All posts in Bridal Series

How to: Cover an indented scar

August 10, 2010

I have been asked quite a few times to explain the process of covering an indented scar. This method is great for covering all manner of indented scars – acne indented scaring, chicken pox marks, indented surgical scars etc.

A mixture of highlighting, shading and covering can make a scar look less indented. The idea is to create the illusion that the surrounding area protrudes less.

Cover the scar with a camouflage/concealer that matches your skin tone of the surrounding skin.

Apply a slightly paler shade than this around the inside edge of the scar. I like to use a small liner brush for precision and eliminate mess. Tap this with your fingertip. Don’t rub it in.
Set with a thin veil of powder
Apply a slightly darker cream (than the one that matches your skin tone) to the area just outside of the scar (the perimeter). Once again tap don’t rub.
Set with powder.

If the scarring is mild you could pick yourself up a concealer palette with a variety of shades to experiment with. However, if the scarring is more obvious and visibly discoloured or deep I would recommend investing in some camouflage products. I use veil and dermacolor in my kit but there are plenty of brands on the market to suit your skin and your wallet.

I hope this helped!

*Image from derma-rollerplanet.com

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How to apply fake tan to your face

July 10, 2010

I often get asked how to apply tan to your face without it looking false or seeping into pores and lines. These are a few tips from my experience, please feel free to add your own tips my commenting, I’d love to read them.

To avoid the tan seeping into lines moisturise your face with an oil-free products right before application. Pay particular attention to the hairline and edges of the face, again it can look weird if the planes of the face are identical to the skin at the sides of the face. You want to avoid making your face look flat.

Keep the face a tiny bit lighter than the body. It looks a little fake if your the exact same tone all over as it’s normal for the skin on the body to be a slightly different shade to the face.

I would apply the tan to my face using a damp cosmetic sponge – thin, light coverage whilst working fast. This way you can apply a second night for a deeper colour but aren’t left with tan seeping into lines and pores.

So basically moisturise and use a damp sponge haha

What are your tips?

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The World of Concealer

March 12, 2010

For me concealer is like fairy dust! When I look tired, dehydrated, spotty, blotchy…the list goes on, a good concealer always saves the day. Every girl should have a concealer in her arsenal for emergency skin saving!

I haven’t come across one concealer that I can use for everything. This is because my under-eye concealer is a different formulation and shade to blotch covering concealer. Concealers designed to cover spots will look cakey, dry and aging on the delicate skin under your eye. The same goes for concealer designed for under eye area, it won’t mask a spot very well. If you’re new to concealer I would recommend buying two.

Find your formulation:

Cream Concealers: Very natural. The coverage isn’t as thick as the stick types but a Read more…

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Bridal Series: Blemishes

February 23, 2010

Ok so spots aren’t what you dream of for your big day but sometimes they are a reality. Stress and diets reek havoc on the skin.

To conceal blemishes you will need a dryer, solid concealer in your makeup arsenal. You don’t want the spot to look cakey but if the concealer is too moist it will just slide off. Dryer concealers will stay put. Read more…

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How to Conceal Rosacea

February 17, 2010

Rosacea plagues so many women. It causes redness and swelling, usually on the face. It can be difficult to mask but here are some tips for concealing the affected area.

Choose a yellow based concealer. Apply it to the red area only.
Use your fingers to blend the outer part of the concealer into your normal skin (then skin without Rosacea)
It’s important not to over-blend or rub in as you could wipe off the product.
Use a stippling brush to apply foundation over the area so it blends with the rest of your face. Avoid using fingers or foundations brushes as you could move the concealer.
Roll a light finishing powder over your skin with a powder puff.

Not that the tools you use to conceal redness are so important.

I have been asked about hoe to conceal redness quite a bit so I hope this helps.

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Bridal Series: Tanning yourself – How to get it right

February 17, 2010

Self tanning can go very wrong. Here are a few tips if you decide to use false tan on yourself for your wedding day:

Practice. You may have to try a few products before you find one that suits your skins type and tone. When you have commited to a product try it a few weeks before the big day to avoid any disasters.
Ask someone you trust to tell you their opinion of the tan you chose or take a picture. Is it orange? It it streaky? It should look natural with absolutely no tell tale signs that you’re tan is not real.
Consider the shade of your dress. A strong false tan might not look great with a stark white dress whilst very fair skin may not look great with a cream dress. Read more…

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Product Recommendations for Brides – What I use

February 4, 2010

This post has been requested quite a bit.

Here are a list of products I use for Bridal Make-up and that I recommend. This is not an exhaustive list, there are thousands of fantastic products. These are just what I use on brides.

Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow, Make Up Forever HD Foundation. Estee Lauder Double wear for those who want mega coverage.

Powder: Make Up For Ever Loose Powder, Rimmel Silky Loose

Blush: MAC, Nars. Cream: MAC Lillicent looks fresh and suits most.

Concealer: Bobbi Brown (creamy)

Bronzer: Benefit Hoola, MAC Blunt

LipLiner: MAC, Estee Lauder, Gosh

Eyeliner: MAC Fluidline, MAC Engraved (waterproof)

Mascara: Loreal Telescopic Waterproof, Loreal Double Extend Waterproof

Lipstick: MAC, Benefit

Lipgloss: MAC, Dior, Stila, Gosh

Eyeshadows: MAC, Nars (click here to see post on choosing eyeshadow for your eye colour)

Bridal Series: Midday Brides

January 27, 2010

Brides who are getting married in the afternoon should factor in that the Midday sun can cast shadows on your face. There are a few steps I recommend to help your make-up photograph well.

Foundation: Choose a light weight foundation without sheen. Dewy make-up is best for morning brides. Wear as little foundation as you can get away with as this is the time of day that it will show most. Blending is the most important step with foundation. Ensure your foundation matches collarbone. Bring the foundation on to your neck so your face and neck photograph the same colour.

Powder: Use a finely milled matte powder to finish the skin. It will keep your make-up on all day and ensure that your skin looks great in photographs. Some translucent powders contain Titanium Dioxide which tends to make the face look whiter in photographs. It is best to avoid these powders on your wedding day. Blending is key here.

Blush: Use a soft shade that compliments your skintone. Powder blush is best for oily skin whilst normal or dry skinned brides can get away with cream blush.

Eye Make-up: As the light casts shadow at this time of the day it is important that your eye make-up isn’t too dark. You could end up looking like your eyes are pieces of coal in photographs, not a good look. Use a highlight shade to open your eye (nothing frosty, shimmery is ok) I would recommend that you keep the lid shade and crease shade matte to avoid an over shiny eye in your photos. click here to read about what eyeshadows accentuate your eye colour

Eyeliner: If you decide to wear some keep it thin so it doesn’t take over. For a softer look press some eyeshadow into the lash line. Avoid lining the water line as this will close in your eye and it will dominate your look at this time of the day.

Mascara: Ensure you coat both sides of the lashes. People often forget the back of the lashes, this can look odd. Particularly if you have fair hair. False lashes look amazing on every bride. They can be very subtle but make an enormous difference to the size your eye appears. They also add a touch of glamour.

The most important thing is to blend, blend, blend.

More from the bridal series:

Beauty Tips for Brides

Make-up for Morning Brides

Bronzer for Brides

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Bridal Series: Morning Brides

January 24, 2010

When planning Bridal make-up I always start with the time of day the wedding will be held. This will effect the overall look and product choice. Another consideration in your wedding photographs, will the photographer use natural or artificial light? Taking these factors into consideration will ensure beautiful photographs.

I will start with brides getting married in the morning:

Brides getting married in the morning should generally wear less makeup than if she were getting married in the evening. Keep makeup soft and pretty as morning light is cool. Bear in mind that everything will photograph a little darker so it’s best to choose softer shades. Read more…

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Bridal Series: Bronzer

January 15, 2010

Applying bronzer is quite a delicate matter on a normal let alone on your wedding day. Many people avoid it like the plague, terrified of looking like an oompa loompa. Whist some of us go to town and can end up looking a little OTT.

Bronzer is an item I think you should consider for your big day.When applied well it makes your skin look sun-kissed and alive without changing the colour of your skin. Bronzer does not have to make you look tanned, in a lighter shade it can warm your skin. Adding more dimension to your face is great for photographs.

To warm your complexion dust bronzing powder or creme bronzer along the outer edges of your face and onto your cheekbones. Bronzer is a great product for slimming the nose, sculpting cheekbones and chin.

When applying bronzer you should start at the back of the cheekbone, sweeping it down towards the lower port of the cheek then back towards your ear. If you decide to use creme bronzer, dot the colour along your cheekbone and blend with your ring finger. Applying a little bronzer to the temples helps shape the face and brings out your eyes.

Personally I wouldn’t choose an overly shimmery / iridescent bronzer for bridal wear. Matte or satin is the way to go. If you are very fair and find bronzer too pigmented for you try a pressed powder in an ebony shade instead.

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