Makeup Tips for an Engagement (or Bridal) Photoshoot

I have often been asked what makeup I wear for my wedding and what sort of makeup look best on brides for engagement and wedding day shoots. I really hope this post is somewhat helpful to those who are looking for hints on how to look their most beautiful self for engagement portraits. With the exception of the hairstyle, I think that these tips can be useful for bridal makeup too.

I guess the most important thing to note here is that makeup is absolutely essential for these shoots unless you have flawless skin. I made the mistake of NOT wearing any AT ALL except for eyelashes and while my eyes looked pretty, my skin did not. The camera picked up every.single.flaw and it was such a bad decision on my part that I am still kicking myself for it.

The following recommendations are based on creating a radiant, fresh faced and in-love look. I don't think an engagement shoot is the best occasion to be adventurous with makeup.

Foundation

Now, the perfect foundation for your engagement portrait may not be your favourite everyday foundation. I suppose this depends on the level of coverage your skin usually needs though. I prefer a more sheer, dewy foundation for every day. For a portrait session, I recommend that you find a foundation that provides flawless coverage and a gorgeous luminous quality to the skin. You want to look like you are glowing from within :)

My foundation recommendations are listed below, please note that these are foundations I have tested and loved. You may find something you already have in your stash that fits the bill just as well...

- Chanel Mat Lumiere : this is medium coverage, and I don't need as much concealer for my spots (I get them regularly, unfortunately). It is very long lasting, oil free, and gives my skin a very understated, subtle glow. The finish is velvety and a setting powder is not recommended. It will make your skin look too matte/dry and therefore, unnatural. It looks brilliant in photographs on its own, and probably more suited to elegant and urban-type engagement shoots.

- Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation : I find this to be a great sheer - medium (buildable) foundation that makes your skin look better. More fresh, more even toned, while still looking very very natural. This foundation is perfect for a more fun or outdoorsy photoshoot, or when you just want to look like yourself. Also oil-free and supposedly non-comedogenic (don't quote me on that though!).

- Laura Mercier Silk Creme : Its no secret that I love love this foundation very much. It never makes my skin break out (oil free), and when applied as part of Laura's Flawless Skin method, it is fail-proof. It is a creamy, easily spread foundation that offers high coverage. What I love most is that it matches my skin perfectly and it is a very dewy foundation. Translucent powder is necessary to set and while I find that this foundation transfers quite easily, it is worth the trouble for the amazing result it gives. I wore this foundation to the latest photoshoot I did with dearest hubby.

Foundation Base (optional)  

The best foundation base, if you choose to wear one, is Laura Mercier Oil Free Primer. It is simply the best to ensure perfect application of your base and extend its longevity. If you wear a good moisturiser, I absolutely think that you can skip this step. 

Eyes

This may be personal preference, but I think the eye makeup should be kept to a minimal. Perhaps some shading on the crease and a brightening colour on the lid. I do recommend that you wear eyelashes and some subtle eyelining to enhance your eyes. Refrain from creating a harsh line on your undereye by dotting a gray eyeliner pencil on your lower lashline. Lastly, I think it goes without saying that good curled lashes and mascara are a must!

Eyebrows

Enhance your arch slightly by placing light feathery strokes to fill it in and continue with the rest of your brows if necessary. Do not go overboard. If you want an example of overdone eyebrows, think Megan Fox. I don't know why but I hate her arch combined with the thickness and darkness of it. Sorry, Megan! For the record, I did not do my eyebrows at all for my shoot because I did not want to look too polished.

Blush

My favourite topic! The blush is very important in creating that radiance that we want. There are a few products that you can use to create radiant cheeks.

- Cream/Liquid/Gel Blush : I find that non-powder blush looks the most natural on the skin when blended properly. The only thing is that if you have spots on your cheeks, you will be required to spot conceal after cream blush application. If you are like me, you will not want to do this. Simplify your makeup routine and go for a powder blush. My favourite shades are Illamasqua Rude, Edward Bess Island Rose, and Becca Beach Tint in Watermelon.

- Powder Blush : Choose the best, least powdery blush you have in your stash. It needs to lay on the skin (well, foundation) naturally. Some of my favourites are Chanel Tweed Rose, Chanel Joues Contraste in Fleur de Lotus, Le Metier de Beaute Blush Kaleidoscope, Burberry Blushes (all of them are gorgeous!), Illamasqua Blushes and last but not least, Shu Uemura Glow Ons.

Remember that the camera washes out any colours so apply a touch more blush than necessary. 

Lips

Keep the lips simple and fresh. I don't think you can go wrong with the lipstick shade as long as you choose something that is close to your natural lip colour. A brightening lip colour that would be perfect for all seasons,like Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense in La Favourite, would be my pick. For my own shoot, I used LMdB's Aurora Lip Kit, because that was my traveling lip kit of choice.

Highlighting

A small amount of highlighting couldn't hurt, can it? I don't think its strictly necessary, but if you have any dark shadows on your face that may be picked up during the shoot, it might be best to conceal and highlight.

Personally, I love YSL Touche Eclat in #3, but makeup guru Lisa Eldridge swears by Clinique Airbrush Concealer. I believe the two products are quite similar, in that they provide sufficient coverage for undereye darkness and any dark shadows on the face while highlighting, which lifts your features, creating a more youthful appearance. A small amount of highlight powder to the high points on your cheeks would also create the same effect.

Final Notes and Advice

I only have a few more sentences in me to finish off this long blog post. This topic is something I researched thoroughly prior to my own wedding and I hope I helped someone today.

- Remember to have fun! This is what will come across on the photos when you finally get to enjoy it some weeks later...
- Hydrate your skin from inside and out. Drink plenty of water!
- Before you leave your home for the shoot, do a final check of your makeup. Touch up to make sure that everything is as perfect as possible. Your makeup will only get worse unless you plan on touching up throughout the day.

I will leave you with some images from my shoot in Canada. Hope you like it, and more importantly, I hope you like the makeup! ;)

Cindy

US Beauty Haul - Cindy went a little Crazy!

This is going to be EPIC. 

I will be the first to admit that I go a little weak at the knees at beautiful makeup. Can you imagine what my heart was doing when I saw the prices of the makeup-s in the US?? I was giddy!!

#drumroll#

A tarte 6-piece SMOLDER-eyes eyeshadow/liner set and MUFE eyeliner set.

Tom Ford Cognac Sable, Burnished Amber, and Shade and Illuminate in Intensity Two :D

Also picked up UD Vice Palette (still haven't played with this enough to review), BITE lip palette, and Guerlain Les Fauves.

Bought sooo many lip products this time round. The top row is three Revlon Lip Butters in Strawberry Shortcake, Cotton Candy and Peach Parfait, Mac Ruby Woo, Becca Ultimate Colour Gloss in Berry Twist and Fallen Angel.

The bottom row is YSL glossy stains in #7, #8, and #13, Lancome gloss in #321, Tom Ford Black Orchid, LMdB John Barrett Lip Creme, Coral Confection Lip Gloss and Bali Lip Gloss, BITE Beauty pencil in Scarlet.

Tarte Tipsy. My ONLY blush purchase. Nothing really grabbed me. I was really itching for Chanel Frivole, and I might finally cave soon. :D

And we have reached the miscellaneous bunch :) Caudalie face mist, UDPP, Essie Luxeffects in As Gold As It Gets, Chanel Malice (LOVE!!) and Chanel Peridot (also LOVE!!).
 

Hope you enjoyed this post :) I had a blast shopping in the US. I can't believe how cheap the prices are!! Please do let me know down in the comments section if there are particular items you want reviewed. I don't always review everything I buy even if I really enjoy using it (pure laziness).

Cindy

Collection Roundup - Le Metier de Beaute Eye Kaleidoscopes (Part 2)

Okay, so I may have taken a while longer to compile Part 2. I have had to actually compromise and take indoor photos since I rarely have time to take photos since my new job. That said, the pictures are colour accurate (at least to my eyes) so you can still use them as a point of reference if you so wish :)

Cherry Blossom

Cherry Blossom was a kaleidoscope that was released in a very small quantity and exclusive to one boutique. A friend of mine procured it and I was (and am) so glad she did! Its an amaaazing palette. The three top tiers are incredibly smooth and pigmented, without any powdery kick that is associated with soft eyeshadows. The brown liner shade is a little harder in texture, and a little sheerer than the rest. The result on the eyes is a springy, brightening effect with softly smudged lashlines :) Its a little hard to capture the layered effect since my skin is very dark but I assure you that it performs incredibly well under your preferred eyeshadow base.

Chinoiserie Azure

Mmmm Chinoiserie Azure. Mmm mmm mmm. This palette is so deliciously textured I could just eat it up. I love the vivid blues, though my favourite shade is that second tier. Its a greeny blue gold shimmery shade that is so pigmented that a light touch is required unless you want to overwhelm the other shades. When you wear this shade, you get a nice three dimensional blue that has amazing gold pearl shot through. 
 
Violaceous Splendour

Violaceous Splendor is my favourite LMdB palette of all time. No joke. Its not one I wear most often, but the quality and colour combination is just stellar. What I do is usually layer the top two tiers (the red a little lower and closer to the lashline), then dab the orange in the middle of the lid. The black to finish off on the lashline and a little dab on the outer V for depth. Violaceous Splendor is a shining example of bright matte eyeshadows done well. Urban Decay, please take notes. Creamy, smooth, pigmented with no fallout and no powdery mess. The pigments melt into the skin instead of sitting on top of it. SO many things to rave about really. This one is worth hunting down, peeps.

Modernist Merlot 

I have to admit, this pallete is a miss for me. I just don't get it. It will probably look OK on my lid since I am tan, but this palette layered is a muddy mess. I can't imagine what it would look like on someone with fair skin. If you have a different (positive) experience, please do let me know. Overall, this is too dupable to be worth the big bucks. Huge miss.

Devotion 

I feel amazingly lucky to have Devotion. The eyeshadow formulation/standard is on par with the superb Violaceous Splendor and Chinoiserie Azure. I cannot help but be amazed at how it swatches, and the fact that its soft without being powdery. How did they achieve this?? Devotion is a relatively old palette, and I LOVE that it has stayed in the fattier stage till now.

Northern Lights

 I don't like this palette at all. I can't get past how bad the first two shades are. Definitely not up to LMdB's standard and I had high hopes. I think it layers quite nicely but the colours (with the exception of the orange), aren't ones I would wear anyway but I gave it a shot in case LMdB decided to weave some magic in this one. Nope, too ordinary and not worth the trouble to make this work. I do know some people who like this palette a lot though, so maybe I'm just being difficult :P

   
Chauvet Pont d'Arc

This was the palette that restored my love for LMdB. I just find this palette so wearable and can easily create a soft smokey eye in 5 minutes flat. The teal liner shade is such a surprise! And, it is very soft to the touch and very pigmented. I need to be careful not to use too much pressure or it just crumbles. This shade is a little powdery (another surprise!) but its not unworkable.

Pallid Incandescents 

As much as I LOVE the idea of Pallid Incandescents for a colourful eye look, its much too light for me. It looks great layered together, but it shows up on my lid as a pale ashy blah colour unless I wear a strong base like UDPP. On pale ladies, however, its magical. See it in action here.

Out of the 8 palettes I have reviewed and swatched here for you today, I would definitely recommend Violaceous Splendour, Chinoiserie Azure and Devotion as the best palettes. All of these palettes are very very colourful though. For a more neutral palette, Chauvet Pont d'Arc is a nice choice that isn't super boring.  

From Part 1, I like Splendid Frost, Oscar de La Renta and Antiquite Poupee. Le Cirque would be a close fourth! :D

I would really love to have the full complete set of LMdB kaleidoscopes ever released but its a very far fetched dream. What I might do is ask my friends for their swatches and post it for you :) Let me know if this is something of interest. 

Have a good day!

xx Cindy

Collection Roundup - Le Metier de Beaute Eye Kaleidoscopes (Part 1)

This is going to be a long post, but if you are an LMdB fan or want to see a swatch heavy post, this is your lucky day! :P

LMdB Kaleidoscopes were once my obsession. They still are. I skipped on the recently released Nouvelle Vague collection but I think I might cave on Bauhaus. It looks interesting and hopefully not dupable. For a great review on this palette, check out Birkin Bag Beauty or Best Things in Beauty (my first resource for LMdB kaleidoscopes :)). If you are interested in the lip kit from this collection, head on over to see the review on my favourite beauty blog ever, Cafe Makeup.

Anyway, it looks like we will be having mild weather here in Perth today and I thought it would be a great chance to do a comparison post/swatch archive of all the LMdB kaleidoscopes I have accumulated through online purchases/swaps/custom purchases by my lovely friends in the US. 

I will list my kaleidoscopes below... This post is actually an excellent way for me to keep track without having to look in my "Kaleidoscope Drawer" and you guys can enjoy the swatches :D Kaleidoscopes listed in order of acquisition:

{Part 1}
- Splendid Frost
- Le Cirque
- Silk Road
- Penelope
- Oscar de La Renta
- City Girl
- Come One, Come All
- Antiquite Poupee 
{Part 2}
- Cherry Blossom
- Chinoiserie Azure
- Violaceous Splendour
- Modernist Merlot
- Devotion
- Northern Lights
- Chauvet Pont d'Arc
- Pallid Incandescents

Btw, I met Dustin Lujan in New York when I was over for my holiday. Oh my, he is a lovely one, and we are catching up for lunch when he visits (hopefully sometime this year!).

There are a few kaleidoscopes that I really would love to own, especially Aphrodite, Mediterranean Seas, and Smoldering Embarkment. Also within my collection, there are a few that I really could do without; Northern Lights (blah), Modernist Merlot (a little muddy on me but when my skin is tan, it is ok), and Cherry Blossom (I only got it for the green shadow lol...) 

Please note that for all my swatch photos, I did not use the flash so the shimmer and sparkle will not show. The shadow finishes will be noted next to the swatch instead.

Splendid Frost

This is the first kaleidoscope that I swapped for and remains my favourite (initial review here and tutorial here). There is something about the colour pairing that suits my skin and lights up my face everytime I wear it. I would have got a backup of this if it was still available at the time. I believe this palette sold out like hot cakes as soon as Messy Wands published a post about Vintage Kaleidoscopes. My review on this palette stands, eventhough my collection has grown considerably. It is simply the best. 

My favourite palette (not just kaleidoscope) of all time. Love love love it.

Le Cirque

This palette is taupe heaven. Oh my gosh, I got this shortly after Splendid Frost and I decided to take it on holiday with me to Indonesia. For two weeks straight, this palette is the only one I wore on my eyes. It is amongst the most used palette in my collection. I have to use this with restraint because I don't have a backup and I will really be sorry to not have this around. Will the kaleidoscope fairy shine upon me and grant me another Le Cirque please? :)

For my initial review, click here.

Silk Road

Oh, I die for this palette. Specifically, the first two tiers. The third plummy colour seems to make this look a little too bruisy for my taste but used in moderation, it gives beautiful depth. I have a soft spot for golds, and the gold in this palette is stellar. Just... amazing. The last shade is harder to the touch but it performs beautifully as a liner.

 

Due to the intensity of the colour and the saturation of shimmer in the layered look, there are few occasions where I could actually wear this confidently. Definitely not one I can wear to work (unlike Splendid Frost or Le Cirque) but it is SO beautiful. Also, I prefer to wear this in the traditional way with lid, crease, outer v and liner placements instead of the couches de couleur method.

   
Penelope

Penelope is another beautiful palette. The overall textures are so smooth, I think the best out of the bunch of eye kaleidoscopes that I own. I am not a big fan of the lavender in this palette though (and by that, I mean layered in the couches de couleur technique) but on its own its a great colour. What I love about this palette is the combination of finishes. It has two satin finishes and two shimmery finishes, which are my favourite eyeshadow finishes to work with.

In terms of texture, eventhough the LMdB shadows are really smooth and finely milled, I believe Burberry is still best in class in this category. However, Burberry loses out in terms of pigmentation, lasting power and selection of colours. 

 

Oscar de La Renta

I have previously reviewed this palette here and also did a FOTN here. This was my first eye/lip kaleidoscope and I loved it. I love the blue-based red lip creme and I love the fact that a highlighter is included. The pink eyeshadow is extremely flattering and the navy teal shade is so gorgeous as a liner. I might be slightly biased though, I do prefer navy colours to line my eyes :)

This palette is the most luxurious LMdB palette ever (and the most expensive). The smooth, buttery texture of the powder products in this palette reminds me of Burberry's infamous texture, but it has the added bonus of terrific pigmentation. The combination of the red lip and a blue liner just ticks every box for me. I think you can create a whole look just with this palette and a good base makeup. Note to self: next face of the day post with under five products?

City Girl

My lovely friend (and fellow LMdB fan) Anthea informed me that Hong Kong LMdB has released their own kaleidoscope and I reviewed it here.

Having owned a few kaleidoscopes already at this point in time, I was a little disappointed to find a few dupes in the kit. The layering of the four shades create a very light, shimmery colour for the eyes that is very easy to use.

Come One, Come All

This is the palette that started to create waves for LMdB (in a not so good way). This kaleidoscope is also known as the dupes palette. Three of the colours in this kit are repromotes (different shade names in the promo, of course) and a lot of LMdB fans were not happy about this at all, especially for a palette that costs $95 dollars a pop. The only original shade, whose originality will indeed be investigated later on in this piece, is the first tier - a satiny peachy pink.

Eventhough this palette had so much bad press surrounding it, I cannot deny that this is a palette that is superb in quality and the couches de couleur technique produces one of the most beautiful gradation of colours. Its a peachy pink-taupe-plum-browny version of heaven. AMAZEBALLS.

Antiquite Poupee

Ahhhh... my FIRST Dustin Lujan creation! I loved this palette when it was released. I was wearing it so much that I actually had to stop myself from reaching for it so that I don't run out within a few short months. My initial review can be found here. I think my favourite thing about this palette is that you can use it to create a rosy smoky eye look, and I don't quite have anything like it in my stash at all.

The finishes of the first, second, and fourth tier are beautifully shimmery and just like the Oscar Palette, the eyeshadows are extremely buttery. The third tier (a scary terracotta red) is harder in texture and sheer, and I like it just fine as it is. I hope you have enjoyed my post and please stay tuned for Part 2.

xx Cindy