Makeup is never one of the first items thought about when one becomes engaged. The venue, the caterer, the photographer...these get checked off first. Makeup tends to be a bit farther down the list when it comes to tending to details. As a makeup artist, I've collected a somewhat random list of beauty odds and ends I think are important for brides to address as they're considering their wedding makeup.
The first item {generally remembered in a panic at the eleventh hour} is skin. Brides need to think early on about a skincare plan. Your makeup artist may be brilliant, but if they aren’t working with a smooth canvas, it's difficult to achieve a flawless finish. Commit to a skincare regime months before the wedding day. The one thing I desperately want my brides to be doing before we meet is EXFOLIATING {and hydrating...ok, that's two things}. Whether it’s an at - home regime* or {my personal favorite} microdermabrasion treatments from a spa, brides really need to focus on smoothing and hydrating their skin long before a makeup artist shows up. Not only will you absolutely love the way your skin looks and feels, but the makeup application will be flawless. *{My personal favorite at - home treatments are Bobbi Brown's Buffing Grains + Balm Rinse {mixed together} and Philosophy's Microdelivery Peel. They both leave your skin feeling deliciously soft and smooth.}
The next item on my list : LASHES. I truly believe that every bride - whether she considers her makeup style to be 'natural' or 'dramatic' - should opt for lashes to maximize and amplify her look. My go - to lash for weddings are individual lashes. They look like real lashes {erase visions of drag makeup} but add polish and intensity without being over the top. A few individual lashes on the outside of the eye will take your look from the everyday to the very special.
Also - there needs to be someone designated to carry your lipstick / lip gloss who will actually remind you to use it when she sees you need freshening {the task generally falls to someone in your wedding party}. I have to admit it makes me a little crazy when I see a bride in photographs who's makeup looks beautiful but who's lipstick is long gone. It just doesn't look right - and of all days, this is the day a bride wants to look perfect - from the start of the ceremony to the final dance at the reception. My personal recommendation is to designate a married friend this awesome responsibility. My reasoning is this : other women who have been through the insanity of wedding planning and the craziness of the wedding day know and understand firsthand what goes into it, and tend to be a bit more locked on to the bride's needs than her single friends {no disrespect intended for the single gals, but y'all are going to be worrying about your own lipstick}. So married friends are always my preference for delegating tasks that you don't want to be forgotten - and lipstick is definitely one of them.
Another important detail that is often forgotten : include a makeup artist in the rehearsal dinner preparations. Remember that the entire weekend is special, not just the wedding day. Even if your photographer isn't coming to the rehearsal {or especially if they are}, there will be many cameras flashing through the evening, and you'll want to look your absolute best as the spotlight will most certainly be on you the entire night. Including a makeup artist will ensure you're camera ready for every photo, not just the ones taken on your wedding day.
Finally, the wedding day tends to be particularly stressful for the mother of the bride {especially} and the mother of the groom. They’re wanting to look their best, but I sometimes notice {and am often told} they don't always feel important enough to put the focus on or pamper themselves. That being said, having their makeup done always takes them from nervous and self-conscious to calm and confident, every time. It's a gift I so love to give a mother : the ability to face such a big day with the confidence, polish, and assuredness that she looks and feels her absolute best. Make sure you insist your mothers are included in the makeup lineup. They'll thank you for it - especially when they see the photographs!
It's all in the details, ladies. Spend some time talking with your makeup artist about what you envision for your wedding weekend and {please!} remember to give your skin some attention long before the big day. Follow these cues and you'll be flawless walking down the aisle...and thrilled every time you see a photograph from your wedding.