THE WEDDING BLOG

Oct

How to create and organise your wedding playlists.

The music played at your wedding will become one of the strongest reminders of the day. When you hear the songs afterwards, they’ll transport you back to those special moments.

Take your time choosing the key songs (the processional, recessional and first dance). But your wedding playlists for each section of the day can be done well in advance, so you don’t need to rush them when you’ve got hundreds of little tasks to complete closer to the wedding.

This can be a fun task to do together. When we were planning our wedding it was something on the to-do list that we were both equally excited about. For six months it became our evening ritual to play potential songs while we were cooking and then decide if it should be added to our wedding playlists. A kitchen X-Factor, if you will.

Begin by asking your venue/planner for some key information.

Once you’ve agreed on the order of the day with your venue, ask how long each section will take so you can plan the length of your playlists accordingly.

Even if you’re having live musicians, it’s a good idea to have playlists ready, just in case.

Agree on who will be responsible for playing the music on the day. Will it be a staff member or someone in your wedding party?

Confirm how the music will be played, e.g. downloaded on a tablet. Ask if your device will need an aux adapter. Don’t assume that you’ll be able to stream your playlists as some venues aren’t able to accommodate it.

Decide what mood you want each section of the day to have.

Sure, you could just shuffle your favourite songs all day, but it’s a great opportunity to set an ambiance. For example, you might want chilled out love songs during your drinks reception, and upbeat songs after your wedding breakfast to get your guests ready for the DJ/band taking over.

Consider creating a playlist to play during the meal to keep the good vibes going. Something soft that works well as background music.

If you’re providing your own evening music, the same applies. Do you just want to shuffle bangers or do you want to take your guests on a musical journey?

Add and organise as you go.

Once your playlists are set up, give them obvious names so it’s easy for someone else to navigate.

Curate them over the next few weeks or months. Little and often keeps it enjoyable.

When the day comes, write a note to keep next to the device so the person in charge of the playlists know the order and if they should/shouldn’t press shuffle.

This is the document I gave to our venue so I didn’t need to think about the playlists on the wedding day.

It covered the order we wanted things to be played, and what to do in an emergency if our live music fell through.

Don’t forget about a playlist for the morning.

Trust me, the atmosphere is better when there’s a good playlist and a portable speaker (but phone’s are fine too). You might want to hand this one over to someone in your wedding party. Musicals, relaxing spa music, 00’s belters – you name it, I’ve heard it played. Don’t get stuck with a generic wedding playlist or the TV radio (unless that’s your vibe, of course).

Don’t delete them after the wedding.

When the excitement is over, you may find yourself yearning to relive all of those special moments. Put on your wedding playlists, look through your photos or have a dance with your partner.

“A song can take you back instantly to a moment, a place or even a person. That one song stays the same, just like that moment.” – Sarah Dessen

Oct

Leeds City Centre Wedding

Lauren’s city centre wedding at the Tetley

Thanks to Kate Jackson for the photos in this post.

Styling

Lauren was the epitome of a cool bride at her Leeds City Centre wedding. Breaking all the traditional rules for bridal styling, she wore a white suit, silk cami, block heels and a finger tip veil.

The beauty brief was effortlessly chic. Lauren had her hair styled into a relaxed low bun, by Dale Hollinshead. For makeup she asked for an elevated version of her go-to look: glowing skin, simple eyes and a bold lip.

Lauren had one bridesmaid who also opted to wear her signature makeup look: sharp, winged liner and a red lip.

Makeup Details

At Lauren’s trial we decided to use a mixture of makeup from my kit and a few favourite products from her own makeup bag. We found out we had a mutual love of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder and Beauty Pie Hyaluronic Acid. Both exceptional products for achieving a healthy glow.

For eyes, I created a laid back look with soft cool tones and a touch of sparkle. Her complexion was glowing in all the right places thanks to the Hourglass powder and a Beauty Pie liquid highlighter. I used a terracotta blush to complement the star of the show, Lauren’s own Hermes lipstick, in a matte orange shade.

The Wedding Day

The bridal party got ready in a suite at The Queens Hotel and the wedding was held at The Tetley. Two iconic buildings for a Leeds City Centre wedding.

Lauren and Ewan partied the night away – even taking a turn on the decks! I was pleased to hear the makeup looked good well into the night!

Are you planning your own Leeds City Centre Wedding? Get in touch to enquire about availability for your date.

Apr

DIY Pedicure

If a professional pedicure isn’t an option before your wedding, this post explains how to give yourself a great DIY pedicure at home. The following tips will help your feet look and feel wonderful for the big day!

Preparing feet for a DIY Pedicure:

HEALTH CHECK

Give your feet the once over. I’m talking under the free edge of your nails, between your toes and soles of your feet (use a hand mirror for ease). Look for anything out of the ordinary; such as infections, verrucas, lifting of the nail plate and ingrown nails. Seek medical advice from your pharmacist or GP and treat the problem before you go ahead with the pedicure.

SOAK

Soak your feet in a bowl of warm, bubbly water. You don’t need a fancy foot spa, just something large enough to rest your feet comfortably. Currently I’m using the Margaret Dabbs Foot Soak and it’s divine!

Nail and sole care:

TRIM

You may need to trim your nails if they’re past the edge of your toe. Longer toe nails can bump against shoes causing lifting and infections. Cut straight across with clippers or scissors, doing a few nips across rather than one long cut. Just don’t go too short – ouch!

FILE

File straight across to avoid ingrown toenails. You can file the sharpness from the corners if they dig into your skin. I use the Leighton Denny Crystal Nail File for smooth, effective filing.

CUTICLES

I want to get something clear here, NEVER remove line of skin you can see at the base of your nail. That’s the eponychium, which is there to protect the matrix (where the nail grows from). Leave the metal pushers, knives and nippers to the pros, unless there’s an obvious hangnail that can be easily nipped away. Instead use a cuticle softener and a rubber hoof stick to gently push back and remove any loose cuticle on the nail plate. Finish this stage by applying cuticle oil.

SMOOTH

Exfoliate your feet with a scrub. Rinse, dry, and then use a foot file on the soles of your feet, paying extra attention to the ball and heel. Make life easy on yourself and buy an electric file. I’ve had the Micro Pedi for a few years and I’m always impressed with the results.

Pampering legs and feet:

MASSAGE

Make a luxurious concoction by mixing an oil with your favourite body lotion. Massage up to your knee, over the top of your feet, between your toes and finally your soles.

TREAT

Find a mask suited to your needs (I wouldn’t advise the intense peeling masks). For an invigorating mask, try Volcano by Lush, which is pretty messy but works a treat on tired soles. Wrap your feet in a warm towel until it’s time to rinse.

The finishing touch to your DIY pedicure:

POLISH

No DIY pedicure is complete without polish. I find that bright and bold colours are really flattering, even on more mature toes. To make sure your polish lasts, begin by wiping your nails with acetone free polish remover and a lint-free wipe, then roll up a tissue and weave it between your toes. Finally apply one coat of your base polish, two coats of colour and one coat of a glossy top coat. Tidy up any mistakes with corrector fluid and a small brush. I’m obsessed with OPI polish. Some of my clients can wear it on their toes for weeks without a single chip! Impressive huh?

PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS

Margaret Dabbs and OPI are my favourites.

AFTERCARE

Apply cuticle oil and foot cream after a bath/shower or just before bed. This will keep you soles and cuticles soft and prolong the life of your polish.

*This post contains affiliate links.

Mar

How to Clean Makeup Brushes

It goes without saying, you need to clean your makeup brushes regularly. There’s nothing pretty about bacteria in your makeup and on your face. There are two easy methods – spraying with alcohol and washing with shampoo.

Makeup artists have stringent brush cleaning routines, but you don’t need to be as strict with your personal brushes. If you use your brushes every day you should be giving them a deep cleanse weekly. But I know life gets in the way, so please aim for once or twice a month and quick alcohol cleansing in between.

I usually use The Pro Hygiene Collection for keeping my brushes clean but it appears to be sold out at the moment. Beauty So Clean and Cinema Secrets also respected for their hygiene products.

HOW TO CLEAN MAKEUP BRUSHES WITH ALCOHOL

This method is used for a quick cleanse between washes. It’s particularly useful if you want to use the same brush for different shades of makeup (for example, you want to use the same brush for a champagne eyeshadow and a dark brown eyeshadow). Makeup artists use this method to keep brushes clean between clients.

You will need an alcohol spray designed for brushes and some kitchen paper (a towel you don’t mind staining would work too). You can spray the bristles directly but I prefer to spray the paper. Simply swirl the brush in the alcohol until it’s clean. It’ll take about a minute to dry thoroughly.

HOW TO CLEAN MAKEUP BRUSHES WITH SHAMPOO

This method gives brushes a really deep clean. There are lots of antibacterial brush shampoos and cleansing bars on the market. A mild hair shampoo, such as Dr Bronner or baby shampoo are okay to use too. I would also recommend buying a silicone brush pad (you can find them for a few pounds in Primark or bargain shops).

How to:

Sanitise your sink area
Pour shampoo into a pot
Dip the bristles into the shampoo (or swirl if you’re using a bar)
Swirl the brush on the brush pad (or palm of your hand) until it’s clean
Rinse with the brush pointing downwards until the water runs clear (don’t allow water to run into the ferrule)
Gently squeeze excess water
Place on a flat surface with the brush head hanging over the edge
Leave to dry overnight.

BRUSH CLEANING VIDEO TUTORIAL

I’ve filmed a video to accompany this blog post, you can watch it on my IGTV.

Did you know I offer makeup lessons? Get in touch to find out more.

Jan

Wedding makeup: A guide to looking fresh all day.

How to touch up your wedding makeup and the essential products for brides.

When you have your wedding makeup applied professionally, you should expect a decent wear time. I can assure you that your makeup artist will try their best to select suitable products for your skin type and use every trick in the book in the hopes of giving you all day perfection – BUT there are no guarantees. (Sorry about that.)

Skin is a fickle thing. Environment, health (physical and mental), diet, hormones and trying new products can all play a part in disrupting the balance. Stress is a huge factor! Even when skin is behaving, your makeup may require some TLC. You see, makeup doesn’t appreciate tears of joy or dancing wildly to Love Shack.

So, what can you do if you start seeing signs of wear on your wedding day? Here are my suggestions for makeup dilemmas and the products you can rely on.

Wedding makeup touch up kit.

The essentials:

Blotting Sheets – NYX sheets are cheap and do the job.
Cotton Buds – In case you need to do a clean up job around your lips or eyes.
Pressed Powder – I like MAC Blot Powder for touch ups but anything you already have will be fine.
Powder Brush – Obviously to apply powder, but also to buff and refresh later in the day.
Setting Spray – This is your magic potion. Often comes in a travel size version. I like MAC Fix+ and Urban Decay All Nighter.
Concealer – This must be easy to blend with fingers.
Lipstick/gloss – Because it will definitely come off with all the kissing and toasting.

Nice to have:

Eyeliner Pencil – Only necessary if you’ve opted for liner in your water-line. Some brides decide to add it in the evening to vamp things up.
Blusher – Colour can fade throughout the day so it’s lovely to have a similar shade to freshen up.
Highlighter – For glow addicts who refuse to be outshone by the disco ball (I am one of those people).
A second lipstick – Again, some brides go with a bolder shade for evening.
A multi-use balm like Paw Paw. For dry lips and flaky skin.

Book in a bridal makeup trial.

A trial run helps to ensure you’re wearing the best combination of products for you. Every so often I have a client who loves their look, but they need to come back to try a different foundation because it hasn’t performed quite as well as expected (this goes back to my point about skin being unpredictable). I offer this service for free because I want the absolute best for my brides, but I would advise checking individual policies on this.

An experienced, reputable makeup artist will be able to deliver a gorgeous bridal look, that has a good chance at longevity, without a trial. Do your research. HOWEVER, there is a chance that the products just won’t get on with your skin (through no fault of the makeup artist). Decide if this is a risk you are willing to take.

See my Guide to bridal makeup trials.

How to fix your wedding makeup after crying.

Tears cutting through fresh powder. Oh my!

Once your natural oils have kicked in later in the day, this shouldn’t be a problem. Just dab with a soft tissue and add a touch of concealer/powder if required. If the powder is still fresh (and your makeup artist has left) mist with setting spray and gently pat with fingers. Dampening the powder will allow you to reapply a small amount of concealer without creating a cakey mess. Follow with powder (and blush if needed).

If you’re prone to getting emotional (or you have oily eyelids, for that matter), seriously consider having a lash treatment prior to the day to eradicate the chance of panda eye or flapping false lashes.

How to fix creased or faded concealer.

Unless you’re baked to the hilt with powder (which doesn’t look marvellous on anyone over the age of 21, in my opinion) under eye creasing may occur. Simply pat with your ring finger to blend. If you feel like you need to the brighten the under eye area, now would be a good time to top up your concealer. Finish with a touch of pressed powder and a spritz of setting spray.

How to fix shine and/or sweat.

Brides with oily skin and dancing queens, I feel you! Blotting sheets are excellent because they soak up oil and moisture without leaving any residue. This avoids a powdery build up from too much pressed powder. If you feel like a major touch up is due – blot first, spritz with setting spray, buff or pat gently with a powder brush (avoiding your eyes), apply pressed powder and spritz again.

How to fix a patchy or dull base.

This can affect dry and dehydrated skin types. Choose a hydrating setting spray (MAC Fix + for example) and give your face a decent spritz. Pat any patchy areas gently and allow to dry. This should redistribute the makeup and give your skin a glow.

How to fix red and flaky noses.

I’m referring to the classic ‘I’ve been blowing my nose for a week’ look. If you have a cold or it’s been streaming alongside your happy tears, you’re likely to rub off the makeup with tissues. If it’s dry or sore you can mix a tiny amount of multi-purpose balm with your concealer, then pat gently to the affected area. Finish with a touch of powder.

How to cover blemishes.

If you have spots along your jawline, they may become visible throughout the day. This is because concealer has a habit of rubbing off on your guest’s shoulders with every hug. If your top layer of powder has settled and blended with your natural oils, you can go ahead and re-apply concealer and powder. If not, dampen the area first with a light mist of setting spray.

There you have it, my top tips for brides who would like to do makeup maintenance throughout the day. Of course, I’m not suggesting that you MUST keep a close eye on your face (lots of brides tell me they let loose after the photographs), but if it’s an important factor for you I hope this advice is useful.

Have you booked you makeup artist yet? Why not take a look at my portfolio to see if you’d like my style of makeup on your special day? I provide wedding makeup in Yorkshire and Cumbria.

*This post contains Look Fantastic affiliate links.

Feb

Micellar Water

Micellar water.

I literally can’t imagine working without it. It’s a little bottle of magic; perfect for pre-cleansing, erasing makeup mistakes and sharpening winged liner.

So what is it? Micellar water is a cleansing solution made from micelles, which attract impurities from your skin. The tiny oil particles are suspended in water and can dissolve makeup and oil in seconds. The best thing? All you need is a cotton pad. Simply wipe gently and pat dry. No rinsing, no rubbing, no eyelash pulling, no alcohol, no residue; just easy, simple cleansing.

How to use it. As a makeup artist, I use micellar water at the beginning of a makeover to ensure there are no traces of makeup or oil on the skin. I also use it with pointed cotton buds to perfect liner and lipstick. In my personal routine I use it as my first cleanse, followed by a second cleanse with a cream cleanser and a flannel. I also take it on holiday (decanted into a smaller bottle) to reduce the amount of skincare I need to pack.

Recommended products. I’ve tried a lot of micellar waters but I always come back to Bioderma (Elemis and Simple come second and third). It leaves your skin clean and fresh without a harsh, tight feeling. They have a few versions available for different skin types.

Jul

Your Bridal Makeup Trial

We’ll bring your bridal makeup dreams to life at your trial. Here’s how to make the most of the experience.

Your bridal makeup vision.

It helps to spend a short while preparing for your bridal makeup trial by browsing images of different makeup looks. Pinterest is a great place to start, but I’d also advise taking some time to look through my portfolio. Bring along the images to your trial and we can discuss the elements you like from each one.

Get inspiration from my Pinterest board for dreamy bridal makeup looks.

Explore my portfolio.

Your makeup style.

Bring a photo of when you felt your best or arrive wearing your usual style of makeup (but no mascara or eyeliner). This lets me see to how you like to look and what style of makeup you’re used to. For example, ‘natural’ or ‘smokey’ can mean different things to different people, so the visual helps me to get on your wave length.

Lots of bridal makeup artists agree that your wedding day perhaps isn’t the time to try something completely different to your usual style; whether that means full on glamour or a natural glow. But of course it’s your wedding, so go with your heart!

What to wear.

Wearing a top or dress in a similar shade to your wedding dress helps you to picture how you will look as a bride. It’s also a good idea to try and book your hair trial on the same day – it can be difficult to imagine all the elements put together.

Whatever you decide to wear, just make sure it helps you feel comfortable and confident. Feeling good is the name of the game here.

Prepping your skin for makeup.

It’s important to put a good skincare routine in place before your wedding. This will help makeup to ‘sit’ well on the skin, and can even prolong the wear of your foundation. If you’re unsure about your skin type and what products to use we can chat about it during your trial. My mantra is cleanse, exfoliate (gently) and hydrate! Please don’t worry if you have a specific skin concern that just won’t go away, I’ve been there myself and know how frustrating it can be. I have lots of tricks up my sleeve to help you feel more confident about your skin.

Be realistic.

Please bare in mind that a lot of the photographs you see online and in magazines have been heavily retouched. Even with the best skills and makeup in the world it’s impossible to erase every line, pore and bump. I like to include my own photographs in my portfolio so you can see a more realistic result. Your wedding makeup should enhance your best features make you feel fabulous. Think polished and radiant, but still ‘you’.

Don’t be afraid to be honest.

I like to begin the trial by reassuring you that you can be 100% honest with me. It’s my job to make you feel incredible when you walk down the aisle, but that can only be achieved by having an open discussion throughout the appointment. We can make small adjustments or even start again with a different idea. It’s important to remember that makeup is fun! Don’t panic if you loved the idea of a red lip or smokey eye but it feels a bit too much, we can simply wipe it away and go back to the drawing board. I understand that makeup is a personal thing – we all have our own tastes and signatures.

After your bridal makeup trial.

Take your selfies in good light, e.g. standing to the side of a window. I recommend keeping your makeup on for the rest of the day so you can see how the products wear on you. I aim for the makeup to look great for the rest of the day with a few low maintenance touch-ups such as powder, lipstick and perhaps a touch of concealer. Take some time to make sure that you’re totally happy with the look. Maybe in hindsight you’d prefer brown liner instead of black, or a brighter blush? Get in touch to let me know you thoughts and if we need to make any tweaks.