The OurWeddingDay Blog

There are countless makeup techniques and schools of thought when it comes to wedding day beauty, but airbrush makeup has become all the rage and is being used more and more by modern brides on their wedding day. Out of all of the latest bridal makeup tips airbrush makeup is one that’s worth looking into, considering it’s been around for more than ten years and is at the forefront of the latest and greatest of bridal makeup trends.

History: Airbrush makeup has been around for approximately ten years, but has been used predominantly by professional makeup artists for television and film actors. The reason for this is because it makes your skin look flawless, which is especially important for actors with the increasing popularity of high-definition televisions.

How it works: Airbrush is a type of beauty makeup that is literally sprayed onto your skin, whether it is your face, your body, or both. It is designed to cover up every blemish, unwanted beauty mark, tattoo, fine lines, spider veins etc. Airbrush makeup performs its job best under harsh or abrasive lighting, making it an ideal beauty pick for a long event such as a wedding where you have the starring role.

What it is: Airbrush makeup consists of normal makeup, silicone fluid, or water. When sprayed on it feels like you’re in a Mystic tanning booth (if you’ve ever experienced that), or as though you’re under a mister (like the kind restaurants have on outside during a hot day).

Benefits: There are countless benefits you’ll experience from using airbrush makeup. Firstly it’s more hygienic than regular makeup because there aren’t any powder puffs or sponges used. Airbrush makeup is lightweight, which will give you a natural look as you stand on the alter or converse with your guests throughout the night. You won’t have to worry about makeup rubbing off when you wipe tears, or hug your guests. It takes half the amount to apply when compared to the application of regular makeup—and it lasts for up to sixteen hours!

Mix Makeup: If you decide to go the airbrush makeup route, you aren’t confined to only this technique for all of your makeup. You have the freedom of mixing airbrush with regular makeup, as many makeup artists do. You can use the airbrush to apply your lip and eye color, or just your foundation, and then use regular makeup brushes to apply the rest of your makeup.

Price: The price of airbrush makeup varies from around $150 per session to approximately $300 per session. This may seem like a lot, however if you’re planning on hiring a professional makeup artist either way you might as well spend a little extra money for the assurance that your makeup will be flawless. If there is one aspect of your wedding day you don’t want to take a gamble with—it’s your makeup.

1. Choose the right foundation. Getting the right foundation for your skin tone is the most important part of bridal makeup. Go to a department store where professional makeup artists can match your skin color, and don’t be afraid to go to a few different makeup counters. Before purchasing a foundation, go outside into the natural light with a mirror and ask someone you trust to give you their opinion. Even if your wedding is at night, you still want to get the best match possible. Also, wear the wedding makeup for a few hours to make sure that it the color pigment stays true to your skin tone.
2. Coordinate with bronzer. Match your face color to your neck. Many brides get an airbrush tan a few days before their wedding, so they get their wedding makeup done, the foundation color no longer matches. This was easily taken care of with an excellent bronzer. Make sure that you tell your makeup artist if you are planning to get a tan before your wedding day. That way, he or she can be prepared to compensate.
3. Wear fake eyelashes. Some brides do not like the thought of anything fake, but this is one instance to go with fake over natural. Just make sure to get a brand that looks like your real lashes. Cover them with waterproof mascara on the day of your wedding.

Read more:

• How to Get Perfect Wedding Makeup
• High-Tech Wedding Makeup Tricks
• Hiring Your Makeup Artist

Elysa Ross, owner of Another Look Weddings, is an event planner, aesthetician and makeup artist with over 15 year’s experience.  Check back next week for more tidbits & ideas.  Add another look weddings to your Facebook page for special promotions.

Whether you are hosting or attending a winter wedding, look fabulous and festive with platinum or gold makeup colors and big, breathtaking hairstyles:

For the eyes, use either a silver or gold loose shadow and blend into the crease. Using metallic tones on the eyelid makes all eye colors stand out. For a more dramatic look, add some eyeliner and an extra
coat or two of mascara.

For lush eyelashes without looking like Raggedy Anne, begin at the very base of the lash, slide the wand back and forth while moving out to create volume. Next, sweep the mascara out to the end of the lashes. You can do this as many or as few times as you like depending on the length and thickness you desire. Apply the first coat of mascara and allow it to dry. Then, brush thru with an eyelash comb or toothbrush before adding the next coat.

If you are wearing a plunging neckline, use the same platinum or gold shadow and apply sparingly to the bust-line with a big, powder brush. Then, rub a bit of water-based moisturizer over the shadow, using circular motions. This will set into a shimmering, natural finish, highlighting your decollete. For the glowing skin needed to complete this look.  

Next, apply a rosy hued powder-based blush with a brush. For an understated lip, apply a subtle lipstick only a few shades deeper than your natural lip color with a lip brush. After that, line lips with a comparable shade of liner. Finish with a sheer gloss.

Big, curly hair is back. Whether going formal or casual-full, bouncy locks can be worn down or pinned up. For hair that is hard to curl, separate into sections and lightly apply hairspray before using a curling iron or setting in rollers. Use a moisturizing cream prior to using the hairspray, which will lock in moisture and protect your hair. Once the hair is set, brush through with a widetooth comb for touchable curls. If you want a free-spirited style, leave the curls looser. For more formal looks, stack and tuck the curls into a controlled up do.

-Elysa

Read more:

• Hiring Your Makeup Artist
• Airbush Wedding Makeup: Hot or Not?
• Do's & Don'ts of Wedding Makeup

Elysa Ross is a celebrity makeup artist & paramedical Aesthetician who has been perfecting bridal hairstyling, makeup & skincare for over fifteen years.  Check back next week for more beautiful bride tidbits and add anotherlook weddings to your Facebook favorites for more wedding advice!

Just as important as talent and professionalism is price.  How much should hair and makeup services cost?  There is no absolute way to determine what fees your hairstylist and makeup should charge.  Pricing will be higher in certain parts of the country; NYC & Palm Beach will cost more than Spectown & Smallville.  The time and date will influence price: Very early, quite late or holiday weddings can incur additional fees.  The season will also affect cost: Weddings during high-demand times of the year cost more Getting married in winter in Florida will cost you more than getting married during summer in Florida.

Nationwide, the average price for the bride for in-salon services is $45-$85 plus tip, per service.  The average price for services performed at your home/hotel is $150-$300 each.  Tipping is at your discretion.  Packages and discounted prices are usually available for bridesmaids, moms and large groups.

I started my career over fifteen years ago.  Initially, I was charging $35 for hair and $35 for makeup, as I was a novice!  As I progressed, I had an apprenticeship with a celebrity makeup artist on Lexington Ave in Manhattan.  I was then charging between $75-$100 each.  When I launched Another Look (which owned a bridal boutique and two salons), and started working my own celebrity clientele, my fees were $250 hair and $250 makeup for the bride.  Anyone else was $75 each.   Makeup artist and hairstylists with an A-level celebrity roster (ie-Angelina Jolie or Oprah) will command fees in the thousands.

Regardless of how much you are paying for your hair and makeup artists, make sure to book someone with whom you feel comfortable, has a portfolio and works by contract.  If an artist is not returning your calls, nor are they answering your questions or they have an elitist/condescending attitude-find someone else!

-Elysa

Read more:

• Should You Listen When Warned Against Your Wedding Day Look?
• Are You Budgeting Too Tightly for Your Makeup Artist?
• Recommended Wedding Day Beauty Products from a Professional

If the eyes are truly the window to the soul, on your wedding day you want them to be even more expressive than usual. Since your wedding day look provides unique challenges for all aspects of makeup, read on for eye-opening tips whether you're hiring a makeup artist or applying it yourself.

Like other aspects of wedding-day makeup, you never want to over-do it. “I like eyeliner to make the lashes look thicker and fuller,” says Keri Berman of Keri Berman & Co. “It should be a thin line so you can’t tell. Ultimately, you want a very natural look.”

Berman almost always prefers black eyeliner for weddings, unless you have very blue eyes and light hair. “If that’s the case, I will use a charcoal gray,” she says. “But black works for everyone. It’s classic.”

The two basic eye looks for brides are, what Berman calls, the “Blushing Bride”—it’s a very thin liquid eyeliner on the top lash just to enhance the lashes—and the “Golden Globe” look, where you add pencil inside the eye for a fuller, more enhanced look.

While Berman doesn’t recommend you try anything crazy on your wedding day, she does advise using waterproof eyeliner, unless you’re working with a professional wedding makeup artist. “For peace of mind it’s a smart idea,” she says. “There are many great products on the market that are not waterproof, but you don’t want that extra concern on your big day.”

Berman also tells clients to take a Q-Tip after they’ve applied and smudge off any extra liner. Even more important is the wedding-day emergency kit.

“I tell brides to keep a cotton swab and concealer in their purse or with a bridesmaid,” she says. “If you do accidentally smear your eyes, use the cotton swab to wipe off the black, then take a concealer or foundation and touch up under the eye.” Follow these tips and all eyes will be on you!

While hiring a hairstylist is always recommended for the best wedding day hair, some of you will probably go it alone. Whether for budget reasons, a destination wedding, or simply because you don’t trust anyone else with your ‘do, here’s a few tips to keep your hair in top shape.

“Do a practice version and wear it for as many hours as the reception,” advises hairstylist Hillary Bell of 7 Salon in Miami Beach. “If the wedding is going to be outside, you need to know how the weather handles it.”

Bell reminds her clients that, if they’re not hiring someone for the big day, stay in your comfort zone. “You’re going to have a limited amount of time to get it right,” she says. “There’s a reason sculpted looks are done by professionals, so don’t go overboard with detail.”

If you have a great hairstylist, feel free to ask her advice. You can get tips on products that are good for the location, climate, time of day, and duration of the wedding.  One thing that bride’s often forget when planning a style is their wedding day outfit, including neckline and jewelry.

“If you’re wearing family heirlooms and keep your hair down, you might never see the jewels in photographs,” says Bell. “Height is important too. If you wear an updo, you might look taller than your groom in photos.”

Bell recommends getting your hair done a couple of hours before the photos, to give yourself time to relax. Also, if the bridesmaids are doing their own hair, it’s important to make sure there are enough outlets, and tools, to share. “Make sure the girls have enough time,” says Bell. “You need to think about chairs and tables. Also, the more bobby pins, rubber bands, and hairspray the better.”

Finally, Bell says that if you are going to do your own hair, check out non-wedding photographs, so you can see looks that are not done with extensive help. Says Bell, “Get pictures of real hair that someone might have actually done by themselves, with no stylist at all.”

Check Out More on DIY Weddings Here!