Tips & 6 Products for an Awesome Wedding Face

I truly enjoy putting on makeup. I find it therapeutic. I also enjoy purchasing makeup and applying it to others' faces. Odd? Maybe. Awesome? Surely.

Regardless, my lovely sister-in-law entrusted her pretty face to me for her wedding day makeup application. I was seriously stoked to pull together a fresh makeup look for her. Natural but glowy and gorgeous.

Since I also put together my own makeup face for my big day, here are a three tips and six products for a gorgeous wedding face.

Tips:

1) Do invest in a really good base for yo' face. This includes foundation, concealer and powder. Trust me, the last thing you want is your face lookin' a different shade than the rest of your body. Not cute for memories. Check said makeup in various lights and with and without a camera flash!

2) Take a bit of a heavier hand on your eye makeup and blush. Not only is this so you look extra vibrant in photos, but as you hug, kiss and dance throughout the evening, makeup can and will wear off.

3) Unless you have a super themed-type wedding (black and white, New Years Eve, etc), keep your makeup neutral but with a punch. Super dark, kohl rimmed eyes or red lips are gorgeous, but it's tough to maintain those looks throughout the day. 

6 Products for an Awesome Wedding Face: Behold, my set of goodies!

Mascara
Makeup Sets

Product Review: Laura Mercier Oil Free Supreme Foundation, C

I was in love with Laura Mercier's original oil free foundation. In love.

But, unfortunately, sometimes good things must come to an end and a few months back a LM rep told me that their oil free foundation was going through a revamp. Before fully committing to a full size ($42 for 1 oz) version of the revamped formula, I strolled into Sephora for a sample. Said sample lasted me about a week, so I think it's safe to say I gave the new formula a fair shake.

Laura Mercier Oil Free Suprême Foundation

About LM Oil Free Supreme Foundation:

What it is: An oil-free foundation that gives skin comfortable eight-hour coverage and a naturally flawless look.

What it does: This oil-free, non-drying, lightweight formula glides on evenly on to skin and does not settle into fine lines. Its buildable coverage allows for moderate to full coverage, evening skintone while providing a soft matte finish.

What it is formulated WITHOUT: Synthetic Fragrances

My Review:

The Good: the color still rings true to the previous (original) Sunny Beige. Coverage is moderate - full and if you can blend the foundation with your face lotion/moisturizer, it can be a pretty good deal as it lasts quite a long time.  

The Bad: The new formula just doesn't blend well with my skin type. It seems a bit dry, a bit smudgy and effectively feels like it "lays" on top of my skin. Meh.

The Verdict: C overall. I truly wanted to like this LM foundation as much as the previous, but it fell short for me. I'm sticking with LM's tinted moisturizer for now.

Product Review: Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, B

Hi everyone! Up for review today is Laura Mercier's Foundation Primer. Here is the description at Sephora.com:


What it is:
A vitamin-rich, water-based foundation primer.

What it does:
Laura Mercier Foundation Primer creates a smooth, invisible layer that acts as a "buffer" to outside elements and expertly holds foundation. This water-based formula guarantees that your makeup stays fresh and color-true for hours. With vitamins A, C, and E added to protect the skin, Foundation Primer is oil-free and ideal for all skin types.

And now for my review:

The Good: It keeps your face makeup in place and fresh for quite some time. Not the entire day, but close to it. Also, I've never experienced any skin reaction or breakout with this product.

The Bad: It's a bit watery yet you do receive 1.75 ounces for $30. Nonetheless, I love Laura Mercier and I expect close to perfection. Overall, I've tried a few other primers and this one hits the middle of the road for me.

The Verdict: B, it's a decent primer with good-for-your-face ingredients. However, I won't be rebuying as I think Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer is much closer to perfection in my book. You get a bit less with Smashbox's product, one ounce for $36, but I use less as Photo Finish is a thicker, more substantial primer with better results. Plus, you can buy the jumbo for $49 (2 ounces).

So, that's my review!

Anyone have any great foundation primers to share?

PSA: Laura Mercier at HauteLook

Hey everyone! Just a quick PSA - Laura Mercier is available at Hautelook! Super discounted prices...they have some really great eye and lip palettes in addition to a ton of other goodies. I would act fast if your hoping to snag some goodies! Also, HauteLook is giving away a deluxe sample of LM's tinted moisturizer with every order...and that stuff is fabulous. Happy Shopping!

If you need an invite to HauteLook, click here!

Product Review: Physician's Formula Organic Tinted Moisturizer, D+ and a Better Option...

Product review time! Now, I really don't like to offer up not-so-stellar reviews, but I don't want any of you to waste your precious cash on craptastic products!

I was originally intrigued by Physician's Formula new organic wear line. I mean, what's not to love? I like organic, it's probably good for my face and the environment...and, hell, it was buy one get one 50% off. I'm a sucker for a new product and a deal. So I went for it and purchased the "Light to Natural" shade of their Organic Tinted Moisturizer.

First off, the smell is herby/medicinal. It's supposed to be lavender with other natural overtones, but I did not enjoy. I originally thought that if the product, color, and coverage were decent, I could handle the smell. Well, the moisturizer itself is super runny and the coverage just kind of sits on your face, i.e. I looked shiny and unnatural. Not hot.

So, I have a full tube of a smelly, runny product. The only bright spots are that, A) it's all natural, so I'm sure that's good in the long run and B) it had SPF 15. This one gets a D+ from me!

I will say, though, I'm a little biased as I think Laura Mercier makes the best tinted moisturizer. It makes your skin look nice and dewy and smells just peachy (not literally). The only issue with this option is that it's $42 for 1.7 oz. OUCH.

Looking for an in-between option? Splurge on Laura Mercier's oil-free foundation, which is $42 for 1 oz., BUT you can easily mix small amounts of the foundation with your daily moisturizer. I have done this for over one year now and this MUCH cheaper option looks just as good as the original LM Tinted Moisturizer.

What's your favorite foundation or tinted moisturizer?

Lovely Laura Mercier On Sale Now at Gilt.com

This just in...Laura Mercier cosmetics are on sale at Gilt.com! Many of the items are offered at a pretty deep discount!

I used all Laura Mercier for my wedding makeup, and I think LM offers some of best quality cosmetics out there. I especially enjoy their oil-free foundation, tinted moisturizer, concealer, lipstick and lip glace. Oh, and their brushes are great, in my opinion they rival Bobbi Brown and MAC.

Gilt actually has most LM items still in-stock (for now)! But get 'em while you can, I have a feeling most of the items will sell out quickly!

The Laura Mercier sale closes at noon EDT this Saturday, June 20.

If you need an invitation to Gilt, click here!