Makeup: Whats too much? part I

Continuing on with beauty week, we have a reader question that I am so excited to get to! It goes as follows:

Makeup, and the fine line between over doing it and not having enough. I recently saw a post on Weddingbee about how great dramatic makeup looks in your photos, but how un-natural it looks on the day of. I've thought about it a lot and would love to hear what both makeup artists and photographers think...

Makeup artist Nikol, from Fresh Beauty Studio, has been kind enough to lend us her thoughts on this subject. Stay tuned later today for photographer Elizabeth Messina's thoughts on this subject as well!

Here is Nikol's answer:
To answer this brides question is simple. You should look in person and in pictures clean, fresh with a polished finish. You want to find a multi media makeup artist that has the experience to back up her work. There is a balance to having picture perfect wedding photos and looking like you in real life. Airbrush foundation is a great way to get amazing coverage that lasts up to 18 hours. All my brides have this foundation medium applied for their wedding day. It’s really all about finding the right artist. If your artist is heavy handed to begin with, you are not going to get a clean, fresh look for your wedding. If your artist is afraid to apply color you are not going to have enough on and will look washed out. The key here is to go to a professional makeup artist and find someone that clicks with your personality and vision.

Do your research and find an artist that has the style that you are looking for. Many people call themselves “Makeup Artists” but do not have the credentials or experience to back it up. You get what you pay for and your wedding pictures will be permanently printed in a wedding album for you to look at the rest of your life. Don’t be afraid to try different “looks” at your trial that is what a trial is all about. My studio Fresh Beauty Studio was created out of the need to have beautiful, fresh red carpet looking makeup and hair. We redefine what people typically think of when they hear wedding hair and makeup: no uptight hair, never heavy makeup. If you don’t wear makeup on a regular basis this process can be intimidating, but remember you do have to have polished put together makeup on to look amazing in your photos. It’s all about YOU, you as a person, not just a bride. Your personality, attitude, beauty from within should be reflected in your makeup on your wedding day. You have to communicate and have a very clear idea of what you want to create when you go for your trial. If you are unsure, wait until you have all the visuals to give to your artist so there is nothing that is lost in translation.

You don’t want to look like you just rolled out of bed nor do you want to look like you are going out on South Beach. You should look like yourself walking down the aisle. Your fiancée should know who it is he is marrying and you should feel like yourself just enhanced. If you remember 3 things for your trial remember these:

1. Know your style and who you are
2. Don’t settle for anything less then perfection
3. Relax, enjoy the process you might not “click” with your first artist but there is the perfect artist out there for you.

Be Fresh..Be You...

Here are some pictures from Nikol of recent brides they have worked with.









I love how these brides all look so fresh, without being overdone.
Thank you so much, Nikol, for the wonderful information, tips and pictures!
Stay tuned for part II later today!