Chic Ponytails
​The pony is back, and it’s staying for a while. While we don’t usually think of ponytails as glamorous, the right hairstylist can turn your usual drab ponytail into a bride’s dream! Your pony can be either high or low, and ask your stylist to include a fun comb or other accessory. This classic is easy to maintain throughout the whole day and will let you just focus enjoying your wedding!

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Braided Half Updo
A new huge trend is the braided half updo. This look takes the classic updo and adds a new twist by braiding one side of the head. It’s a beautiful way to add some personality into a more classic style, and there are many different braids you can choose from!

Knotted Half Updo 
Another popular half updo trend is the knotted half updo. This means taking the top half of the hairstyle and creating a fun, casual knot a the base. This is a no fuss, clean look that can pair with any bride’s dress!

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​Hair Accessories
Hair accessories are a definite favorite in the 2018 bridal world. Some of the top accessories include flower crowns, simple bows, delicate chains, and birdcage veils. These looks are all very different, and leave it to the bride to choose the look they want to have! For a creative or expressive bride, accessories are a great choice to add to their hairstyle. 

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Beachy Waves or Natural Texture
This might be surprising, but one of 2018’s biggest trends is getting back to the basics. Either simple,  loose beachy waves or sticking with your natural texture is a popular and beautiful choice! For some brides, they feel most beautiful when less is done to their face and hair. Go natural if it suits you!

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Sleek Low Buns or Sleek and Down
Sleek is the new chic. Slicked down hair is a fun new way that brides are expressing their personalities. This look can either be put in a low bun or completely down, and looks great with either short or long hair as well. While the look may seem harsh, it is actually very feminine and beautiful when paired with the right dress!

Although it’s a personal decision, setting up one – or even a few, trials ahead of time can alleviate any room for error or stress on your wedding day. However, when do you schedule these trials? When is the right time for you?

If you just want to give the makeup artist a test run for quality before you sign a contract.
If you are worried about clicking with your makeup artist, then it’s smart to get your trial set up for right after you find your dress. We all know how it is with hair dressers, we find who we like and stick with them! It’s the same with makeup artists. Setting up an early trial gives you ample time to find another artist if you aren’t pleased with the one you first chose.

If you just really aren’t sure what you want and need to explore.
Some brides know exactly what they want. Others have no idea! Either they don’t have a very specific makeup style already or don’t wear makeup regularly, and need some direction. Exploration is the best cure for this problem! Many things come into play in regards to the perfect makeup look for the big day; your face shape, wedding dress, and hair texture. Let a professional (or a few) explore these things for you. Sit back, relax, and check out your options! From there, you can choose what you like best.

If you know what you want, but you’re very picky.
And here is the kind of bride we previously spoke about – the picky one that knows exactly what she wants. There is nothing wrong with this, it’s great that you have a vision! However, sometimes it is hard to find the perfect makeup artist that falls in line with your vision. The biggest tip for finding the right artist is to stay honest and straightforward. Don’t say you like something when you don’t. Your makeup artist is here to make sure that YOU like the look – not them! It’s your big day and they love to help you feel beautiful and comfortable in your own skin. If it’s the right artist for you, she will adapt and be willing to put you at ease. Try to schedule your trials at least six months in advance to ensure that you’ve found the right artist.

If you have skin issues or acne, and are worried about treating them properly.
We all have issues with our appearance. For some of us it’s complexion, acne, etc. But whatever you’re worried about, you shouldn’t have to feel insecure on your wedding day! As a bride, your big day shouldn’t be riddled with worries about being shiny, not having enough coverage, or looking good in your pictures. If you feel like this might be a problem, make sure to schedule your makeup consultations as soon as possible.

1)     Weigh your options carefully
Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life! You are spending so much time choosing the perfect napkins, centerpieces, Hors d’oeuvres, and making sure that your dress and hair are perfect. But are you thinking about and planning for your makeup? While it may seem menial at first, when you really think about it your makeup artist choice it can greatly affect your style and look on your wedding day. Because of this, it’s important that you weigh all of your choices correctly. Ask friends for references, check reviews, and meet your options in person. Schedule trials and ask questions! It’s okay to be picky and know what you want.

2)     Keep an open line of communication
One of the most beneficial things you can do with your makeup artist is to keep open lines of communication. Find examples of what you want on Pinterest or in wedding magazines and share with her what you are picturing. Give her all the information you possibly can – show her your wedding dress, venue, and share what your hopes are for your look on the big day. When you are at a makeup trial, it’s okay to say that you don’t like something the makeup artist has done. Makeup can always be removed and redone and it’s most important that you are satisfied and feel comfortable. If the makeup is too heavy, doesn’t match your style, or just simply isn’t what you want, let your makeup artist kindly know! It’s their job to make sure that you look flawless.

3)     Remember you’re hiring an expert for a reason
​Sometimes it’s hard to step out of the box and try looks that you aren’t used to. However, it’s important to remember that you are hiring an expert makeup artist for a reason! Some women will choose to do their own makeup and are more comfortable wearing their everyday look on their wedding day. But if you’re looking for something that stands out more – let your makeup artist play around and find something that works for you! Just like trying on wedding dresses, sometimes what you least expect can surprise you. Let your makeup artist provide suggestions, have her try a few looks she thinks might work, and adjust from there.

Bold Berry Lips
There is no better time than Fall to rock a bold berry colored lip! Pair with a full, bold brow and this look will be stunning against your white dress and fall colors background. Make sure to play around with different brow products as well as lip stains or lipsticks before the big day so you know which best fits your coloring as well as lasts longest.

Bold Smokey Eye
Smokey eyes aren’t just for the runway anymore! You can adapt them to be an
elegant look for your wedding day. However, not all smokey eyes are created
equal. Instead of reaching for any kind of black colors, stick to the soft earth-toned
shadows for a subtler look.

Metallic Touches
Metallic colors are on trend and can be a fun way to add some sparkle to your wedding day look. Some easy ways to add metallic touches to your look can include metallic lipstick or eyeshadow – but try to avoid overdoing it. You
don’t want to look like a blast from the past! When using metallics, don’t overplay any other part of your makeup and keep the rest natural and sheer.

Cat Eye
If your wedding theme is vintage or glam styled, then this look is perfect for you!
Doing a bold cat eye can be such a beautiful way to round out an updo and a
classic dress. Use liquid or gel eyeliner to complete this look, and make sure to
have your makeup artist test out a few different shapes before the big day so you
know exactly what you want. As always, when it comes to your makeup for the big day, make sure to test it out multiple times beforehand. Being comfortable in your own skin and the look that you have chosen is more important that being on trend! If the natural look is the best for you – stick to what you know. But don’t be afraid to spice up your look and try a few of these out for best fit!

1) Take everything out of your cabinet, drawer, or bag.
Go through wherever you keep your makeup and completely empty it out! Put it all in one pile on a towel somewhere (counter, bed, etc.). Do not leave one thing behind. Some of us keep our makeup products in more than one area, so make sure to check everywhere. This is the most important step because if you want to fully clean out the area you must have everything in one place to better assess the situation. It also aids in clearing the bag or counter space so you can give the area a good cleaning!

2) Sort through everything that is on the towel.
Decide on three different categories to sort your makeup products into. We suggest everyday wear, weekend/going out wear, and old or empty. Sort everything on the towel into these three piles. Throw out anything in the old/empty pile right away! This will leave you with two piles of your usable and current make up to work with.

3) Sort through your everyday wear and going out wear.
Do you have multiple of one item? Or products that you simply don’t use anymore? While certain products might be usable, it doesn’t mean that they are necessary to keep. Be honest with yourself – have you used the item in the past month? Do you still like the item? Minimizing and cleaning out your makeup bag can allow you to feel more organized as well as rediscover old items or help you more easily find your favorites!
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4) Clean your remaining brushes and make up.
This step is very important. Now that you have gone through everything and decided what to keep – you must take care of the products that you have chosen! Some of us are very careful with cleaning and keeping everything tidy, but others are not. And that’s okay! But now would be the time to give everything a good deep cleaning. If you don’t have a brush cleaner, get a bowl and fill with water halfway. Fill the bowl with your brushes and leave in for 10 minutes. Afterward set them out to dry on a towel. When it comes to your eyeshadows, bronzers, powders, etc. wipe off the outside and inside around the product. Also give your wet products like glosses, lipsticks, and mascaras a cleansing wipe. A lot of times gunk slowly builds up on these items as well. Don’t forget your eyelash curler either!

5) Clean out your cabinet, drawer, or bag.
Now that all of your products are squeaky clean, you don’t want to put them back in a dirty place. Take this time to wipe out your cabinet, drawer, or bag with a baby wipe or damp cloth. Sometimes a little soap will also be needed, or if it’s a bag that might be near the end of it’s days – time to get a new one!

​Follow these steps every few months or so and both you and your makeup cabinet will be much happier
for it!

Change up your eyes.
1) Use colored eyeliner.
If you use black or brown eyeliner everyday, try mixing it up by using a colored eyeliner! Matching your eye color can create a beautiful look.
– For Blue eyes: try a Green hue or Charcoal Gray
– For Green eyes: try an Emerald, Violet, or Copper
– For Hazel eyes: try a Gold or Brown
– For Brown or Black eyes: try a Purple or Blue

2) Bump up your mascara.
Maybe you’re used to using a simple mascara, or not even using one at all. But in the same amount of time as usual you can swipe on a volumizing mascara to give your look some extra style! Try picking out a mascara that markets itself as plumping, volumizing, or thickening and make sure to apply a few coats with time to dry in between.

3) Glittery or metallic Smokey eyes.
If you put on regular eyeshadow, try layering in some subtle glitter. If it’s your night look and you like doing a Smokey eye, step it up with a metallic Smokey eye!

4) Apply cat eyes.
Cat eyes don’t have to be scary. Take your regular eyeliner look and add an extra little wing! You’ll be surprised out easy it is to do and how much extra sass it’ll add to your normal look.

5) Fill in your brows.
Bold brows are the new look. Frame your face by learning your brow shape and filling in your brow with the correct color. You don’t need to go too bold for it to add an extra dimension to your face!

Add some oomph to your face.
6) Layer on blush.
If you usually don’t use a foundation, or only layer on one liquid or dry color – try layering on a colored blush. Use on your cheek bones and brush upward for an extra rosy look to your face.

7) Or use a Bronzer.
Bronzer can prolong the sun-kissed look on your skin from summer. It’ll give an extra contour and color to your face.

8) Use highlighter.
Highlighter is another way that you can create extra contour on your face. It gives you a nice dewy glow when applied to your nose, cheekbones, inner corners of the eye, center of the forehead, and brow bone.

Create luscious lips.
9) Try out a lipstick instead of gloss or chapstick.
Most of the time it’s easiest to simply apply a clear gloss or chapstick. However if you put aside another minute or two you can step it up with some bold colored lipstick. Try out different colors of lipstick, lip stain, or matte lipstick to get an updated look!

10) Or go even further and try Ombre lips!
Ombre lips are becoming more and more popular. Ombre lips are usually created by using lipliner, a lipstick brush, and 3 different shades of lipstick in order to create a gradual color change. Here’s a guide on how to create them.

1. Wear sunscreen
One of the most important things you can do in the summer is to wear sunscreen on your face! It doesn’t only protect your skin from cancer, but also prevents burns, peeling, and long-term issues such as sun spots and wrinkles. If you are applying makeup there are two options; apply a thin layer of sunscreen or moisturizer that contains SPF underneath or choose a foundation that includes SPF.

2. Moisturize
It might seem counter-intuitive to moisturize when everybody is hot and sweaty, but it’s important! The frequency that you clean your face and time spent in the pool and sun during the summer dries skin out – this will make your glands try to overproduce oils that it has lost, in turn making your face even more oily. You can combat this by applying a layer of face moisturizer before bed or in the mornings before your makeup routine!

3. Clean, clean, clean!
As mentioned before, summer gets hot and sweaty. Which translates to your pores being clogged even more than normal during your daily activities. And this is especially true if you wear makeup! Make sure to clean your face every night after being out or having applied makeup. Follow this by whatever skin care regimen works for you – most also use a toner and moisturizer as mentioned above. However, the most important takeaway from this tip is to stay consistent! Never go to bed with your makeup on or think that if you wash your face twice the next day it’ll make up for it. Keep your skin clean and happy and it will thank you in return!

4. Exfoliate Less.
Celebrity esthetician Renée Rouleau says that “exfoliation can increase sun sensitivity by up to 45%.” This is because when you exfoliate you are removing the top layers of the skin that usually protect the lower layers. Because of this, if you spend a lot of time in the sun during the summer it’s a good idea to cut down the normal 2-3 times a week exfoliation to 1-2 times a week. Also try not to do any heavy exfoliation before being directly in the sun the following day!
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5. Take days off.
Take days off of wearing makeup for your skin to breathe! This is a smart thing to do during any time of year, but especially in the summer when your skin is combatting things like heat, sweat, and sun as well. Utilize beach days or a Saturday at home to go bare faced.

The number one rule for makeup on your wedding day is to not go too crazy. Keep it natural with a little bit of a pop and you’ll be good to go! Make sure to show your personality, but it’s probably not best to walk down the aisle in your full face of clubbing make up. The different lens and flash settings on cameras make your makeup show up much differently than it does in person. For pictures that you’ll love for a lifetime, check out these tips!

Bold (but not too bold) brows.
Full brows are the way to go. They help to frame your face by adding much needed structure to the eye and photograph extremely well. Your face can get washed out easily when your brows are too thin. Fill them in with a brow pencil using light upward strokes until you reach a point where they are defined – but not too sharp or harsh looking. Make sure to choose a pencil that truly matches your hair color, or it won’t look natural.

Bright luscious lips.
If you have a favorite lip color, wear it on the day of your wedding! You’ll feel comfortable and sexy without questioning yourself and if your new color looks good all day. However, if you want to try a new color make sure to try it out for a few weeks in every possible situation before the wedding. Picking something bright can be a fun playful aspect of your makeup while keeping the rest natural and low key! Depending on your skin color, choose a nice coral, pink, or light red.

Natural smoky eyelids.
Smoky eyelids in a natural color palette photograph well and give your eyes the definition that they will need. Depending on the color you choose, a smoky eye can also make your eyes pop when being photographed instead of looking small and being lost on your face. If you have blue eyes, go for champagne and light brown tones. If you have green eyes, try a plum or soft purple. And if you have brown or darker eyes, lighten them up with bronze tones.

False lash beauty.
Whoever says you need to be all natural hasn’t experienced what false lashes can do for your eyes in a photograph. Most women are lacking the length, curl, or thickness that they want in their lashes, and your wedding day isn’t a day to be worried about these types of things! Start with a few coats of your favorite waterproof mascara, throw on (with proper gluing of course) your eyelashes, and voila! enhanced, red carpet ready lashes.
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The Best Tip of All:  Trust a Professional
All eyes are on you on the big day, and the best investment you can make is in hiring a professional makeup artist. Take the guesswork and stress out of it and trust your look to a professional who will make you absolutely glow on your big day. Considering all the money you spend on things like decor, flowers, food, and pictures, they mean nothing if you don’t look your absolute best.

1) Start early with clearing up your skin.
Clear skin is the ultimate base for a beautiful face of makeup! Whether you are doing your makeup yourself or have hired a makeup artist, you will be happy to have taken the time to work on your skin care routine. Try to get regular professional facials monthly for at least a few months leading up to the big day. However, make sure not to get any extractions for at least a month before to prevent any irritation or redness. Also remember to keep a strict regimen of washing your face daily and using the proper toners, moisturizers, etc. for your skin.

2) Make sure that you have white teeth.
Bright, white teeth will make sure that your lipstick stands out on your wedding day. Aim to cut out teeth staining drinks like dark wine or coffee for a few weeks before the event. There are a few great ways that you can work on gaining back white teeth! Some ways include natural remedies, at home whitening kits, or even professional whitening.

3) Find the right makeup artist and do a trial round!
One of the most important things you can do is to find a makeup artist that you love. Don’t just settle on the first one you find, but instead interview a few different artists. Choose the one that you feel will best be able to bring your dream wedding day make up to fruition and who matches your style. Ask them to do a trial run or two with ample enough time before the wedding to make any changes or work out kinks.
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4) Hide any last-minute breakouts.  
We all know that wedding planning can be stressful and sleep can be lost, especially the last few days before the event! A surprise pimple or two may pop up here and there, so it’s important to have a plan to hide those uninvited guests. Make sure that your wedding day makeup kit includes a concealer to dab on for any problem areas. Top with some translucent powder and nobody will even know the difference!