Wedding Makeup Photography Tips

Put your best face forward in your wedding
pics and we have some tips to help you from
a wedding photographer. We interviewed her
and here are her observations:

"Brides tend to either over do the makeup
as in clown makeup. Some hire makeup artists
who go heavy on the kohl makeup. Avoid
charcoal eyeshadow for the wedding. It looks
smudged in the photos.

Instead, go for a more natural look. Use pinks
instead of harsh reds..pink blushers, pink
accents on the eyes. Pink opens up the eyes.

Avoid sparkles on the face and body. They
pick up the camera flash and don't look good
in the pictures.

Mascara is a must, it frames and opens the eyes.

Keep the makeup natural, match it to you skin tones,
but you HAVE to wear some makeup. Brides that
think they want to go completely natural are
missing the boat because they fade in the photos."

So I asked my beauty maven what she thought
and she said that all the tips are excellent.
Here's what she said:

"To keep makeup in place all day, use a face
primer. It really does the job.

Great makeup starts with a great complexion.
If you don't have a perfect complexion, start
working on it months before the wedding.
Drink lots of water, get rest because it
really works. And avoid stress. (As IF
that's possible during wedding planning!)

Start on a facial program. Any program including
the ones from the drug store are better
than not taking care of your skin. Moisturize,
use a sunscreen, exfoliate to get rid of dead,
dull skin and brighten your complexion.
Go to a dermatologist if your skin is acne
prone and uneven. Or visit a good skin esthetician
who will give you facials and advise you
what to do to care for your skin.

I advise facials and if your skin is dull, blotchy
and uneven, go for microdermabrasion treatments."

All great tips and I have to admit I've been going
for microdermabrasion treatments and the results
are good...so far. It does hurt the first time and
my face was a bit touchy and tender, but I didn't
have red blotches and I was able to put on makeup
and go about my day without anyone knowing. It
has evened up my skin tone and I love it.
Just know if you are thinking of having this done,
you need to start a few months in advance to
get the maximum benefit.

More Wedding Day Beauty Tips

Cindy, our skin guru, has given us more skin
tips to make your skin picture perfect on your
wedding day.

Weddingzilla: What is the one thing we can do for our skin
to make our skin look flawless?

Cindy: I can't say ONE thing, its a series of things
you need to do to. Get into a skin care regimen to
keep your skin clean and refine your pores. Moisturize
your skin, even if your skin is oily. There are moisturizers
make for oily skin. And sunscreen. Use sunscreen or a
base with a high SPF. The sun damages your skin, ages
your skin and will make your skin have pigmentation that
is not even. If you want to look tan, use a facial tanner.

Weddingzilla: What about fake and bake tans?

Cindy: I don't personally like tanning bed tans. The
color doesn't look as natural as a real sun tan. And when
you fake bake your face, it gives you lines around the eyes
and raccoon eyes from the goggles. I would suggest a
spray tan done a few days in advance. Airbrush tanning
looks more natural and is easier on your skin.

Weddingzilla: If we want to spray tan, what should we
do for makeup?

Cindy: Make sure your makeup matches your new skin color.
That's why we suggest you use a makeup artist on your
wedding day.

Weddingzilla: What if we get a breakout on our wedding day?
I have breakouts when I get nervous.

Cindy: We try and treat the breakout the minute it happens.
Don't mess with the blemish because it will make it worse.
DO NOT squeeze it or try and break it. You can end up with a
huge bloody red spot.

Don't use a strong acne cream because it could cause your skin
to dry and flake around the blemish.

Put a hot compress on the blemish and follow it with dabbing on
rubbing alcohol to try and dry up the blemish.

You can also try some homemade remedies that some of
my clients swear that work"

Use a warm tea bag. Wet the tea bag and apply it to
the spot.

Dot the spot with toothpaste the night before and allow it
to dry overnight.

Take the egg yoke and dab it on your face.

Make a mask of egg and milk and allow it to dry on your
face.

Dab Visine on a cotton ball and treat the blemish.

And last of all, we'll cover the blemish with a concealer
before we apply makeup.

Wedding Day Beauty Starts Months in Advance

Wedding day beauty starts months before the actual wedding day. Its working on your skin so its fresh, free of breakouts and wedding day picture perfect. Its conditioning and working with your hair so it looks healthy and shiny. Its drinking a lot of water so you stay hydrated and your skin stays plumped. We all know what we need to do to be healthy, it needs to be done in advance so the cumulative effect comes together on your wedding day.

Please don't fake tan yourself into a flat dull tan with raccoon eyes. Too much sun, real or fake and bake will line your skin. Use a good sunscreen and moisturize your skin. A too dark tan will NOT look natural in your wedding photos. I've actually had brides who fake and baked and had white lines in their forehead from squinting in the sun. Instead of a fake and bake or blistering yourself in the sun, have a spray tan done a day or two before the wedding. It will look a lot more natural and you won't subject your skin to harm.

If you are going to have a facial or a peel, do it in advance to make sure your face doesn't blotch or have a reaction to the process. Then you can repeat it closer to the wedding.

Try any new makeup products in advance in case you have any allergic reactions to the product. Try it before you buy it. Or if you are going to have your makeup done professionally, have a trial several weeks before the wedding.