10 Makeup Mishaps That Mess Up Wedding Photos (and what to do instead) Makeup by Liz Washer Photography and Design by Michelle Girard
Contents 1: Introductions 2: Battlefield Skin (Beauty starts here.) 3: Frame Job (Eyebrows are everything!) 4: Hey There, Cake Face (Too much of a good thing…) 5: Face It, You're Mismatched (I see what you did there…) 6: Did You Mean to Flash the Camera? (Shine on, you crazy diamond…) 7: Fashion Victim (Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to step aside…) 8: Lashing Out (Bat those crazy thangs!) 9: The Not-So-Bulletproof Bride (It’s gotta last!) 10: The Ungroomed Groom (Why should girls have all the fun?) 11: Feelin' Frantic? (Dodging day-of disaster!) 12: Getting Me On Your Team 13: My Clients Tell it Like it Is
Are You Ready For Your Close-Up? Want to look your absolute best on your wedding day, or every day? (Who doesn’t!) This book was inspired by questions from countless brides, conversations with fellow pros, and cautionary cosmetic tales from around the world. My goal is simple: to shed light on the mysteries of makeup so that you can get the best, most camera-ready results for your wedding (or special event, or photoshoot, or television appearance… you get the idea!)
Each chapter outlines an all-too-common beauty misstep, followed by advice to help you avoid making these mistakes. I hope that this book will provide a behind-the-curtains glimpse into the magic of professional makeup artistry while helping you avoid beauty-related headaches, frustration, and (worst of all) regret. The conversation continues in my biweekly e-zine Serving up Beauty! so stay tuned, and don’t hesitate to contact me with questions.
Liz Washer
Who’s This Liz Person, Anyway? Hey there, I’m Liz and I make people look good for a living. I have been beautifying countless clients and talent at shoots and events since 2005. My specialty is subtle, feature-enhancing, camera-ready makeup for special events as well as commercial and editorial print and video production. I have worked with clients of all ages and complexions, and I strive bring the same efficiency, professionalism, and editorial eye to every job I do, from celebrity shoots to beautifying brides. My wedding business, Makeup Artistry by Liz, has won WeddingWire’s Couple’s Choice Award four years in a row. My motto? Blending is everything! To date, my work has been featured in wedding blogs and magazines, ads, catalogs, commercials, editorials, fashion shows, and independent film. Editorial highlights include Paper, Essence, Women’s Day, Improper Bostonian, Style Me Pretty, Offbeat Bride, Wedding Chicks, WellWed, and Ruffled. I regularly serve as a resource for print, web, and broadcast media, and I absolutely love to share my savvy with brides-to-be (and anyone interested in looking their best).
Let’s do this!
Photo: Lynne Graves
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Battlefield Skin Bridal beauty - ALL beauty - begins with the skin. The better the condition of your skin, the better your makeup will look and the less of it you will need. However, skincare is a lot like any other health regimen - it's not something to undertake impulsively, hoping for a quick fix. In fact, dramatically changing your routine in the weeks before your wedding can create MORE breakouts and other skincare issues to contend with once the wedding arrives. To make matters more confusing, a breakout doesn't necessarily mean you chose a poor product - your skin may simply need time to acclimate. Thus, a word of caution: don't overdo it, ESPECIALLY at the last minute. Experimenting can make things a bit bumpy in the short term, so don't bombard your skin with things it's not used to.
Best Practices
DON’T schedule a facial or any kind of invasive skin treatment close to your wedding; a week or more beforehand is safer so your skin gets some recovery time (and if you're planning on having blemishes extracted, you'll definitely need the recovery time!) If you’ve never had a facial before, don’t wait until the week before your wedding to find out how your skin responds - try it early and see what you think. DO find the products that best suit your skin in the year before the wedding, not a month before. At the minimum, you'll want a gentle but thorough cleanser, a moisturizer suited for your skin type (yes, even if you're oily), and sun protection (the best thing you can do to keep your skin looking youthful and even-toned is use a broadspectrum sunscreen every day!)
DONT use magnifying mirrors - you know, the ones that make every pore in your face look like a crater on the moon? These mirrors encourage excessive picking and plucking (and irrational levels of insecurity!) What you see in those mirrors is FAR beyond what your guests will see at your wedding, so unless you absolutely need them to see, stop torturing yourself. DO drink as much water as possible to keep things hydrated and to aid in skin renewal. Nutrition also affects the health of your skin, particularly if you have any food allergies or sensitivities. DO cleanse your face before bed, removing every trace of makeup. Leftover makeup can irritate your eyes and skin, and you'll miss out on the benefits of a good nighttime moisturizer.
Frame Job Those magnifying mirrors I warned about in the previous chapter are largely to blame for a lot of overzealous - and regrettable - plucking that goes on, especially the eyebrows. The trick to eyebrow maintenance: less is more. It can take weeks for plucked hairs to reappear, so you don't want to overdo it. If you'd like to achieve brow independence, your best bet is to start with a professional shaping and maintain it from there. But don't just opt for the add-on wax at any old salon; you want to find a skilled brow shaper who will create the perfect frame for your face. Then all you’ll need to do is trim occasionally and remove the hairs that grow outside of the lines – and properly applied makeup can help fill in the blanks and give you a fabulous frame for photos!
One commandment of DIY brow happiness:
Trim before you pluck Long brow hairs may seem like they need to go, but are often supporting the shape of the brow, and once they're gone, you'll be left with a gap. Instead, use a brow brush or a clean mascara wand to brush your brows straight up. Any hairs that reach well beyond your ideal brow shape can then be trimmed, carefully, with the smallest, sharpest pair of scissors you can find (I use cuticle scissors). You can brush them down, too, to see which hairs on the bottom might need to be shortened a bit. Only THEN should you pluck the hairs that grow outside of the brow shape you wish to maintain. Finally, don’t leave any form of facial depilation – especially waxing – to the last minute. In addition to leaving redness behind, waxing can temporarily create an unnaturally smooth surface, preventing makeup from adhering well. And if you’re taking medication or using a topical acne treatment, remember that your skin is drier and more prone to being damaged by waxing.
Hey There, Cake Face
"I heard I have to wear heavy makeup at my wedding... is this true?" Not unless you're a theatrical stage performer. Or a clown. Welcome to the age of high-definition (HD) photography and video! Unlike in the past, when a heavy-handed application was de rigueur to ensure that a person's facial features would "read" in camera, HD sees the world very much the way our eyes see it. If your makeup looks thick, blocky, powdery, or unblended in person, it's going to look that way in the photos, too. HD has completely changed the way makeup is done - it still has to be as close to perfect as possible (because the camera will pick up any flaws), but it also has to be virtually undetectable and look exactly like skin (because the camera can see that, too!)
Impossible goal? Not for a skilled artist using professional products and techniques designed for this kind of camera technology.
Another mistake a lot of women make is to err on the side of being overly “flat.” We all want to achieve even-toned skin, but a heavy, opaque, one-color foundation application can look very fake, especially when compared to the rest of your body (which might feature tan lines, freckles, and other natural variety). Skilled makeup artists use full coverage products judiciously (only where needed), and achieve a three-dimensional effect by using warm tones where the sun would naturally hit the face, highlights on the planes of the face we want to bring forward and emphasize, and cool-toned contouring to enhance bone structure. These are advanced techniques because they have to be very subtle and well blended (few things look worse in natural light than heavy contouring!), but they are critical to a nuanced application.
Face It, You’re Mismatched
Look at reflection the next time you get out of the shower. Do you see only one skin color? Chances are you see a myriad. So what color should your foundation be? Continuing from the previous chapter, our faces don't have only one color in them, so wearing an opaque layer of one color may make your face resemble a flat piece of paper that clashes with the rest of your body. However, there is a happy medium – our “perfect” match – to which we add bronzer and blush, highlighting and contouring as needed. To find that shade, it's very important to use the most honest light source - the best is sunlight. A partly cloudy day, with minimal glare, will give you the best conditions for accurate color appraisal. Beware of the lighting in department stores - what looks great indoors may not match once you're peering into the rearview mirror in your car! I always advise clients to sample foundations before committing to a full bottle, and to take advantage of return policies when an instore match doesn’t fly in daylight.
Where to match foundation is something surprisingly few artists agree upon. Many will match to the neck, but that is often one of the palest parts of our body (since it is shielded by our chins from excessive sunlight). If you have a very fair neck and match your face to it, you’ll have a pale head on a deeper-toned body, which will age you instantly. But if you match to your face (which is darker and often pinker than your neck), you'll create a line of demarcation along your jawline. Meanwhile, matching to the chest and shoulders may be entirely too dark, since that is where many people are the most tan. I strive for a happy medium between the neck, chest and shoulders by using the lighter neck shade in the center of the face and the deeper chest & shoulder tones to sculpt. If the neck is very noticeably paler than the face and body, I apply makeup to the neck as well. Blending your foundation down your neck is a good way to make the transition between face, neck and chest a lot smoother, and it helps both parts reflect light similarly (making for a more even complexion in photos).
Did You Mean to Flash the Camera? I'll come right out and say it: I am not a fan of MOST consumer brands of makeup for photography. I do not like the unpredictable results that everyday makeup brands can yield in camera, so I avoid them on set - as well as at weddings. Some of them are either too heavy or too powdery to resemble real skin (and their poor formula and low opacity lead to overapplication – see the “Cake Face” chapter!), but the main culprit is something that most people don't think about: photoreflectivity. Photoreflectivity is what happens when the camera flash is harshly reflected by the ingredients in the makeup. If you wear a foundation that has a lot of reflective, shimmery mica in it (a lot of consumer mineral foundations are guilty of this), or a high SPF, you may have noticed that in some photos, your face looks blown out or shiny, while in person you look even and luminous. Admittedly, sometimes this happens whether or not you’re wearing makeup; on-camera flash, especially in dim lighting conditions, can be very harsh (as anyone who has ever taken smartphone selfies at night already knows! Your pro wedding photographer will be much better equipped.) But certain ingredients in makeup can make this effect considerably worse. If you swatch foundation on your hand and it sparkles or looks downright glittery when the light hits it, it is not a photo-friendly foundation.
Instead of using them all over your face, it’s best to restrict shimmery and luminous products to specific parts that you wish to highlight - the inner eyelids, cheekbones, and décolleté all look lovely with a little glow! (You may have heard about the recent “strobing” trend, which is really just another word for highlighting.) If you have naturally oily skin, you may be understandably worried about excess shine. But believe it or not, you don’t need to overpowder when you use the right products and apply them correctly. If you have oily skin, an oil controlling primer is a good idea, because it will provide an absorbent barrier layer and a firm base to keep your makeup from slipping. Follow with a foundation that boasts good staying power, a matte or satin finish, and is not prone to heavy oxidation over time. Since weddings are usually all-day affairs, you may have to do a bit of oil control throughout the day. I always recommend carrying blot sheets to absorb any oils and leave a satiny finish (much better than caking on excess powder!)
Fashion Victim As a bride-to-be, you may find yourself inundated with a baffling assortment of beauty “musts” drawn from the fashion world. You might even like some of the looks. But what should you incorporate into your bridal face? My advice is, if you want to, by all means try out the trends! For a night out (or in) - go for it! Makeup washes off, after all. But don't feel pressured to make it permanent. The wise bride thinks before she embraces a trend for a heavily photographed event like a wedding. Much like a tattoo, your wedding makeup will be on your face long after you've washed it off: in the photos and videos of your big day. Weddings are a kind of time capsule. You'll invariably look at your photos years later and notice elements that “date” the images. The goal is that those elements won't distract from how happy and radiant you were. Be sure to choose a look that’s genuinely YOU (whatever your tastes may be) but also something you can imagine yourself still loving in 20 years when you're reminiscing about the day.
Lashing Out! Mascara is one of the most popular and commonly used types of makeup - most brides want to showcase their beautiful eyes, whether their overall look is demure or vixen or anything in between! But make sure that you don't overdo it - the heavy, clumpy look can be very distracting. A metal-toothed lash comb is a great way to – carefully! – untangle your lashes should you overapply. False eyelashes are another great option for brides who want to enhance their eyes. But there's no faster way to spoil a look than improperly applied false lashes. If they are applied too high above the natural lashes, they instantly look fake and become very obvious, especially in close-up photos. If they are the wrong shape for the eyelid or applied improperly, they will not stay put (and may be very uncomfortable to wear). And if they are too long, too plastic-y, or unusually shaped, they will be very distracting. If you’re going the DIY route with your wedding makeup and want to wear lashes, be sure to practice early and often – and if you’re hiring, be sure to scrutinize the artist’s portfolio and make sure the false lashes look believable.
Don't want to deal with falsies? Lash extensions are another way to enhance your eyes, and they are much more long-lasting than a false lash; properly applied and maintained, they can last through your honeymoon. As with anything else, choose your professional carefully and then pay close attention to maintenance. Lash extensions can look amazing but there are ground rules to help keep them in place. Finally, mascara, eyeliner and eyelash glue should all be waterresistant and applied to last. Even if you're not usually a crier, weddings tend to bring out the waterworks. I always, always, always use water-resistant eye makeup on every member of the bridal party, set the products properly, and teach my clients how to blot tears without disturbing their makeup.
The Not-So-Bulletproof Bride Depending on your plans, your budget, and your cultural traditions, weddings can be a lengthy affair. The makeup you wear has to stand up to a lot: tears, hugs, kisses, weather, and your skin’s natural perspiration and oils. Professional makeup artists specialize in doing makeup that needs to withstand all kinds of conditions, and the pro products we carry have higher pigmentation, more camerafriendly properties, and better staying power. Airbrush is a popular technique for applying liquid makeup that has begun to enjoy mainstream recognition. It is one of the preferred methods for high-definition film, photography and television for a reason: applied correctly, the fine mist of color is even and blended, with no harsh lines, making it virtually invisible on-screen and to the naked eye. It is very lightweight and naturallooking, making it a good option for people who don't like to wear much makeup (or feel like they are). Certain airbrush makeup formulas can even cover tattoos, birthmarks and hyperpigmentation and still look natural.
Thanks to professional products and skilled application, a professional makeup job should last all day. But after the tears and the kisses and the food and the dancing, there are always a few spots to maintain, so make sure to ask your artist what you should - and should NOT - do to keep your look fresh. One mistake many brides make is loading up on additional powder. This can cake up very fast and ruin the nice natural finish you had originally (especially if you were airbrushed, as excess powder ruins the finish). Blotting, not rubbing, is the key to maintaining the finish without smearing your makeup. Getting a bit weepy? Try absorbing the tears at the tear duct with a folded tissue, or gently blotting away the tear once it falls. Wiping or rubbing your eyes is a definite no-no, as it can smudge eye makeup and loosen false lashes. Another option is to schedule a pro touch-up after the ceremony (especially if you are planning to have family portraits taken at that time). That way you can cry and smooch to your heart's content and get a freshening up before facing the cameras for the formal shots. Some brides also opt for a new look to accompany an outfit change at the reception - the possibilities are limitless!
The Ungroomed Groom It has always struck me as somewhat amusing that the word for male makeup and styling is "grooming" when so few grooms actually opt for it. Wait... what? Am I really suggesting that masculine types get MAKEUP?!? This may come as a surprise, but makeup isn't inherently a feminine thing; it's merely a feature-enhancing, flaw-minimizing, photo-readying thing! I cannot tell you how many wedding photos I see where the bride looks immaculate, but her new spouse looks like he's still recovering from the bachelor party. Red, blotchy skin and shine know no gender - looking disheveled is 100% equal opportunity. (Kind of heartwarming, isn’t it?) Male actors, politicians, models, and executives all receive makeup for photo and video shoots, and there's no reason grooms, groomsmen, and non-girly types can't partake if they want to look their best. The trick is to make it undetectable. If a cakey face is a nono on the bride, it's a DEFINITE no on the masculine members of the wedding party.
Image-conscious grooms should consider getting a manicure (matte and unpolished - just enough sprucing to make their hands look clean in those close-up photos of the rings) and a brow grooming (usually just a trim and a subtle shaping only where needed). They should also exfoliate and moisturize to avoid dull, ashy skin, and should groom their facial hair however they like to wear it (or visit a talented barber). Sometimes that’s enough. But if undereye circles, redness and pimples, pallor, uneven tone, or greying eyebrows/facial hair are concerns, a skilled makeup artist can correct these matters in minutes without changing their appearance noticeably. A full face of makeup is rarely necessary - spot concealing, color correction, and shine control will usually do the trick. Not all makeup artists know how to do masculine makeup without having it look too noticeable or dramatic, so make sure the artist you hire can demonstrate this expertise before bringing them on board. With most grooms, less is more!
Feelin’ Frantic?
When you are relaxed, you can truly appreciate and enjoy your wedding day. You may have spent years planning it, but it WILL come and go in a flash, so the more you can be present on the day and have fun with your loved ones, the happier you will be. The absolute best advice I can give any bride is to plan ahead, be selective, and be open to getting help. I've seen firsthand how stressful it can be when the big day arrives and brides are still dealing with dozen of little details. The more you can glide into your wedding day feeling confident that the pieces are in place, the more fun you'll be able to have, the happier you’ll be, and the better you’ll look! When hiring vendors, sooner rather than later is the key to booking the best talent. I've had to turn away so many brides who followed the advice of those ubiquitous wedding timelines that suggest booking hair and makeup just a few months before (I don’t know who writes those things, but I’d like a word with them!) The wise bride plans ahead, especially if she’s marrying on a Saturday (or a holiday weekend) in high wedding season – which, here in New England, is generally May through October.
Reducing the frantic feeling in the days leading up to your wedding will also mean fewer stress-related breakouts, so plan ahead and then enjoy some much-deserved down time in the days before your wedding. Massages, baths, delicious meals, movies, walks, yoga, meditation, manicures/pedicures, skydiving (you know, if you’re an adrenaline junkie!)... whatever you do to feel serene and happy is an investment in your radiant wedding-day face. So get the backup you need, minimize the number of details you personally have to worry about on the big day, and then soak up all the love – you’ve earned it!
Getting Me On Your Wedding Team Booking me is super-easy (assuming I still have your date available!) Step 1: Fill out my website form, providing as much detail as possible. I’ll be back in touch ASAP with my availability, and we can discuss the details. (I love to hear all about what my clients’ weddings will be like!) Step 2: To officially book your date, I accept a 50% nonrefundable deposit and a signed contract. Don’t know how many people are getting makeup yet? No worries – you can book the minimum and add faces later on, and I’ll adjust the final balance accordingly. Step 3: Your package includes a preview session where we will go over your wedding details and I’ll craft the perfect look to put your best face forward! The majority of my previews take place at my home studio in Florence, MA and take about an hour or two. (Most of my brides book in advance and schedule their previews once all their color, wardrobe, and styling decisions have been made. But you also have the option to schedule a preview before booking – whatever you feel most comfortable with.)
I look forward to hearing from you!
Testimonials My Clients Tell it Like it is “Liz is so amazing! I never ended up doing a trial with her, my schedule and flexibility just did not allow me to, but she had such wonderful raving reviews that I trusted it would be ok. And all her reviews were so right! She made me look and feel so gorgeous, as well as all of my bridesmaids and my mother. Even before I met her, through all my email exchanges with her, she was so professional and so nice! I highly recommend using Liz, you will be so happy that you did!” – Christy “Working with Liz was very important to me. I am a wedding photographer and I have rosacea and didn’t want to worry about my skin and of course wanted to look great for my photos. Liz put my mind at ease about the redness of my face. The trial was fun and I felt completely comfortable giving her feedback. She was fantastic to work with and I recommend her to all of my brides. I felt flawless and fabulous!!” – Leah
“After a very bad makeup trial with someone else, I had given up and decided to do my own makeup. My photographer, though, strongly recommended Liz and I am so glad I gave her a try. Liz’s makeup is flawless, she is a natural at putting everyone around her at ease and she really listens to her clients. I was married during the July heat wave – outside – and my makeup was flawless the entire day! Me & my bridesmaids aren’t normally makeup people & were nervous about looking too ‘done’ but the makeup looked natural and each of us were incredibly pleased with our look. I would recommend her to anyone!” – Sefira
“Liz was really sweet, personable and so easy to work with. She also made you feel so comfortable which is really important. You could tell from the moment you met her that she knew exactly what she was doing and that she loves her job : ) She was also very accommodating when it came to scheduling our trial since I had to fly up from Florida and only had a specific date in which I could do it. She really did an amazing job, everyone looked beautiful! I would highly recommend her to anyone.” – Laureen
“Liz came highly recommended & I knew it would be a match as soon as I met her. She asked how I wanted to look, and even though I did an awful job of explaining, she went to work, and afterward, I sighed with relief, looking at my own reflection in the mirror. She made me look like ME! (except slightly enhanced) I knew I could trust her the day of the wedding. She did such a wonderful job with all my girls and moms. Everything was very natural, meaning they were recognizable. Liz has a real eye for what looks good on people, and is very trustworthy. I had an all day wedding and the makeup stayed put all day, dancing and crying and all!” – Melissa
Book Written by Liz Washer Makeup by Liz Washer www.bridalbyliz.com Photography and Design by Michelle Girard Photography & Design www.michellegirard.com