As spring takes over my home of Charleston, South Carolina, the trees and flowers blossom, the beaches fill with locals and tourists, and every beautiful wedding venue, plantation, and church in town are bursting with beautiful, blushing, brides.
Each one is full of bliss, fulfilling her lifelong dreams, promising her future, and living the most magical day of her life. As a makeup artist it my job to make sure that they look flawless. I always want my brides to look timeless and elegant. I want my clients to be able to turn the pages of their wedding albums in 10 and 20 years and see the makeup still looking fresh and timeless.
When the national brand
BeautyBrands.com asked me to do a piece for them on makeup I was thrilled, yet I was not sure what knowledge I could possibly share about makeup that women have not heard a hundred over.
Then, out of nowhere, it smacked me across the face leaving my own cheek flushed and looking a little pinched!
"Where and How to Apply Blush?"
No matter where I have traveled around the world, this is a question that almost every woman I have worked with has had confusion. This has been consistent, regardless of age, nationality, or brand. What could possibly could be more important on your wedding day?
Blush makes us look healthy, it gives a glow of innocence, and it truly brings life to the bride and to the photos.
I will tell you how to apply, how much to apply, and where to apply. This is application will compliment whatever look you decide to go with when it comes to eyes and lips. First though, my dears you want to start with a perfect complexion!
Long lasting and touchup free makeup key makeup is key for the day of your wedding. Start of with one or two pumps of the most magnificent
Photo Finish Primer by Smashbox. This will smooth out the skin, fill in fine lines and pores, and ensure that your gorgeous makeup outlasts half of the drunken guests at your wedding.
Then, liberally apply the new fantastic
Stay All Day Foundation by Stila with a brush starting from the center of your face and blending out. Do this before your concealer. This foundation is oil-free yet hydrating and works on all skins. I like oil-free products for weddings because with nerves and with all the running around... You are going to work up a sweat baby! This fierce foundation is so fabulous it comes with its own concealer neatly connected on the cap of the bottle. With a brush apply the concealer under the eye area, over any pesky blemishes, and around the edges of the nse where we all get a little red. This hides any little broken capillaries and gives a more youthful look while brightening the face. Take a wide finishing brush and swirl it around
Smashbox's Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder and apply all over you face. I prefer this powder because it is mess free, pressed, and not drying... which means it will work on ages, not sit in lines or pores, and will never never look heavy. There is only one cake you need at a wedding, and it should not be on your face.
Take the same brush, swirl it in a pink shell-tone bronzer and apply it in the shape of an E on one side of the face and a 3 on the other side of the face. Take the remainder of what is left on the brush and touch your nose, chin, and sweep and little down your neck. I prefer subtle natural bronze shades such
Glomineral's Bronzer, it is a natural high-pigment shade that is universal and will soothe the skin. Every bride glows naturally on their wedding day, but Honey, that does not mean we should stop there. This is your day, the spotlight is on you, all eyes are on you, and should you should beam like a star.
Finally, blush my darlings!
I will make this short and sweet. Blush goes in one place, and that is high on the apples of the cheek! No sweeping up into the hairline my loves, that is what our grandmothers did. We don't naturally blush that high, which is why I made sure we brought life to that area of the face subtly with the bronzer so that you look naturally kissed by the sun. While applying your blush you want to give your best fake smile ever. That will make the blush application super easy and really precise and will leave you looking natural, youthful, and angelic. If you are using a powder, sort of roll on with a smaller brush. If you use a cream sweep or tap gently in place. You always want to apply a little more blush than you are probably comfortable with on day to day basis (trust me on this one) because it will keep you looking fresh and gorgeous all night, and show so up so much better in pictures. I love
Tarte's Cheek Stain. If you are a pink-loving person, which is my favorite for weddings, go with the color
Blushing Bride, if you like more bronze and corals go with
Blissful.
Their you have it! Whether you are the lovely bride will soombe walking down that aisle, or one of my dear friends running in the opposite direction this advice is my gift to you! God knows as writer that all I can afford.
On that note I hope I helped clear up a makeup mystery... and by the way, at the end there, please know I was just being a bit "cheeky." (wink)
To all of the beautiful and amazing brides I have worked with throughout the years, and to all the brides I so look forward to working with in future, I wish you a lifetime of happiness, health, and love. Whenever I walk down the streets of the city that I call home and hear church bells ringing, it puts a smile and my face, because I know another life long dreams come true!
Xoxo
Andrew C. Petersen
