The Glam look is perfect for the Bride who wants to be red-carpet ready as she walks down the aisle. Here’s how to get this show-stopper look:

Intense Eyes
The eyes are the major statement maker in this bridal make-up look.

i).  Eyeshadow Primer
Always start off with an eyeshadow primer like Urban Decay’s Primer Potion, especially when you’re doing an eye that involves major shadow.  A bit of this magic potion (literally!) and your eye make-up will go the distance.  (Yes, for a girl with oily eyelids, that’s indeed magic to me!).

ii).  Gel Eyeliner
Start off with a long-wearing liner like Bobbi Brown’s Gel Eyeliner.  Using an angled brush, line around the eye (just as you did the Sultry eye).  Again, don’t worry about making this line too perfect, as we’ll be blending over it…but do make sure it’s tight to the lashline so there are no gaps between its placement and your lashes.

ARTIST TIP:  Doing your eyeliner in the very beginning  of your routine also makes it easier for when you apply false lashes later. This way you can easily push the eyeliner right into the lashline with no obstacles – this usually becomes more difficult to accomplish later, once the false lashes and glue are in your way (and especially if false lashes aren’t placed tight enough to your natural lashline – it happens, but this will help hide it!).  Getting liner right at the lashline also helps camouflage the false lash band, making sure there are no gaps of skin showing through.

iii).  Eyeshadow
Next up, the fun part…shadow!!!  Too Faced’s Naked Eye Collection is the perfect little palette of eyeshadows to get just this look.

The palette also includes 3 how-to cards for different looks ranging from natural to smoky:

For our Glam bridal look, the Fashion how-to card from the set shows us how to achieve maximum drama.

For the mid-tone shade (step 2 above), you can use either Lap Dance (a silvery taupe shimmer) as suggested or if you prefer a matte texture, use Like A Virgin (a matte taupe) with the same placement.  If you prefer something with grey, use Unmentionables (a steel grey shimmer) in its place.

The Glam look is similar to the Sultry bridal beauty look, but instead of softer browns, we’re keeping the look cool-toned – sticking to shades of taupe, grey and matte black for an intense smoky eye.

Note:  Since this is a smoky eye look, you could very well use all black (just Stiletto) on the eyelid and blend.  I do prefer to use either a grey or espresso brown on the lid as the mid-tone shade (see above left).  Using lighter and different shades with black helps to add a softness and dimension to the eyes, and that’s more difficult to achieve when you use just any one colour!  It also makes for a more friendly daytime smoky eye – something to consider for the Bride.  Using a two-tone smoky approach will help make sure your eyes don’t appear as two black holes in your daylight photos, especially for ladies like me with smaller-set eyes.

Here are some Glam inspired bridal looks with artistrhi brides – you can see the amount of black eyeshadow used varies with the shape of the eye:

iv).  False Lashes
Now, because we’re working with such dark colours, our natural lashes might seem to disappear into the background.  To help bring them out, use a set of falsies to define the eyes and bring your lashes from out of the shadows.  I love Ardell’s Demi-Wispies and Fairies for just that effect.  They’re the right amount of length without looking too fake. I use Demi-Wispies when I want more volume + lengthening, and Fairies for when I only want slight volume + lengthening.

Finish with another line of Bobbi Brown Gel Liner so that the final liner application is polished and defined.  This also hides the band of the false lashes.  For the bottom of the eyes, use a small amount of gel liner but only on the outer third of the eye and blend it.  Taking the gel liner inwards too much on the bottom part of the eye can risk the eyes looking smaller.  Shadow’s ok on the bottom lash line, as it’s a lot softer and doesn’t harshly cut off the eye.  (Again, something to consider particularly for ladies with smaller set eyes).

Keep the rest of the look soft. 
Again similar to the Sultry look, the rest of the look is very neutral.  Use a pink beige gloss on the lips and bronzer on the cheeks.  I love that Jennifer Lopez always has such glowy skin, but over-shimmered skin doesn’t always translate well on a wedding day.  A bit of highlighter is ok, like a small amount atop the cheekbones, but keep it there or else you may not like the look in your photos.  For a natural dewy effect, just watch your powder placement and don’t overdo the matte.  Instead of going to town on powder, just lightly powder on the T-zone, around the nose and under the eyes.  Use a minimal amount of powder or even skip the powder on the tops of the cheekbones – let your skin’s oils do all the work for a naturally dewy effect…and you can always touch up later with powder should you find yourself too shiny.

Fully powdered or not, get ready to shine…in the good kind of way :)  With the Glam bridal beauty look, all eyes will definitely be on you!

Will you say yes to this Bridal Beauty look?

The Sultry Bridal Beauty look is for the Bride who wants to look like the best version of herself, but with focus on stand-out (and not overdone) eyes.  Here’s how to get this look:

Focus on Eyes

i).  Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Black Brown
Trace the eyes, top and bottom, with a long-lasting pencil eyeliner like Revlon’s Colorstay liner in Black Brown.  I’ve tried many a ‘long-lasting’ and ‘waterproof’ eyeliner in my lifetime, and this one by Revlon works just as well as ones by Make-up Forever and Urban Decay.  I opt for Black Brown to keep the look less harsh.  If you prefer the look to be more intense or if you have a deeper skin tone, then use a black eyeliner.
Note:  the line that you draw should be thick enough to see but tight to the lashline.  The line also need not be perfect, as you’ll be blending and layering eyeshadow over it.

ii).  Urban Decay Naked I Eyeshadow Palette
You knew the Naked palette was going to have a mention somewhere amongst these bridal beauty posts!  The Naked palette is a favourite of make-up artists and beauty bloggers, for its range of wearable neutral colours.  You can easily get a variety of looks – from natural to smoky – within this one palette.  Aaand, there’s more to love!  aka the value.  We’re talking 12 eyeshadow colours for $60, which is way better than buying all of these colours as individual products.

To get the Sultry eye, use a crease brush with one of the deep brown colours (either Dark Horse or Hustle) and layer over your pencil eyeliner. Smudge and blend the eyeshadow all around the eye. For the top part of the lid, focus application mainly on the eyelid and only slightly into the crease.

Next, use Naked as a transition colour and blend into the crease so any harsh edges (from the darker colour applied previously) have instead a soft, gradual fade.

Lastly, top it off with Virgin to highlight the browbone and again blend out any harsh lines from the transition colour.  See more below:

Note:  If you prefer more depth or something less brown looking, use the black shade Creep or the grey shade Gunmetal in the palette – the reflective metallic finishes of these eyeshadows help make sure the final result is not too dark or smoky.  Just use a tiny bit at a time and layer as needed for your desired intensity.  Less is more with this look!

Since you’re bringing major attention to the eyes, you’ll also need to make sure the areas that surround your eyes – your brows and the undereye areas – are in check!  The cult classic YSL Touche Eclat is the perfect brightening trick for pesky dark circles.  Use this brightener combined with your concealer for an instant pick-me-up…and no one will know you were up til the wee hours of the morning writing your thank-you speech!

ARTIST TIP:  Do your concealer after your eyeshadow so any eyeshadow bits that go astray are easy to clean up and erase.  It saves you from having to do double the work!

To top off the eye look, curl your lashes and add major jet-black volume with Benefit’s They’re Real Mascara (because our lashes often need a little push-up help too!) :)  I love the way the bristles wrap on the dome tip of the They’re Real mascara wand – it helps me get even the tiny hairs and helps keep my outer lashes separated and defined.

If the price is a bit of a beauty indulgence, luckily, there are alternatives at the drugstore level.  Maybelline’s The Rocket Volume Express and Cover Girl’s Lash Blast, both usually priced around the $10 mark, are both tried and tested favourites for instant bold lash volume.  Whichever mascara you opt for, just make sure it’s also waterproof for your wedding day!

Subtlety is key.
Keep the rest of your make-up subtle.  Stay away from major pops of colour and steer towards colours that give you a naturally enhanced look.

i).  For lips, try NARS Dolce Vita –  another beauty cult favourite.  The dusty rose tone gives that ‘your lips but better’ effect – you need only Google it to see the wide ranges of skin tones that it flatters.  It’s a sheer tone so the colour that results depends on the natural tone of your lips – the general consensus is that it gives lips a rosy colour that’s a couple of shades darker than your own lips – hence the consistent “your lips but better” label!  Of course, some brides prefer to have their lipstick colour lighter than their own natural lip colour (I fall into that category as my lips are fairly red pigmented).  Whatever colour you decide on, make sure your neutral lip colour has just a touch of pink or peach in it so that your lips don’t look flat…and so that you don’t look sickly in your photos!  (Nude lips work on the runway and in magazines – not down the aisle!)

ii).  For cheeks, try Bobbi Brown’s Desert Pink blush, a gorgeous universally flattering shade that is also in the dusty rose family.  Desert Pink is the perfect complement for strong eyes – it defines the cheeks and adds a hint of colour, without looking overdone.

Most brides that I work with usually fall somewhere between this Sultry look and the Romantic look when choosing their make-up look for the Big Day.  I would say most like to focus on playing up their eyes versus their lips…and that’s a make-up style that I naturally gravitate towards as well.

What do you think?  Do the eyes say it all for you?  Let me know if you’ll say yes to this Sultry bridal beauty look!

The Classic bridal beauty look is for the Bride who loves Old Hollywood glamour…and who of course, wants to say “I do” with a good red lip!  Here’s how to get the look:

i).  a good red lipstick
The lips are clearly the focal point of this bridal beauty look.  There are soooo many good reds out there, but how do you choose the one that’s right for you?  Generally, a blue-based red looks great on cool-toned beauties, and also suits a wider range of skin tones as it makes teeth look whiter and brightens the skin, i.e. MAC Ruby Woo.  An orange-based red looks great on those with warm undertones, i.e. NARS Jungle Red.  For deeper skin tones, brown-based reds or cranberry reds look stunning.  If you’re set on wearing red lips for your wedding day, the key is to experiment with different red lipsticks to find the right shade, tone and texture for you.

Speaking of texture, now that you’ve figured out the colour, what about finish?  I prefer a satin or creme texture, as it’s less drying to the lips and easier for a bride to touch up on her own later.  If you want just a hint of red, try a red in gloss, sheer or stain.  For the most modern take on this classic look, skip the gloss and stick to a matte or semi-matte finish for the lips.  You can work with the red lipstick you already have and add an instant matte finish to it by dusting a light layer of translucent powder over the lips (See this post here for more how-to).

You’ll know you’ve found the right red when you’re comfortable and confident wearing it.  (Otherwise, one of the other Bridal Beauty looks may be for you!).

ii).  a matching red lipliner
Red lips can get messy fast; keep your colour in check by using a matching lipliner.  A lipliner is a must, especially if you plan to draw outside of your natural lipline.  Use the liner to also fill the rest of your lips and it doubles as a base for your lipstick, making it last longer and helping to prevent feathering around the lips (a must for those photo close-ups!)

c.  understated eyes
It’s a general rule of thumb and really dependent on the person, but to keep this look bridal and ‘fresh’, balance out a red lip look by keeping your eye make-up to a minimum so the lips and the eyes aren’t competing with each other for attention.  You can see the difference in Rihanna’s two looks below, with her lighter eye + red lip combo in the left photo versus her smoky eye + red lip combo on the right:

It’s worth noting that a dramatic eye and red lip combo will look less intense on women with deeper skin tones.  If you’re a bride with a wedding dress that is colourful/cultural (i.e. Asian bridal wear), the double drama make-up combo will also appear less intense (versus when wearing a white gown).

Aneta’s look below is also more dramatic eyes + red lips:

Overall, the look you decide on is really dependent on the statement you want to make.  I love both looks equally, but I’m a make-up artist so I love being able to do both natural and  dramatic looks! ;)

For a minimal eye make-up look (like artistrhi bride Samantha below), accentuate the eyes with a thin line of liquid liner, and flick the ends for a slight cat-eye.  I love Stila’s Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner because it lives up to its name and does just that.  And on a day like you’re wedding day, waterproof and long-lasting = one less thing to worry about and that’s tops in my books!  If you’re new to liquid liner, fear not!  It’s not as daunting as may seem.  Use your pencil eyeliner first and draw a thin line along the top lashline, and then simply trace over it with your liquid liner for a pro-quality like finish.

I know we’re talking minimal eye make-up here, but don’t forget the brows!  Never forget the brows.  Good brows are an essential for any professional and polished bridal make-up look…and when done right, they’re another key component of that make-up that you can’t see that I’m such a huge fan of.

Fill in your brows where necessary using Maybelline’s Define-A-Brow Brow Pencil, a twist-up pencil that is super user-friendly.  The tiny nib of Define-A-Brow gives you more control, so you don’t draw on brows that are too strong (i.e. the look here is defined, not drag).  Use a light-hand to draw feathery strokes in the direction of brow hair growth and say hello to well-defined arches!

d.  bronzer is your friend
Red lips (or any saturated, high voltage colour!) tend to draw the ‘colour’ out of your face, making you look and feel paler than usual.  To balance this out, add some bronzer, blending well and concentrating on the cheekbones and temples.  Bronzer can double as a contour – just stay away from anything with too much shimmer.  NARS Laguna, a beautiful true bronze shade with a hint of gold shimmer, is the perfect option to warm up your skin.

So that’s literally quite a mouthful about how to get the red lip Classic bridal beauty look!  Now tell me, will you be saying yes to this look? :)

The Romantic bridal look is all about the make-up that you can’t see.
This is one of those make-up looks that takes a little more work than appears…the highly coveted ‘natural’ look is usually never that natural – it takes several products, plenty of blending and work!

When brides request this look, I focus on perfecting skin with the usual routine of moisturizer, primer, foundation and concealer.  (I won’t get into detail on that in these posts, because goodness knows I can spend forever talking about beauty-related info!!  Did I even mention contouring and highlighting?  See I could go on and on!  All that stuff is on the blog somewhere).

Anyway, I digress.  Back to our romantic bridal beauty – these tips will help you nail the look with ease:

1.  using eyeshadow primer
Marcelle has a really impressive set of long-lasting cream eyeshadows.  Their Velvety Eyeshadow + Primer cream eyeshadows are crease-proof and come in different shades to add a hint of colour to the eyes.  Wear it alone, or layer your shadows over top to extend the lifetime of your eye make-up application.  I love the slight shimmer and brightening effect of the colour Primer Rose (and have actually been using this on a daily basis).  The subtle shimmer effect adds dimension to the eyes, which is great for enhancing the lids in the 2D-flatness of photos.  Just don’t overdo the shimmer/glitter.  Please. Just.  Don’t.
Side note:  Marcelle products are available at your drugstore.  I know that’s always a bonus to brides that are trying to manage their bridal budgets!
Double Bonus:  These eyeshadows are long-wearing and will take you well into the night of your Big Day, and yes even through tears, sweat + oily lids.  Heck yes!

2.  tightlining
Adding eyeliner to the inner rims (the waterlines) of the eyes defines the eyes and also makes lashes look fuller…and it does all that without looking like a visible drawn line of eyeliner.  Use Laura Mercier’s Tightline Cake Eye Liner and Tightline Activator together to make the cake liner water resistant (and last against the tears that are characteristic of a wedding day!).

I know applying eyeliner to the inner rims of the eyes can be intimidating, but Laura Mercier’s Flat Eyeliner brush makes the process easy.  Honestly.  Using the brush, start at the outer corner of the eye and just press the cake liner + activator combo into the waterline, take a blinking break, and then move your brush inward towards the nose and press again.  Repeat until you reach the inner corner and do the same on the other eye.  The key here is that you don’t have to do one continuous line – think of it as a dotting method.  Your eyes will thank you (especially for the blinking breaks!).

3.  neutral tones
NARS Blush in Douceur is a neutral dirty pink that looks more like a soft contour, than pink.  I love that it adds definition to the cheeks without giving too much obvious colour.  MAC’s Blush in Cubic (not pictured above) has a similar effect.
For lips, it depends on the natural pigment of your own lips, but pretty pink shades like Hue and Angel by MAC work well for the soft Romantic look.  If these turn out too light for a bride’s liking, I usually add a peachy pink gloss atop to warm up and also deepen the shade (try MAC’s Cremesheen Glass in Richer, Lusher or Laura Mercier’s Lip Glace in Bellini).

Sooo….did you say “yes” to this look?

CREDITS:
Photo of Roda byTherese De Jesus (www.artiese.ca)

It’s well into that time of the year…wedding season! :) As you’re going through the motions of planning, here are some make-up options (celeb inspired and real-people wearable!) to consider as you narrow in on your Big Day look:

Choose a Romantic look if you’re a natural beauty (a.k.a make-up minimalist day-to-day). A Romantic look is best for the bride who really wants to ‘look like herself’, with flawless skin and barely there make-up.
Celeb Inspiration: Fresh colours like pinks and peaches highlight Jessica Biel’s natural beauty, without looking overdone.

Opt for Classic if you’re drawn to old screen sirens and if shows like Mad Men are at the top of your must-watch list. A classic red lip look is usually best for ladies that already wear bolder colours on the lips (in other words, the wedding day is not necessarily the best time to try something new and ‘too’ outside of your comfort zone!).
Celeb Inspiration: Rihanna is one of those celebs that I consider a colour chameleon, but I especially love the timeless look of red lips on her. Red lips suit a vintage-themed bride well.

If you’re after a bridal look that’s kicked up a notch but not too intense, then a Sultry look is all you. Emphasis here is on the eyes with several shades of neutral toned eyeshadows blended for a subtle smoky effect.
Celeb Inspiration: Kiera Knightley’s smoky eyes are more subtle than dramatic by using shades of taupe, espresso and grey rather than basic black, which can be more harsh.

Finally, if being a superstar bride is your wedding vision, then a Glam look will have you red-carpet / aisle-ready! Opt for this look if you’re ok with intense make-up (I fit into this heavy-handed category), and likely if you’re already used to wearing a significant amount of make-up on a daily basis.  (Again, the wedding day isn’t always the best day to try something totally new!).
Celeb Inspiration: Jennifer Lopez (another beauty chameleon!) and her überglam smoky eyes. Similar to the previous look, the eyes are the focus here again, but it’s no holding back on the glam factor – with plenty of black eyeshadow (well-blended of course), layers of mascara and false lashes. Pair bold eyes with a neutral pink beige lip to keep the intensity focused on the eyes.

Whatever bridal style you choose, be sure to test-run it first.  Arrange to do a trial with your make-up artist…or if you’re pulling a Kate Middleton and doing your own make-up, do a couple of practice runs and take photos so that you can evaluate the final look. I always suggest to my brides to co-ordinate their bridal trial make-up with something like their engagement shoot, so they can see how the make-up looks on-camera and through the lens (and editing style) of their wedding photographer. With that, you can gauge whether to up or step down the intensity for the Big Day before you commit to the look.  After all, next to matrimony, your make-up look and the photos you’ll have to remember the day are a serious commitment, right?!

Stay tuned for more tips + product recommendations on how to get these bridal beauty looks… :)

Exploring our dark sides (and finally updating my portfolio!)…with Sam Assam and Quinn at Peggi Lepage models.
One of my fave images from the shoot isn’t necessarily the best shot for showing the make-up…go figure!   But I love this one…
See the images in full-res at rhiaamio.com
Make-up + Hair: Rhia Amio (http://www.rhiaamio.com)
Photography: Sam Assam (http://samassam.blogspot.ca/)

This sleek vid sums up the beauty + fashion fun that is Toronto Fashion Week with Maybelline! Until next season!

World MasterCard Fashion Week- Day 2, Toronto. from Patrick Biller on Vimeo.
Special thanks to Patrick Biller for the link (and facetime!). :)

Check out this ET Canada video profiling the gorgeous + inspiring ladies of The Coveteur.  The profile also gives you a glimpse into the fun world of Toronto Fashion Week with Maybelline Canada (and I make an appearance doing what I love in about 1:40 in the video!).

The Coveteur is an amazing success story because of Stephanie’s + Erin’s vision, plus keen eye for style + design. I always love seeing Canadians making it big, doing it big!  …and The Coveteur definitely is it.

Have you added The Coveteur blog to your favourites yet?!

Fashion Week starts today and I’m so pumped to be working with the Maybelline team again bringing beauty touch-ups to the fashion masses!  Here are my fave Maybelline beauty picks for surviving the week’s jam-packed schedule.

1.  Define-A-Brow Eyebrow Pencil
Good brows are like that amazing pair of shoes that go with everything…in other words, a must-have!  Luckily, the days of over-tweezed, pencil-thin brows are long behind us.  But if you’re like me and your over-worked brows do need a little bit of TLC – don’t worry – getting good brows is super easy with this user-friendly brow pencil!  The tiny nib of Define-A-Brow allows you to easily draw on fine strokes to mimic eyebrow hairs, while never distributing too much product. Bonus:  no sharpener needed, Define-A-Brow is self-sharpening so just roll it up for more.

2.  Eyestudio Master Precise Liner
Fine lines are easy to achieve with this amazing Master Precise Liner – the 0.04 mm tip is the ultimate in liquid liner precision.  I’m a liquid liner girl all the way mainly because of its uber-lasting ability – I literally don’t have to worry about it all day until I have to take it off at night!  Any make-up product that means one less thing to touch up throughout the day always wins points in my beauty book!

3.  VolumExpress  Rocket Mascara
With VolumExpress Rocket Mascara, only a couple of coats are needed for a serious blast-off towards volume.  Even the tiniest of lash hairs get maximum volume treatment with the rubber micro bristles of the brush.  Love, love. Coat, coat.

4.  Instant Age Rewind Concealer
The two C’s:  Concealer along with coffee is a definite daily morning routine during Fashion Week.  Fortunately with Instant Age Rewind Concealer, no one will know how much sleep you (and I) might be lacking.  For my unruly dark circles (…which is a combo of genetics, probably too much caffeine and a schedule that lacks in sleep), I like to first apply Brightener (60) for a highlighting effect that counteracts the underlying blue tones of my circles.  I top that off with Medium (30), a shade lighter than my skin tone, to blend it all in….and nobody’s the wiser!

5.  Baby Lips
Not only is Baby Lips a moisturizing lip balm, it can act as a highlighter and a brow-keeper – talk about multi-tasking! Grace Lee, make-up master and Key Make-up Artist for Maybelline, has been known to mix clear Baby Lips (Quenched) with a bit of white eyeshadow to create a dewy highlighting effect that looks glowy on the runway. Clear baby lips also works to keep unruly brows in check (for you lucky ones that have full brows!!).

6.  Color Whisper
As much as I love bright lips, matte lips, dark lips…and as much as those are all the trend right now – these all scream high-maintenance to me. I much rather prefer comfortable colour on my larger lips…and that way I don’t have to worry about it smearing or getting on to my teeth, etc. Enter Color Whisper – a gel-based lip colour that’s super-soft and moisturizing on the lips. The colour is more sheer, but interacts beautifully with your own lip tone. I love it’s kissable-like texture – not too goopy, just perfect not-too-made-up lips. With twenty shades to choose from, there’s definitely bound to be one colour that catches your eye…or if you’re like me, there’s in fact three that have caught mine:  Mocha Muse, Pin Up Peach and Lust for Blush. ;)

There’s definitely many, many more Maybelline loves that I can mention here, but really I’d run out of room (and out of your attention) before I got through all of them…AND I should probably get some sleep in anticipation of this week.  Here’s a thought:  why not come experience the products in person with a touch-up?!  I’ll be there with…with coffee + concealer in tow!

For more details on Fashion Week, visit the official site World Mastercard Fashion Week or follow WMC on Twitter: @WMCFashionWeek

Colourful eyes can be tricky to pull off for everyday, but what better way to incorporate Pantone’s Colour of the Year – Emerald – than to rock it for some St. Patty’s Day festivities this weekend?  Here’s the how-to:

1.  First, prep the lids with a green-coloured cream eyeshadow, like Maybelline’s Colour Tattoo in Edgy Emerald ($9 CAD).  Applying a cream eyeshadow in a matching colour to your eyeshadow provides opaque intensity and increases the staying power of your eyeshadow.

2.  Line the eyes, and the inner top and inner bottom lash lines with a smudgy black liner.  A black liner anchors this colourful look and gives depth, while making eyelashes look fuller and eye whites look brighter.  With its easy-to-blend consistency, L’oreal’s Extra Intense Liquid Pencil ($10 CAD) provides the intensity of a gel liner, but easily blends for a quick smoky eye.

3.  Pat a vivid green eyeshadow on the lids and blend the outer edges with a fluff brush so that there’s no harsh line of where the colour stops and starts.  Inglot’s #475 eyeshadow is a gorgeous true green with Pot of Gold flecks that will flatter most skin tones.

4.  Use a moss green eyeliner, like NARS Kyoto ($25 CAD), to accent below the eyes.  Rather than the usual basic black, a touch of dark green here adds interest to your colourful eye.

Will you be going green this weekend?  :)