Good Morning Beautiful Brides! So today is either your bridal shoot or your wedding day, my question is…are you ready for your close up?
In this article I have consulted with make-up artist and hair stylist Stephanie Brinkerhoff. She’s a natural when it comes to hair (girls started hiring her to do their hair for dances when she was just in jr. high). But she didn’t stop there, she increased her talent through professional training at beauty school and also became MAC certified. The thing that drew me to her, being a photographer, is she does exquisite work with both hair and make-up…something that is very hard to find!
She has been styling brides for almost 4 years now. Not only does she know how to make you look your most beautiful, but she also understands how the make-up will appear in your photos (for better and worse).
As a photographer I strongly recommend you hire a professional hair stylist and make-up artist for both your bridal shoot and wedding day! But if you can’t here are five tips directly from Stephanie that will help you look your best.
1. Make sure you have COLOR on your skin. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be tan. If you have fair skin, give yourself some color with a pink or peachy blush. If you have tan skin you can go with darker shades, or even just a bronzer on your cheekbones to add some glow. Apply more than you normally would, so much will disappear when photographed! Color is a MUST if you want to look healthy and radiant in your pictures.
2. If you want your eyes to stand out, don’t overlook your BROWS. Eyebrows that can’t be seen, or that aren’t groomed won’t frame your eyes properly, and will take away from them. When filling your brows in, try to match the natural color of your brows, and have a light hand while filling. If your brows are blonde go a few shades darker. Have them waxed, or groom them yourself, a few days before. Don’t forget the peach fuzz above and in between your brows. Those little hairs love to reflect light! Once they are groomed and filled in, hold them in place with some eyebrow gel. (Check out this video on how to shape your eyebrows from Master Aesthetician Kari Romney)
3. Control your SHIMMER! Shimmery eye shadow isn’t bad if it’s the right amount, put in the right places. But too much shimmer will reflect the light, making you look shiny and white. Eye shadow that has a little shimmer (and I mean A LITTLE) will look nice under your brow bone, in the inner corners of your eyes, and all the ball of your eyes. Use a matte color in the crease of your eye and for your liner – this will add a lot more depth, whereas shimmer will reflect and make your eyes look flat.
4. To make your eyes stand out doesn’t mean they have to look BLACK. When most people want their eyes to stand out they think, “I’ll just do it a little darker”. Although a smokey eye looks great on some one with really prominent eyes (like Nicole Richie)…if your eyes are on the smaller side, dark shadow will make them disappear and look like black holes! Instead try applying darker shadow on the top of your eye, and only mascara and a soft liner on the bottom. Or try enhancing your eyes by using a shadow that will bring out your eye color (think complimentary colors). Using a lighter shadow and really playing up your lashes is another way to bring your eyes out.
5. Even if you’re not used to it, a little color on your LIPS will do the same thing as color on your skin – make you look healthy and vibrant. If your lips are dark naturally, line them softly with a color that matches your lip color and finish with a gloss. If you don’t have any color in your lips, go 1-2 shades darker with a lipstick or even just a gloss.
So again I say ladies, if you can fit it in your budget to hire a professional I promise you it’s worth it. And if you’re lucky enough to book Stephanie you’re in for a real treat! But if not, follow these tips and your photos will turn out better than you imagined. Beautiful wedding photos here we come!!!
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To hire Stephanie or view her work visit her website at:
HairandMakeUpbySteph.com
Also share the love and like her on FaceBook
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To learn more about me and see my portfolio go to:
AkemiStudios.com
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