Secrets of the Forest – Bridal Editorial for Perfect Wedding Magazine

It’s Published!

I am super excited to share our long awaited reveal on this shoot.

Our sensual, Bohemian-inspired bridal editorial has finally landed on the glossy pages of the Spring/Summer edition of Perfect Wedding Magazine!

Here are some Favorite shots below and be sure to check out the behind-the-scenes video of our Secrets of the Forest bridal editorial.

A big thank you goes out again, to our amazing team on this shoot. Always a pleasure working with friends – Talented, amazing and dedicated local Bridal Vendors.

Enjoy! 🙂

Behind the Scenes Video

 

TALENTED TEAM

Photography: MARU PHOTOGRAPHY

Hair Adornments & Accessories: POWDER BLUE BIJOUX

Hair & Make-Up (For all Models):  FELICIA BROMBA

Event Stylist: SMITTEN EVENTS

Cakes & Sweets:  MEG NELSON

Floral Design: FLEURISH FLORAL DESIGN

Set Furnishings & Glassware: MEUSE BOUTIQUE

Gowns: ELLEBAY BRIDAL  & POWDER BLUE BIJOUX

Stationery: SUNSHINE & RAVIOLI 

Rings: BARBARA MICHELLE JACOBS JEWELRY LLC

Models: ROBIN for JOHN CASABLANCAS MODELS,
ANDREA for NUMA MODELS   and LAUREN HURTON

Cinematography DANIELLE DOBSON

 

 

Sweaty Breasts?! *Product Spotlight*

Did I get your attention???  Fantastic!

Because today’s post is all about some fancy little products and items that I think everyone should know about. Today we’re tackling the sweaty breasts, the dress chaffing, “tropical” heat moments of the Mothers of the bride and groom’s and more, and for those that might need a little more than a powder and antiperspirant.

The summer is now here and in full effect. With the temperatures outside rising, it is no big secret that some brides are often left sweating out in the heat on their big days, and of course the men too under their suits and tuxes.

Let’s face it, those dresses are often huge and hot. Yards and pounds worth of heavy fabrics and tulle. Throw in the fitted and bustier style upper portions, with boning, lacing and more. You got yourself a smorgasbord of stuff going on. Now add in some 35+ degree weather and high humidity, you have one uncomfortable situation!

So  today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite product out there, that help a lady out (and guys!!)  that we always recommend to our Brides each and every year.

Whether it’s preventing the tummy and chest sweating, the un-mentioned breast sweating, to the chaffing and heat problems that can sometimes occur with the wedding gowns…

Below  are some awesome items I want to share with you:

Fresh Breast Lotion

1.  “B” Fresh Breast Lotion

We LOVE This product, and it’s pretty easy to get to, which we always love. Available online or at your many local Drugstore locations  (Often in the deodorant/antiperspirant aisle) Just look for the little pink tube.

It’s a light weight lotion that can be applied wherever it’s needed from chest and tummy to inner thighs, drying to a powder like finish, It helps prevent sweating and chaffing.

As an added bonus, they even have a gentlemen’s version too, called Fresh Balls…Yes you read that right. I’m sure I don’t need to explain the rest 😉

Bust Dust

2. Kilma Health Solutions – Bust Dust

Another fantastic product that helps reduce sweating/Chaffing. Be sure to check out their entire line of products for just about anything you can think of, available for both men and Women!

Breast Coolers

3. Breast Coolers

These are an ultra thin cooling breast pads, that act like a sticker underneath your clothing.

These little light weight pads fit right underneath, or along the breast bone to help cool you down.

Cleavage Coolers

4. Cleavage Coolers

These fantastic little guys are  cloth covered self-contained gel packs.

Pambra

5. Pambras

These are a soft cotton bra liner designed to absorb perspiration under and between the breast. They prevents wetness from seeping  through to clothing and extend the life of your bras. They also carry post surgery options as well!

Wick’em Bra Liner

6. Wick’em

Similar to the above liner  – specially designed to absorb moisture and prevent skin irritation. These liners work by pulling perspiration away from the skin and into the cotton fill. Again you can wear them regularly, or flip the tabs under for lower cut styles.

Huppo pouches

7. Huppo  pouches

This is a time release deodorant powder – The Huppo linen pouch delivers odor and moisture absorbing powder slowly throughout the day to the places you need it most. Your own movement causes the powder to be released from the pouch so, the more you move, the more powder is released.

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So those are just a few of our Favorite products for brides to help keep them uncomfortable dress sweating at minimum.

While we’re at it though and talking Sweat, here are some bonus items worth mentioning that are also a favorite of mine:

DermaDoctor – Med-E-Tate sweat control wipes and Tease Zone Spray

DermaDoctor – Med-E-Tate sweat control wipes

I LOVE These guys! Something all makeup artists should carry in their kits too for their clients. Designed more for the “face sweaters” – yes, it’s a thing. This product is a great oil blocker and can help you prevent excess shine with your makeup. There is also their fabulous Tease zone oil control gel too.

Seban Liquid

Seban

Another oil inhibitor. Seban helps control facial oil and shine and other problems associated with oily skin. Available in both liquid or pads.

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So there you have it ladies, a few of our top recommended items to help you control that sweat a bit more on your big day. Got any other products you’d like us to know about, shoot us an email.

Love yourself – You are Beautiful. True insight to your unique and beautiful self.

Ok  Ladies…

Today I wanted to post this, as I know many people have now seen this, some might not have…

Love it or Hate it – I hope every single one of you will take a few minutes out to watch this and reflect.

In my industry, I am face to face with women every single day. I see things up close and from a far.

I see SO MUCH beauty and it saddens me greatly when client’s don’t see it too.

In our industry of Makeup and Hair, we aim to enhance, bringing out the inner beauty in each and every single client. We are all different in not only our direct features, but our needs and concerns.

Understanding your vision, I aim to leave client’s feeling confident, radiant and pampered with a look that fits you and your personal style.

With weddings we aim to Transform you into the beautiful bride you always dreamed of being… Beautiful inside and out. No matter what your style is, your age range, your ethnicity. We want you to look and feel the beauty we see looking at you, even before all the Makeup and Hair.

I try to compliment my clients on the beauty I SEE…. but so often they discount it or feel true disbelief. Many client’s will automatically respond, as if out of programming, rebounding the compliment with a comment of an area they hate about themselves.  Often focusing solely on the “negatives” they see, rather than an understating that we are all critical of ourselves, and what we see looking in mirror might not be at all what the person in front of you sees.

Many people assume as though when a beauty provider compliments that we tell everyone the same things because “beauty” is our job. This is simple not true, AT ALL.

I SEE beauty in EVERY client I work on…. I honestly do.

I see the sparkle in your eyes, your beautiful skin, smile, or lovely eyebrows. I notice the beautifully defined wide cheek bones that YOU think makes your face look round.  What you consider that annoying “spot” – I see a perfectly placed beauty mark…

And for the record – FRECKLES are beautiful! please stop trying to cake-face cover them with layers of Foundation 😦

I see everything about you and every single one of you has a unique beauty.

We are not all the same, so don’t compare yourself to someone else or these overly Photoshopped images you see.

All Those things that you think are imperfections are what make you, YOU.

Go ahead and look in the mirror and SEE what I see.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL…. Love yourself, and embrace your individuality!

 

The “natural” Bridal makeup.

Today we start the winter blogging with a bang 😉

I wanted to take a few minutes this afternoon to dispel a few myths I’ve seen and heard floating about for those client’s that are thinking about that “natural” looking Make-up application for their wedding day…

There is often a huge misconception,  that brides who want a natural looking makeup for their wedding day should have it cost far less than say a bride who would like a more dramatic wedding day makeup look.

This is something, many of us Bridal Beauty vendors seem to hear a lot of, or see posted in the bridal forums, from brides who aren’t aware of what’s involved in a basic natural bridal makeup look. Many assume because the look isn’t heavily applied, or using “darker” color schemes that it must be easy to achieve and that “less” makeup is used.

The reality; Wrong!

A “natural looking” makeup application, is a skill set all in itself, that unfortunately many artists may not possess. There are artists out there that spend YEARS Perfecting this particular application technique!

It’s often far more time consuming to achieve, AND uses the same amount of product, if not more in some cases! The products used are often the same, and overall they still cost the same to purchase and use.

The more natural looking an application is, the more attention is need to the finer details.

It’s more so now about perfecting the look of the skin as a main focal point, with extra attention paid to sculpting the features of the face with contour and highlight so it doesn’t fall flat for pictures.

Then into any adjustments to further camouflage areas you don’t want to see, dark circles, blemishes, etc. and ensuring the right tones are used.

Extra attention will also be turned to the brows, to help sculpt them in to frame the face, filling in any sparse areas for a balanced yet natural looking brow.

The softer looking a makeup style is, the more focal point areas there is for someone to view, over say someone who might opt for a bolder smoky eye style to draw direct attention right the eye area as a main focus and/or away from any problematic or areas of concern.

A secondary thing to understand is now the photos itself and how it translates…

You can often lose about a 1/3 of what you see looking in the mirror when it’s then translated in your photos. Those bride’s with set-ups that are outdoors under the glare of the sun can fade out even more in some cases!

It’s about knowing where and how to place the makeup on the face to give a beautiful natural look.

Yes, of course you want to look naturally beautiful in person but let’s not forget the thousands of dollars you’re spending on photography for your wedding day too. At the end of it all, this is the only thing you get back and what becomes your last memory of the big day. You want to make sure you’re looking your very best!

Often that soft look you see in photos, is far darker and more involved when face to face, Your hired artist, will blend both areas to accommodate what not only fits your needs and ideals, but what will photograph beautifully too.

It’s not simply about putting less makeup on your face; Naturally with the same amount of time spent during application, products being used, etc. this is why you won’t find huge price differences, as often its far more intensive.

So remember at your bridal makeup trial when you ask your makeup artist for a “natural look”, be clear on your direction with reference images and know just what’s involved to get you looking naturally fresh and beautiful with that “no makeup” style look!

For examples of all makeup styles, visit us online: www.brides-by-felicia.com
…or follow along with us on Pinterest as we showcase all sorts of fabulous bridal details from Hair and Makeup images, to Decor/Details, Floral, Cakes and more!

Don’t let a skin condition ruin your big day!

For those of you out there suffering from any sort of skin condition or pigmentation issues this post will likely hit home for you and I encourage you to read it through. For those of you that might not be primarily suffering  from any skin condition per-say but do feel they have a need for other forms of coverage be that for “dark circles” and so on, this too is a post for you!

Your wedding day is a day when all eyes are on you, a day filled with many pictures and lasting memories…

For those that suffer from such things as  medical level  Acne, Rosacea, Facial Psoriasis, Melasma and other forms of skin conditions the thought of this can often be over whelming and the internal battle with ones self-esteem can be exhausting.

We are ALL critical of ourselves when looking into the mirror, as we will often narrow into what we feel are our ‘flaws’. I tell clients time and time again that it is NEVER as bad as they often think it is and prove this over and over; particularly with clients concerned with ‘dark circles’ as that is often a minor and very simple ‘fix’ over another client who may be suffering from a medical grade condition and/or a more visible and disruptive condition.

I often get emails asking; “Can you cover_____?” this includes many things from Acne, Rosecea and more and the answer is YES.

A properly trained professional has both the knowledge and training to cover many problems that may arise but also the professional level products to do so.

Every year I come across many individuals seeking a coverage application for their conditions. I want my client’s to feel confident in their own skin, the best possible you for your big day!

A visual demonstration of my make-up application skills is posted below for your viewing.

This is a Bridal client of mine. This particular client suffered from body Psoriasis, including about 60% of her face, at the time of services. Having seen some of my work on past client’s with skin conditions, she was very excited and hopeful that I would be able to help make her into the glowing bride she wished to be for her big day. Even trickier yet, This client was also unable to take any medications to help control her psoriasis, so everything I did for this client’s treatments leading up to the wedding were 100% all-natural using ingredients found in most of our own homes!!

Left Image: The client’s “Before” image was taken after a light buffing and treatment of the facial plagues to remove excess buildup on top of the skin before the make-up application.

Right image: The Clients “After” images shows just what the right type of cosmetic products and technical applications of them can achieve.

These images are taken by me on a simple “point and shoot” style camera, no lights, no gimmicks and nothing fancy, just straight off my camera. No Photoshop.

As you can see just about anything is possible with make-up and a professional Make-up Artist at your side, so whether you suffer from Facial Psoriasis like the client above, acne or just some dark circles, be sure to seek help and answers from those trained in this form of coverage for your big day!

***A big thank you needs to be shouted to this AMAZING client for allowing me to post this to my client’s!

For more information on my Bridal Services offered, please visit my site at: www.brides-by-felicia.com

Tattoo Covering for your Wedding Day

The wedding date is set, are you planning to rock out that tattoo you have or cover it up?

Though it’s not a request we see a lot of anymore, covering them can still be done.

However, now a days,  we see more brides that are wearing them proudly and even going as far as getting new services such as “tattoo bling” and “color brightening services” done via make-up techniques (Yes, all these services are available from us!)…I mean what was the point of getting something permanent if you are going to cover it up? Wear it proud and spruce up that dull looking tattoo. Why not re-vitalize it for the Big day?

Never the less, majority of our tattooed brides that we have had through over the years, do like to make one main a point, that majority of the times their friends/family know about the tattoo(s) anyways and it’s a part of who they are!

So today I wanted to discuss the reality of covering your tattoo up for your Big Day.

First thing to know is that Covering tattoos can be very time consuming! It is not just a quick 10 minute, slap-some-foundation-over-it type of thing.  It is also a fairly costly service. It takes a lot of products(s) in order to cover them and sometimes hours worth of time and a ton of patience.

You will also want to allot even more time for “getting ready services” on the day of to accommodate, pushing back your service times a fair bit more.

One of my Brides – Tattoo cover – As done by me & seen on her Wedding day
(Tattoo was in state of removal process)

Color enhancement on tattoo to brighten.

Next is having realistic expectations and understanding that although we can cover them, it is only make-up after all. We can do our best to camouflage the tattoo, but it will never look like you didn’t get tattooed, since there is direct and permanent damage to the skin itself.

It will, in most cases, be virtually undetectable in photos and to those who may not know of it/looking for it. But, depending on the tattoo, in some cases, can and will still be somewhat noticeable if up close.

Often it can take several layers to cover a tattoo. So this needs to be considered, especially in the case of those tattoo’s that may be in contact with attire and in risk of direct rubbing throughout your day. Though it is finished off with a sealer, there are still many factors that can hinder a cover and/or cause it to breakdown, regardless of Items used.

Numerous factoring agents can affect the application and it’s wear-ability including such things as; Selective color schemes of tattooed area, High movement areas and clothing interruptions, food and/or alcoholic beverages consumed, Heat and humidity, sweating, and general skin acceptance of products used.

As you see listed, alcohol consumption is listed, yes, drinking and Tattoo covers aren’t the best mix!

Allow me to explain this a bit better…

The consumption of alcohol in the days even preceding the event can and will often still have a negative effect on the lasting ability of the cover up being done for you that day.  Your body releases alcohol through the skin which can react with the products being used and cause the makeup to disappear or break down much sooner.

Alcohol should be avoided if at all possible or at least limited as it will also cause issues with your beauty makeup done as well!

Another thing to understand is that sometimes certain prescription drugs  in someone’s system may also effect the covering that is about to be done.

Your professional artist will be able to determine your best overall options if this is a service you may be considering.

After weighing your options, a secondary alternative is speaking with your photographer directly regarding your concerns. This is something we’ve seen of many clients, whose tattoos may not be practical to cover.

In many cases, or for smaller tattoos, they can easily and quickly remove your tattoos in a post-editing program from your final chosen images you select out. Again, your photographer will likely charge you an extra fee for this services and images might take a bit longer for return, but this is a happy medium and alternative for many clients. Thus giving the illusion of “no tattoo” in all your final images where it may appear.

So talk to your professional artist and photographer about your concerns, it’s often they can happily find you a solution to all your tattoo needs and any concerns!

For more information on Bridal services I offer;

Visit me at: www.brides-by-felicia.com

Body Bling for your Wedding day!

With this bridal trend gaining some serious momentum as of late, I wanted to take a few minutes out today to give a little feature love to this neat and creative concept.

Basically it exactly what it sounds like; Body Bling.

Taking the traditional henna design application one step further with glitter applications that can even be embellished with crystals and tiny jewels. From smaller accent designs or in place of necklaces and bracelets, your options are virtually limitless.

A great option for those that might want a little extra “show” but still want to keep things elegant for their big day.

From simple designs to larger more elaborate styles, these glittery designs can be seen gracing areas such as; across the back, arms and hands, shoulders and right below the collarbone…We’ve even seen a few done as dainty “anklets” on the Bridesmaids!

So here’s to pretty and glittery fun, cause for those of you that know, I’m a sucker for sparkly things 😉

Image From: http://www.akiyohenna.com

Image From: http://www.akiyohenna.com

Image From: http://www.akiyohenna.com

 

Hair removal: Pre-Wedding tips

Ok, so it’s not a big secret that most brides like to clean everything up for the wedding day, the brows, the legs and that list goes on. So here are some quick tips when it comes to waxing and threading for the big day.

Remember your brows frame your face and those beautifully done eyes… bushy brows are no one’s friend and can also hinder makeup application if they are too out of control!

If you prefer waxing:

1) First and for most, for ANY Facial hair work done….7 days before the wedding day is generally recommended. Maybe 5 days, but no closer than that!!!

Tweeze any strays that appear.

If something goes wrong you want to have a little “grow back” time and for things to calm itself. Some develop little ingrown hairs, redness, etc.

Also  understanding that waxing does mess with your skin and can cause redness and irritation – for those with fair skin types more so, in some cases staying red for upwards of 2-3 days!

2) DO NOT go to someone unfamiliar. Time and time again we see undesired results  from clients that take this route out of either laziness because they left it till last minute, or trying to say a buck or two. Plan ahead, one bad job and It can often take WEEKS To start growing back those hairs. Try out that new shop another time, because you have no idea what you might be walking into and at the end of the day, it’s not worth that few dollars you were trying to save.

3) DO NOT Let them talk you into waxing areas you haven’t done before. Now is not the time to experiment with a mustache  clean up or sideburn  removal. If this is your end plan for the big day, get it done months before to test it out first!

I can’t tell you how many bridesmaids, Brides etc. we see each season with hot wax burns to their face, torn upper lips or scabbed up sideburns. Not pretty.

Remember all those fine hairs is what your makeup sticks to, they are in fact needed!!! Waxing takes off ALL the hair in an areas done, not just the dark ones you want to get rid of. Makeup DOES NOT stick to freshly waxed skin!!!

That makeup halo you now have around your brows from a fresh wax strip, or uneven eye shadow line underneath is far more distracting than a few stray hairs you’re being sensitive about.

 For those that prefer Threading:

1) Some people think it hurts.

Personally I find it far easier, less painful and less damaging than waxing, hands down. I mean you are removing hair from the roots, but it’s often far faster and less painful than having a hot wax applied and skin/hair ripped from your face…I can often be in and out in less than 5 minutes with threading!

2) There are a lot less side effects and negatives  to threading than waxing. Less chance of any “mishaps” as well.

3) If you’ve never had it done, again, be sure to try it out first, long before the wedding day. Don’t leave it last minute.

 For those that Tweeze:

1) No “new” shapes, stick with your natural shaping. For those that prefer a more natural shaping, just remove strays from under the arch to clean up the area.

2) Keep up maintenance leading up to the wedding. If you chose to tweeze the day of, be sure to do it first thing allowing for any redness to subside before you start your day and head down that aisle.

3) Removing the stray hairs from above the arch will give you a cleaner shape. Remember to taper the ends a bit, starting from the arch outwards.

For those that Shave:

Yes, people still do shave their Eyebrows… Please put down the razor blade!! Those who shave eyebrows generally shave them until there’s only a thin line left. The hair begins to grow back after 3 days and starts to look like a Hot-mess, so why go through that hassle when the results don’t last? With waxing,  threading or Tweezing  you can make appointments 2 – 4 weeks apart in most cases.

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At the end of the day, your Make-up artist can work magic with the rest and help with any pre-wedding mishaps. We can fill in, reshape and more, you’d be surprised what we can do 😉

Be sure to do your hair maintenance first thing, Get this all out of the way before sitting in your makeup artist’s chair.  A random hair here or there is fine, but don’t come expecting a full reshaping job.

As for the rest of your body and any other “work” needed to it, a good visit to your favorite spa and you should be good to go come the wedding day!

Bridal Trials – Just when is the right time to book them?

The million dollar question; When should I book my Bridal trial for Hair and Makeup?

Today I want to spend a few minutes to convey how Trial sessions work, and what you need to know BEFORE you go spending your money on random trial sessions!

Many of the larger bridal hubs provide so much false information to brides on this sole area, that I think it’s high time we broke it all down.

Many brides get engaged and switch into hyper-excited mode, and rightfully so. HOWEVER, This is also 9 times out of 10 their own demise as well when it comes to their details planning…

Yes, many brides are eager to see themselves all done up. BUT, Not only are most not ready or prepared yet, but many also lack any of the ideals needed for their professionals hired, to do their job, and properly.

Here’s a few quick key questions to ask yourself first; Do you have all your wedding attire? Veil? Accessories? Color scheme chosen? Date/Times for the wedding? Have you confirmed number of people for services? Do you have any reference images together yet of what you want to go with for your look?

If you’ve answered no to 2 or more of even these basic questions, then you are not ready to begin your trial sessions yet….Allow me to better explain:

In the case of Bridal trials, Make-up and Hair trials are typically done approx. 8-10 weeks prior to the wedding date once everything is into its final stages and you have all your beauty “details” in place.

Though they can be done sooner, it is typically recommended against by most PROFESSIONAL beauty providers, as if done to early, it can compromise many different areas of the services.

All of these items and details are taken into consideration and worked with when constructing your bridal look. The overall style of your personal needs, but also the wedding itself. It’s for this reason that many beauty providers offer Full service packages, to better accommodate brides without compromising their service integrity as well.

Part one: Time Frame

When is your wedding? If your wedding isn’t until next August, a trial now and in the fall will do no good…6 months early? A year early? You’re wasting your time and money!

Why?

Basics will tell you that winter months will wear completely different than a spring/summer month will… How many of us have dry skin in the winter, oilier in the summer? Skin reacts differently, as will the temperatures affect on the Makeup/Hair. Even basics like rain verses sun. You will wear completely differently in 5 degree weather than in the dead heat of August sweating in 35 degree weather on a golf course. Thus in many cases completely different products will also be used, both for Hair and your Makeup.

This is often many brides first step to setting themselves up for False ideals and disappointments as to what you’ll look like, how it will wear and more…

Part 2: Growing your hair out for the wedding?

Most people’s hair can grow upwards of a 1/2 inch per month, some even more than that! So why are you going to do a trial 6-8 months early, then your hair won’t even be close to the length it is now?

Why this may be a problem…

As your hair grows out, this can hinder your hairstyle, and in some peoples cases, make the hairstyles completely obsolete come time of the wedding. Not only will the additional hair length add volume and bulk to the style, but can in fact change the overall appearance of it too.

For those planning down styles or Half up, curls will now wear and fall differently due to the added weight of the extra length. This can also cause hair to not only lose shape but fall out faster to.

For those that plan to overhaul their color; The mere color of your hair will also affect how it will “look” and more importantly, photograph! Ever notice how 90% of the bridal images you find are pictured with BLOND Models? It’s so you can see details, dark hair looks and photographs differently and thus absorbs lighting, fading out any detail work.

Part 3: The Accessories

Your veil, your earrings, the necklace, to the very dress you’re wearing that day… Even your color schemes all play a part in the final step of your wedding look.

Believe it or not, but even the shape of your earrings can change an entire “look” just by the way they shape your face, same goes for a chosen hairstyle.

In the case of brides choosing to wear a veil or statement piece in the hair, often Hairstyles will be styled to accommodate them. Some veils even leaving behind a “kink” in the hair and thus needing to be accommodated for during your styling.

Heavy beading on your dress? The style you chose for hair may actually be compromised now, causing the hair to catch and snag throughout the day on all that beading, willingly creating a frizzy mess and matted hair ends. No amount of photoshop is going to fix that…

When doing your trial, you want to make sure to see everything as a whole look, this is your best way to tell how you like or don’t like something. As a Bride you need to be able to see it as a full package, just as you would on the wedding day and for your photos. The earrings, the veil, the full makeup and Hair.

These are just a few quick examples of how much detail is taken into account for a Brides look and how jumping the gun to soon can hinder your wedding day look. Any professional level artist will tell you that. If as the bride you don’t have anything in place yet that your vendors need, how do you expect them to not only create your look but perform at the highest levels that you are paying them for, when you have them working blind?

Though it’s understandable to be excited, do yourself the favor and spend that extra time to really focus in and gather what you need first, before embarking on random trial sessions for a wedding that is still 9 months or so away and services that you aren’t prepared for just yet.

Booking and securing your choice artist is key, as many book a minimum of 1 year in advance, but holding out your included trial session until you’re ready is also key to the final outcome.

In the end, you’ll find better quality of service from your vendors, but also your wedding pictures and how you look in them. They will always reflect that extra time spent to do it right. When after all, your images are your lasting memory of an amazing day, why leave how you look in them on a bunch of  “what ifs” and “I don’t know yet”…?

Dark under eye circles got you down?

Many things are contributing factors when it comes to  the causes and appearance of Dark circles and puffy under eyes including; Genetics, Fluid retention, Lack of sleep, dehydration, Iron deficiency, Stress,  Medications/Drug/Alcohol/ use as well as Smoking…. to the very foods you’re likely consuming.

Dark circles in some people can actually be a sign of toxin build up in the body and sometimes a sign of an allergy to foods, but also possible Kidney and Sinus problems as well.

What may work for one person, may not for another, as varying degrees of darkness/puffiness are a factor as will be skin tones/ethnicity. So I will include a few options, so no matter where you sit on the “dark circle scale” hopefully we can give you a few options to check out!

Let’s start shall we:

Of course we have the ever popular and universal use of Cucumber Slices. Raw potato slices contain potassium and also work well to take away dark circles under the eye.

Secondary to those options are cooled Green tea bags or the use of Rose water.

Cold spoons are also a great quick fix, just be careful they aren’t so cold they stick to the skin!

A few less commonly know options to treat under eye circles; Potato juice, Almond oil, Lemon juices, Crushed Mint and Figs.

Many of our wonderful South Asian clients have shared with us this one…

*Mixtures are approximate*

• 1 tsp tomato juice
• 3-4 drops of lemon juice
• a pinch of turmeric powder
• enough white flour to make a paste

Mash these ingredients together into thick paste and dab it under your eyes. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, then wash away.

Turmeric and pineapple juice is another common mixture we’ve had recommended to us.

For puffy eyes there’s also the ever so popular Preparation H use too (Cream or Gel. NOT Ointment)

Remember that sleep plays a huge role in the appearance of dark circles.  So getting ample rest is one of your best lines of defense in taming those dark circles!

Some other really great ways to minimize dark circles under the eyes are Vitamin E and Vitamin C. Diet plays a very important part in dark circle prevention so remember to include a decent amount of vegetables in your diet too.

Good luck.

If you have an tips you’d like to share that have worked for you, or products you love and swear by, please feel free to leave a comment below.

The way you sleep = Fine lines!

Here’s a quick fact for today for those of you that sleep on your stomach.

It has been jokingly said by many famous Hollywood starlets dating as far back as the early 1900’s, that lying on your stomach to sleep at night is bad for a ladies “beauty sleep.”

They were right!

The average human head weighs  approximate 7 to 8 pounds… That is a lot of pressure to be putting on your face every night, day after day, for an average of 7 hours or more.

So much in fact, many dermatologists say they can actually tell what side of the face people sleep on by the number of wrinkles that are present on the face.

Just something to think about before you head to bed tonight!

Yogurt and Curling irons?

Yes, you read that correctly. This post goes out to all the ladies who have ever burnt themselves with their  curling iron or flat iron while trying to achieve those pristine curls for that night out!

If in case you do accidentally burn your forehead (or other areas) when using a curling iron/flat iron,  next time slather some plain yogurt on the wound!

Studies have shown that the coolness of the yogurt will help with any potential swelling of the area burned and will also help to reduce the redness. It can even speed the healing process by combating any excess bacteria’s present.

Myth Busters: Make-up and Bedtime

“I heard that sleeping with your make-up on isn’t actually as bad as people tell you it is…I forget all the time!”

Wrong!

One of the best pieces of advice many of us ladies have been told since we started wearing make-up was “wash your face before bed”

Statistics actually show that you can age up to seven times more and at a faster rate if you go to bed each night with makeup on!

During your sleep, the left over particles of makeup not only trap into pores and can cause skin irritation and un-necessary break-outs, It also tugs and tears at the skin, breaking it down faster and leaving you prone to pre-mature aging, especially around the eyes!

Even worse yet is not removing your mascara and eyeliners, as this leaves lash mites and other bacterias, HARDENED onto the areas and can cause both infection and micro damaging to the eyes!

While sleeping particles can break off into small fragments and become logged in the eye while sleeping.  Not removing your mascara can also cause your lashes to become brittle, break off and fall out easier!

By not removing your mascara at night it now leaves your eyes open to possible infections and general irritations. Worse yet, it can lead to slight micro tears to the eye from leftover hardened bits of your mascara that get trapped in and around the area while you sleep, which can have very damaging effects and even lead to blindness!

So do your face the favor and remove ALL Make-up before heading to bed. Your skin will thank you for it later…

Myth Busters: Mascara (Part 1)

Today I am covering the first of a few postings I will be doing pertaining to the use of Mascara, as this is one area that holds alot of very important information that many do not know about. This area is also one of the most important in the Make-up field both for general application knowledge but also health and safety!

This question was sent in to me by Ann, “I’ve been told I should never apply mascara to bottom lashes as it casts a shadow, what is your take on that?”

Though this statement can be considered true in some cases (Example: Like under select high end professional studio lighting on a photoshoot)

For most average persons ‘day wear’ make-up this is Fiction.

If you apply mascara to your top lashes, you should apply it to the bottom ones also. This adds balance to the eyes and the make-up done, but also helps shape your eyes. Otherwise the eyes can tend to fall flat when they have a heavy application above and nothing below to balance it.

This will often create a visual ‘line’ for the upper portion but leave a blank canvas on the bottom, which can cause some individuals to look tired and draw attention to any “under eye flaws”

Mascara will typically only cast a shadow if it is smudged or runs, or in some cases, is applied in such a heavy manor that it clumps predominantly on each individual lash. To avoid this, try using a waterproof and smudge proof mascara that can stand up against things that cause these problems such as sweating and tearing up.

Another option that can be used is a lighter mascara on the bottom lashes to define them gently without taking away from the presence of the upper lashes!

Myth Buster: Age and Shimmers

I often hear this comment from some of my mature clientele.

“Ive heard Mature ladies cannot wear shimmery/frosty makeup”

This is false!

Shimmery makeup can be worn at any age, but what’s more important is how you wear it!

True, you may want to wear a little less as you get older, but that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t. It should also be noted that there is a difference between “Shimmer” and “Frosty” make-up products. Shimmer is typically smaller is sizing, similar to a dust and more of a light wash, where as Frost is typically larger particles that can appear more grainy in textures….You’ll usually see this if the make-up flakes or breaks apart easier when you swipe it with your brushes.

The reason behind this comment is:

If a shimmer and/or Frosty make-up is used incorrectly and in the wrong areas, it tends to ‘age’ you more, regardless of how old you may actually be! This is mainly due to the fact that often shimmer/frosty particles will ‘settle’ in fine line areas such as the eyelids, outer eye areas and deep lines around the mouth. The particles then settle and reflect light drawing direct attention to areas that many wish not to exaggerate…basically acting like a direct visual flagging to the areas in contact with the shimmer!

Helpful tip:

If you love the shimmers, try using small hints of it in selected areas rather than an all over wash, or yet, even more distracting when paired with other shimmery products amongst the face such as a shimmery cheek and a frosty pink lip!

Ideas of use could be in areas such as the corner of the eyes to brighten,  lightly dusted across the cheek bones to add a soft and sexy glow, or even placed onto the center of the lips for a little extra alongside your lipstick or gloss.

The key thing to remember at ANY AGE Is that too much shimmer will have you looking like a disco ball and draw direct attention to all the areas in which you are trying to cover and/or hide.   Worse yet it can photograph terribly causing you to look shiny and sweaty as it reflects light, as well as exaggerate acne, dark circles and fine lines.