Thursday, June 16, 2011

Wedding Day Beauty Tips


-by guest blogger Juliana Landis

Aside from her dress, makeup is one of the most important things a bride can wear on her wedding day. All brides want to look their best on this day more than any other occasion, as the video and pictures taken will be viewed for years to come. Makeup Juliana Landis has some great tips for you and your readers to achieve that stunning look on such the special day.



Before the big day arrives it is very important to research makeup artists at least 3-6 months in advance in order to set up trial run. By doing so a bride can discuss their look/style and scan through magazines to guarantee they get the look they want on their wedding day.



Creating a flawless base that doesn’t look heavy or caked on is essential. To do this, Landis believes a good primer is essential. When preparing a bridal client at her studio, Landis likes to airbrush her clients to give them a flawless red carpet look, using Temptu, as they have a great color range for every skin tone and their silicone base covers all imperfections. Also suggested is the bride should stay away from shimmer powders and bronzers as it doesn’t always photograph well and try to stick with a matte bronzer. To avoid unwanted shine, Landis uses a yellow toned translucent powder concentrating on the forehead, nose and cheek area. The most important step in creating a beautiful “blushing” bride is – blush! A romantic pink color works well on lips and cheeks as beiges and nudes will wash out in the photos, something critical for a bride to avoid! A great color Landis recommends is Nars in Orgasm, it works well will every skin tone and stays put all day and comes in a stick form that the bride can keep with her and re-apply as needed.



Eyes should be as natural as possible to create a classic and timeless look that will remain in style for years to come. Landis likes to use a beige color all over the entire lid, with a taupe color in the crease and a sweep of peach across the lid. This color combination will give the appearance of a no makeup look. To give brides a very natural, pretty look, Landis likes to create a light smokey eye, that always looks great. If the bride has blue or green eyes I like to use natural copper colors with a taupe in the crease for contour, these colors will make the eye color pop. My brown eyed girls look great with deep plums again with taupe in the crease and keeping in mind to blend blend blend. Eyes should be lined with a soft brown pencil, and if needed, individual lashes can be applied to add a more dramatic look. Make sure to use waterproof glue, or better yet – have semi permanent lashes applied by a professional. These will stay put through the wedding day tears all the way through to the end of your honeymoon.



To ensure long lasting lip color, Landis suggests using a lip liner a few shades darker than your natural skin tone and fill in with lipstick applied with a lip brush. This technique will hold much better than lip gloss.
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For last minute emergencies at the alter, the Maid of Honor should keep a rescue kit containing concealer, lipstick, Advil, band-aids, safety pins and tissues!!



Juliana Landis is an LA based makeup artist and brow/lash expert providing an array of beauty services at Juliana Landis Brow & Lash Studio in LA. For further information, please visit www.JulianaLandis.com.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Figure-Flattering Dress Tips






Wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses can be difficult to search through when looking to compliment your best features. So here are some ideas for all you “soon-to-be” brides and your bridal party!



Full Figure

The best route is to not only highlight your best assets, but to tailor it to your figure. Like this David’s Bridal dress, an A-line, empire waistline gown is sophisticated and stylish, but choose your fabric wisely. Make sure it’s gathered in the right areas to accentuate your curves. If you do go for an empire waistline, make sure the waist isn’t too high underneath your bust.


Pear Shaped

A full, A-line wedding dress is the best silhouette for wider hips and narrow shoulders. Try a gathered, asymmetrical waist that will show off your curves in a glamorous way. A V-neckline will flatter your bust and an ordinate sash to draw attention to you mid-area. It’s best to avoid column dresses; they tend to emphasize your hips.


Small Bust

There is nothing wrong with creating a little illusion. You can use this season’s trends of bows and rosettes to add interest to your bust area with empire waistline. If you want an A-line silhouette, keep the bodice loose and consider slight padding to balance out the full skirt.



Boyish Figure

Showing off you best features, such as your legs and tummy are perfect for brides looking to create curves on their wedding day. Embrace this year’s runway trends and opt for a mini or shorter hemline. Sheath, column and A-line silhouettes will unexpectedly show off your best features while creating the appearance of a fuller figure.


Chic Maids

Is your bridal party a mix of sizes and body types? A great option for your bridal party is to do bridal separates that will flatter each body type. You can keep the same color palette and skirt length, but have each bridesmaid decide whether they would like a strapless, V-Neck, halter, blouson, or asymmetrical cut top.