Inspired by This Makeup Giveaway!

Are you in the midst of planning your wedding, checking off items on your long to do list of vendors and decor details?  Is a makeup artist on that list!?  If not, it should be!  You want to look and feel more beautiful than ever on your big day and that person will be your best friend in that process.

Danika Lamb from Artistry by Danika is one of our favorite makeup artists in the Southern California area and today she has some great tips for all of you!

Prep Your Skin
When your skin looks good your wedding day makeup will look EVEN BETTER!  Here are a few easy ways to start prepping your skin for the big day.

1. Invest in a good eye cream.
The skin around the eyes is very delicate and needs special attention.  If not taken care of properly, it can make you appear run-down and dehydrated..not what you want on your wedding day!  I like Arcona’s Peptide Eye Serum.  Applying this day and night will help to de-puff and hydrate.
2. Exfoliate
I cannot tell you how much of a difference it makes to exfoliate!  Your makeup will go on so much smoother, as well as look dewy and more radiant.  Not all exfoliants are made equally, so make sure you choose a quality product that is suitable for your skin type.  One product I swear by is Kate Somerville’s ExfoliKate.  It contains a mix of yummy smelling fruit enzymes and very gentle beads that will make your skin glow for days!  I suggest using a product like this 1-2 per week as well as the night before your wedding.
3. Moisturize
Use a moisturizer suited for your skin morning and night.  Two that I like are Yon-ka’s Pamplemousse and Kate Somerville’s Nourish Daily Moisturizer.

Wedding Day Makeup
On your wedding day, you should look like yourself, but better!  If you are hiring a professional makeup artist, make sure you inquire about a makeup trial so you can perfect your “look” prior to the big day . By doing this, you really take away any worries about what your wedding day makeup will look like.  If hiring a pro isn’t in your budget, try asking a makeup savvy friend, or start practicing on yourself so you can get comfortable with the idea of doing it on your own.

My Seven Makeup “Must Haves”
There are just certain items that I cannot be without when I’m working on a wedding!  Below I have listed them!
1. Lashes! I love Ardell’s individual flares as well as their strips.
2. Armani and Temptu foundations.
3. Laura Mercier’s Translucent Setting Powder.
4. Revlon’s Colorstay Ultimate Liquid Lipsticks.
5. Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion.
6. Laura Mercier’s Secret Camouflage.
7. Buxom blush in Euphoria and NARS blush in Orgasm.

Don’t Forget Your Brows!
A lot of brides get so wrapped up in their hair and makeup, that they forget about their eyebrows.  The brows in my opinion are SOOOO important!  They really frame the face and can change an entire look depending on the shape.  If you have too heavy and thick of a brow, I would suggest seeing a pro to trim and shape them.  Doing this will really open and lift the eyes.  If you have very thin brows and want to grow them in, try using a product such as Lattisse.  Yes, this is made to grow longer lashes, but it also works wonders when applied to the brows. Once you establish your perfect shape, try adding just a bit of brow powder with an angled brush to enhance the overall shape.  Laura Mercier makes a really nice one called Brow Powder Duo that comes in three different shades.

Now for the fun part…
Danika has decided to giveaway a session with her for your engagement photos!  If you live anywhere in between Orange County and Santa Barbara and want your makeup professionally done for your engagement photos, enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway