Made Up

A couple weekends ago, I had my makeup trial with Savannah's famed Jules of Dollface by Jules. I had a blast with Jules who is a bride-to-be herself. She's super stylish and very easy going. I know she'll provide some comic relief and much needed calmness to my big day while getting ready.

These photos really don't do her work justice. I had driven 4 hours that day straight from my home in Athens to the appointment in Savannah. When I got to the studio, I realized that my camera was dead and my mom had the charger. And if you remember from this post, I also had a bit of a crying fit before my camera was charged and I took photos of the trial results (hours later after sitting in my FSIL's house with a broken A/C!). So please keep all that in mind!

The overview. Kinda blurry but you get the picture.

Jules asked me what I wanted and unlike most brides, I let her use her creativity and just wing it. Because I model part-time, I've gone through several makeup appointments and was kind of sick of having to let the artist know exactly what they had to paint on my face. And no matter how many inspiration photos I bring in to an appointment, they never recreate my vision (even though the makeup was done nicely, it's just never done to my specifications). So this time I went in with no expectations. All I said was that I wanted a soft, romantic feel and I let Jules work her magic.

Before:
(Actually taken the next morning since I didn't get a chance to take a real before photo!)

After:

I loved the results and they lasted through hours of sitting in a very hot and humid Savannah condo (notice the "glow" on my clavicle)! I only had to blot with an oil sheet and dab on a light layer of blot powder to freshen up. My kind of upkeep!

Geez...I've gots a huge honker!

I think I'm going to ask for a little more of a light pink on my eyelids instead of purple. In my experience, purple seems to be the "go-to color" for MUA's to use on people with brown eyes. She's also going to add false lashes the day of the wedding to really help my eyes pop!

Cheesing it cause I'm happy!

Good lawd it's hot in heeerrrrree! Like my lace fan? :)

So whatcha think? Any suggestions? Have you done your makeup trial yet or are you waiting until the last minute like I did?

MACaholic: My Beauty Routine

I've only just begun to start scouting out potential hairstylists and makeup artists for my wedding. Is that bad? I'm under 2 months and haven't come close to finalizing my look. Not so much as even a trial yet!

The good news is that I have been paying more attention to my skin care routine. I drink lots of water and try to keep my diet low in sodium, wash my face in the morning and before going to bed, go light on the makeup (just foundation, mascara, and tinted lip gloss on a daily basis), avoid picking at blemishes (that's a hard one for me but luckily my lack of nails due to stress biting makes me give up quickly anytime I try), and I've been working on getting more sleep. I wish I had the money to splurge on facials and spa treatments, but instead I'll just have to continue "splurging" on my biggest makeup addiction: MAC cosmetics.

I was first introduced to MAC when I began modeling part-time. My makeup artist (MUA) worked exclusively with the brand. I had never had my makeup professionally done before and the MUA worked absolute wonders on me:

Photo by Matt Polsfuss

Ever since, I have been hooked! It didn't help that my matron of honor briefly worked at a MAC outlet and used her 50% discount off the already lower than normal prices to help me stock up. Or the fact that models can fill out a pro card through MAC for 40% off their products!

Any time I needed my makeup done professionally for something in front of an audience or camera, I would book an appointment at my local MAC counter. The best thing about MAC is that it's definitely meant to be "shown off". It is heavier than most makeup you find in drug or grocery stores so it's perfect for pageants, modeling, stage performances, or on-camera reporting! ;)

My skin is by no means naturally flawless, so I need heavier coverage to hide blemishes and unevenness in tone, especially when I'm reporting.

Even MAC* knows we live in a different world now where cameras pick up EVERY imperfection.

Although buying a department store brand is definitely more expensive than its drug store counterpart, it is totally worth it! My MAC seems to last way longer than other brands and my skin always looks flawless when I wear my favorite foundation from them:

During the winter when my skin gets a little drier, I usually switch over to their liquid version of Studio Fix or use the Studio Tech creamy powder.

Studio Fix Fluid

Studio Tech

But normally, my skin is a hot mess of grease. I could fry onion rings on my forehead every time I run a fever because my skin is so oily. Don't believe me? Check this out!

Soon after showering and applying makeup to go see Madonna in concert a few years ago:

After the concert, looking slicker than a greased pig:

I just about barfed in my mouth looking at that photo and realizing I'm sharing it with the hive. Yuck.

I can't believe it took me so long to catch on to the fact that I looked so gross with pure cooking oil dripping off my face. So if any of you girls out there have the pesky problem of oily skin, take notes!

To ward off the shiny face, I use an oil-free cream cleanser every time I wash my face. I used to be drawn to the foamy cleansers thinking they'd dry out my face, but that's exactly what you DON'T want. They dry out your face and send it into shock, so your pores produce even MORE natural oil to compensate for the loss. So cream cleansers are the best way to wash your face! My current fave is this:

Source

And I never forget to use moisturizer! It's the same concept as the cream cleanser. You want to hydrate your face so it doesn't have to! I only use my moisturizer at night. Current fave:

Source

Before I put on any makeup, I dab a light layer of MAC's Prep & Prime on my face. It absorbs oil and helps makeup go on smooth and last longer. It even has SPF 50 sun protection built right in!

For touch ups throughout the day, I carry two essential products. First up, oil blotting sheets. They are truly a godsend and will definitely be in my bridal clutch!

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And after the sheets I apply a little bit of blotting powder:

Now I no longer look like I melted butter all over my face when I go out! Yay!!!

I will definitely be picking a MUA for my wedding day based on who works best with my very difficult skin. I've thought about getting my makeup done for the wedding at the MAC counter, but the only time I've ever had makeup done there for a non-modeling event, I wasn't too happy with the results. So I'm keeping my options open.

Do you have a favorite line of makeup? Does your skin type or occupation dictate what type of makeup you wear?

*All photos of MAC makeup found at their website.