So many couples struggle with the idea of doing the first look. I think for some they feel they sacrifice that romantic moment of seeing each other when the bride walks down the aisle for the convince of getting portrait photos out of the way. However, I will say this in favor of the first look, the first look gives the bride and groom the opportunity to have a special private moment with each other before the whirlwind of the wedding day. For many of my brides nerves seem to disappear after having an opportunity to see their groom before the ceremony. 

Is there anyone these days that is not lash obsessed, including me?! Lashes are amazing and make a huge difference in any look, but like most things in the beauty space, when done wrong it can be so wrong. But when done right, it's nothing short of magical! When it come to bridal makeup I almost always use individual lashes. They look the most natural, are the most comfortable to wear and you can really vary the look. Individual lashes can be more dramatic or subtle. Also if you lose one or two they will still look fabulous. When it comes to the most beautiful,  natural looking, wearable lashes on your wedding day, individual lashes will not disappoint! 

​At almost every wedding I do, there is someone who sits in my chairs and starts to run down the list of preferences and things she does not want me to do.
“I don’t like a lot of makeup”
“I wear very minimal makeup”
“I don’t like to feel like I’m wearing a lot”
“I don’t want a lot of pink, I wear more bronzes”
I always know why there is apprehension. At one point they sat in a makeup artist chair and didn’t voice what they wanted and ended up with a look that was completely not their style. I’ve heard all the horror stories. Bridesmaids washing their faces in the bathroom after the makeup artist left, orange airbrushed foundation, monstrous fake lashes and the list goes on and on.
Of course, after an experience like that, one will be gun shy. It’s hard to trust after a really bad experience and its OK. It’s all OK. Be clear about what you like and don’t like. It helps a makeup artist to know you feel naked without eyeliner or you hate pink blush. However, after you make your preference known, try and relax and trust your artist to create for you. If you trust, you might just be pleasantly surprised. 

Whenever I’m working, there is a lot of curiosity about what is in my kit. My kit is constantly evolving as I find products I love. There are always some favorites, of course, so I thought it would be fun helpful to share what I’m using that are top performers. So, I decided to start a series of posts sharing what is in my kit.
 
I'll start with my favorite mascara. Peter Thomas Roth Lashes To Die For
 
 
This little gem has been in my kit from the beginning. It covers beautifully, does not clump, is not waterproof, but wears better than one and honestly is the most underrated mascara out there! If they ever discontinue it, I'm gonna cry.
 
From Peter Thomas Roth website
 
Quick-drying, smudge-proof, long-lasting, water-resistant mascara delivers soft lashes with clump-free volume, even separation, dramatic length, enhanced curl and buildable drama.

It has a 5 star reviews on their website, so I'm not alone in my admiration  
 
 

 
 

I know I'm a little late to the party with this post. I did post some praise on Instagram the morning of wedding, but I wanted to share why I am so grateful to Meghan Markle’s Makeup Artist Daniel 
On the morning of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding, I was doing what else??? A Wedding! I was at a private residence in Afton getting a really a fun group of ladies ready for a wedding at King Family Vineyard. Everyone was watching and it was kind of like we were pregaming for our own bride’s wedding.
Of course, there were many opinions and thoughts on everything Megan was wearing, from her gown to the crown and of course, her MAKEUP. One of the ladies in the group suggested she should have worn a red lipstick. I totally understood why she said that, and it would have looked beautiful on her. However, as she entered the church, that red lipstick would be the only thing you would have seen.
I personally loved everything. I know, I know, even my best friend Facebook messaged me from Iceland, yes Iceland, to say how disappointed she was in the dress. I still think she looked regal and yet stayed true to her own personal style.
As a makeup artist I always feel compelled to help brides understand the need to look timeless on their wedding day. Makeup trends are just that, TRENDS, and are not the look you want to wear on your wedding day. Think dark brown lip liner and beige lipstick, super heavy contour, heavy lashes that hide the eyes. All are trends that have been very popular and will look very dated in a wedding photo. Anyone remember the mullet? I rest my case.
Daniel Martin defended his look he did for Meghan. She had been an actress and had walked many a red carpet and on her wedding day, wanted to feel and look like herself. I’m grateful for Daniel for showing brides its ok to look fresh and lovely and notice the woman and not the makeup.
Bravo Daniel, Bravo!
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My own bride Mallory on  May 19th 2018                   Photo Eric Kelley

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In almost all my consultations, brides usually say, “I want to look NATURAL” The word natural is over used often and not just in the beauty world. Let’s be honest, a full face of makeup, winged eyeliner and false lashes would not really be considered “natural”, so I usually dig a little deeper. When I do dig a little deeper what I find is that natural typically means one or all the following
“I want to look like me.”  
“I want to be the prettiest version of myself.”
“I want people to see me and not a lot of makeup.”
“I don’t want the makeup to look cakey.”
“I want to look flawless but want the makeup to look like its skin.”
“I’m afraid you’re going to do some crazy heavy makeup and if I tell you natural, you’ll use a lighter hand.”
 
Which are all valid concerns, wants and desires. Brides should be heard, even if the are they tend to generalize.  Natural is a word that can encompass many different looks. Instead of asking how you want to look on your wedding day, I now ask my brides how the want to FEEL on their wedding day. I find I get to the real look brides desire by understanding how they want to feel on their wedding day.  So, brides, tell your artist how you want to feel. After all, your wedding day should be all about the “feels”

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​Way Bandy. In the era when models did their own makeup for photo shoots, this man came along and became the first celebrity makeup artist. I must admit, I have a bit of a fascination with Way. I think it’s that he created the life he wanted for himself, which in his era, could not have been easy.
 He grew up in the south as Ronald Duane Wright. He became a teacher, got married and in 1965 he took a trip to New York with his wife. It was that trip that changed his life. He quit his old life, moved to New York, enrolled in Christine Valmy Beauty School and became Way Bandy.
In the 70’s he was “the” makeup artist. He worked Francesco Scavullo for all those fabulous Cosmopolitan Magazine covers.  He clearly adapted his love of portrait painting to painting faces. He wrote two books which are out of print, but you can score on Amazon for about seventy bucks in less than pristine condition. It was that book that Kevyn Aucoin studied.
He inspired so many makeup artists. In this age of makeup tutorials, it’s a shame we don’t have more to savor from him. Not just the artistry, which is brilliant, but having the courage to live a life of one’s own making. He created a career for himself, that really did not exist at the time and paved the way for so many.  

I spent a year working for Bobbi Brown, which was a good experience, even though my heart belongs to Coco. There were a few products that I discovered when I worked for Bobbi that are still near and dear to my heart and that I still use in my kit. The most important of those would be Bobbi's gel eyeliner. When I opened my own studio I searched to find something I liked just as much and low and behold I found something............better!

One of my biggest turn offs with Bobbi's gel eyeliner is that it drys out super fast regardless of how tight you close it or store it. I have thrown away almost full containers that have dried out. The other issue for me is that you need to have a certain brush to apply it with from Bobbi and it isn't cheap.

Enter the discovery of Cailyn Gel Liner. It glides on easier than Bobbi's wears better in my opinion and the genius part is that the brush is inside the handle. Because the wearability is so amazing, I use it on all my brides, cry eyes out! It will still be there! The colors are gorgeous, my personal favorite is Mermaid, a greenish bluish shimmer. Looks beautiful on everyone!