New Wedding Hairstyles & Makeup Trends

The two most requested wedding hairstyles from my brides are Eva Longoria's loose low chignon or Kim Kardashian's loose waves.  Below are some new makeup and hairstyles that will hopefully spark your interest to try something new. Higher up-dos are making a big comeback after many seasons of loose low chignons. And everywhere you look, the new trends point to color, color, color.  Of course we don't want to try bright yellow or electric blue shadows for our wedding day.  I always believe in choosing a timeless, classic look so that whenever you look back at your wedding album, you still love what you see.  

Pay attention to details, eyebrows should be within 2 shades of your hair color. Colored shadow as lower liner looks so fresh.

Try something new, go out of your comfort zone, the purple shadow below the bottom lashes enlarge the eyes without looking like a smudge.

Classic looks are timeless.

Braids and light makeup always have a youthful appearance. 

Fresh or faux flowers make a dramatic statement.

Loose & Romantic

Clean & Polished

Casual Boho feel but the rhinestones still make it dressy.

Classic look with a modern twist, colored eyeshadow as bottom liner.

Great styles for bride or bridal party.

Tiaras look best with a sleek up do. Red flowers make a big impact.

Higher up-dos are making a big come back after seasons of low chignons.
All photos courtesy of 25ans wedding hair & beauty Vol. 9

My favorite makeup tools!

The perfect makeup application requires the right tools. Just like painting and drawing, having the right brushes and medium can help an artist create better artwork.  In this post, I want to share some of my favorite tools and why I like them.  Starting with my favorites, Trish McEvoy brushes and Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge.  I love Trish McEvoy brushes for the simple reason that they work, they make applying shadow quick and easy.  Most eyeshadow brushes are flat, which takes repetitive application before you can start blending.  Trish McEvoy brushes are round and fluffy, and fit most eye shapes perfectly.  Their #29 blending brush works well because it is much shorter and slightly firmer than most blending brushes, it really concentrates on blending an area instead of pushing away the shadow.  #41 is great for applying shadow liner on the bottom of the eye.  I like using #55 for overall base color on the entire lid and for applying liquid illuminator on the cheekbones.  But my most  favorite brush is Trish McEvoy #45, it's the perfect shadow brush! Another reason why I love these brushes are because they are short, which makes them fit easily into cosmetic pouches. Next, I want to share with you the best sponge I've found, Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge. You may find this little magical puff online or at Target in the cosmetics section. It doesn't come with any directions on the packaging, which might be a little frustrating for non professional ladies who likes to wear makeup daily.  But here's how to use it. This sponge must be used damp.  Don't try to use it dry, it'll absorb all your makeup.  It's a magical sponge because you can use it for liquid foundation, then set your foundation with powder using the same sponge, you can even apply blush and shadow with it! Don't apply with a wiping downward motion like most people do with sponges.  Instead, this sponge is to be used in a stippling motion. Use the pointed side for nose and eyes area.  If you love makeup and all things related, you must've also seen or heard of the Beauty Blender.  It's a pink egg shaped sponge.  I've also tried the beauty blender but came back to Sonia Kashuk sponge because I like the shape of this sponge better, it's much easier to hold. When it comes to tools, I always suggest to splurge a little.  Take good care of them and they will last a long time.  

My favorite brushes! From left: Trish McEvoy Brushes #29, #45, #41 & #55

Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge, Bobbi Brown Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush, MAC Eyeliner Brush #11 & Stila Duo Shadow Brush #15

LEFT: Stila Blending Brush # 9, MAC Blending Brush #224 & Trish McEvoy Tapered Blending #29
RIGHT: Stila Shadow # 5, Makeup Forever Professional Fan Brush, MF Professional Eyebrow, MF Professional 14S & Shu Uemura 6 OB Eyebrow Brush

Face Brushes: MAC #187, Stila #8,  MAC #129, MAC # 130

Very Merry Mary

I had the pleasure of styling my dear friend Mary, who is the event designer, planner and owner of Very Merry Events for a web TV interview.  She had just moved into a new office space and setting it up as a darling studio.  It was a great morning as we chatted and laughed while I was styling Mary.  Big thanks to Chung Li of Chung Li Photography for capturing these fun preparation shots for us.

A Rose Garden Wedding~Sheryl & Norm

Sheryl and Norm have been dating for 10+ years and finally decided to tie the knot after Norm's mother passed away last year.  They are the sweetest and most fun loving couple I've met.  Super down to earth and kind, they decided to host an intimate wedding for their immediate family in honor of Norm's mother and the union of two families.  I had the honor of styling Sheryl at the charming La Rose Hotel in Santa Rosa and attending their wedding at the Santa Rosa Rose Garden.  Sheryl performed a lovely hula dance for Norm which was so touching and brought tears to my eyes.  Here are some gorgeous photos by Chung Li.
Photography Chung Li Photography
Hotel Hotel La Rose
Beauty JBeautique