Your one bridal makeup wish-Granted!

"My one wedding day wish is to have my makeup stay in one place all night while I kiss tons of friends and relatives and dance the night away".

If that quotes sound vaguely like something you would say, then this blog post is especially for you! What DO pro's use to keep makeup on all day? Well, one of the main products is a sealant. Don't let the name scare you. It's not some products that will clog your pores or give you flaky skin. It's truly a lightweight clear spray that ones dries it locks your makeup in places until you wash off your makeup. Lots of brands make them but Urban Decay recently launched a trio of sealants for every skin type: Dry, Oily and Normal.

For today's post I'll focus on the one that is truly a sealant, the one for Normal Skin so aptly dubbed “All Nighter”. Once you apply your makeup just close your eyes and mist your entire face. Once it dries your makeup will last hours and hours.

A bonus? Urban Decay has an exclusive “Urban Bride” Boxed kit that comes with a travel size “All Nighter”, a travel size "Lip Junkie" gloss in a beautiful neutral shade, a travel size of their new “Supercurl” mascara which I have to say is ah-ma-zing! Without having to curl your lashes, you will have curled and defined lashes. You also get a full-size "Primer Potion" (a cult-classic must have!), full-size Marshmallow flavored edible, sparkly body powder and a razor-finish setting powder. It’s an amazing deal with incredible products for you or it makes a great bridesmaid gift. It's limited edition so go grab it now!

Luminous Skin

Anyone who knows their makeup stuff will tell you that the basis for beautiful makeup is beautiful skin. There are lots of options out there to get your skin glowing, but a must try is bareMinerals new skincare line. After a total packaging revamp, the new line is truly sleek and sophisticated but it's what inside that is so special. bareMinerals partnered up with Shiseido to bring us the best product ingredients for our money. Powered 100% by bareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex, it is clinically proven to promote faster cell turnover, pore size reduction, increased luminosity and antioxidant protection.

What's great is that they are not only offering a sort of "try before you buy" cleanser and moisturizer duo, they are now offering a cleanser and moisturizer in their get started kits so that you can see first hand how great your makeup will look with great skincare underneath. Skincare duo sets are $23 and the get started kits are $60 with the original formulation foundation and $63 for the matte formulation.



No worries, you can thank me later ;)

Spring Bridal Beauty Product Highlight

Hello Brides!
I have a week of great Spring Bridal Beauty Product reviews planned for you, so let's get started :)


AG Cosmetics Curl Trigger Curl Defining Spray $19.99




Spring is around the corner and soft, carefree, slightly messy beach-y curls are one of the hair trends of the season. AG's Curl Trigger is just the product to help control, define and enhance curly and wavy hair types.

Bonus: Can be used as a refresher spray if your hair gets a little limp throughout the day.

I personally really love the product as my hair can't decide if it's straight, wavy or curly. With Curl Trigger I get really pretty waves all over my hair and if I spray it on damp hair and then blow dry with a diffuser after, I get much more defined curls.

I compare this product to Bumble and Bumble's Surf Spray, but I have to say that I like the way Curl Trigger smells much better.


Too Faced Romantic Eye Palette $35




I received this palette awhile ago but I've been using it on a weekly basis since. The minute I saw the colors I thought how perfect this palette is for wedding looks. Then I saw the shadow names and realized "oh...Too Faced meant this to be a bridal palette too..." :) With names like "I Do", "First Dance" and "Ever After" how could it not be? These colors are soft and feminine, perfect for Spring. My favorite look by far is the Classic look that combines a pale pink, a shimmery lilac and a deep eggplant with sheen to it.

For professional use, these seem fairly easy to depot and would be a great addition to a bridal palette. For personal use, these shadows are super pretty and easy to wear and blend. I also think these would be a cute bridesmaid gift too!

Mario Badescu Herbal Hydrating Serum $30




We all know and love Mario Badescu for his Drying Lotion. It's amazing! I really don't know why I overlooked the other gems in his line, but I got to try some out and my new favorite skin care treatment of the moment is Mario Badescu's Herbal Hydrating Serum.

Most of the serums I tried in the past were nice, but they usually left my skin feeling slightly tacky after initial application (the exception being Merle Norman's Energizing Concentrate, love that stuff!) which I personally can't stand. My rule of thumb is if I don't like the way it looks/feels/smells on myself, there is no way I am putting it in my kit and subjecting my clients to them. What's so cool about the Hydrating Serum is that it's a gel that is instantly absorbed by the skin and gives a cool, fresh and perfectly moist feeling. Love it!

Bonus: If you have oily skin, this can be used as your moisturizer

Stay tuned the rest of this week as every day I'll have three new product reviews for you!

Rebeca Liceaga
President / Owner / Key Makeup Artist
www.BridalMakeupArtists.com

We won the Bride's Choice Award for 2011!!

Hello Brides!
We've been doing some new and exciting things at www.bridalmakeupartists.com for the wedding season and we think you will be pleased! For now though, we wanted to share some news regarding Wedding Wire's Bride's Choice Awards 2011. We won again! We are so pleased and wanted to thank our beautiful brides for their wonderful reviews and support.

I'll be updating everyone once we get our new and improved site going! Until then, stay gorgeous :)

Skin care and Hair Products for the hubby on the Big Day

Hello!
An article was recently published where I was asked for skin care and hair product suggestions for males getting ready for their gay weddings, but I figured it would also work for the males in our lives who wanted a little extra something on their Big Day too. So I have copied and pasted the highlights in case you or someone you know would enjoy reading it. I would also love to hear any other product rec's that the men in your life also love to use

Beauty: Wedding Day Beauty Products for Men

We talked to veteran makeup artist Rebecca Liceaga, and she gave us a few prewedding products sure to leave you feeling pampered.

For the face and skin?

* Check out the men's skin-care line from Lancome. "The Ultimate Cleansing gel is so easy to use and doesn't leave residue on the skin that can be irritating for men," she says. Also try the Hydrix Micro-Nutrient moisturizing gel from the same line. Men can use it after shaving and it doesn't contain a large amount of alcohol like some products, so it won't burn.


* For eyes, consider Christian Dior HydrAction Visible Defense eye creme SPF 20. The SPF protects the very thin skin around the eye from sun damage.


* If you’re looking for a facial mask, try Liceaga’s fave: the Merle Norman’s Luxiva clarifying clay mask.



Hair products that work?

* Liceaga is all about Sebastian’s Threads styling products. “It’s a styling cream with a microfiber technology that literally threads hair together to maintain a superb hold on any style,” she says. “It’s great for guys with longer or fuller hair.”


* As for hairspray, check out Bumble and Bumble's Does It All styling spray. It's a mid-level spray with extreme versatility; you can set a style with it and use a variety of hot tools without having to reach for another product.



What about sunscreen?

* If you’re looking for a nongreasy sun-care formula, try ColoreScience Sunforgettable SPF 30 powder sunscreen. It comes in a translucent formula so no one will be able to tell you have it on.


* Also check out Makeup Forever’s HD foundation primer. Though it’s supposed to be used underneath foundation, it gives you a matte, flawless complexion that’s silky smooth to the touch. While the primer isn’t available yet to consumers, you can get a similar effect with their HD powder.



-- Emma Sarran

Special thanks to veteran makeup artist Rebecca Liceaga, president and founder of BridalMakeupArtists.com.

__________________
Rebecca Liceaga
Professional Makeup Artist
www.bridalmakeupartists.com
On-Location Bridal Beauty Services
Serving Southern California
Visit my blog at http://bridalmakeupartists.blogspot.com

A Guide to Looking Beautiful For your Big Day

In the weeks leading up to your wedding day, there is so much to be done on your part. I've put together a handy guide that's easy to follow and makes putting your best face forward a no brainer.

Skincare

*When it comes to makeup, having great skin is more than half the battle. If you haven't already begun, start by establishing a good skin care regimen tailor made for your skin type.

*If you have dry skin, don't use harsh scrubs or drying cleansers and toners. Instead, invest in a cream cleanser, an age defying or specifically made for dry skin toner. The bulk of your investment should go into a fabulous cream that will make your skin glow.

*If you have oily skin, a gel or powder cleanser is your best bet. An oil absorbing toner will rid your skin of excess oils and an oil-free gel or light cream moisturizer will give your skin the boost of moisture it needs.

*Try to schedule regular facials to keep breakouts at bay. If that isn't an option for you, opt for a "home made" facial. After cleansing, grab a large mixing bowl and fill it with hot water. Lean over the bowl and put a towel over your head to trap the steam, and remain that way for about 5 minutes. This will allow the steam to open your pores to allow the next steps to penetrate to a deeper (and more effective) layer.
Next, follow with a toner and then use a purifying mask to draw any impurities out. Allow to dry for 10 minutes. Rinse and apply your moisturizer.
By following this routine once a week, your skin will be in tip-top shape in no time.

Daily Care

*Be sure to use a sunscreen everyday to protect from sun damage and hyper-pigmentation. Whether it be a cream, gel or even powder sunscreen make sure it's a minimum of SPF 15.

*While it may be a pain to wash your face twice a day, make sure you at least manage to wash it at night. Dirt and free radicals that age your skin accumulate on your face during the day, so make sure you spare 5 minutes at the end of your day to treat your skin well.

*Beautiful and glowing skin comes from the inside out. Make sure to drink plenty of water and work in some fruits and vegetables into your everyday meals.

I hope our brides-to-be find this a helpful guide to prepare your skin for a very Special Day

__________________
Rebecca Liceaga
Professional Makeup Artist
www.bridalmakeupartists.com
On-Location Bridal Beauty Services
Serving Southern California
Visit my blog at http://bridalmakeupartists.blogspot.com

What not to do the day before your wedding...

I have compiled a small list of "Beauty Dont's" that a bride should never do the day before her wedding. I hope it is as informative as it is entertaining

Face

*Wax/Thread/Overpluck eyebrows (or any part of your face for that matter!)
-This should be done a at least three days before your wedding day (5 days is optimal), to allow for any redness, swelling and sensitivity to vanish. It's also not the time to try that "new dramatic" brow look you've always wanted to try.

*Trying out that new self-tanner
-If you've never tried it before, this certaintly would not be the time.

*Glycolic Peels, Microdermabrasion or Pore Refining Facials
-In short, you could have scabs, redness, breakouts and iritated skin as a result of these procedures. Believe me, it's loads of fun using liquid bandaid to apply over scabs so that makeup will at least adhere to the brides skin

*Eyebrow bleaching/lightening
-Unless you do this on a regular basis, it's best to have this done a couple of days before the wedding. Some women's brow hair will turn orange if bleached, even slightly. If this happens, at least you can try and get an appointment to have some color thrown on top of it.


Body

*Mystic Tan
-If you have mystic tan freshly applied, color may come off on your clothes...like a wedding dress.

*Get a Brazilian Wax*
-This should be done a few days prior to the wedding. If you've never had it done, the day before is not the day to experiment...you do want to be able to walk down the aisle, right?

*Laser hair treatment
-I will leave it at that.

*Nair
-Even if you do a patch test, you could break out in horrible red bumps on your legs (especially if you leave it on longer then the recommended time)


Hair

*Extensions

*A "trim"

*A perm

*Highlights

*Anything that alters the chemical makeup of your hair.

If anyone has anything else to add to the list, please post!

__________________
Rebecca Liceaga
Professional Makeup Artist
www.bridalmakeupartists.com
On-Location Bridal Beauty Services
Serving Southern California
Visit my blog at http://bridalmakeupartists.blogspot.com