Category: Uncategorized

Posted on

How to get your skin wedding ready

I always preach about the importance of a good skincare regimen. In makeup, skin is like the canvas of a painting. When your skin is healthy and glowing from within your makeup will look a million times better. Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and you want to look and feel your best. A good skincare regimen is essential to achieving that glowing, radiant look that you want on your big day. In this blog post, I’ll be discussing how to establish a good skincare regimen to help you achieve the perfect look for your wedding day.

Find your skin type

First, it is important to understand your skin type. Are you oily, dry, or combination? Knowing your skin type will help you determine which products will work best for you. Once you have determined your skin type, you can begin to build a skincare regimen that will help to maintain a healthy, glowing complexion.

Basic Skincare Regimen

A good skincare regimen should include four basic steps: cleansing, toning, and moisturizing and SPF! Cleansing is the first step in any skincare regimen. It is important to use a gentle cleanser that is appropriate for your skin type. Cleansing will help to remove dirt, oil, and impurities from your skin, leaving it clean and refreshed. If you’re a makeup gal, washing off your makeup every night before bed is crucial. Toning helps to balance the pH of your skin and prepare it for moisturizing. A good toner should be gentle, yet effective at removing any remaining impurities. Moisturizing is the final step in your skincare regimen. A good moisturizer will help to hydrate and protect your skin, keeping it soft, smooth, and supple. I also LOVE serums! It’s recommended to apply serum before your moisturizer. Serums actually help with the absorption of the moisturizer and eye cream. 

In addition to the basic skincare regimen, it is important to include a weekly exfoliating routine. Exfoliating helps to remove dead skin cells, revealing the new, healthy skin underneath. It can be done with a gentle scrub or chemical exfoliant, depending on your skin type.

Don’t forget sun protection!

Another important aspect of skincare is sun protection. Sun damage can cause wrinkles, age spots, and other skin problems, (and skin cancer!) so it is important to use a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 on a daily basis. This will help to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays and prevent further damage.

Lastly, As you approach the wedding day, it’s a good idea to incorporate a facial mask into your routine. This will help to hydrate and nourish your skin, leaving it looking refreshed and rejuvenated.

Consistency is Key

By establishing a good skincare regimen, you can achieve a healthy, glowing complexion that will make you feel confident and beautiful on your big day. Remember to use the right products for your skin type, be consistent with your routine and don’t forget the sun protection, you will be ready to walk down the aisle with confidence! 

Posted on

7 Reasons Why I Transitioned to Using Individual Lashes

San Diego makeup artist

If you’ve ever had your makeup done by me you know how much I love false lashes. It enhances any makeup look, it makes your eyes look bigger, youthful and more awake, the benefits of adding false lashes to your makeup look are endless. Over the last 8 years I’ve carried nearly every kind of lash you can think of in my makeup kit. Strip lashes, cluster lashes, individual lashes, and for a very long time strip lashes were my go for every client. I’ve always carried individual lashes but I never really used them on anyone unless requested by clients which happened rarely. Well that has changed. About a year or so ago I found myself reaching for individual lashes for nearly every client in my makeup chair, over time I’ve realized that I hardly touch strip lashes anymore. And I have to say, although I still cary strip lashes in my kit because I’m that over prepared makeup artist that likes to have everyone in my kit “just in case” – I cannot get myself to use strip lashes anymore, and here’s 7 reasons why.

Comfort – This might be the biggest benefit of individual lashes but they are incredibly comfortable. I keep hearing over and over from my clients “oh my gosh, I can’t even feel them, feels like I have nothing on!” They are so light weight compared to your traditional strip lash that you totally forget you even have false lashes on. Here’s the best way I can describe it, you know when you have a really tight hair bun all day and at the end of the night when you finally let your hair down it just feels so ahhh-mazing? Well that’s how it feels when you have strip lashes on and you take them of those poor tired lids at the end of the night, best feeling! Strip lashes are much MUCH heavier so after about 5 hours of wear your eye lids start to feel the weight of them. 

Highly customizable – Another thing I love about false lashes is how customizable they can be. Want longer lashes in the corners for a cat eye look? Easy! Want shorter lashes from inner corner to outer corner for a doll eye look? Done. You can achieve literally any kind of lash look. 

Longevity- I don’t know about you but one of the biggest makeup frustrations I used to have is being at a special event going to the ladies room to freshen up makeup only to find my lashes popping off in the corners. It’s the WORST! Well, I can say in confidence that this has never been an issue for me or for my clients with individual lashes. Once they’re on, they’re on for the whole night until you wash your makeup off.

More natural – If you’re more of a natural/soft glam makeup gal, then individual lashes are perfect for you. They definitely look much more natural, and “real” compared to strip lashes. If you have a professional event, like headshots for work or an interview, individual lashes are perfect way to enhance your look without being overly done. 

Great for people that are not used to having false lashes on – I used to mainly use individual lashes on my more mature clients like mother of groom or mother of bride, because most of my mature clients prefer a much more natural look and often they’re not used to having false lashes on. They always end up loving the individual lashes, it’s been a great success every time! 

No need to trim them as you often do with strip lashes – I would say 90% of the time I’ve had to trim strip lashes because usually they’re just made in one size and often require a little trimming. Taking the time to trim lashes can add up when I have a bridal schedule to follow and often you end up wasting a portion of the lash due to trimming it. No need to trim anything with individual lashes! 

Easier to apply – Now this one might be relative, but I find individual/cluster lashes much easier to apply. No need to apply glue with a steady hand on the entire strip of lash, with individuals its just a drop of glue on a flat surface, dip – apply, dip – apply, until the whole lash line is complete! 

These are the reasons that I love individual lashes and I hope for your next event you’ll consider giving them a try. You won’t regret it I promise! Below are some of my favorite brands for individual lashes. 

San Diego makeup artist
San Diego makeup artist
San Diego makeup artist
Posted on

6 Pro-Tips For Finding The Best Makeup Artist For Your Wedding

Mac makeup appointment
Finding the perfect makeup artist for your wedding

How to find the best makeup artist for your wedding? When it comes to choosing your ideal makeup artist it’s important to take the time to do your research and find someone who aligns with your personal style and preferences. Here are a few tips to help you find the perfect makeup artist for you:

1. Look at their portfolio: A makeup artist’s portfolio is a great way to get an idea of their style and skills. Look at their past work to see if it aligns with your desired look.

2. Consider their experience: It’s always a good idea to choose a makeup artist with a solid amount of experience, as they will have honed their skills and will likely be able to give you the look you want with ease.

3. Read reviews: Look for reviews and testimonials from past clients to get an idea of what it’s like to work with the makeup artist. Are their clients happy with the final result? Do they have a good reputation in the industry?

4. Think about your budget: Makeup artists’ rates can vary greatly, so it’s important to consider your budget when making your decision. Make sure to ask about their rates upfront to ensure that you can afford their services. If the artist you chose turns out to be of your budget range you can always ask them to refer other artists that might fit your needs better.

5. Communicate with them: It’s important to have open and honest communication with your makeup artist to ensure that you both have a clear understanding of what you want. Don’t be afraid to speak up if you have any concerns or ideas. As an artist I’m always happy to answer any questions my clients have, no matter how small they might be.

6. Book a bridal trial: This one’s very important! One of the most important things to do when choosing your ideal makeup artist is to book a bridal trial. This will give you the opportunity to see how the makeup artist works and to try out different looks before your big day. It’s also a great time to discuss your vision and any concerns you may have. Don’t skip this step, as it can save you a lot of stress and ensure that you are happy with your final look on your wedding day.  Any time I’ve done a trial with the bride to be, the big day goes 100% smoother and less stressful for both of us. 

Remember, your wedding day is one of the most special and memorable days of your life, and choosing the right makeup artist is an important part of the planning process. Don’t be afraid to take your time and do your research to find the perfect fit for you. By following these tips and booking a bridal trial, you can feel confident and beautiful on your big day.

Posted on

5 tips for the perfect bridal makeup

best bridal makeup look

I often get asked what is the best bridal makeup look. Having done makeup on hundreds of brides in the last 7 years, I’ve really mastered the perfect “soft glam” look that looks good on every bride, no matter the age, complexion, ethnicity, etc. This soft glam look really is one size fits all and I find myself redoing this look over and over again on so many brides because it’s so timeless and classic.

When it comes to your bridal makeup, you really want to focus on a timeless, classic and romantic look. You want to look back at your wedding gallery decades from your wedding day and still love your look from the big day. It’s the best feeling when you have makeup on but you still feel comfortable and your authentic self. The industry phrase “soft glam” is essentially a makeup look that enhances your features without that overly done makeup look. 

Now of course if you’re a makeup girl and absolutely love wearing makeup then of course you can get extra glam for your wedding day, at the end of the day its YOUR big day!  

Here’s a breakdown on how to achieve a soft glam makeup.

Foundation – I like to do light to medium coverage foundation, this is a KEY element, you want to be able to see the skin like beautiful freckles and beauty marks, plus light/medium foundation just FEELS so much nicer and lightweight on your skin, which is a huge plus on your wedding day when you’re wearing foundation pretty much all day and into the night.

Eyes – A huge part of soft glam makeup is soft eye makeup meaning earth tones such as espresso, rich browns, champagne, bronze, copper and gold are stunning colors to use on pretty much all eye colors. I try to avoid using black as it can look more dramatic and black tends to close up the eyes and make them look smaller. If I do use black it’s usually a really thin liner along the lash line (no wing!) and that’s it for eye makeup.

False lashes – When I hear a bride that says she doesn’t want lashes I gasp and try to persuade her otherwise best I can! False lashes for bridal makeup are like the whip cream on your pumpkin pie, like the ketchup and mustard on your hot dog and like socks with running shoes, it’s a must, TRUST ME! False lashes make a huge – and I mean huge difference in photography and enhance the overall look by a million percent! 

If comfort is your concern then individual lashes are truly the best, I find myself using them more and more on everyone that I do makeup on. They’re incredibly comfortable, (most clients report that they can’t even tell they’re on) they’re lightweight, highly customizable, natural looking, and just overall much better than strip lashes. If you really would rather skip the lashes then getting lash extensions couple of days prior to the big day is a great option. Bottom line – get the lashes! 

Lips – You really can’t go wrong with a nice nude or pink color lip! I like to top it off with a gloss for the plump juicy lip look. I stay away from dramatic colors such as dark plums, reds, orange etc. But if red is your go-to and you wear it often then go for it! 

Blush/bronzer – Always a must! Both of these products give you a nice healthy glow. Blush fades fast so I always go a little heavy handed with blush and usually a nice pink/peach color

Set it all with a good quality setting spray and you have yourself a soft glam bridal look!