Hire a Professional Makeup Artist? DIY? Tips for Both - (Featured on Tami Winn Events Blog)

When Tami Winn Events contacted me and asked for a blog interview, I was more than happy to help!  I LOVE tips and tricks myself, and I'm pretty sure most people love to learn a lil' something new themselves.  In case you're not familiar, Tami Winn and her staff are well known wedding and event specialists here in Fort Worth, TX....they create fantasy environments and lush florals for many exclusive weddings in the area!  They ROCK.  Attention to detail, amazing taste...these girls know what they're doing.  I have worked with Jamie and Tami on weddings, of course and I actually did Tami's own makeup for the 360West "Planners" Photo shoot for the Spring issue.The girl's got GREAT skin and a fabulous smile! (See pic at right....Photo courtesy of Tracy

Autem Photography...check out the article for full list of credits from this incredible "Vanity Fair" style shoot!)

For the interview, they wanted to share with their followers a discussion about hiring a professional vs. DIY makeup, and tips for both.  Wedding planners know all too well how great makeup can make....or break...your otherwise perfect wedding, that's for sure!

RULE #1 - BOOK A PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP ARTIST FOR YOUR WEDDING!
TWE agrees with me on this one...you should hire a professional makeup artist for your wedding!  Once we covered that topic, they wanted to know for brides who don't hire a professional, what are some basic tips (we'll get back to that in a minute).  Obviously, I'm pretty biased...I think professional makeup is crucial for weddings and special events!  Just ask someone who didn't hire a professional who wishes she had....and then ask your wedding professionals who can back this up.

Only a professional knows how to truly highlight your features to their best advantage, while applying makeup what will photograph well AND last. We know how to make you look like the most gorgeous version of yourself that you've ever seen....it's just not the same as everyday makeup, and it's worth it.  Period. As one bride recently told me "My friend who got married last didn't think makeup was important...her wedding makeup didn't look good and she doesn't like her photos...she really regrets skipping it.  I don't want that to happen, plus it's my wedding day...I want to look AMAZING in front of my new husband and all my friends and family!" That bride knew what she wanted and what was important, and on wedding day, she had zero concerns about how she'd look or if her makeup would last.  Beauty plus peace of mind!  Budget in professional hair and makeup, you won't regret it.

For total DIY brides who simply don't have the budget or insist upon doing their own?  Well, I've got advice for you as well.  First off, consider booking a LESSON with a local professional.  Not all artists teach lessons, but many do...I personally love to teach!  I am happy to book a session to go step by step with you through your makeup routine, what works, what doesn't and then show you how to do your own makeup.  Find a local artist who's work you really admire and is recommended by your other wedding professionals and start there.  Many destination brides will book me for this service if their budget doesn't allow them to take me with them.  (Insert frowny face...I'd rather go with you to Belize, but hey, we've got to be realistic...not everyone can swing that!)  Also, many, many brides will book a lesson in the months following their wedding so they can learn how to create a fab look anytime.

 If for some reason you must do your own makeup on wedding day, booking a lesson beforehand could make all the difference! If you're doing total DIY, invest in quality makeup and decent brushes....stick to rosy cheeks and lips (look good on everyone), and a classic overall look.  Learn how to apply lashes, and blend EVERYTHING.

Great products and tools are a must, plus PRACTICE.  Your makeup won't look good if you don't do run throughs to test your look.  Final tip?  Wear plenty of blush!  Blush never shows up well in photos, you need more than real life.

To read the full blog post from the interview I gave with even more tips and tricks, click here.....

Thanks again to Tami Winn Events for featuring me on their blog this week! 

Spring is here! (AKA, Can I stop sneezing long enough to write this post?!?)

I live in Fort Worth, TX...
I don't know what's in the air where you live, but here....wowza, we have all kinds of major pollen inducing plants and trees!  Allergies are MAJOR, especially in spring and boom...I've got 'em.  I've probably sneezed 100 times this morning alone!  (Thank God for Puff's Plus...this is NOT the time for cheap, store brand tissue....)

So, how's a glam girl gonna look put together in allergy season?  Watery eyes, sneezing, puffy eyes.....none of it feels attractive.  Kind of like having a non-stop cold, right?  Well, here are a couple of tips I've put together for you to combat seasonal allergies, and yes....the same tips will work for cold/flu season as well!


1. GET THE GOOD KLEENEX.  No joke, the softer the tissue you can get, the less redness and chapping you'll have on your nose.  Yes, I learned this lesson the hard way so you don't have to!  Spring for the Puffs Plus with lotion.  You're welcome.

2. Moisturize more than normal....at night, coat your nose with moisturizer, or if it's really chapped, petroleum jelly.  You want to avoid the rough and flaky skin that is really tough to cover with makeup.

3. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness.  You. MUST. GET.  This stuff is genius, and you'll see I mention it at lot on my Instagram and facebook posts.  It's highly pigmented and has a tiny bit of green to magically cover redness.  It only comes in one color and believe it or not, that shade works for most people!  If it's too light for you, use a bit to cover redness and then use your regular foundation on top...redness, gone.  No lie, probably the #1 product in my kit right now!


4. If your eyes are red and puffy, or allergies are causing dark circles, a great trick is to do a smoky eye!  Sounds like the exact thing you shouldn't do, but it actually works.  Make it look like that darkness is INTENTIONAL!  Use soft shades of gray or navy or neutral taupes...stay away from plums or warm browns that could bring out redness even more.  Blend well, add liner on upper and lower lids (on lower lid, liner on your waterline and use shadow buffed in with a small brush below that for a soft look) and you'll look sophisticated, not tired and puffy.  Try it, it works!

Good luck ladies!  I hope these tricks make you feel prettier as you stop to smell the roses....and then sneeze. Achooooo!!!!!

Too Much Makeup, Tammy Faye and the (hopeful) death of the Spider eye trend

Depending on your age, you may or may not have heard of Tammy Faye Bakker.  She passed away in 2007, and sadly became famous due to a huge scandal with her then preacher hubby.  But she was REALLY famous for wearing way, way, WAY too much makeup...case in point:

Too much of everything, no blending and those spider eyes....yikes!  She was the butt of countless jokes on late night TV, and will be remembered in popular culture as looking tacky.  Poor thing, may she rest in peace!  I can't say anything about who she truly was as a person, and she might have been a very lovely woman,  but this makeup doesn't say confident, sophisticated or pretty...it says "I'm putting on a mask".  Her makeup entered the room before she did!  You don't want that as your calling card.  Flash forward to current times.... I have so many clients who come to me and are really nervous about having their makeup done.  They are fearful of looking overdone, tacky or not like themselves.  If I had a dollar for everytime I've heard:

"I just want to look natural, like myself but better..."

Know what's funny?  More than half of the girls who tell me they want the "natural look" really don't...they just don't want to look like that ^^^^!!!  They want impact, or smoky eyes or false lashes or glamour, but they are afraid they might look like like a drag queen.  Or hoochie.  The truth is you can wear plenty of makeup if it's blended well, the right colors for you and right for the situation and for YOU as a person. There are many options between a bare face and the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills look.  Think about this....when you see women out in public and you think "wow, she's got WAY too much makeup on",  what you're really seeing is:

- Too much product

- Lack of blending and harsh lines

- Wrong colors for her particular skin tone

-  Wrong makeup for situation, lifestyle, or personal style

Let's break those down a bit: Too much product....

In this age of "more is more", that isn't the case with makeup!  The secret to pro results is using as little product as you possibly can to get the results you want.  This takes patience, time and practice.  Start with a tiny bit of concealer...blend.  Does it cover?  No?  Add a tiny bit more, blend..check again.  And so on and so forth. Use highly pigmented products so you can use less product to get the results and coverage you want. Don't just cake it on!

Lack of Blending - this one wears me out!!  My rule?  Blend, blend and blend some more.  Think you're done?  You're not, blend more! (Anyone who's ever booked a Lip Service private

Blend, blend, blend!! (Makeup: Jennifer Trotter)

lesson has heard this one!) Again, patience, time and practice, plus decent brushes to get the job done.  If you slap it all on, it looks slapped on...

You should never see any harsh lines anywhere....a buffed on appearance is softer and more sophisticated, and definitely makes you look younger.  A well blended smoky eye is appropriate anytime!  It doesn't have to be super dark and goth. Just check out this example!

Wrong colors -  a pale blonde shouldn't wear the same colors as JLo or Beyonce, but yet I see this all the time! We are all so different...skin tones, hair, style, face shape....all need to be taken into consideration when choosing cosmetics.  Makeup is meant to enhance your natural beauty, so if you're puzzled.... you can't go wrong with soft black or dark brown eyeliner and mascara, rosy pink cheeks and lips....all look good on absolutely everyone.  For eyes, soft plums and taupes work on nearly every skin tone too....easy!  Do people comment on your makeup, or your beauty?  If it's your makeup, could be the wrong colors....
The right colors will make you look healthy and glowing!  And not like a clown....

Wrong makeup for situation or personal style: this one can age you faster than anything!  Just like you don't wear the same clothes to walk the dog as you wear to a black tie event, your makeup should adjust accordingly.  If you're a stay at home mom who wears yoga pants and t-shirts daily, you probably shouldn't have on false lashes and daily highlight and contour for carpool and grocery store runs.  Date night with the hubby?  Perfect time to break out the red lipstick and false lashes for all out glamour with your hot dress!  If you are an executive and wear strong suits daily, just swiping on a bit of gloss may not be enough...you'll want to be sure your dark circles are covered and you look fresh and awake, so some foundation and blush may be in order.  In short, if you're wearing the exact same look for a PTA meeting, night out with the girls, important work presentation and the gym?  You are missing the mark, and worse, might look older than you are.  We've all seen the lady at the gym with a full face of makeup and false lashes just sweating away on the treadmill...it's very kind of 80's, isn't it?   Or the woman at the black tie wedding who didn't wear makeup and looks like she looks like she doesn't care about the formality and importance of the event.  Don't be that chick.  Just like all of these occasions call for different clothing options, your hair and makeup should adjust too.  Think about YOU....your style AND the situation you need to be in that day...tailor your beauty routine accordingly.

One last note.....that DEFINITELY ties in the with the "too much makeup" theme of this post:

To all the ladies I see out in public with 12 coats of mascara, IE "spider eyes":  I have news for you, you're not fooling anyone...we know that's gobs of mascara and not your lashes. Not that it looks anything like lashes, but more like...as the name implies...freakin' spiders.  On your eyes.  Not cute! Seriously....just stop. PLEASE. Get extensions or buy false lashes in bulk....either will look better if you really feel you need more impact and drama.  If you're tempted to "spider it up", I hope you'll think of Tammy Faye and pare down...take a chance and come out of the shade of those lashes!   We don't want to hear jokes about you on Jimmy Kimmel.  Love, JT from Lip Service





A Real Life "Princess" Bride

Just got back some great photos from Taylor's wedding just a few weeks ago, she's stunning!  She looked exactly like how little girls imagine real princesses look...just dreamy. Might as well name this girl Buttercup! (She married, Jason...not Wesley...FYI)  I did a boudoir shoot for Taylor, and makeup for her shower, so we've been talking for months and have gotten to know each other....she's just as sweet as she is gorgeous.  Yes, really! 

 For the big day, L'Image salon in Mansfield took care of the hair and they were nice enough to create plenty of space for me to set up so we could do all hair/makeup onsite....10 faces for me!  I did the bridesmaids and Taylor's mom first, and then Taylor.....

 

And yep, I'm used to all the bridesmaids hanging out and watching me!  It doesn't bother me at all...I usually throw out some makeup tips and even answer makeup questions while I work.  At this point, everyone was getting really excited...Taylor was being transformed into a BRIDE....

 

I always try to get a few pics with the bride, thankfully the phographer (Beau Vaughn Photography) was right there and snapped a couple pics. Some brides I get to know pretty well, others not as much, but seriously...I'm so lucky!  They are all such nice girls and I love getting to play a part in one of the biggest days in their lives.  Cheesy, but true...#blessed! Taylor was off to Aristide Event Center in Mansfield, TX...a lovely wedding venue that resembles a castle...perfect for a real life "princess" about to get married!  Dress on...check, flowers in the hair...check....

What did I tell you?  What little girl (or grown girl) doesn't dream of looking this magical when she walks down the aisle?

 

 

 One last pic and a few notes about how I created her wedding day look.  She wanted whimsical, gorgeous and special, but not too over the top.  I used a combo of white, gold and bronze cream shadows (they are SUPER long lasting) from Maybelline, along with a few other shades in gold and bronze from other palettes.  This created drama on her eyes, but without any harsh lines or too much color.  I did a classic winged liner, which she knew she loved from the previous times I did her makeup....false lashes, berry cheeks (cream and powder...again long-lasting!), all set with micro-milled setting powder for a flawless, airbrush finish.  I added some subtle shine with a silver/pink and gold shimmer powders from MAC to give her an ethereal glow...not too much, a lot of sparkle doesn't photograph well. I've just gotta tell you...the moment when the bride looks in the mirror when I'm finished, beams back at me with the "Oh my gosh, I LOVE it"...is absolutely the best part of being an artist, and getting the huge hug and thank you is the bonus!  Knowing that I am able to create the look that makes each bride feel beautiful when it counts most is very rewarding and it flat out just makes me smile!  Here's one last pic of the lovely (inside and out!) bride.....

 

I hope she and Jason have an amazing life together!  I know their fairy tale celebration last month was a great way to kick things off with memories they'll never forget...including all the "kissing parts" and the happily ever after.......

 

 

Rules of Engagement

Wanted to share pics of two lovely and super sweet girls from the past week...in each case, they had already booked me and we'd emailed, but the first time I met each girl was when I showed up to do their engagement makeup!  This is part of the modern age we live in....way back in the day, I had to meet with each bride in person in order to book...there really wasn't a way for them to see my work or get a feel for my personality otherwise!  Now, brides can get referrals from vendors and friends, then scope out facebook, this website and instagram to get a feel for whether we're a good fit.  So, last week, I met Ashley....she and her sweet fiancé Colby had me laughing the entire time I was getting her ready to go!

Ashley has big blue eyes and nice full lips...a lot to work with for sure!  I created a soft smokey eye using taupe, gray, navy and bronze (looks plum in this photo, but it's not)....this gave her lots of impact, while still using neutral colors that made her blue eyes really shine.  Neutral tones on your eyes works well for engagements, because there are usually several outfits...and FYI, it's not about MATCHING the clothes, it's about not CLASHING!  Her first outfit was this amazing fuschia dress that you can see in the "after" photo...it was stunning!  When she looked in the mirror when I was done (my favorite moment of  makeup artistry, by the way), she LOVED the look...she felt glamorous, but still like herself.  I dubbed her "Sophisticated Barbie"!  I know her engagements are going to turn out great, those two were having so much fun.

Yesterday, I finally got to meet Aimee, a May bride who seriously has some of the best skin I've seen in a while!  It was a last minute appointment, but it all came together and we chatted like we've known each other forever....

Since Aimee was wearing mostly neutral outfits for her engagement shoot, I decided to highlight her gorgeous hazel/green eyes with shades of soft plum...nothing makes green eyes pop more! She said she feels like whenever she does eyemakeup herself, her eyes look smaller...I showed her how really blended eyeshadow, plus fluttery, yet realistic lashes actually make her eyes look HUGE.....and really lovely.  Aimee is a great example of someone who looks pretty great with a bare face and truth be told, most days she does a little mascara and a little gloss and that's it.  For your wedding and when you're having your picture taken, you just need a bit more. She was happy to still look like herself, but just an amplified, more "special" version....perfect for engagement pics that will photograph really well.  I didn't get to meet her sweet fiancé this time, but boy did her face light up when she talked about him!

Not every bride does an engagement shoot, but it is a great way to get to know your photographer, to capture the fun, lovey-dovey beginning of your new life together as a couple and try out your makeup look so you know how it will photograph.  This is helpful when you do your bridals and for wedding day so there are no surprises, especially if you're not a big makeup person ordinarily! 

I'm out of town for a few days and probably won't be able to blog, but be sure to check out facebook, instagram and twitter for daily before/after posts!  See you soon....JT