Top Wedding Day Beauty Questions Answered

September 30th, 2011

What Can I Do With Thin Hair? There are many beautiful wedding hairstyles out there, but it seems like most of the models have thick, lustrous hair that the average woman can only dream of. If you have the money, getting professional hair extensions is the best way to add fullness to your mane. If you intend to work only with the hair you already have, your stylist can add fullness by backcombing hair at the roots and curling it with a large barrel curling iron before pinning it into an updo (the actual hairstyle does not need to look curly, by the way). Opt for a headpiece which will not slip out of thin hair, such as a headband.

Can I Tell My Bridesmaids How To Do Their Hair And Makeup? In a word, no. Your bridesmaids are grown women, and should be trusted to do their hair and makeup in a tasteful and appropriate manner. Besides, the days of cookie cutter attendants are over; these days, they show their personal style with different dresses, unique bridesmaid jewelry, and eclectic bouquets. However, it would be okay for the bride to gently nudge her ‘maids into the desired direction. For instance, you could request formal hairstyles or glamorous makeup, but nothing so specific as an updo or smoky eyes and red lipstick. If you would like to give your bridesmaids a slightly more cohesive look, give them a pretty jeweled comb to wear that complements their unique crystal bridesmaid jewelry. Then let each one decide how to style her hair in the fashion that looks prettiest on her.

How Can I Cover A Tattoo? Oops – did you get a little butterfly on your shoulder during spring break in Florida while you were in college? Don’t worry – no one has to see it if you don’t want them too, even if you are wearing a strapless gown. There are a number of excellent products available which are specifically designed to cover tattoos. They are a much heavier makeup than regular concealer, and are usually available in custom blended shades. When applied properly, the makeup should not smear or get on your wedding dress. If you only care about covering your tattoo for the wedding ceremony, the simplest option is to wear a shrug over your dress.

What Do I Do About A Pimple? The stress of planning a wedding can unfortunately cause a woman to break out, just when she wants to look her best.  Use either a benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid blemish fighter. Look for a non-drying formula designed for adult skin. Cool compresses can help to diminish the size of the pimple, and concealer can cover the redness. If you wake up the day before your ceremony with a whopping zit on your forehead, the best cure of all is to run straight to the dermatologist for a cortisone injection, which will start to shrink the blemish almost immediately so you can look picture perfect for your wedding.

Pre-Wedding Beauty Secrets

August 30th, 2010

Secret Number One: Have your eyebrows professionally shaped. A pair of perfectly polished brows will give you that absolutely flawless look in your wedding pictures. On the other hand, scraggly brows will detract from even the most artfully applied makeup. Waxing, in particular, can leave redness, so have your eyebrows shaped a couple of days before the wedding.

Secret Number Two: Wear makeup! Seriously, no matter how natural and low key your everyday style may be, you need to wear makeup on your wedding day. This is not to say that you need to look like you are wearing tons of makeup, just that it should be there. If you do nothing else, use a sheer foundation to even out your complexion, use waterproof mascara to define your eyes, and put on a pretty kiss-proof lipstick.

Secret Number Three: Do not attempt to do your own hair for the wedding. This means seeing a professional for a really good looking highlights if you color your hair and having a professional style your hair for the wedding itself. Be sure to have a trial run before your wedding to make sure you and the hair stylist are on the same page. Bring along any accessories you will be wearing like your headpiece and Swarovski crystal earrings so the stylist can design a hairstyle that works with the rest of your look. Besides, if you have selected a really fabulous pair of Swarovski crystal earrings, you want to be sure that they are not covered up by your hairdo.

Secret Number Four: Get a paraffin manicure the day before your ceremony. There is nothing quite like dipping your hands in hot wax to slough away dead skin and make them baby smooth. By the way, grooms can also benefit from a paraffin hand treatment and a no-polish manicure. The guys who may be least likely to seek such a service on their own are often the ones whose hands need the most TLC, so it may be up to the bride to drag her fiance to the spa kicking and screaming!

The Latest Wedding Hair Trends

May 16th, 2010

The most recent bridal shows definitely presented a different approach to bridal hairstyles than have been prevalent over the last few years. The messy, tousled look is out, replaced by a much more polished and classic approach to styling hair. Personally, I am all for it, as the current hairdos are much more glamorous and pulled together than their beach-messy counterparts. With one of these chic new hairstyles, you will look every bit the gorgeous woman ready to get married, and the look will be just as appealing in your photos twenty years from now as it is today.

The polished chignon is the ultimate new bridal hairstyle. Classic, ladylike, and sophisticated, it will complement any wedding gown. The ideal way to do it is with a little bit of height on the top and the crown (very subtle and even, so you don’t look like you are wearing a Bump-it!). This softens the look and keeps it from becoming severe. A single large hair ornament is the perfect finishing detail for a chignon. Tuck a fresh gardenia into the side of it, or add some drama with a spray of feathers. Gorgeous!

A variation on the chignon is the intricate bun. The hair is sectioned before being formed into a large low bun shape. The sections can be braided or smooth, depending on how much hair you have. It is a very pretty style, as polished as a chignon, but a bit more youthful. The intricate bun would be wonderful for a youngish bride. Sparkly bridal hair jewelry tucked along one side of the bun is the freshest accessory. Either use a crystal bedecked comb or a cluster of crystal hairpins to complete the look to perfection.

Romantic styles are always lovely for brides. Medium length wavy hair looks fantastic when pinned back into a faux-bob style which brings to mind the Jazz Age. The hair is loosely gathered in the front, leaving enough draping to resemble the effect of a bob, then the rest is pulled back and pinned at the back of the head. It is a neat combination of a hairdo which is pulled back, yet has a fair amount of hair showing in the front. Try it with one of the 1920s inspired wedding gowns with beaded chiffon to look like the modern version of a glamorous flapper!

Wedding Hair Advice

March 7th, 2010

Every bride wants to look perfect right down to the last detail. One of the most important things to consider is the wedding hair. Getting fabulous hair on your wedding day starts long before the morning of the event, however. Learn how to get the perfect look with this helpful wedding hair advice.

There is an old custom that says when a woman becomes engaged she should begin growing out her hair. You know what? This is actually still great advice. The idea is that longer hair will allow you the most versatility for wedding hairstyles. Some of the popular braided buns and chic chignons require a fair amount of hair to work, so having long hair can prove to be an asset. Simple haircuts without a lot of layering are the easiest to put up.

Upon becoming engaged, an initial consultation with a great hairstylist is a really smart idea.  In the beginning, you should discuss your long range plans for your wedding hair. Early in the game is the best time to experiment with a new haircolor or to try out highlights for the first time. If your hair is usually permed or relaxed, discuss with your stylist deep conditioning options to keep it in tip-top shape as the wedding draws closer. No one wants to have frizzy or fried hair in their wedding pictures, after all!

As soon as you have selected your wedding gown, it is time to begin shopping for your bridal hair jewelry. The type of headpiece which you choose will have a major impact on the hairstyles which will work the best. If you have selected a set of hairpins, for instance, an updo will be a necessity to anchor them properly. You will want to bring your bridal hair jewelry to your wedding hair trials so that your stylist can plan around it.

A few final words of wedding hair advice…never make any drastic changes in the final months before your wedding. This is not the time to see how that cute little pixie crop suits you if you have always worn your hair long, nor is your wedding the best time to experiment with bold artificial haircolors. The best wedding hair looks natural, healthy, and timeless.