OK - so the sound of saving myself $150 and the risk of breaking out or looking like a clown is appealing to me. I'm getting the hang of the whole makeup thing thanks to all you lovely ladies so perhaps I can do my own makeup? (there will be a photographer so if I have to look at these pictures for the rest of my life....you know)

I'm getting married on May 9th in Las Vegas - outdoors at 5pm in the Red Rock Canyon. The only people there will be me, fiance and my two children. My dress is pictured below (just sketches). It is a true red satin with charcoal grey tulle showing on the one leg. Fiance is wearing a very rich navy blazer and jeans. My daughter's dress (also below) will be a charcoal grey silk and the flower in back will be red like my dress. My son is wearing a charcoal velvet jacket and jeans.

I'd like to look like myself but with maybe a little extra since it is Las Vegas (a little shimmery body powder perhaps?)!! Do you gals have any suggestions? I'd like to start now running trials and ordering any colors I don't already have on the way - not to mention perfecting my technique.

The dress is still being made and I won't have it for another 2-3 weeks but will post updated photos when it comes. Right now I have these funky gold open toe bootie things to wear but won't know for sure until I try them on with the dress - so maybe a hint of gold somewhere? I'd like to carry some navy or dark grey roses if that matters at all.





So, please - make me over!! I don't think I can come up with anything on my own. Also, should I apply everything a bit heavier for the photos?

Thanks again everybody. And feel free to tell me if I'm a total PIA!

I see no reason why you couldn't do your own makeup. I did my own makeup. What can I say? We were poor back then! Just keep in mind that in strong lighting, you'll need more makeup. You might want to ask your photographer for suggestions regarding how much/little makeup to apply.

I think doing your own make up is a great idea! At least you know what suits you as opposed to someone else interpreting their ideas and like you say, you'll have to look at the photos for a long, long time so you don't want to be lamenting the blush colour that you hated

I'm not much good at giving colour advice but wanted to say that your dress is *divine* swoons and your daughter's is so sweet. You are both going to look fabulous

I love your dress!! I did my own makeup for my wedding and I loved it.I do suggest lots of practice and take pictures of yourself in different lighting to see how you will show up on film.I think for pictures your skin is key.I really pampered my skin,didn't try anything new or crazy before hand,and I layered my makeup.I believe I used a tinted moisturizer,my own blend of coquilles,pure cover and my glissade.It sounds like alot but applied in the right proportions it looked great!
I think because your dress is so dramatic you don't want to compete but you also need makeup that stands up to your dress.It is also that important you feel pretty and comfortable.It is your day!!!!

A newbie can definitely do her own makeup!

When I got engaged, I always worn the same makeup every day -- foundation, concealor, and powder to hide the acne, pencil eyeliner (grey or brown only), and mascara. That's it! But I also wanted to save money for the wedding, so after I got engaged I started playing with eyeshadows and lippies (I still didn't try blush until after I was married though -- amazingly I didn't look like a ghost without blush in my pictures! lol) Since I also wanted a simple, "me but better" look, it turned out fine for pictures! Alas, I had not discovered Aromaleigh by that point though

I'm not always the best at offering suggestions for other people, but here are a few things that pop into my head...

I love a grey smokey eye with red clothing -- it doesn't have to be dark and black, you can go more subtle if you prefer! My favorite colors for a grey eye are Chantal in the crease (and blended up a bit above the crease, nice and smokey) with Prim Tweed on the lid. Chantal is one of Aromaleigh's warmer greys so if you want a more neutral or cool look you can sample other colors too

If grey's not your thing, you can also do a lovely brown eye -- either cool and smokey, or warm and bronzey/coppery (perhaps with a gold highlighter? I love gold + bronze/copper), whatever you prefer, it all looks great with red in my opinion!

For blush, I can't help but reach for Corset every time I wear red! Corset is an amazing color that looks good on almost all skintones, warm and cool alike If you find Corset to be too bright and/or too shimmery, then just apply a light dusting of Voile/Glissade or a finishing powder on top to tone it down!

Lippies are the hardest to recommend for me, perhaps because I am super picky about lippies and feel like only certain colors look good on me So I would just sample whatever appeals to you .... however, I would recommend coordinating your blush and lippie. The two don't have to match exactly, but I do think it looks best if they are in the same color family (e.g. both warm or whatever).

I do think that with your high-contrast look, dark hair, and bold red dress, you can pull off some bolder makeup for your wedding -- if you go too natural you might end up looking a bit washed out or just "blah" as Bridget mentioned on another thread!

Oh yeah,forgot to mention the smokey eye.I did mine in browns(as GirlGeek mentioned)with some shimmery bronzer,peachy blush(it was summer)and a peachy lip.It wasn't quite a smokey eye.I think I actually used a black gel or liquid liner and some pretty bronzey shadows on my lid.And lots of waterproof mascara!

Remember to use colors that flatter YOU, instead of trying to wear whatever's the hot color of the moment. You'll want to look back on your wedding photos in 10, 20, 30 years or more and say "wow, I really looked beautiful" instead of "what was I thinking?"

You want to be the focus, not your makeup, but that doesn't mean you can't have some shimmer and a pop of color. Just practice, take pics, ask friends (the ones that'll be honest, not the ones that'll say it looks great if it doesn't!), and you'll find something you love. There's so many great AL shades that will work wonderfully, have a nice shimmer, but not be overwhelming.

Brianna and Armywife - thank you! I've always wanted a "me" wedding. My first one had to be all about everybody else.

Girl_Geek - I love your idea about a smokey eye but using grey. Of course, I don't have either of those colors, but am placing an order today thanks to that new 25% off code! LOL I'll start practicing and see what works best.

Cin - thanks for chiming in! Yes, I don't typically do what's in and now so that wouldn't be good. I just was worried about looking to blah in the photos, etc. I'm laughing now thinking of me and all my practice sessions - going off to wrk or the market with my smokey eyes! haha And last time I was in Vegas I did pump up the volume a bit with my clothing, etc. But not so much because it was Vegas, but it's what I like but can't get away with at my age in my small town. It's nice to let go once in a while!

Since I'm not a makeup queen just yet, I do appreciate the color suggestions. I'd be more likely to say - hey, I'm wearing red so I must do red, you know? Maybe I can even tie in some navy to bring out Chris' jacket and contrast all the other greys.

And Drew - thanks for the advice. I may pop my photographer a quick email to see if she has any suggestions as to what would not do well in photos.

Assuming that the dress is your best red (and I think it is!), I second the suggestion of Corset pure rouge for your cheeks. Apply it with a fiber optic brush for a sheer, natural-looking application.

quote:

Originally posted by Drew:
Assuming that the dress is your best red (and I think it is!), I second the suggestion of Corset pure rouge for your cheeks. Apply it with a fiber optic brush for a sheer, natural-looking application.

Good point, I forgot about the Fiber Optic brush, it is awesome! I use the Fiber Optic brush for all my blushes now, but I'm still so darn pale (and Corset is a bit more shimmery than I prefer with my oily skin) that I still dust a little Voile on top of Corset to make it more wearable for me

For that matter, the Fiber Optic Ultra-Cute Brush is also a great way to get a smokey/well-blended eye! I often apply my crease color with a "regular" eyeshadow brush, then use the Ultra Cute to apply a sheer layer of crease color along the edges of where I already applied it -- it ends up looking blended and smokey even though I didn't actually do much blending!

Thanks! I just put Corset and the blush brush into my cart. I have been using the ultra-cute for 2 days now and really like it for blending everything together.

I've looked at Corset before and always thought it would be too much - so at least now I have time to sample and then if I like it, order a full size.

A fiber-optic blush brush is your best friend!Especially if your not used to wearing blush or you are trying a bright colour and want to go more sheer.

How exciting! I love the fact that your dress isn't white I think a smokey I sounds just perfect. I def. agree about a reddish blush like Corset (b.c. a pink might clash with the dress, and you want the blush to stand up to the dramatic coloring of your dress. Def. use a fiber optic brush!). I wouldn't reach for a straight red lipstick though. It could easily clash with the dress, and might look like too much with the smokey eye and reddish blush. But how about a deeply colored lippie (but one that won't clash, suggestions anybody? I am pretty clueless about reds) with a gold gloss over it? If you are going to cary navy roses (you can get those??) you could do your smokey eye with a tough of blue. Hmmm, I think Miss K posted a picture of a smokey eye like that a while back. But I def. think a gold gloss would really stand out great over a medium to deeply colored lippie and with a satin dress. Hopefully Bridget will come by. She is great at suggesting makeup and whole outfits!

Oh, if you think Corset is too much, I would stick to neutralish blushes and lippies. That way they harmonize with your dress (which if it is true red, should be neutral).

Thank you Horselover! I love non-traditional dresses myself (well, obviously). LOL

I LOVE the idea of the gold gloss - and I will steer clear of a true red lip color - I don't particularly care for that anyway. Where would one get a gold gloss?

I will do a search for that smokey eye with the blue in it - I really like the sound of that! I'll check corset out when it comes (just ordered it now) and work from there. I think the lip will be hardest to come up with as well. Hopefully Bridget will comment.

Just a random little tip, sometimes lighting can make you washed out, so talk to the photographer and say that you're using mineral makeup. You might want to dust a very very light conventional powder over everything, to prevent that, and be sure to lightly powder your neck and chest to make sure it photographs the same. You will want to put on a teensy bit more makeup than usual, but not really caking it on. Just if a blush or shadow looks a little bit too intense, not super, but just tad, that's fine.
Tapestry is a wonderful shimmery gray! Also, ebony if applied lightly is a nice gray. Butterfly and fume are very shimmery pretty silvers, but too much shimmer could be overboard. The fiberoptics brushes rock! Also, if you want to, look into finishing powders. I would not recommend metamorphisis for this, as it tends to show up very very pale in pictures, which isn't bad, just you don't want your face looking too light. AL has amazing lipsticks, I suggest you try them. Fling is a slightly darker reddish brown, but not overwhelming. Melincholia is a gorg wine colored lipstick. Perfect is a very pinkish shade, might be a tad too neutral. Notorious would be wonderful on someone with warm toned skin. The elemental lustres and the opulent lustres have wonderful gold shades, and sunshine is a very bright yellow that you could apply lightly. For a navy, I haven't tried any, although I love navy on me, so let me look. Swank is described as navy, Drama blue could work as a liner, as could scuba dive(gel). Midnight is also a navy. Tide or lagoon could work. I would suggest a navy liner,gray eyeshadow, red blush/lipstick. Perhaps mix some white into the eyes somewere to brighten them. Also, use a good mascara, and condition your lashes before hand, for a few days(I like to use olive or coconut oil, just a few drops after removing eyemakeup, but check to make sure that you're not breaking out from it.) Practice a lot beforehand, look up ways to apply it online.
Now for a shimmery body powder... There is opal, moonlight, gilt, the perle powders, and the twilight powders. I have yet to try any of those.
You'll look wonderful!

If you can't find one at a drugstore or w/e(check sephora. Do you have allergies to most makeup? If so, making your own can be the best option here.), I suggest you try mixing a gold or yellow pigament mixed with a clear lipgloss.

Thank you Staci. This is terrific advice. I will play with teh colors you mentioned (I think I have most of them) and see what works/doesn't. I'm so glad you suggested doing my neck and chest as well - I did not think of that and being the dress is strapless - well, you know.

I do like the idea of doing my own makeup - I'll be more likely to look like myself I think.

And I had no idea gold gloss existed. I'm usually not allergic to lip items.

NUTChick (oops), your dresses are so pretty! I have done makeup for several people getting married and ladies in the wedding party. I use Aromaleigh and get great natural looks. It has been a while, but for weddings, dance and graduation photos I used Illusion Illuminating Perle Powder ever-so-lighly dusted on all of the gals faces after their moisturizer sets and before applying anything else. It just gives a glow from within that works with nearly every skin tone. Glissade and Voile photo beautifully. Anything with glitter will be risky because you may actually see white sparks instead of a nice glitter due to the camera flash. Shimmers applied heavily wash out. A young girl who applied her own makeup went heavy with a gold shimmery eyeshadow that glowed quite un-naturally distracting from the rest of her face.
It is good you are practicing with different looks and you might want to have the photographer take some pictures of you in different colors and finishes to compare (if this is at all possible).
I am struggling with the smokey eye for some reason. I prefer a fresh brighter eye with your features. Maybe use a little peacoat as a liner or in the very outer edge of your crease to tie in the color of the grooms jacket. I am concerned a grey might make you look tired.
I have used a bright or medium pink matte in the crease going up close to the browbone and a darker color to define the crease a bit (smokescreen? or a brown) which gives a fresh open eye look.
You will certainly know when you "see" what is best for yourself with practice. Best of luck. Kathy