The OurWeddingDay Blog

Laura Nadeau is the creator and owner of Lo & Co Makeup Artists, specializing in creating a fun and fabulous community for brides or any woman who wants to step-up her beauty routine.  In addition to her own blog, The Down Lo, Laura shares her insight and advice on bridal beauty secrets right here, for OurWeddingDay.com.

I am asked by my clients to disguise their flaws daily and it has inspired me to add a new category to my blog called "Flaw Mentors". Women constantly pick apart their photographs and obsess about a flaw even though most people have slight facial abnormalities. A photograph is not a true representation of how one looks.  It is a frozen two dimensional image of a face that is three dimensional and fluid.  Some people are very photogenic and others are not.  I am not that photogenic as my right eye is lower than my left and when I face the camera straight on this is obvious. This used to bother me until I noticed that many celebrities - Shannon Daugherty for one - have the same flaw and they still look great.  From that point on whenever I disliked something about my face, hair or body shape I would search for a celebrity who had the same issue and they would become my Flaw Mentor. I encourage all of you to try this out. It is surprising how many gorgeous women have "flaws".   Heidi Klum (née Samuel) admittedly has a lazy eye and I think that she is doing okay with her face.

Angie sent me an email about her perceived flaws:

Lo,

As you can see, my eyes are kind of different in that the bottom lid sort of
slants up whenever I smile, or do anything. It makes me look like I'm kind
of mean or glaring or something. Also, from certain sides, my face looks
really fat and my cheekbones big. Is there anyway to get rid of that or make
my face look smaller?



Angie,

You have high cheekbones, full lips and beautifully shaped eyes.  These are all admirable physical traits that you need to embrace.  Your face isn't fat -- it is round and your cheeks may be on the fuller side right now, but they will keep you looking youthful.  I had huge cheeks in my twenties and then around my mid thirties, I finally had some cheekbones. You may not like looking younger now, but you will soon. Remember, photos flatten out your face, so please keep in mind that your face is more angular in person. Your eyes may turn up when you smile, but that isn't a bad thing.  Take a look at Lucy Liu. Her eyes get much smaller and turned up when she smiles and you can see that her eyes don't exactly match.  Regardless, she is stunning.  She has also has high and broad cheekbones which enhance her overall beauty.

Angie, I want you to find your own Flaw Mentors and start working your beautiful face.  When you appreciate your beauty others will as well - trust me.  Nothing is more beautiful than a confident woman who is comfortable in her own skin.  I would suggest the following to enhance your natural beauty:

• Have your eyebrows shaped:  Groomed brows will give you a more sophisticated look and enhance your eye shape.
• Wear blush:  Blush will add dimension to your face and give an overall boost to your skin
• Wear eye liner on your top lash line:  Eye liner will pull focus to your eyes and give you a more polished look.  Choose a gel liner that won't smudge.  See my 'favorite products' post for brand recommendations.

-Lo

We just posted a new article about finding your wedding day makeup artist in New York!

Sexy!

Laura Nadeau is the creator and owner of Lo & Co Makeup Artists, specializing in creating a fun and fabulous community for brides or any woman who wants to step-up her beauty routine.  In addition to her own blog, The Down Lo, Laura shares her insight and advice on bridal beauty secrets right here, every week.

A bridal makeup trial is a must if you are hiring a pro makeup artist for your wedding day.  Don't risk being stressed out or unhappy by foregoing this important step.

I suggest planing a meeting with a friend for dinner after your trial so you can get her reaction. You should feel comfortable in your makeup but also look special enough for your hair style and wedding dress.  So many of my brides ask for a little more makeup on their wedding day than we had originally planned  during the trial.

When attending a makeup trial here are a few things keep in mind:

1. Be prepared.
Bring any photos that inspire you. Even if you don't know exactly what you want, think about which celebrities you think look good on the red carpet.

2. Feel comfortable.
Do you like their personality? This is the person who you will be staring at right before you put on your dress.  Think about that!

3. Be "You."
A bridal makeup artist should take an interest in finding out what you think is beautiful.  There is no "one size fits all" in beauty. You want to look great in person as well as photos.

4. Trust your judgement.
Do they seem professional and dependable? Is there makeup clean and organized? Were they punctual?

5. Check their notes.
When concluding the trial, a pro should take photos and/or write down what they used on your face?

6. Get it in writing.
There should be a contract and a discussion about what you will need on your day (i.e. lip color and pressed powder)

7. Discuss timing.
Be very careful if an artist has another bride on that day.  There should be ample time in between, and traffic must be taken into consideration.

8. Be realistic.
Don't expect to look exactly like you will on the day of your wedding.  This is a trial and you aren't in a gown with your hair styled.

9. Be honest.
If you don't like something, tell the artist.  That is what a trial is for.  Be as specific as possible. "The eyeliner is too thick/thin," "the blush is too pink," ect.  These are easy changes.

10. Change is good.
If the artist isn't open to suggestions, find someone else.

Good Luck!