will be amazed how little makeup reads in photos.
4. You get to have fun with your honey: Wedding day photos are done on a tight schedule, in confining clothing, and with a lot of people watching you. Engagement photos are just about the two of you enjoying each other and showing why you fell in love in the first place. Make it a fun part of preparation!

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I think that every woman should do a boudoir session at least once a decade. We can do it for boyfriends and husbands, but why not just for ourselves? Who doesn't want a beautiful photo of themselves? I recently had a boudoir session with Lauren Slusher, and I had an absolute blast. I have had other pro shoots throughout my career, but this was by far the most fun.

I did the makeup for four other women at the shoot, and it was amazing to see each one find their inner diva/siren/pinup girl in front of the camera. Most were a little timid at first, but once they got into it (and had a shot of bourbon!) they didn't want to stop. It is a very liberating experience, and I bet that they all had a new found respect for their beauty. All of the women were different shapes and sizes yet each photographed beautifully. When we start to celebrate our bodies instead of constantly critiquing them, we are on our way to a much healthier self image. I also think it will be fun to have these photos to remind me in my old age how my body looked before gravity kicked in.

I recently did the hair and makeup for another boudoir shoot. Arlene wanted a 1940s retro look, and I just loved how she turned out. I did my classic eye with black liquid eyeliner, false lashes and a pretty red lip. Arlene's hair is naturally curly, so I had to smooth and straighten the hair with a curling iron and then set it in loose pin curls. Then we just shaped the waves with bobby pins to achieve the desired look. Arlene told me that she had a blast during her photo shoot and that she was very happy with the photos. On a side note, doesn't she look exactly like the actress Madolyn Smith from the movie Funny Farm?

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I have witnessed over a hundred brides get ready on their wedding day, and one of the things that can break even the most stable bride is rain. I'm a makeup artist, but I also feel like a therapist/best friend/wedding planner when I work with a bride on her wedding day. I love this part of my job because you really get to know someone during stressful times, and I feel forever bonded to my brides.

I had a bride a few weeks ago who was extremely stressed by the rain, and there was no consoling her. This is when I wish that I could give my clients the perspective that I have. I wish that I could convince them that a rainy day wedding can be lovely and any attempt to control the weather or most things is futile. People will be late, earrings will break, the dress will get dirty, the table settings may be wrong but none of those things matter. Enjoy your day without trying to control it, because with time and perspective you will realize how insignificant those things are. I guarantee that when you look back at your wedding photos in a few years all you will notice is how young and beautiful you looked and what a shame you didn't see that then!

Here is the wedding video of one of my beautiful brides, Carolina, on her rainy wedding day. Carolina wasn't stressed at all by the rain, and I think that shows. I love her exotic beauty, and even though she looks like she barely has makeup on - she is wearing false lashes, eyeliner, eyeshadow, foundation, blush and lip gloss. I love how “natural” someone can look after an hour of makeup!!

The fabulous work of Rockmelon!

We threatened to do it and here it is -the first Lo and Amy post! We are combining our powers of fashion, style and beauty to cover spring from head to toe!

Amy says: Spring may be here, but that certainly does not mean that Mother Nature knows it! With temperatures greatly changing from day to day, this may be the most difficult time of the year to get dressed. Even for a seasoned stylist like me it can get really annoying. So, why not have some tried and true looks that will always keep you stylish and weather proof!?!

image source

Cameron Diaz has done a fabulous job of rocking a look that can go anywhere from 60 to 80 degrees. It is all about the layering folks! Her light spring scarf and chic blazer make this a realistic outfit for the vast range of temperatures that this time of year can bestow upon us. Nothing about this outfit is too far off range, so anybody can feel comfortable in it.  Look at the foundation of the ensemble -jeans and a t-shirt. Seriously folks, that is it! She punches up the look and makes it appropriate for spring by adding in pops of color. The purple scarf and yellow flats make the basics of the outfit really sing. The simplicity of her bobbles, necklace and layered bracelets, keep the look fun and flirty. By piling on or peeling off any of these sassy layers, you too can weather the storm of Mother Nature's ups and downs!

Lo says: As we throw off our socks, hats and gloves it can be a little frightening to see what we have had covered up for the last six months! Fear not, as I have a few simple tricks to help transition to warmer weather.
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I want to introduce you all to another affordable makeup line called Flirt! Flirt! is an Estee Lauder brand that was developed for Kohl's stores. I was hired to launch this product at Bergdorf Goodman's for an introductory period and fell in love with some of the products.

If you like the Nars Multiple Stick then try the $12 lip tint in Sheer Genius for a little glow on your cheekbone and Tiny Bikini on the apples of your cheeks.

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I stumbled across Amy Salinger's website and blog and immediately knew that I must meet her! Our websites are nearly identical in content -with our blogs, videos and practical advice for real people!

It is a little spooky that her avatar is similar to mine -seriously. I sent her an email and was elated when she responded. We met up for coffee, and we were off talking a mile-a-minute like we were identical twins who had just found each other. We are practically separated from birth (except that she has brown hair and eyes, was raised on the East Coast and is Jewish). But, we are style sistas -and that is all that matters.

Amy has these fantastic videos that show you how to work with items that you most likely already own. There are videos on how to work with belts (great safety pin secret!), organize your closet, find the perfect jeans and much more. Her blog is a must read, as she combines great tips with a sense of humor that will add a little levity to your day. It is like having a BFF that is your own personal stylist! She's also had some great posts for brides here on Weddingbee PRO.

Amy and I are putting together some fun and fabulous posts on style. So if you have any questions or concerns that you would like addressed, please leave us a comment below!

In my previous post on skincare, I stated that there is no easy fix to great skin, and my opinion is that the best thing you can do for your skin is to exercise, wear sunblock and eat well. And of course, you want to cleanse, gently exfoliate and hydrate your skin.

Take the money you would’ve spent on pricey skin care products and put it towards a gym membership and great sunblock. Instead of spending time and energy on “miracle cures”, spend that time designing a lifestyle that incorporates activity and nutrient dense foods. Treat yourself to a wonderful facial as your reward for protecting your skin. Eat vegetables and healthy oils. Your skin is alive and needs nutrients to look healthy. Treat your health like a savings account. You put a little in every day and even though you don't see a big change right away, in 10 years you will be really glad that you did.

I'm 41 years old, and I am very happy that for the last 25 years I have forced myself off of the couch to exercise, and I embraced my skin color (fair) and use self tanner when necessary. Most of us will spend much more time over 35 years old than under, so we need to change to long term thinking instead of short term.

Okay, I am going to get off of my soapbox and share with you some of my local favorites for my plan of attack.

(image source)

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Dear Lo,

Like every other bride, I want to look “perfect” on the big day and am tempted to hire someone to do my make-up for me, but we are getting married in the middle of nowhere and finding someone to travel there without having a huge budget has been an issue. So I'm thinking I'll end up doing it myself. Problem is, I rarely wear make-up…I'm just WAY to tired/lazy in the morning to do anything with my face before I head to work besides slather on some Neutrogena Tinted Moisturizer and Clinique High Impact Mascara. So, needless to say, I'm NERVOUS -there are SO many products, and now there are HD formulas added to the mix to create even more confusion for me!! I have no problem investing in quality make-up, but since I have no idea what I'm buying most of the time I end up not liking it and getting discouraged. Ugh. People say my eyes are my best feature, so I want to try and play those up for the big day - but I've tried applying fake lashes before and had a terrible time (I'm a blinker when things get too close to my eyes!). I could be hopeless.

~ Chelsey
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I had the pleasure of working with the lovely bride Linda, who is photographed beautifully by Jennifer Davis. Linda doesn't usually wear much makeup, so we kept her eye shadow light and added my favorite lashes (Andrea #53) to her eyes. This made her look a little more glamorous, and she definitely felt like a diva when she left my studio after her trial. I love to see women discover how fun false lashes can be. False lashes have a slight weight to them, and they tend to make a women more conscious of her eyes. Hence, there are more through-the-lash glances and batting of the eyes. Linda's makeup is enhancing her natural beauty, and I feel it suited her style to a “T”. I want to thank Linda for being so open and appreciative - she really made my job a joy.

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