Putting Together Your Pre-Wedding Beauty Arsenal

The time between when you get engaged and when you get married can be the most exciting, exhilarating and stressful time of your life. There's so much to plan and so many events and opportunities to celebrate with your loved ones. Between all the engagement parties, bridal showers, bachelorette weekends and photo shoots, you'll want to look your best. The memories and photos will last forever and you'll definitely want to look back at that time fondly, not stressed over your appearance.  

Unfortunately, it's not always possible to have a professional makeup artist or beauty advisor on hand for each event. Sometimes it's hard to know what you need and what's gonna be essential to your beauty routine. Luckily, you CAN have a celebrity makeup artist dispensing some helpful advice on what products to put together for your pre-wedding beauty arsenal.    

Celebrity makeup artist Julie Harris has worked with some of the most beautiful celebrities around. From Anne Hathaway and Julianne Moore to Eva Mendes and Jessica Alba. I spoke to her about the products and tools every bride should use to get ready for the all events surrounding the big day. There's no better time to revamp your makeup wardrobe than immediately after you get engaged. Restock your favorites and find out here what new gems you're gonna need to look your most glamorous.  

Beauty Tools:

Harris recommends investing in a great set of brushes. She has three favorite brands: M.A.C., Shu Uemura and Sephora brand. 

She recommends the following brushes:

-A large powder brush and blush brush that are soft and full. 

-A fluff brush for blending in the crease.

-A small fluff or shading brush for close to the lashes to give a soft shadow line. 

-An angle brush for applying shadow close to the top lashes or shading the eye brows to give more arch. 

-A lip brush.

-A liquid liner brush, which you want to be thin and pointy.

Skin Products:

"Bridal makeup should be natural and have a healthy glow," says Harris. She recommends using a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer such as Fresh Soy Cleanser, Rose Marigold Floral Water and Soy Face Cream. Harris also loves their Black Tea Eye Cream because it's soothing and moisturizing.  

Makeup-Foundation: 

Harris says to use a foundation that will work well to combat shine and smooth out your pores. 

She recommends: 

-Make Up For Ever Foundation. Celebrities love their HD formulas because they look great on camera and make your skin look flawless.

-Giorgio Armani Foundation. Another celebrity favorite because of its creamy formula and full coverage. 

Makeup-Primer

"I would also recommend using a primer to keep the skin looking flawless all day and to make your foundation last," says Harris.

She recommends: 

-Giorgio Armani Fluid Primer, a luxe liquid solution and makeup artist favorite.

-Lancome LA BASE PRO Perfecting Makeup Primer, a light formula with a velvety texture.

-Tarte Clean Slate Primer, an all-natural and paraben-free option.

-Jouer Mattifier, which works well under makeup or over top of your foundation to combat shine in the T-Zone.  

Makeup-Powder:

"I love Laura Mercier powders," she says.  She prefers their translucent formula because it's finer and lighter on the skin and likes the color tone selections available. Their brightening powder is great for under the eyes to make you look like you've had a good night's sleep.

Other powder recommendation:

-Make Up For Ever's HD Microfinish Powder which look great on camera and video (a bridal must). 

Makeup-Blush:

"For blushers I would recommend softer colors for wedding events," says Harris.

She likes:

-Cargo, which has an HD line with a great, subtle blush hue that goes on soft. 

-Bobbi Brown, which has a nice collection of pretty, punchy colors that make you look like you've just come back from a workout. 

Makeup-Concealer:"My favorite concealer is Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage because it has the two tones that are great for mixing to get a perfect skin tone match. The warmer is good for blue undertones and to match the skin's depth of color and the lighter is meant to match your undertone," says Harris. Harris loves the blendable concealer palette so a bride can mix her perfect shade depending on the day and her current skin tone.  You're skin tone might be lighter one month and darker the next depending on your sun exposure and time of year. 

Makeup-Mascara:

Harris recommends using both waterproof and non-waterproof mascaras. She uses a non-waterproof mascara first to get the fullness of the lashes and then seals it with a waterproof mascara for the last coat so the formula won't run if you cry. 

Her favorite: -Lancome Custom Volume Hypnose. 

Makeup-Eyeliner:

Harris swears by Kanebo Sensai Liquid Eyeliner because it has a great felt tip liner that is so exact and fine, you can get really close to the lashes. "I can't live without it and use it all the time," says Harris. 

She also likes Smashbox Waterproof Cream Liner because it doesn't smudge and gives a great line that makes the lashes look fuller. 

Makeup-Lips:

Harris recommends applying a lip balm like Fresh Sugar Balm first to moisturize the lips.

She says to use a soft liner color depending on the lip color you chose and recommends shading the lip first with a pencil, then applying a lip color and finally blotting the lips with a tissue and then applying again. Smashbox The Nude Lipliner is great liner option and YSL lipsticks are luxurious, pigmented and have a great satin finish. "I would stay away from too much gloss, frosted lipsticks or glittery colors. They don't photograph as well. The more matte the lips the better it will stay and the better it will look in photographs," she says. 

Final Touches:

For evening weddings or candlelight settings, Harris recommends applying a little highlighter on the cheek bones or in the inner corner of the eye which will reflect nice in the lighting. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick, NARS The Multiple or Benefit High Beam are all great options. She also recommends investing in blotting papers to help keep the shine at bay for pictures and help from keeping the foundation from looking too powdery. 

Beauty Q & A-Leaky Liners: My Smudge-Proof Product Picks

A reader recently asked me a great beauty question: 


Q: “Do you have any suggestions for keeping eyeliner on the bottom of your eye from smudging? Almost an hour after I've applied it I look like I have dark circles!”

This is an issue that plagues most gals who love to wear eyeliner (i.e. every female who wears makeup). I rarely walk out of the house without at least a swipe of black liner on. In order to look at all pulled-together, it's a must have. Inevitably, my liner travels to the corners of my eye giving me an unintentionally smudged droopy eye effect. It's gorgeous let me tell you.  

A: Your best bet for liners are the gel, liquid or cream options. Often, kohl pencils contain oils that make them smudgy so they glide on easily but just as easily slide off. Your skins natural oils also speed up the raccoon eye process. If it's an especially hot day out, your body is going to produce more oil and sweat that will literally sweat off whatever you have on your eyes. 

Before offering up my product suggestions, here are a few tips to keep your traveling liner at bay for at least a few hours.

Prep your skin

To add a barrier between your skin and your eye makeup, dab a primer followed by a concealer onto your lids and underneath your eyes. A primer will make your makeup last longer and smooth out your pores so makeup doesn't cake or crease. I love Smashbox's Photo Finish Foundation Primer, Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion or COVERGIRL & OLAY's Simply Ageless Serum Primer. 

Get your canvas ready

Concealer adds another protectant and also covers up any discoloration or unevenness. Apply an under eye concealer and dust a loose/translucent powder over the concealer. This will keep the makeup in place. The primer, concealer and powder will keep the liner from traveling down because liner smudges when there is a lot of oil around the eye area. By concealing and powdering, the area is kept smooth and oil-free. Use a concealer that's a little tacky (as in a little sticky and not too creamy). A more textured concealer like Cover FX Conceal FX Camouflage Concealer ($27.00) will last longer and be more resistant to the heat and your own sweat. 

Product Recommendations

1) CoverGirl's LiquilineBlast liner ($8.99) looks like pencil but has a smooth gel consistency and a smudger on the end, so you can actually wing out a smoky eye if you want. I like the intensity of the color and the formula of the pencil which has the staying power of a liquid. Plus, at $8.99 this drugstore beauty buy is ATM approved.  

2) Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes  ($18.00) was created by MUFE founder Dany Sanz for water ballet performers. It's an award winning liner with a creamy, gel consistency and a huge range of colors to choose from. Make Up For Ever is one of my absolute favorite brand's and a makeup artist's best friend. You can't go wrong with any of their products and their liners are no exception

3) Blinc Liquid Eyeliner ($24.00) was created after the tremendous success of the line's smudge-proof mascara. The famed-product formula "tubes" together and binds to your lashes, creating a polymer-like consistency that comes off with warm water. Like the mascara, Blinc liners forms a water-resistant "layer of color" that binds to the lash line and comes off with warm water using the same "tube technology". Customers complained the brush applicator was a bit tough to use, but the formula is without fail smudge-proof. 

4) Lancome ARTLINER Precision Point Eyeliner ($29.00) This famed liquid liner features a combination of two film-forming polymers that make the formula last all day. The tip is easy to use and the consistency is rich and intense. It's a customer and makeup artist favorite.

5) Make Up For Ever Aqua Black Waterproof Cream Liner ($22.00) This little puppy does not budge. It's my favorite liner right now and what I use every day. While it's not a liner you can apply on the go, when you do line your eyes in the morning you won't need to touch up for the rest of the day. The creamy formula comes in a pot with a protective cover because the less exposure it has to air the better and longer the consistency lasts. By keeping the lid on tight the liner keeps from drying out. It's the ultimate black eyeliner and gives you drama without looking Goth. LOVE IT.

So, here are my smudge-proof liner recommendations. If you have any other favorites I haven't mentioned let me know. What's working for all of you? If you're in the market for a reverse Raccoon Look, test out some of my favorites. A life without liner is no life at all, but let's be honest, a life without leaky liner would be smudge-free perfection!

Excess Baggage? Eye Opening Beauty Tips

When applying concealer under the eyes, mix it together with a little primer and then lightly dab it around the eye bone. The primer will not only help spread the concealer more evenly and smoothly, it will also keep your makeup on longer and prevent it from creasing. Apply a few dots of a hydrating eye cream beforehand to add moisture to the skin and to prevent flakiness (which makes the delicate area look wrinkly and dehydrated). Eye cream should be used at night and in the morning and/or as a part of your general skin care regimen. As we grow older the skin under the eye becomes more and more delicate and can wrinkle if we don't properly care for it. A moisturizing eye cream and the right concealer can take years off your face and make it look brighter and more alert.

Primer:

I love Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. This makeup artist fav. is a silky formula that fills in fine lines and pores and feels unbelievably light on the skin. It's also a Best of Sephora winner and been featured in countless magazines.

Korres Quercetin & Oak Age-reversing Primer is another great lightweight primer. Quercetin is a powerful antioxidant and Oak extracts repair fine lines and enhance skin texture. It also contains Hyaluronic acid, which provides immediate moisture and softness. Translation? It'll extend the lifespan of your makeup and boost your skin's appearance. Plus, it's Silicone-free so it won't clog your pores.

 

Eye Cream:

Finding a noticeably effective eye cream, on the other hand, is like searching for The Holy Grail. A daunting task that produces many beautifully packaged fabrications. It's not that these eye creams aren't good it's more that they just don't perform the changes they say they're going to.

I'm not trying to name names, but some of the creams I've tested out don't address my under eye puffiness and dark circles as effectively as they say they will. Surprise disappointments? While I love Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Serum their Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream didn't improve my eye concerns. Another surprising disappointment was Lancome's High Résolution Eye Refill-3X Triple Action Renewal Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream and High Resolution Eye Collaser-5X Intense Collagen Anti-Wrinkle Eye Serum. I used both daily and never saw any improvement to the skin. Both products promised improvement to the eye area within 3-4 weeks but unfortunately my skin looked exactly the same. The serum even felt a little cakey on.

Next eye cream on my list? Shiseido's White Lucent Brightening Eye Treatment. The brand's White Lucent skin care line has garnered plenty of accolades and their eye cream won the CEW's Beauty Award for Best Eye Treatment last year. The cream addresses both melanin formation and poor local micro-circulation, two major causes of dark circles. The Multi-Luminizing Powder contains light diffusing properties that bring luminosity to the eye area. Since I just started using this, the verdict is still out. The cream does feel great on the skin (especially after storing it in the fridge) but I'm still not sure if it's helping my dark circles.

Stay tuned!

Are there any eye creams you've tried that you either love or hate? Are you still on the quest for a great eye cream too!?