Here are 5 Tips that will help you look fabulous in photos and take the guesswork out of putting your best face forward for your big day.
1. Skip the SPF
Foundations with SPF can reflect light, which will make you look ghostly white in photographs. Stay away from ingredients like titanium dioxide, zinc, and mica. This includes mineral makeup which is mostly mica based. Instead, opt for a long lasting, water resistant foundation. A great one for all skin types is MAC Face and Body Foundation, which comes in a huge bottle, and is buildable so you can easily achieve your desired amount of coverage. If your skin is oily and you want a very matte finish, try MAKE UP FOR EVER Mat Velvet +. This foundation not only leaves skin shine free, but it is also medium to full coverage (just in case any unwanted blemishes come up). Also, be sure to apply and blend foundation onto your neck, décolletage and any other exposed areas so all of your skin looks uniform.
2. Go for Individual Lashes
While strip lashes may be easier to apply, they seldom look very natural. Individual lashes will enhance your eyes, but won’t overpower them, and are much more comfortable for someone who isn’t used to wearing artificial lashes. Another benefit? You can customize individual lashes to fill in gaps where you need to, and give you the shape that you want. If you want a more wide eyed effect, use medium or long lashes at the middle of your eyelid, and put short lashes on the inner and outer corners. For cat eyes, do the opposite, applying the longer lashes to the outer corners of your eyelids. My favorite brand is Ardell in Short Flare Black and Medium Flare Black, and Duo Eyelash Adhesive in Clear. And remember, when applying lashes yourself, practice makes perfect.
3. Choose Lipstick Instead of Gloss
Glosses give great shine, but can cause unsightly buildup on the lips over time, especially if you are dehydrated and in constant conversation with your guests. Lipsticks or long wearing lip colors will give more staying power and won’t gather in the corners of your mouth, especially if you choose one of today’s super-industrial staying power formulas. A great one to try is Revlon Color Stay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick. As with most long wearing colors, this one dries and sets on your lips leaving it feeling, well, dry. I suggest using a balm on top if this gets too uncomfortable. If glossy shine is a must, try a lipstick with a satin finish, such as a Mac Sheen Supreme Lipstick, which is the best of both worlds: the shine of a gloss in the form of a lipstick.
4. Obliterate Undereye Circles with Pink Concealer
I can’t tell you how many of my clients have found this tip to be life changing. Pink, Salmon, and Orange toned concealers will cancel out the blue and purple tones underneath your eyes. Most brides need this trick more than ever, as they are probably not getting enough sleep due to stress. Use a pink or salmon toned concealer for light to medium skin tones such as Bobbi Brown Color Corrector in Bisque. For deeper skin tones, use one with an orange hue like MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW40 or NW45. You’ll find that your undereyes look more uniform with the rest of your skin, and you’ll avoid that reverse raccoon look that some more yellow based concealers leave.
5. Use a Taupe Color for Brows
Most brown toned brow pencils and powders have too much red in them for blondes and brunettes. This leaves brows looking more orange than anything else which can be a good thing, but only if you have red hair. Brow products should have an ashy, gray or taupe undertone. This will mimic the shadow that your hair naturally casts on the skin. A great one to try is Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo in Ash Blonde/Taupe for lighter hair and Medium Ash/Medium Brown for darker hair. If you’re a redhead, Anastasia also has a duo for you in Strawburn.
