Wedding Blog

No offense, but in some of these pictures you almost look like you have a black eye…less with the eyes is a must, in my not-so-expert opinon. I LOVE the har, very beautiful and elegant! Good luck!

Honestly, don’t love the makeup either. At first I thought you had a black eye in the 4th pic She went a little crazy with the pink. I would tell her to keep your lid a bit more smoky, and stick to silver shimmery for the brow bone. Even blues/green bring out dark hair and eyes better than pink. Look at celebrity photos for brunettes and have her mimic those.

Also, I think it looks a bit sever because of your eyebrows. She seemed to bring the color all the way out to your brow, when she should have stopped where the eyelid is — maybe if the eyebrows were shorter?

Like your hair though

Yeah…sorry, but I have to agree. You look like you have a black eye, and she should be able to do more to cover your undereye circles and puffiness. The hair looks like something you could do yourself, and I do think it doesn’t “go” with your dress. Your dress is SO cute and fun and funky–that hair is kind of prommy and young. You have gorgeous hair and features, and this hair and makeup does not do you justice! Please know I’m not trying to be harsh to YOU but to your hair and makeup person for not doing her job very well.

I’m planning from long distance too (3000 miles) and I was not happy at all with my hair and makeup trial. I’m getting into town a couple days before my wedding and I’m going in for another–and another and another until we get it right.

PS its not the pink its the WRONG pink in the wrong places. It can work but you have to know how to do it…

I just realized you are the same bride who is the singer. Can you use the same makeup artist you used for your album cover?

Dear Ms. Onion
I just had my make-up trial as well, so I understand the concerns. My humble suggestion is to have your eyebrows professionally shaped. It is a bit of an expense to have them done, BUT well worth it. I highly recommend http://www.anastasia.net/cs/storelocator/
they have counters at a few select Norstrom’s. I think this alone w/ make your look more refined. Lastly, I think the eye color tones are off, too much red. I am confident she can meet your needs once you speak w/ her again=)

I actually love your hair, it’s very pretty. It is simple, but who says there’s anything wrong with that if it’s a look you love? I think an updo would also go great with your dress, but go with what you really like.

For your makeup, I agree with the other commenters that the biggest problem is your makeup artist did not do your eyes properly. She should use the right colour (and the right opacity) coverup underneath your eyes which will cure the dark circle problem that others have mentioned. I think if she tries to create a shadow above your eyelid instead of just uniformly applying colour from eyebrow down to eyelid, you will get a nicer and more natural look. Also - I hope you don’t take all the comments about not liking the makeup too personally, please be aware it’s purely a commentary on the makeup and not your face! I think you are gorgeous and you have GREAT cheekbones, make sure you use a bit more blush to highlight your cheeks. It will give you a glow that will still look quite natural but will really highlight one of your beautiful assets. (Plus, blush tends to fade so if it’s a bit brighter than you would like at first, it will probably end up just right after a couple hours.)

Wow, your dress is darling. And the shoes? Perfect for the look?

That said, I feel like you need to carry the look through with your hair and make-up. You have super long, gorgeous hair. It seems like the sky would be the limit with great hair ideas. Still, it really does look lovely in the pictures.

As for the make-up? I think the others have said it all. I know you can’t go back to the same place for another trial, but maybe you could get a make-up trial closer to home that you like and take those pictures with you for the real deal. That way your make-up person knows precisely what you want. Good luck!

Evening, Miss Onion! You must be a wee bit stressed right now - not fully confident with your hair/makeup trial and not sure how things will turn out day of. Hopefully you have a local Sephora to head to - show them these pics, your dress and ask them for a pile o’ tips. Take lots of pics. Communicate to your VT stylist what needs to happen when you get up there the next time - with the Sephora (or where ever works for you).

However, you my dear, are a gorgeous girl with amazing bone structure, strong brows (they are SO in right now) and killer brown eyes. Play them up! Visit a salon for eyebrow shaping - it will literally open your eyes and frame your face more than you ever thought possible. Try to visit someone who does just as much plucking (shaping) as waxing (removal).

I also have brown hair/eyes and love to use green, subtle purple or dark brown for eyeshadow/liner. (Pink is wonderful for cheeks and lips but never eyes!) A rosey brown (think Bobbi Brown, your coloring is right up her alley) lipstain with a light gloss over top that you can refresh through out the reception. The blush I’ve used for eons is “Apricot” by Bobbi Brown. If I really want it to stay I’ll use a few dabs of cream blush (BB again) then apply a dab or two of powder blush. It stays all day and all night. I’ve tried Nars’ “Orgasm” but I didn’t feel it had the same pigmentation and longevity that BB’s blusher does.

I also agree that your hair looks a little young, not sophisticated like your dress. This department I’m not as good in though!

Good luck and keep us posted!

how is pink a natural look? i guess the right shade would be ok but she used a matte bright pink from lashes to your brows. it makes you look kind of scary. It looks like halloween makeup.

i’d go for neutrals - lightly shimmery nudes, browns and maybe a touch of pink so you don’t look washed out.

and for a stronger eye to balance your full brows i’d go for a darker/more eyeliner and lots of mascara or even fake lashes.

I think that maybe a second makeup trial at a counter where they can show you how to apply is in order. The color doesn’t seem to fit your complexion.
As for the hair, it seems too simple and plain for the dress you’d be wearing. I’d have to side with other bees here and go with more of a old school ‘do.

completely agree with everyone else, the color is off and the hair is too plain. go for some sexier curls

Can I be honest Miss Onion? I think that you are one of the prettiest brides here on Weddingbee — and very naturally so! The makeup doesn’t complement this, though; I feel that it overpowers your lovely features and makes me look at the makeup and not at the what is underneath. You can definitely go with less — let your natural beauty shine through! I’d say maybe some darker shadow along the lashline only, gradually fading away to a pale highlight shade right underneath the brow, and no shadow underneath your eyes (or if any, just a tiny bit along the bottom outer 1/3 of the lashline). Also, maybe ask the MUA to try interchanging matte and shimmer shadows to accent the dimensions of your eyes — matte along the lashline and just a small bit of shimmer underneath the brow.

As for the hair, I think it is really up to you as to what style you want; you are going to look great however you decide to wear it. But, the style that I think of instantly when I saw your dress (I love it, btw!) was a classy sort of updo. That said, I still think you can do whatever you want here and look wonderful!

haha i think everyone already said it.. kind of looks like you have allergies.. sorry

Hi. I think your hair looks beautiful, but I’m inclined to agree with everyone about the updo. The dress is just so classic and you have an opportunity to show your pretty neck and shoulders. As far as the make-up goes, I am a beauty Consultant for Chanel and I think that with your coloring I would recommend going with some very neutral browns, golds, or apricots. Specifically I’m thinking of 2 palettes that we have first Spices and second variations. They are eye shadow quads. With your eye color, I would think that a more tawny palette would bring out the honey color in your brown eyes. I highly recommend making an appointment at one of the beauty counters in your local department stores for a consultation.

Before making the appointment walk around a check out the beauty consultants and find one with make-up that you like and ask them if you can make an appointment with them for a later date so they can teach you how to do your own make-up for the day. Be prepared to buy at least 3 items because that is the courteous thing to do. That way you can get the make-up you need and practice before the event and get really good at doing it yourself. Then you can customize the look.

Best of luck!!

Miss Onion:

Have you tried asking in the Vermont Knot boards? That’s how I’ve gotten recommendations for local vendors — from my local Knot message board. I went to graduate school in Vermont, but I don’t know anyone still there or I would ask for a recommendation!

By the way, I think the Heigl hair would just look so amazing with your dress!

Ms. Onion, a great website to get advice from is makeupalley.com. They have a variety of boards (skincare, makeup, and wedding!) and I know that the ladies there would love to help. If you post those pics, they’ll give you all sorts of great advice about colours and makeup.

If you want pictures, I’d advice you to flip through a bunch of fashion/beauty/bridal magazines and tear out pictures of looks you like. If you’re not a magazine junkie like me, your local library might have a bunch of magazines that you can browse through and photocopy looks that you like. Fwiw, I agree with another poster that a palette of peaches, browns, bronzes and golds would look really natural and flattering on you. Also, I would do a bit more on the lip (maybe a deeper colour or a gloss over the lipstick), as the current colour doesn’t do much to highlight your lips. Good luck!

ooooh I love the Katherine Heigl inspiration photo! That will look stunning.

I understand your frusteration. I’m getting married 5 hours away and I have had 2 make up trials and 3 hair trial because I just wasn’t confident in the stylists. Finally I found the right ones- but I had the same problems. I don’t wear a lot of makeup regularly or do much to my long straight hair and everything that they did didn’t look authentic on me.

I say if possible- go with a different stylist. I know it is hard. But that person didn’t do you justice. You are beautiful with great skin (that I completely envy) and someone should be able to make you look like a better version of yourself- not like you were playing dress up in your mom’s makeup. I know it is really frusterating- good luck!

I like the link to the Katherine Heigl picture - I think a style like that would look good with your dress.
I’m not a fan of pictures of me with my hair pulled back either, but they should be able to give you some volume on the top of your head with some kind of updo.

I know your frustration too! We live in central NJ but are getting married in Rochester NY (~330 miles away). I was able to squeeze in a practice hair session last time we were in town Memorial Day weekend… but I’m not decided yet on which style to go with! We practiced a couple… I wish I had time to see it again, but we won’t be up there until the week of the wedding.

I agree with what other people said too - You look very pretty in your pictures without a lot of make up. Maybe you can just do it yourself? Some kind of foundation/primer so you’re not shiny for pictures, then just some simple eye shadow/mascara/lip color.

I’m not a big makeup person either, so I’m just doing it myself.

I don’t wear any makeup in my regular life and I visited three makeup artists before I found somene who could make me look gorgeous but still like me. In the process, I figured out a few things that I think might help:

It’s vital to find the right foundation. I found a mousse foundation from Elizabeth Arden that is the *perfect* color for me. If you find one with the right color and texture it really does look like you have nothing on, just that your skin is even and perfect.

If you’re worried about too much on the eyes (I hate eyeshadow on me), false lashes are a great way to punch up the eyes without looking like you’ve caked on the makeup. They look really nice, not Tammy Faye at all.

I think pink looks lousy on me, too, so instead of blush the makeup artist I picked used a bronzer, just on the apples of my cheeks. It looks great and really natural.

It’s definitely worth visiting a few different makeup counters and trying things they suggest. Try Lord & Taylor on Fifth Ave: they are wonderfully not busy (I have no idea how they make money at that store, it’s always empty) so you can get advice without feeling rushed.

[...] sales ladies and see whose make-up I like. Then I will ask her to “make me up” as my make-up trial in Vermont was a disaster as you all saw. Then I’m going to run and get my hair trimmed (I’ve [...]

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