On your wedding day you want to obviously look your best. You want the dress to be perfect, your jewelry to sparkle, and of course your makeup to be flawless. Usually I start wedding day off at the salon or wherever hair and makeup are planned to be completed for a few detail shots of the finishing touches. I get to watch the stylist do their thing and try to pick up tips for myself (cause who doesn’t need a good cosmetic tip every once in awhile). I, by no means, am an expert in this area. You are lucky if you catch me in makeup most days. Let alone do I feel qualified to give out directions on the subject. This is why I reached out to an amazing makeup artist and hair stylist, who I have worked with on several occasions for my boudoir sessions, Sidney Sim. You can find Miss Sidney HERE if you are in need of her cosmetology services. As a wedding vendor myself, I will always suggest to hire a professional for as many aspects of your wedding as possible. I am a total DIYer and understand wanting to take care of certain aspects of your wedding yourself. I definitely did for our wedding day. Probably WAY too many DIY projects on my list. My only thought (and take it for what it’s worth) is to pick and chose your DIY projects lightly. If you made bouquets for your friend’s wedding and they turned out phenomenal and you LOVED the process. That might be your one item you take on yourself. If you have done your makeup for a formal occasion before and feel like you are the only who can do your makeup the way you love it. Then go for it. But, if it is going to add anymore stress to your already stressed brain…hire a professional. With this all in mind, I asked Sidney to give me recommendations and tips for ideas from preparation of your skin leading up to wedding day (whether you are paying an artist to do your makeup or if you are doing it yourself), certain products to stay away from, and order in which you should apply your makeup. 

Let’s start with Sidney’s DON’T list. 

1. DON’T try and match your makeup (especially foundation) on the back of your hand. The back of the hand is 1-2 shades darker than your face. Always do your testing on the jaw line.

2. DON’T use a moisturizer that has an SPF on wedding day. Sunblock reflects light and can make you look super washed out in your photographs!

3. DON’T overuse shimmer. Super shimmery eye shadows and even highlighters to define cheekbones can actually reflect light. Again, not helping in your photos. 

4. DON’T use super pale colors for lipstick or eye shadow. This once more can make you appear washed out. 

Sidney recommends a certain order when you are applying your makeup. Keep reading to see her secret to success!  

1. Exfoliate and cleanse your face and use a toner. This is especially true for ladies with oily skin. Toners will help close those pores.

2.  Apply a primer. If you want your makeup to last longer than 5 hours…use a primer!

3. Apply concealer

4. Apply foundation AFTER concealer. I think this is a common misconception. (I definitely was doing it wrong before asking Sidney!)

5. Always set foundation with a loose powder to finish. Concentrate on areas that tend to be more oily and press that powder in those spots. You will be glad you did!

6. Use a eye lid primer before applying eye shadow. Helps the eye shadow from creasing.

7. Finish up with lips. Don’t forget to line, fill, and then put lipstick on. Stays longer!

Sidney’s final suggestion is to get on a skin care regimen about 6 months before the wedding. Maybe add in a facial or two to really make sure your skin is at it’s peak beauty. Your skin will thank you! And from a photographer’s perspective, my last tip would be to do a trial run on your makeup. It doesn’t matter if you do your makeup yourself or hire someone. You want to ensure you LOVE your look. This will save you a meltdown early in the day. Know your foundation shade, eye shadow, and lip color. And you will have a stress-free experience putting your face on! I want to say THANK YOU to Sidney for her help! I’m hoping to work with Sidney again to bring you a few tips for hair care leading up to your wedding day as well as wedding day dos and don’t for your mane. So check in with me next Thursday! 

Warm Regards, 
Lauren

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