Avoid a Makeup Meltdown

I love summer, but maintaining your face under the hot summer sun can be tedious, especially if you live in humid conditions (like I do in Atlanta). So how can you keep your makeup on your face and not running down your neck looking like a hot mess? The answer is to prep your skin before doing your makeup, which will give you lasting results.

For starters, a freshly washed face works better than hours old because your natural oils would have resurfaced by then. So wash with a gentle cleanser, pat dry and apply your moisturizer and/or sunscreen, allowing it to penetrate and dry before applying your makeup. Nothing will stick with a slick barrier between your skin and the makeup so prepping your skin is the only way to achieve great results and letting the products absorb.

Also, when looking for a moisturizer or sunscreen, you obviously want one that is, a) meant for your face (not body), and b) right for your skin type. Formulas are concocted to work with specific people in mind, so look for one that's right for your needs. Using a primer on your face is another great way to enhance your makeups ability to last. Primers hold on to the makeup and keep it in place.

M.A.C. makes a great one I love, Prep + Prime. It's a light, oil-free emulsion that helps cloak visible pores while controlling oil and shine. Applies "wet" and dries instantly to create an invisible, long-lasting natural matte finish. Ideal for the T-zone.



Whether you wear foundation, tinted moisturizer, or just concealer to cover a few spots, the overall effect needs to be blended, even and color matched for a natural look. Once your makeup is done, some may use a powder to set it, which isn't necessary, but a translucent "finishing" powder applied with a brush is ok (especially focusing on the forehead, nose and chin areas). This type of powder will help absorb oil to eliminate a shiny face as the day goes on. A little goes a long way.

What you do from the moment you step outside and battle the heat will determine how well your makeup lasts. So remember to keep your hands off, blot (not wipe) any moisture or shine, and avoid using a compact powder on your face (that you apply with a puff/pad rubbing it on your face). Blotting really will eliminate shine throughout the day so I'd skip the powder if at all possible. Applying powder just packs on product and looks bad after a few hours.

So no matter how hot it gets outside, your face can remain flawless if you prep it right and maintain it properly. You can keep your cool in the sunshine and your beautiful makeup too.

Bridal Beauty on a Budget

I've said it before, and I will say it again - one thing a bride should never skimp on is her wedding day beauty. Ever. You've found THE perfect dress to go with THE perfect guy, so why would you ever contemplate looking anything less than gorgeous on your wedding day? But what's a bride on a budget to do? Her homework.

Finding the right wedding makeup artist should never be based on price alone, but rather start your research on what you are willing or not willing to go without. For example: do you want traditional or airbrush makeup? Just bridal makeup or bridal party too? A consultation trial prior or just wedding day only? Professional makeup artists are in the business to make you look sensational.

A makeup artist who specializes in weddings especially understands that you also need to look fabulous on film and unforgettable in photos too. There are products, colors and techniques used to ensure you get the best look. Finding an artist who has quality and quantity of photos for you to see their work is important to help you decide, because obviously if you like what you see, you can ask yourself if their style is what you are looking for (just like you'd pick a photographer).

Typically if you love what you see in pictures you will love how it looks in person too. The only time this is not true would be a high-fashion photo shoot where sometimes the makeup applied to models is strictly for photos and not ideal for everyday wear (or weddings), so look at bridal photo samples of real brides to make your decision. You need to relate to the picture and envision yourself as the bride. I'm a huge fan of before & after photos (my website has lots) because I like for potential clients to see what I am capable of, and the transformation that occured. Seeing a bunch of pretty "after" photos of models is hard to relate to in my opinion.

Lastly, when communicating with your potential makeup artist, do not hesitate to ask questions about products, experience with weddings, references of past clients or even a discount (especially if you are getting married on a Friday or Sunday) or paying for your bridal party as well and just need to cut costs, but don't want to cut out makeup. Most makeup artists will try to work with your budget, so have fair expectations, because we do want your business and your referrals.

Whether you hire a makeup artist from a cosmetics counter (whose makeup you like) or one whose business caters to brides (like me), rest assured if you do your research you will find one whose work you will love within the price you can afford. It's tough to have champagne taste on a beer budget, I know, so if you need to cut out the baby's breath from your center pieces to afford a professional makeup artist, do it! No one remembers what the center pieces  looked like anyway..it's how the bride looked that they will notice and remember. How you look is the most important detail of that day so find a way to include it in your budget.

Alcohol & Your Beauty

Picture this - you are getting ready for a night out and make efforts to doll yourself up and look hot. What you look like the next morning after a night of drinking however isn't so pretty. What happens once alcohol is involved will eventually catch up with you over night, and over time, so is it worth it? Does alcohol really (eventually) steal your beauty? Yes.

This article is not about the obvious risks alcohol has on your health, this is about alcohol and your beauty (a pure vanity piece). While drinking in moderation once in awhile is not a bad thing, the effects are still lingering. Alcohol will dehydrate your skin, cause weight gain, result in broken veins under the skins surface, bloodshot and puffy eyes, enlarged pores, blotchy red complexion, loss of contours in your face, lack of resilience and even make you stink. Nothing is pretty about any of that and who wants to look like a hot mess (like Tara Reid or Lindsay Lohan)?

For those of you who invest as much in to their lotions, potions and beauty products as they do on weekend drinking, your efforts are fruitless and a waste of money. If you are going to drink, drink a glass of water inbetween alcoholic drinks; not only to dilute the alcohol, but also hydrate your body as well (and combat a hang over if possible). Notably as we get older the side effects of alcohol age us more harshly. Wouldn't you agree?

My reality check? Years ago I could drink without anything more than a hangover headache the next day and still manage to look good, but now that's not the case. Not because I am older, but because the effect alcohol has on me now when I wake up the next morning just makes me look like I had a 'rough night'  with puffy eyes and blotchy skin that I have to deal with this ugly side effect for days. Nothing I can use or do makes me look better and so it's totally not worth it to me anymore.



Public Service Announcement in the U.K.

So next time you order a round (or 2, 3, 4...) of drinks, think about what it's ultimately doing to your looks. Moderation is key and it affects us differently, but once you start noticing how bad you look, it's time to reconsider if it's worth it at all. Cheers.

The Ugly Truth About Stress

Unless we live in an animated Disney cartoon, we all have some form of stress in our lives. Some people manage stress better than others, and although stress is linked to several health issues like high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, ulcers, cancer, diabetes and body aches - to name a few, it is also linked to how we look as well. With stress you can experience hair loss, acne, tooth and gum disease, obesity, extreme weight-loss, cold sores and pre-mature aging (wrinkles and gray hair).

The term "beauty sleep" isn't a joke. Sleep really does rejuvenate our bodies from the day we had and allow our bodies to recuperate. When we stress we typically lose sleep over what troubles us because your mind won't shut off and you lay awake thinking about everything. Learning to shut down your brain and relax to allow yourself to get rest is essential or you will wake up with puffy under eyes, dark circles and a sallow complexion as a result.

Your skin will also take a toll with occasional flare-ups of rashes, acne, and for those prone to eczema and rosacea; stress is the ultimate trigger. Your hair can whiten/gray and in extreme cases, lead to patches of hair loss, which is all linked to excessive levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) that gets released into the bloodstream during high stress times.

Gaining weight (typically the mid-section) is another side effect of stress, as well as extreme weight-loss for others. Not the ideal diet when you look bad all over. Women in general are a higher risk for stress than men (working mothers specifically, whether married or single) because they bear a greater work load than men or other women. We all have experienced financial, career or relationship woes that stress us, but learning to control and maintain your stress is the key.

Some people have personality traits that cause them to over-respond to stressful events or are even biologically prone to stress (lacking levels of seratonin which is the brain chemical involved with feelings of well-being). Certain diseases associated with immune abnormalities (rheumatoid arthritis or eczema) may actually weaken a response to stress. Naturally, the longer the duration of the stress, the more harmful the effects, so finding what yours are is the first step in dealing with it.

Whether you exercise regularly, do yoga, get massages, or engage in another form of physcial activity to release stress, you need to clear your mind and life as much as you can of the issues that ail you. Stress is unavoidable, but managing it is vital; so educate yourself on what your stress triggers are, how to control them and what methods will help you relax to deal with them. Your health (and looks) are at stake, so learning to isolate the issues will lead to a healthier more beautiful life.