Temptalia

Bridal Makeup: All About the Body & the Nails -- Product Recommendations & Suggestions

Christine — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:24:06 +0000

Wedding Makeup for the Body & Nails: Product recommendations & suggestions for your bridal makeup or special occasional makeup. A product marked with a * means it is Temptalia tried, tested, and approved. A product marked with ** means that is Temptalia’s Top Pick.

Body Wash/Exfoliants

Laura Mercier French Vanilla Honey Bath ($40.00)
Korres Basil Lemon Showergel ($13.00)
Bliss Serious Seaweed Cellulite Soap ($14.00)
Shea Terra Organics Bourbon Vanilla Salt Scrub ($18.00)
Bliss Carrot + Sesame Body Buff Set ($48.00)**
Dior Bikini Scrub ($29.00)
Lancome Resurface Microdermabrasion Body Polishing Treatment ($46.00)**

Moisturizers

Kings & Queens Shimmering Body Milk ($11.00)
Laura Mercier Creme Brulee Hand Creme ($15.00)
Shiseido Body Creator Aromatic Sculpting Concentrate ($63.00)
Bliss Vanilla + Bergamot Body Butter ($12.00)**
Lippman Steppin’ Out Foot Cream ($38.00)
Clinique Deep Comfort Body Cream ($23.50)

See more product recommendations and suggestions…

Self-Tanners

NARS Body Glow Set ($98.00)
GlowFusion AirGlow Airbrush Gun ($175.00)
Xen-Tan Tanners ($16.00)**
Dior DiorBronze Sun Powder Spray ($60.00)*
Lancome Bronze Seduction Self Tan Kit ($42.50)
Clinique Touch of Bronze Moisturizing Body Lotion ($18.50)*

Highlighting

Shalimar Perfumed Dusting Powder ($60.00)
Herve Leger Shimmering Body Powder ($85.00)
Bobbi Brown Beach Shimmer Body Powder ($35.00)
Global Goddess South Pacific Shimmer ($32.00)
MAC Iridescent Loose Powder ($21.00)**

Nails (Brands suggested have proven to give me long-wearing tips with no chipping issues!)

NARS Nail Polish ($16.00)
Zoya Nail Polish ($6.00)**
OPI Nail Polish ($8.00)*
Essie Nail Polish ($8.00)**

Bridal Makeup: All About the Body & the Nails

Christine — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:23:16 +0000

The Body

Lose Weight, Feel Great? If you’re desperate to drop weight because your big day looms in the distance, do your best to start your weightloss plan as early as you can. I am not a nutritionist or dietician, but I recommend you see one or both so that you can choose a system that will work for you that won’t kill you later. Make sure you set realistic weightloss goals, and remember that the person you’re marrying already loves you at the size you are–they’re not expecting you to suddenly become half the size you are.

Getting the Glow! Highlight shoulders, collarbone, and decolletage with a subtle dusting of shimmer. You can try a loose shimmer like MAC’s loose beauty powders, or you can mix loose shimmer into your favorite moisturizer. I also like shimmer moisturizers for shoulders, too – even something like Jergen’s Shimmer Glow works.

To Tan or Not to Tan? Do not tan the night before your wedding. If you intend to self-tan, be sure you take the time to practice well in advance of the event. There are also spray-tans that are just as safe as self-tanning at home or at a salon available, which may make more sense for you, depending on your level of comfort, budget, etc. You should spot-test tanners, especially if you’re fair, so that you can see whether it’ll turn you the dreaded orange color. Not all self-tanners will, but it can be a trial and error thing (so save your receipts so you can return what doesn’t work!). If you’re planning to self-tan, make sure you read our guide to self-tanners:

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Get healthy, glowing skin merely by treating it well! This means regular body exfoliation/scrubs 2-3 times a week as well as daily (or twice daily for scalier legs) with a good moisturizer. Just like your face, if your legs are naturally dry, opt for a thicker, creamier moisturizer (look for shea butter, butter creams, or whipped products) whereas those with more normalized skin can go for lighter weight moisturizers.

The Nails

Who & Where? For your big day, I think it’s a great idea to pamper yourself the day before by getting a manicure and pedicure done by your local salon. You can check for reviews for local salons at www.yelp.com. It really is well worth the cost (and you can usually find a place that isn’t too expensive), because you’ll have picture perfect nails. It’ll also give you a reason to sit down, relax, and take a few breaths amongst all of the pre-wedding jitters and stress.

Color? I think nails is the one area where you can get away with more color than others, regardless of the type of wedding. There is the more traditional French manicure (which I like, at least, in moderation), as well as lovely pastel-tipped nails in pinks, corals, or peaches. If your accent color to your dress or wedding decor is emerald green, I could see emerald green working as a nail color, too.

Bridal Makeup: All About the Eyes -- Product Recommendations

Christine — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:24:05 +0000

Wedding Makeup for the Eyes: Product recommendations & suggestions for your bridal makeup or special occasional makeup. A product marked with a * means it is Temptalia tried, tested, and approved. A product marked with ** means that is Temptalia’s Top Pick.

Prep & Prime

MAC Paint Pot ($16.50)**
Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place ShadowStick ($17.50)
MAC Paint ($16.50)*
Lancome Aquatique Waterproof EyeColour Base ($23.00)
Too Faced Shadow Insurance ($17.00)

Mascara

MAC Prep + Prime Lash ($13.50)*
Bare Escentuals Weather Everything Waterproof Mascara ($15.00)
Clinique Lash Power Long-Wearing Formula ($14.00)**
Shu Uemura Precise Volume Waterproof Mascara ($23.00)
Prescriptives Here To Stay Mascara ($14.00)*
DiorShow Waterproof ($24.00)

Eyeshadow

Prescriptives Colorscope Palette ($52.00)*
Clinique Quick Eyes Cream Shadow ($15.00)**
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow ($22.00)
MAC Eye Shadow ($14.00)**
Clinique Color Surge Eye Shadow Duo ($17.50)*
NARS Duo Eyeshadow ($32.00)*

See more recommendations and suggestions…

Eyeliner

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner ($19.00)
Dior Waterproof Crayon Liner ($25.00)
Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Eyeliner ($19.50)
Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner ($22.00)
Trish McEvoy Finish Line (Sealer) ($22.00)
MAC Fluidline ($14.00)*
MAC Liquidlast Liner ($16.50)**
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil ($16.00)**

Brows

Anastasia 7-Item Brow Book ($85.00)**
Bare Escentuals Brow Finishing Gel ($14.00)
Anastasia Brow Enhancing Serum ($35.00)
Dior Backstage Brow Gel ($17.00)
Prescriptives Groom Stick for Brows ($18.50)*
MAC Brow Set ($13.50)*
Estee Lauder Automatic Brow Pencil Duo ($23.50)

False Lashes

Tools

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler ($19.00)**
Tweezerman Petite Tweeze Set ($25.00)**

Bridal Makeup: All About the Lips -- Product Recommendations

Christine — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:07:41 +0000

Wedding Makeup: Lip Product recommendations and product suggestions for those looking for specific products for their wedding or special occasion makeup. A product marked with a * means it is Temptalia tried, tested, and approved. A product marked with ** means that is Temptalia’s Top Pick.

Prepping/Priming

Sheer Glosses

Sheer Lipsticks

Pigmented Lipsticks

Lip Stains

Lip Plumpers

Lip Liners

Bridal Makeup: All About the Lips -- Wedding Makeup for Lips, Long wearing Lipstick, All Day Lip Color

Christine — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:07:33 +0000

The Lips | Finding the right shade of lipstick that coordinates with your makeup, dress, and wedding feel/theme/mood is hard enough, but keeping it on is even harder! It is important to consider the variety of lip products out there and how they can help you achieve the longest wearing lip you can get. But first a reality check: there is no real way to make your lipstick last forever or even look pristine 24/7. You will likely have to touch-up throughout the event, and any eating/drinking will do some damage to your pout. These tips and tricks are designed to help minimize touch-ups, damage, and the overall maintenance of your lips during the big day. Don’t forget to read our generalized tips for wedding makeup!

Prep and Prime! In the weeks leading up to your wedding, you should ensure that you treat that pucker with care, especially if you have dry, chapped, or cracked lips. Start exfoliating with a gritty sugar scrub (you can do a DIY scrub of sugar + extra virgin olive oil) and regularly moisturizing your lips with chapstick, lip balm, vaseline, etc. I really love Peter Thoams Roth Lips to Die For Set. It’s pricey, but it’s such a great kit. The clay step really does smooth and soften lips like a dream.

To Line or Not to Line? (Pt. II) | If you’re not choosing an all-day, long-wearing formula, you should maximize your application by lining your lips. Lining your lips helps give your lipstick something to further adhere to, and it has a less dramatic effect as your lipstick starts to wear off.

Plump Up Your Pout! There is a wide range of lip plumpers on the beauty market these days, and if you feel like you need a little more oomph in your pout, go for it. I am not a fan of DuWop’s Lip Venom because I just can’t handle the tingling (oww!), but I really loved LipFusion Micro-Injected Collagen Lip Plump XL because I could hardly feel it working but it did work! Remember that a lot of lip plumpers are not going to last all day, so you may find that your pucker deflates as the ceremony goes on.

Choose Your Color! As with shadow choices, it has a lot to do with what kind of theme/type of wedding you’re having, and of course, it should coordinate with the rest of your makeup, too. I love to see pink-corals, soft pink-beiges, light pinks, and sometimes the classic red. For evening weddings, a good berry or plum can work wonders, too.

Glossy or Matte? Depending on your application and wedding type/setting/place, high gloss may not be appropriate. While some feel that gloss photographs oddly, I do feel you can still wear high gloss or high sheen without sabotaging your photos. As we’ve always recommened, take test shots with your photographer (especially candid test shots) to see how your makeup will turn out. You can always go for tinted gloss, sheer gloss, or clear gloss to acheive a glossy lip.

All-Day Color? If you choose a long-wearing or all-day lipstick, remember that most formulations are drying, which is why it is essential that your lips are well moisturized and taken care of prior to the big day. One trick is to apply a heavy lip balm/moisturizer to lips about an hour before you apply the lipstick. Blot it off about 15 minutes before you apply. When applying all-day color, make sure to give the color plenty of time to dry. You have to work fast, though, because once it dries, it’s a pain to remove (aka practice before hand and be precise).

Lip Seals? There are a few sealing products on the market, particularly Make Up For Ever Lip Seal and Benefit Cosmetics She Laq, but to be up front and honest–none of them work perfectly. I find that with Make Up Forever’s Lip Seal that it does a great job of turning any lipstick into a more long-wearing formula, but the lipstick peels off rather than fades, which can be troublesome. It does break down a bit while eating anything oily, too. She Laq works similarly, though I have less personal experience with it. I have heard mixed reviews overall however.

Application For Long Lasting Lip Color

Step 1: Prep and prime lips as we spoke of. I like using either an actual lip primer like MAC Prep + Prime Lip or foundation as my base primer. Be sure to let it dry.

Step 2: Apply lip liner around the perimeter of lips, then fill in the lips. Obviously, one should choose a lip liner lighter or the same as the actual lipstick color.

Step 3: Apply lipstick using a lip brush.

Step 4: Take a tissue (like Kleenex), and place it over your lips. This isn’t for blotting! Let it rest there (and yes, you’ll look a little silly), and dust loose powder over your lips (try using the finishing/setting powder that you’d use for your face).

Step 5: Apply another layer of lipstick using your lip brush.

Step 6: (Optional) Apply lip sealer if you choose to use one.

Step 7: (Optional) Apply lipgloss using a disposable lip wand to your lips. For a plumping effect, concentrate the gloss on the center of your bottom lip.

** Lip Plumper: depending on your type of lip plumper, it will either be a step you’d do before everything, or towards the end (if it’s a gloss).

Most products are available at Nordstrom.com and Sephora.com.

Bridal Makeup: All about the Face -- Product Recommendations

Christine — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:11:19 +0000

Wedding Makeup: Face Product Recommendations | These are some recommendations and product suggestions for those looking for specific products for their wedding or special occasion makeup. Products marked with a * means it is Temptalia tried, tested, and approved.

Liquid Foundations (without SPF)

Liquid Foundations (with SPF)

Powder/Pressed Foundations (without SPF)

Powder/Pressed Foundations (with SPF)

Loose/Setting/Finishing Powders

Concealers

Cream Blushes

Bridal Makeup: All About the Eyes -- Wedding Eye Makeup, Make Up Tips, Bridal Beauty

Christine — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:00:17 +0000

The Eyes | The eyes can be the window to the soul, so help your peepers shine on your big day with some of these tips and advice! Remember, you can do your own makeup or hire an artist–it’s all in what you want and what works best for your event. When hiring a makeup artist, make sure you know what they will provide you in a touch-up kit so that you can reapply as you need throughout the event. It is also a good idea to be able to do a test run with the artist. These are all things to look for in a good, knowledgeable artist! Oh, and don’t be shy–if you have a look you want to do or an idea in your head, don’t be afraid to tell your makeup artist what you have in mind.

Start With a Base! It is important that no matter what look you go for, if you are planning to wear eyeshadow, wear a base. Layering shadows on top of a product designed to help increase the lasting power of your eyeshadow is imperative. You don’t want to find that your eye makeup has moved all over the place or creased throughout the reception! I adore Soft Ochre paint pot by MAC as my base of choice, but cult favorite Urban Decay Primer Potion is a good choice, too.

Color? It is really important that you think about what your usual makeup style is and what exactly you want to reflect in your wedding photographs. Even though I personally wear colors from bright blue to yellow on my eyes, I know that I would want to opt for less color and something more natural/neutral. I also think that part of deciding colors is thinking about coordinating with both your dress, bouquet, and overall theme/feel of the wedding. Is your wedding a traditional church affair? If so, going for soft beiges and taupes makes a lot of sense. Going to Vegas with Elvis as your preacher? You just may want to have some fun and go for fun, glittery falsies!

Shimmer? Frost? Matte? I think light or low-level sheen/shimmer can be good to accent the lid and also the brow bone as a highlight, but nothing high in frost. If it’s too frosty, it can reflect badly in photos–especially on the brow bone (as the lid is not usually as visible when your eyes are open). One tip I can definitely offer is that using a matte color in the crease helps add dimension to your look and depth to your eye area.

To Line or Not to Line? If you’re going to line, choose something that is going to withstand tearing, both for upper lash lining and lower lash lining. One of my favorite products that I know will not budge are MAC Liquid Last Liners. These will not move a single inch without a good oil-based makeup remover–seriously, when they first came out, I tested their lasting power and swatched it on my skin, and it didn’t start to fade until 48 hours later. If you are opting for a more natural look, I do suggest thinking about using a brown liner over black, for something subtle and less bold (but I also love black liner, and I think it is quite suiting for natural looks, too!).

Tearproof Mascara! Waterproof, smudgeproof, and tearproof! One of my favorite mascaras that really holds up is Clinique Lash Power (and right now, if you test-drive it, you can get a free Lash Power Mascara to try!), which is designed to take on humidity, tears, sweat, you name it and come out on top. I’ve tried it (and put it to the test!), and I can tell you it is Temptalia approved! One quick and easy tip to minimize smudging is to avoid applying mascara to bottom lashes, because tears flow downwards more often than not and can easily make a mess of lower lashes with mascara (but again, I recommend a waterproof/smudgeproof mascara, and then you won’t have to worry at all!).

The Brows Have It! Many believe that one of the key pieces to looking polished and put together are well-groomed and shaped brows. If you have never touched your lashes (bless you!), get yourself to a professional salon/brow guru and have them find the optimal shape for you. I wish I didn’t tweeze (or have my friend tweeze) mine so thin when I was a teen, now I don’t have much to work with! For those ladies like me, I totally recommend Anastasia’s “Tweezers Anonymous” brow kit, which includes stencils, brow filler, and gel to help brows grow back.

Regardless, if you do not have naturally thick brows, filling sparse areas with product is an excellent idea. I prefer using something simple like a powder eyeshadow (love MAC Espresso and Brun) or brow kits like Benefit’s BrowZings or Urban Decay’s Brow Box (I prefer this because it has clear wax, rather than colored, for a brow kit!). If using a powder, try using an angled brush like MAC’s 266. It’s great for perfecting brows (and lining!). For those who prefer brow pencils, forge on, but I definitely recommend taking a clean, disposable mascara wand and brushing it through your brows. This helps to groom them, but it also makes sure that your brows do not look harsh from the pencil! I also like MAC’s Clear Brow Set for keeping those well-groomed and shaped brows in place.

Most products are available at Nordstrom.com and Sephora.com.

Bridal Makeup: All About the Skin -- Choosing the right foundation, flawless skin, makeup for photographs!

Christine — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:48:33 +0000

The Skin | This portion of our series on wedding makeup features perfecting the skin from a makeup standpoint. Please make sure you check out our general tips for brides-to-be!

The Tools

Concealer Brush
Stippling/Buffer Brush (if you choose liquid foundation)
Loose Powder Brush
Blush Powder Brush
Buffer Brush

Liquid or Powder? I find that liquid foundation lasts longer and looks better overall. There are certain powder formulations, including mineral makeup, that can still give skin an airbrushed look. Generally speaking, liquid is also easier to apply and have it look good than powder–but you should opt for what you’re more comfortable with, especially if you’re an everyday powder girl and already look fabulous that way!

Choosing the Finish: Do you have dry, oily, or combination skin? If you have oily skin, definitely choose a matte or semi-matte finish, and you’ll probably want to avoid anything that says “dewy” in it. If you have drier skin, semi-matte as well as dewier finishes work well for your skin type; matte finishes may end up emphasizing your dry skin, especially if you have dry patches. Overall, dewy finishes work well for less people because it can often make you look like you actually have oily skin, even if you don’t, which is the last thing you want to see in photos!

Application: Flawless, Airbrushed Skin

Step 1: Start with well cleansed, moisturized skin. You should exfoliate the night before (I like Prescriptives’ Instant Gratification as my all-time favorite exfoliant) so that your skin has plenty of time to calm down (fairer skins notice more redness post-exfoliation, which is normal and goes away within hours). Cleanse your face in the morning as per usual (light cleanser is just fine, since you don’t accumulate much dirt while sleeping…). Moisturize your skin with your choice of moisturizer, but you should have chosen one that is appropriate for your skin type. No heavy moisturizers if your skin is oily–it will only emphasize and work against you! A light layer of moisturizer is best, especially for outdoor weddings, because too much can just make it easier for everything to slide off.

Step 2: Prep your skin with a face primer. You can choose your favorite, or you can check out popular favorites like MAC Prep + Prime Skin or Smashbox’s Photo Finish ($38.00).

Step 3: Conceal any areas that you feel require color correction or general concealer (e.g. under eyes, eye lids, pimples, zits, scars, etc.). Remember, green counteracts red, yellow counteracts blue, and pink brightens skin, so use appropriate products where they may need to be. If you have fine lines or wrinkles, I suggest using a product that is designed to “fill in” wrinkles like Clinique Line-Smoothing Concealer ($14.00). Some brands sell concealing kits, like Benefit’s Realness of Concealness ($30.00), which can offer you more bang for your buck. Use a concealer brush or small sponge to gently blend concealer into the areas, but go softly and you don’t need to fully blend.

Step 4a: If you chose liquid foundation, apply dabs of the foundation on the planes of your face (like a dab on each cheek, chin, nose, forehead) using a small foundation or concealer brush. Using a buffer brush, gently mist it with water (or MAC’s Fix+) and then buff the liquid foundation into your skin by moving the brush is soft, circular motions. Buff the initial dab of foundation outwards and keep buffing in larger and wider circles until the area is well-blended. If you need heavier coverage, apply dabs of foundation where needed, and then repeat the buffing process. Let your foundation settle for a minute or two, and then

Step 4b: If you chose powder foundation, apply directly to face using a buffer brush and blend the product into your skin with small, circular motions. Start in a small area and then make wider circles to cover the entire area. Apply more powder as needed.

Step 5 (Optional): If you want to contour your face (cheeks, nose, chin, jawline), this is the time you should do so. Using an angled fluffy brush (like MAC’s 168), apply your contour color along areas that you want to further define. You do not want to go too heavy on your contouring, because while it may show up nicely in photographs, you will come off looking overdone in person (and it is important to look as good in person as you do in photos!). When choosing a contour color or product, be advised that you can simply use foundation in a darker color (try 1-2 shades deeper) or a powder blush/pressed powder that is, again, a shade or two darker than your actual skintone. I like MAC’s Sculpt & Shape line, which is always available at PRO locations. I also like using darker foundation in a pinch, because you can usually just get a sample of a darker foundation and that’ll be enough to contour with for your wedding. To define cheeks, lightly shade the upper hollow of your cheeks (make a fish face, you’ll notice them). To thin down a nose, softly shade the sides, just below the bridge but above the nostril. For the jawline, lightly darken the edge of the lower jawline (this is also how you can define the chin).

Step 6: Apply your choice in blush (cream, stain, or powder) using a powder blush brush for powder blushes, applicator of your stain, or a stippling brush for cream blushes. You’ll want to put a light dusting of the color the apples of your cheeks, which you can find by smiling really wide and big. It is important to choose a color that complements the rest of your makeup, skintone, and the feel of your look. Optimally, I advocate using something that’s natural and only flushes the skin without being heavy handed with the color. Low-level shimmer/frosts should be used for blush choices, because shimmer can often reflect too much in photos causing you to look oily. If the blush looks splotchy or too heavy, simply use you buffer brush and buff the color to both blend it and weaken its pigmentation. Make sure if you are using a stain that you are familiar with the product and how quickly it dries!

Step 7: Apply a loose powder (like MAC’s Loose Blot Powder) with your buffer brush, using the same circular motions as before, to set the foundation. This will help it last longer and allow oil to be better absorbed and make it less likely that your foundation will slip off your face mid-ceremony. By sandwiching the blush between a layer of foundation and the setting powder, it will help it last longer, as well.

Step 8: If you’ve gotten your hands on a sealing spray like Kryolan’s Dermacolor Fixing Spray, be sure to spritz that now to help lock in your makeup for the day. Keep blotting papers on hand for mid-event fix-ups and touch-ups. Also, keep a powder compact for more critical touch-ups (because who wants to carry around liquid foundation, setting powder, and the brushes?).

Step 9: With a critical eye, try to see if you missed any spots (like not blending into your neck to avoid lines!) or need to go back and conceal dark bags a little more.

Step 10: Breathe easy, your face is looking flawless!

Coming up in our Wedding 2008 series, the eyes, lips, body, and nails!

Most products mentioned are available at Nordstrom.com and Sephora.com.