My First Bridal Work

Michelle is an athletic woman who doesn't wear much makeup, if any, in her daily life. For her wedding, amidst all the details, makeup was one of the last things she wanted to think about. In came me, someone who loves to think about makeup. Had I gone very heavy on her makeup, she wouldn't have looked like herself. My goal was just to help enhance her natural beauty. I'm definitely of the school that a bride should look like her best self on her wedding day, not like someone else or an overly made up version that would shock her grandmother.

A natural look for a bride can still require a full face of makeup: One reason is there's going to be a lot of flash photography taken. This strips color from the face. I applied a full face of foundation, concealer under the eyes (to counteract a lot of pre-wedding parties and sleepless nights due to nerves), three shades of shadow (she wanted pink and purple tones), waterproof eyeliner, waterproof mascara, brow shaping, blush and light contouring with a matte bronzer. She wore a darker lipcolor than we originally planned. Nude and very pale pinks can erase the mouth in certain pictures. I steered clear or anything shimmery, including highlighters, which can cast a glare in flash photography. A light dusting of HD pressed powder was applied, then I applied setting spray.