"It's simple really, I see bridal makeup as a form of war paint. It needs to stand up to the elements, emotions, and hours of photographs taken by pro photographers and amateur selfie seekers".
Candace Miller of Candace Miller Make-Up describes the joy that she saw in the eyes of her first bride when she brought to life her dream look for her special day as the driving force behind her passion as a bridal make-up artist. When creating a bride's look, whether is be for her engagement photos to her wedding day, her main goal is to make her look and feel special while creating a look that lets her true beauty shine through. Candace shared with us her secret weapons to keeping your make-up looking fresh all day!
When creating a brides look for her wedding day, one of the most common questions I get asked is "will this makeup last all day?". Its simple really, I see bridal makeup as a form of war paint. It needs to stand up to the elements, emotions, and hours of photographs taken by pro photographers and amateur selfie seekers. It's a tricky question because honestly there are so many factors working against a bride's dream look. What's the temperature going to be? Do you have dry or oily skin? Will you be sobbing all day? Do you sweat when you get nervous? All that to say, my typical answer to their question is a smile and a "yes."
You might be wondering why I can be so confident in my answer with so many obstacles standing in my way? This is why you hire a makeup artist, because a pro has the tools in their tool kit to create a look that will last all day.
Today you're in luck! I'm going to pull back the curtain and let you in on a few industry secrets I use to help a bride look and feel her best on her big day. You can also use these products in your every day makeup routine to stay beautiful and flawless.
First and foremost, if your skin is not in tip-top shape your makeup can't do its job properly. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. I can't tell you how many women sit in my chair claiming they have oily skin and when I touch it I am transported to the Mohave Desert. You need to not only hydrate your skin by drinking lots of water every day, but you also need to exfoliate your skin on a weekly basis so that moisturizer can actually penetrate the top layer of your skin. But moisturizer is the key. My favorite to use on clients is Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer. Every time I brush this amazing cream on a clients face they ask "what is that!?" It is so soothing on the skin and its perfect for all skin types. You want to put a light layer on first before you start your makeup. This way there is time for it to soften your skin. And the best thing about this product is it doesn't sit on top of the skin leaving it feeling greasy. It sinks in fast and creates a supple base to let your makeup do its thing.
"Every time I brush this amazing cream on a clients face they ask "what is that!?"
After your moisturizer has time to settle in and before you put on your foundation, there is one key product you are going to want to put on. Primer. Right now I am obsessed with the Too Face Primed and Poreless primer. This primer creates a perfect canvas to layer your foundation on top of. It locks down makeup for a longer wear. This primer feels like velvet when it touches your skin and you only need a pea size amount to cover your entire face. Primer is key to creating a long lasting look that will stay fresh all day. Don't skip this step!
A lot of women, young and old, ask me how to stop their eye shadow from creasing. This is also a big deal on your wedding day, since everyone, including your fianc�, will be focused on your beautiful eyes. Eye shadow is a powder and when it has nothing to attach to on your lid it tends to mix with the oils that naturally develop over the course of the day, thus creating a creased look. The key is to put down a layer of cream eye shadow first, so the powder has something to cling to. M.A.C Pro Longwear Paint Pots are like magic in a mini cup. This cream shadow will transform the way you do your eye makeup. A little goes a long way. I use a small fluffy blender brush to collect a bit of product. You almost want to create a thin glaze on the lid, just enough for your powder to stick to. Trust me when I say this, I once fell asleep without washing my face after a long night of dancing (yes, the shame) and when I woke up the next morning my eye shadow was ready to rock the day. Nothing had moved! I was almost sad to have to wash it off. By the way, I do not recommend not washing your makeup off at night. Bad makeup artist, bad! Do what I say, not what I do. This cream shadow comes in multiple shades for you to choose your perfect lid match. Once on, go wild with your powder eye shadow and watch as it lasts deep into the night without a crease in sight.
"Trust me when I say this, I once fell asleep without washing my face after a long night of dancing (yes, the shame) and when I woke up the next morning my eye shadow was ready to rock the day. Nothing had moved! I was almost sad to have to wash it off. By the way, I do not recommend not washing your makeup off at night. Bad makeup artist, bad! Do what I say, not what I do".
When setting your foundation with powder, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. Have you ever heard of flashback? This is when you pile on too much powder and then have your photo taken with a flash. This combo creates a white strip where your powder was supposed to be hidden away. The wrong powder can also make your face look dry and flaky, or even white as a ghost. Your powder should be translucent and should not be making any sort of appearance on your big day. My go to powder is the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. This powder matches almost every skin tone with ease, and there is a deeper tone version for those that need it. It also creates a blurred airbrush look when applied correctly. The key is to not over do it. You want to focus on the areas on your face that will sweat or get shiny first. The center of the four head, above the lip, around the sides of the nose and on the chin. The rest of the face just needs a sweep of powder. Remember, a little goes a long way and you can always apply more later throughout the day as needed.
"This powder matches almost every skin tone with ease, and there is a deeper tone version for those that need it. It also creates a blurred airbrush look when applied correctly. The key is to not over do it".
Just when you think you have done everything you can do to make your fantasy wedding look last all day, surprise, there is one more trick up my sleeve for you... setting spray! Setting spray keeps your makeup in place and helps to stops makeup meltdowns from occurring. It's like a hairspray for your face! M.A.C Fix+ is the perfect setting spray for your wedding day. All you need is a light mist all over your face to get the needed impact. Don't over do it or your will just look like a wet dog. The best part about this spray is it smells amazing and hydrates too. Sometimes, if I have a client with extreme oily skin, I will spray this on first directly on the bare skin, before the moisturizer, to lock in the skins oils, then a quick spray at the end to bring it all together. Screw diamonds, setting spray's are a girl's best friend!
After working on hundreds of bridal clients in my career, I can honestly say that with this five product combo you will be looking fresh until the last guests leaves the wedding venue. But I also always say, test things out. Play with products and see what works best for you. Makeup is supposed to be fun, even if sometimes it feels like war paint. Hey, when you're stepping onto the ultimate battlefield, your wedding, you need the best weapons out there to win the war. Good luck ladies and don't forget you are fabulous!
Looking for the perfect make-up artist for your special day? Check out this top notch line up of amazing artists aimed at raising the standard on the Central Coast!
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