BRIDAL MAKEUP ESSENTIALS

A special thanks to Influenster for my complimentary Laura Mercier TLSP. 

After working in the cosmetic industry for a few years, I have gotten a little more than picky about how my makeup looks. My favorite thing about my previous job as a manager at a makeup store was helping DIY brides pick out their makeup and teach them how to apply it so that they could do it themselves. All of the brides would comes back after their wedding thanking me and saying that they loved doing their own makeup. 

For myself, I wouldn't have it any other way. Doing my makeup for my wedding day will just make that day a little more special. Since the rest of my wedding is DIY, makeup kinda has to be since I was a makeup artist! Plus, doing my own makeup saves tons of money. 

In this post, I'm going to share my favorite products that I have discovered that photograph beautifully and give a full coverage without that cakey feeling. In that past month, I've basically lived in Ulta and Sephora from re-shade matching myself to swatching new products and exploring what other brands have to offer. It's crazy how many amazing products are out there, so here is my narrowed down, tested & tried favorites list for bridal makeup. 

Makeup Forever Smoothing Primer

First things first, you need a primer that is going to last. I have found that the Makeup Forever Smoothing Primer has really helped my makeup from creasing and sliding off my face. 

Makeup Forever HD Liquid Foundation 

This foundation blurs imperfections perfectly. For me it gives a medium to semi-full coverage. Sure, you will still want some concealer to brighten and tackle the tough spots, but this will smooth your complexion and since it is an HD foundation, it was formulated to be on camera. It is super important to invest in an HD foundation simply because your everyday foundation most likely has SPF in it. Any makeup product with SPF in it will cause flash back in your pictures, your photographer will get a glare on your face, and they won't turn out as flawless as they should.

Concealers 

Okay, so I'm a concealer addict, and I'm going to list a few, but you can pick and choose which will work best for you. For me, I have a lot of redness in my cheeks (darn Rosacea) and I have some acne scarring that just has to go, so I personally use them all at once. But, like I said, pick what works best for you. 

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer

I don't know about you, but I have the worst dark circles under my eyes. No matter how much sleep I have, there's always a present under my eyes when I wake up. For my first "layer" of concealer, I will use the smallest amount of IT under my eyes and on my acne scars. This concealer is a little on the thick side, but because it covers so well, I don't mind. What I love, is that even though it is thick, it doesn't feel heavy at all and it doesn't crease throughout the day either!

Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer

Shape Tape is usually my second concealer. I will put this strictly under my eyes and in a triangle on my forehead, down my nose, and on the sides of my nose to brighten the center of my face. I've only had this concealer for about two weeks and I'm already obsessed. I've also been taking the leftovers from my beauty sponge and tapping it on my eyelids and using it as a lid primer and my eye makeup has not creased one bit!

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

This NARS concealer is great for a little extra coverage on my acne scars. Due to some stress a few months ago, my skin went through a hellish breakout and I scarred really badly. It's been a work in progress to eliminate them, but alas, some are still there, so they need a little more coverage; hence the fifty million concealers.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer

Okay, last but certainly not least, the Naked Skin Concealer is great for adding a little more brightness to the face. What bride doesn't want to be bright-eyed and glowing on their wedding day?! For me, brightness is key, so I add a few swipes under my eyes, yet again. A little tip: If you want a little extra brightness like I do, try going a shade lighter in at least one of your concealers. If you concentrate the lighter concealer under your eyes and the center of your face, it basically contours your face for you and looks like a glow from within.

Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder

This stuff works wonders. I mean, I have never had such a prestigious setting powder in my life. I have usually used either a bareMinerals or IT Cosmetics setting powder, but half-way through the day, I would find that my makeup was creasing or basically off my face. Since I've been setting my makeup with the Laura Mercier TLSP, I have noticed a dramatic difference in the longevity of my makeup. 

Thank you again to Influenster for sending me a complimentary full-size TLSP!

Tarte Confidence Creamy Powder Foundation

I know a lot of makeup gurus have been getting away from using a powder foundation because they don't want their makeup to look too "powdery". Well, for me, I love the way that some powder foundations just finish your makeup. This one from Tarte does not look powdery or cakey at all, and I find that it helps even out my skin just one more time. It's kind of like my last hoorah for coverage in case there's anything that my concealers might have missed.

Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer

There is nothing worse than a bronzer looking too muddy or orange. I find that the Hoola Bronzer is just the perfect shade--and I'm super fair right now, too! There is even a Hoola Light incase you don't want as defined of contour that I like. I will use this to contour my cheeks, my forehead, and yes, even my nose.

Mally Beauty Blush

Don't judge the nicks in my blush. It's been a little loved along the years. But anyways, as with everything, I am so picky with blush. With having to cover up so much red in my face, there is no way that I am getting a super pigmented blush anywhere near me. I usually tend to go for a more natural looking color. I'm pretty sure that the color I have is called Georgia Peach. I ended up taking it out of the palette and I no longer have the packaging with the name on it. It will be linked of course, so you can choose a shade that you feel will look best with your skin tone.

Highlighters // Morning Glow & Queen Phyllis

For the past year, I've been using loose eyeshadows as my check & brow bone highlighter. When I'm super pale (I'm in the fairest or second shade of most brands right now), I use Morning Glow by bareMinerals. I think that it used to be a QVC exclusive, but I found it on Amazon for you! When I have a bit of a tan, I used another loose eyeshadow by bareMinerals called Queen Phyllis. It's a little more gold toned versus the cool tone that Morning Glow will pull. Either one I highly recommend if you don't want to fork out the money for an actual highlighter. Plus, since you need so little of a loose shadow, it lasts you forever. 

IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Eyeshadow Palette

This palette serves for more than one purpose of your wedding makeup. It has beautiful natural colors, but you can also jazz up your look with some of the darker colors for a more dramatic smokey eye. It's all up to you! For my bridal look, I stick with two colors, warmth which is like a very light neutral brown, and then I build up in my crease with the dark brown Java. There are some lighter colors in this palette that you could totally use for your lid, but I'm a little dramatic, and I need a little sparkle on my lids. I haven't quite found exactly what lid color I want to do yet, so if you have any ideas, be sure to let me know. For now, I'm settling with Nude Beach by bareMinerals, but by all means, give me your suggestions!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer

Okay, so most brow pencils are SO thin and they end up breaking every five seconds if you don't have it twisted out the exact amount of .0007 inches. I kept getting sick and tired of having to replace my brow pencils so frequently, that I decided to splurge the extra couple dollars for the Anastasia Brow Definer. It has a thicker structure, and guess what?! It doesn't break! I have had absolutely no issues with mine and I love the spoolie on the one end to help comb through your brows and make them a little more natural looking.

Eyeliner // Lasting Brown

My eyes are super sensitive to eyeliner and a lot of products that are near my eyes. I hardly ever wear it on a normal day, but when I do, I use either a gel liner by Buxom which has been unfortunately discontinued or bareMinerals' lasting brown. I haven't been brave enough to try any other eyeliner brands, especially right before the wedding because I don't want to risk having an allergic reaction. 

Lancôme Cils Booster XL & Too Faced Better than Sex Regular & Waterproof Mascara 

The Lancôme Cils Booster XL is a white priming coat that you put on your lashes. For me, it gives that extra little umph my lashes need. It helps with length & volume. What more could you ask for? I will put a layer of Lancôme on and then while it's still wet/semi-dry, I will add a layer of Better than Sex on top. The brush on the Too Faced mascaras are so big and fluffy and separate every lash and add even more volume. I use the regular one (the one in the pink tube) first and then I layer on the waterproof (in the greenish tube) over that. On my bottom lashes, I only use waterproof. For my wedding day, I am hoping that I can contain my tears, but just in case I can't, I already know that this combo stay put and doesn't smudge for me--even through tears.

 bareMinerals Gen Nude On Point Lip liner & Urban Decay Vice Trivial Liquid Lipstick 

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray

If you click on the link above, it looks a little different--it must have gotten a face lift! BUT, nonetheless, it is still the BEST setting spray I have ever tried. Whenever I leave the house without using it, I notice my makeup slipping a little sooner than I would like it to. After you've created your desired look, give your face a couple sprays and dance the night away! ;)  

Stay Classy.
xx,
Kristen