Cape Cod is a wonderful setting for weddings and memorable events. With most photo shoots taking place at the beach, it's not surprising that brides are asking for SPF in their makeup. However, not all of you know that SPF is very light reflective and may appear ghostly white in pictures.

     So, what makeup is right for outdoor photography? First of all, consider how long you really are going to be outside? If it's 30 min to 1 hour, SPF-free foundation, primer, and powder may be enough to protect your skin.

   If the sun exposure is longer and if you burn easily, apply a moisturizer with SPF 15-30 and let it fully absorb, then apply SPF- free foundation and powder. The key to photogenic skin is to use SPF-free foundation and to never mix SPF with foundation. 

    Also, several companies are making face primers with SPF 50+, claiming that this product followed by an SPF-free foundation will photograph well. In reality, this high sunblock is hard to fully cover, the makeup, if you do cover it, will look very thick and, chances are, it will mix with foundation anyway. 

   Ultimately, always try several cover-up options before your special event. Wear the makeup, and capture your look on camera. That way, you will find the one look that not only protects you, but also makes you look gorgeous!

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Pollen allergies may worsen your appreciation of Cape Cod outdoors this season. Allergies may also lead to itchy, watery eyes and can make your eyes puffy and dark.

Dark circles occur under eyes because skin in that area is thinner than anywhere else on your face and is most delicate. While getting a full night of sleep and following a low-carb, low-sodium diet will help to improve the appearance of the under eye area, a smartly chosen concealer is a must-have this time of the year. So, here are some expert tips on choosing and applying a concealer. I hope you find these useful:

1. Always pick a red-based, warm shade of concealer. It will effectively neutralize the blue-green shade under your eyes.

2. Also, to counteract the darkness you may try applying a peach or a pink eye shadow in the under-eye area before the concealer.

3. Use a brightening eye cream under your concealer. The more light is reflected from your skin, the more youthful and flawless it looks!

4. Find a concealer shade that blends with your foundation. A concealer that is lighter than a foundation will in most cases make dark circles more pronounced.

5 Apply concealer after your foundation. If you apply it before,  it won’t stay where you put it.

6. There are many concealer brushes out there to choose from. I typically don’t like the short ones with thick bristles. A good one is a fluffy blending brush, like MAC #224 or #217. Find the one that you love and use it.

Cheers!

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Cape Cod Wedding season is in full bloom, so, here are some tips for those brides who want to do their own makeup.

1) Protect the integrity of your bridal look by going waterproof and water-resistant.

• Face: Get a good face primer to wear under your foundation. Pick out a water-resistant foundation and under eye concealer. You might tear up, so you should try to avoid foundation that shows tear traces.

• Eyes: Waterproof mascara is definitely a must. An eye primer, or a paint will help your eye makeup stay on all day. A waterproof liner is also desirable, especially on the bottom lash. You can also line with your waterproof mascara.

• Lips: Use a longwearing lipstick.  You only need to apply this kind once, and then reapply the gloss throughout the day to keep your lips hydrated. If you don’t like how the longwearing kind feels (it may feel a little dry), use a regular creamy lipstick, but apply a lip primer first.

2) There are several things that you want to remember when you are applying your makeup.

• Avoid shimmer in the creases of your eyes.Generally, it is best to use matte eye shadows on your eyes. Use a highlighter only in the brow bone area, and make sure the shimmer is low-intensity.

• Foundation should match your skin tone. Matte finish is preferable in flash photography. Also, yellow bases look more natural in pictures.

• Highlight the cheek bones only slightly. Light is naturally reflected from cheekbones, so although the trend is very luminous at the moment, be careful not to overdo the highlighter. Years down the road, you don’t want your face to look oily or sweaty in wedding pictures.

• Pick a lipstick that is a couple of shades brighter than the one you wear every day, otherwise, your lips may look washed out.

3) Practice your wedding look at least two weeks before the event and take pictures to see if you are satisfied with the makeup.

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Beautiful skin lays the groundwork for the rest of your makeup. Skincare neglect shows when foundation looks like a mask, when eye shadow creases, and when lipstick runs.  For glowing makeup that reveals the real you follow the appropriate skin care regimen every day.

 

1) Cleanse with a face wash that targets your skin type.

2) Exfoliate twice a week, or once if you have more sensitive skin. Exfoliation helps to keep your skin flake-free, clears imperfections, and tightens pores. The two most common types of exfoliators are: 1) the grainy kinds that contain hard particles and 2) enzyme peels.

•  If you choose the grainy kind, remember that synthetic exfoliating particles are often more gentle on your skin than the coarse natural ones. Rub the product on your skin in circular motion and rinse off.

•  Alternatively, you can try gentle, non-invasive enzyme peels (e.g. papaya and pumpkin enzyme products). Enzyme peels require no harsh rubbing – they simply dissolve dead skin cells. Apply the peel, keep it on for the recommended amount of time, then, wash it off.

4) Tone your skin. Toners remove extra oil and add hydration to your skin. Avoid toners that contain alcohol, or witch hazel.

5) Moisturize day and night. Use an eye cream for puffiness and dark circles.

6) Wear SPF under your foundation every day. UV radiation affects you every time you are outdoors, even when it is cloudy.

7) Use additional treatments to pamper your skin. Masks will moisturize, revitalize, firm, and cleanse your skin, leaving it looking radiant and healthy.

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1) Apply a lip primer and let it set on your lips for a minute or two.

2) Apply concealer outside your natural lip line. Remember that concealer and foundation are not safe to swallow, so I wouldn’t recommend wearing them under lip products. Instead, even out your lip color with a nude lipstick.

2) Take a lip pencil and, starting at the outer corners of your lips, draw a line toward center. Never overdraw the lip at the heart, it may look theatrical.

3) Apply lipstick  from a brush, a tube or a wand.

4) Remember that lip liner can also be applied after lipstick or gloss. When applied over lip products, liners are sheered down and look more natural.

5) Blot your lips to evenly distribute color.

6) Add a dab of gloss on the bottom or the top. Applying too much gloss may cause your lipstick to bleed.

Have fun!

 

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Whether you choose gel, liquid, pencil, or dry powder eye liner, it is most likely the one cosmetic product you apply every day. Here are some easy eye liner tips:

#1 If you are worried about smudging, skip liner on the lower lashes.

#2 Eye liner smudges on oily skin, so make sure to wear an under eyeconcealer and an eye primer before you apply it.

#3 Question that concerns a lot of my clients is whether eye shadows should be applied before or after eye liner? If you love the natural look, then, do it before the shadows. If you like your liner to show, do it after.

#4 Placement is very important also. For a natural look rub the liner right into the lash line.

#5 Never line the whole lid if you have close-set eyes, line half-way through from mid-lid to outer corners.

#6 If you have wide-set eyes line your lids all around. If you like cat eyes, extend the liner outside the outer corners and tilt it upwards.

#7 Both liquid and pencil liners could benefit from a little brush over. Use an angled brush, like MAC #266 to perfect the shape of your eye liner. Swipe liner across the lid first, then go over it with a clean brush.

# 8 Wet your brush before you dip it in powder liner (or you could use any eye shadow). It will stay on longer and won’t fall off.

#9 Practice makes it perfect!

Good Luck!

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Applying false eye lashes can be overwhelming for a novice. Here are a few things you need to know to do it right:

• If you are new to applying eye lashes, start out by wearing half-lashes. These go on the outer corners of your lash line. Unlike a full strip, you don't need to spend time on lining and bending this type of lash.
• If you are applying a full strip, pull it gently out of the box and first measure it against your eye. Lashes are most likely to be longer than your natural lash line, so you often need to cut them. Cut rounded lashes on each side; and cut winged lashes on the outer, longer sides.
• Bend the lashes with your fingers to give them a rounder shape. To save time, wrap them around a thicker rounded object (e.g. a powder brush) before you start your eye makeup. By the time your eye makeup is done, lashes have assumed the right shape. 
• Apply the tiniest amount of glue on the rim of a false lash. It should only take 20 seconds for the glue to become tacky. If the lashes slide of your eyes or if the glue bleeds, then, you have used too much glue.
• Shake the adhesive tube to make sure the glue is uniform. Replace the glue once a year, there is nothing more wrong for false lashes than old, watery adhesive.
• Use black adhesive to accentuate the lash line. You can even skip the dark eye liner if your adhesive is dark.
• Place the false lash right on your natural lash line. Since some lashes tend to fold right at the lash line, you may need to pull your eyelid up with your finger. 
• Once the lash is placed, press it closer to your skin with your finger, back of your brush, or back of your  tweezers ( whatever works best for you).

• Practice, practice, practice! 

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#1 Get a lot of sleep the night before. As a bridal makeup artist, I find that four out of five brides get between 1 and 3 hours of sleep the night before their wedding. Relieve anxiety prior to going to bed. Try to meditate, workout, or read – do whatever you can to keep your mind off the wedding and get fully rested. Sleep will do miracles for your appearance.

#2 Make sure you drink plenty of water to keep your skin supple and youthful.

#3 If you are tanning for your special occasion, tan smart. I do believe that lighter complexions and yellow-based makeup shades photograph better than tanner red shades.

But, this is just my point of view. If you do tan, please start using eye and face creams (with SPF for the day) and make sure to exfoliate twice a week. Tan skins most often appear burnt, scaly, and dehydrated. Start a good skincare regimen months before your special day.

#4 Research wedding makeup ideas well ahead of time. Show your makeup artist magazine tears that inspire you or the ones you want to recreate. Have a trial run, or as many as will help you feel confident. It’s your day – your makeup has to be right.

 

Good Luck!

 

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