Eye-lashes for Brides

I am a trained Semi perm lash extension specialist having trained initially with Hollywood Lashes and then I trained in advanced techniques so I can do Express lashes, Russian XD Mink lashes and extensions to the bottom lash line.

I pretty much do all the lashes now for my brides and the reason I do is because they look amazing on camera, they add subtle drama to the eyes and they last so much better than using a conventional strip lash that can come off through the day.

So I thought I would do a run through of the various lashes I do and the benefits to having these:

Semi Perm Lashes - Classic one lash to one lash technique

This is the main style that I do for all my brides and they love them, they come in various curls and thickness and can be added to the lashes either full and long in the centre and shorter in corner and ends or longer at the end gradually going shorter into the inner corner to create that Hollywood glamour fluttery effect.

J curl is a natural lash it is pretty much what most people have naturally this is fairly straight and curls out slightly at the end.

B Curl is more glamorous than a J, not straight with a lovely natural curve and its a lash that suits all

C Curl - Very curly and glam but not for all as a little harder to maintain but for drama this is the lash

D Curl - Most celebs have this curl, its real glamour and drama and very curly, again its a bit more to maintain but looks great.

You are required to maintain these lashes every 3 weeks with maintenance appointments.

Russian XD Flutter lashes - up to 6 super fine lashes to the one lash

This is the next big thing in lash extension and it takes up to 6 super fine mink lashes and they are bonded in the same way as the classic lash to a single lash.  What this creates is a fanned out effect which looks very glamorous and gives you that full false lash effect you can get from a full strip lash but on a much longer basis.  Takes a bit of maintenance and requires top ups every 2-3 weeks.  Looks stunning and very much for the bride who wants a real celeb glamour look for their big day.  You can use anything from 3 to 6 lashes to the single lash.

Again it comes in various curls and thickness and can be added to the lash line in various styles based on your requirements.



Express lashes - lasts up to 2 weeks

These lashes last up to 2 weeks and are dropped into the lash line, they are not bonded to the lash on a one on one basis and therefore are perfect for the bride that only wants the lashes for the big day and for the honeymoon.

They too come in various thickness, lengths and curls and can be added in a way you desire from full in centre or full on the outer corners its all done with your personal preference in mind.

Strip lashes

I do offer these in my bridal packages complimentary and I pick nice lashes for the brides that are natural but still have impact and they are a great option, however they run the risk of coming off no matter how much glue I use and how well I allow the glue to set.  Its a good option if you don't think the lashes above would work for you, but for that one day in you life where you want to look your best then the only option is the 3 options above.

I do these treatments at my studio at Star Beauty in Whitby near Cheshire Oaks

Wedding Fayres in 2016 - Bridal Makeup North West

I am doing several wedding fayres in January, at these fayres I will be doing make-up demonstrations, mini trials for interested brides only.

Why not come along and meet me and at the Hulme Hall Fayre at end of January I will be doing the make-up for the catwalk models.

Looking forward to meeting all the lovely brides to be....

2015 review

What a year, it has been absolutely amazing and I will be finishing this year with a grand total of 65 weddings.


It has been a wonderful year with me winning my County Brides Award for Best Bridal Makeup in the North West for 2015, an award that I was nominated for by my past brides from 2014.




I have had the best year, its been a dream come true and I love what I do and live and breath my job as a Make-up Artist, Lash Designer and HD Brow Stylist and I love to make ladies feel good about themselves and they always leave the salon or my make-up chair with a massive smile on their face and for me that makes my job so worthwhile.

This year I have met so many beautiful and lovely brides and not a bridezilla in sight....



I love weddings and I am so blessed to do the job I do.  My job is perfect, making brides look wonderful, stunning and radiant on the most important day of their life.

Each bride this year has been so different and unique,  I have seen some stunning gowns, amazing venues and even travelled to the Lake District and the Llyn Peninsula in North West Wales.



Many of the brides have friends marrying in 2016 and 2017 and they have recommended me to their friends who have in turn booked me, and I can not thank them enough as word of mouth really is the best form of advertising.

I always take my time with my brides to give them a unique, stunning and striking look to compliment their dress and themeing.  The make-
up is never rushed and attention to detail is so very important, taking the take to evaluate the needs for the day, using my knowledge to recommend the right products for their desired look.

So as 2015 is coming to an end, I would like to just say its been tiring but very amazing and I can not wait for 2016.

Red Lipstick would you wear it on your big day?

I am a lover of brides wearing a bold lip on their big day,  it looks divine and personally think it is a look that many brides should consider here are my reasons that I love it:

* Its a great statement look and creates a little bit of drama, however only opt for it if you wear bold lips normally, because your other half is expecting to see you and if you don't normally wear red then don't do it.

* Against the white/ivory dress it stands out even more.

* Its a nod to old school glamour and who doesn't love pure glamour and red/bold lips are the ultimate in Hollywood beauty.

* Its very modern yet a timeless elegance so looking back on your pictures in 20-30-40 years time it will remain classic.

Here are some red lipsticks I use and love in my kit:

MAC Russian Red - Its an absolute classic red and really looks perfect as it has a slight blue tone so it makes the teeth look whiter.

Lime Crime Red Velvet - this is a Matte Lipstick in a rich, deep crimson red, the great thing about Matte lips is that it is long wearing and this lip product lasts up to 8 hours, so a great option for brides.

MUA LUXE Velvet - Come is variety of colours and each are very bold.  They are matte so again very long lasting and less than £5, what is not to love about this brand, the quality is phenomenal and so well priced.

Chanel Rouge Allure - Two colours Coromondel and Pirate, this is a classic lipstick and so old school Hollywood one is a blue red and the other is a claret tone,  Both Classic and both gorgeous.  Doesn't come cheap but worth every penny.

Love Honour and be True  in Love Story - I love this little brand all the lipsticks developed with the bride in mind so the colours are fitting for a wedding day but each one is unique and long wearing and by using this brand I am supporting a small British brand.  The Love Story colour is a red but its a subtle red, again with a nice blue undertone that makes the teeth appear whiter.  I stock this brand at £12 a lipstick.

Makeup is about having fun and playing with what works for you, but this blog is full of photos of past brides who did the bold lip, so see for yourself.

To prime or not to prime that is the question.....

So lets talk primers, there are those Make-up Artists that think that primers are a waste of time and not necessary if you have followed a good skin routine before putting the make-up on and there are others who actually think they are worth the effort, I sit on both camps there are occasions where I think a good primer is essential and others when I think a good moisturiser before applying is just as good.

The main function of a primer is to provide the skin with extra hydration, to smooth out any fine lines and imperfections and to give the makeup extra locking power to remain on the skin all day.

So for a wedding the important factor in any makeup that I do is that it lasts from the moment I put on the skin in the morning, right through to midnight and beyond and it needs to withstand lots of emotions and later on lots of merriment and dancing.

I stock loads of different primers in my kit and here are a few that I like:

Laura Mercier Radiance/hydrating and standard primer

Love this brand I was introduced properly to it in the summer of this year, and I absolutely adore all the base products in the brand.  Each primer has a different function the radiance to add shine to dull or aging skin, hydrating for skin that needs plumping and is dry to the touch and the standard primer I use when I encounter oily skin.  I only use these primers when my bride opts for the foundation I use from this range.


Charlotte Tilbury Wonder Glow

This brand of make-up is slowly creeping into my kit and I love everything about it, yes its fairly expensive but it is so good just a little goes along way.  Wonderglow is an instant soft focus flash primer and it is so luxurious on the skin, it add light and radiance to dull skin and it takes years off my clients and my brides it adds that soft radiance that makes them look truly wonderful.

An absolute must in any makeup bag it literally takes years off the skin and smell divine.


Illamasqua Veils - Hydra and Matte

This is the original primers I have in my kit and they are still firm favourites of mine.  I have Matte and Hydra Veil and these I use when  I come across extreme skin issues the hydra adds instant hydration to the skin and teamed with the skin base foundation it looks amazing and from a photographic point of view it looks perfect on camera.  The opposite to the hydra is the matte veil, this I use to help with skin that is extremely oily and to eliminate shine from the t zone and the nose area, again teamed with the skin base foundation it again photographs so well.  They did recently recently bring out another in the collection called Radiance but I have not as yet tried it.

Bridal Beauty Countdown

Its your wedding and its so important that you look the best you have ever looked and here is the run-down of beauty treatments to start having before the big day:

1 year before:

This is vitally important many decent, Make-up artists are booked up at least a year in advance for many of the key dates.  If you know what Make-up artist you want for your day then do not leave it to the last minute.  Secure your date as soon as you can.

6 months before:

A good facial is essential before your big day and ideally fortnightly, before the big day .  Your therapist will assess your skin issues and will use the right products to help, to get your skin in tip top shape before the day.

Eyebrows are the frame to your face and correctly shaped they can make your face change for the better.  So at-least 6 months before your day, look for a great High Definition Brow stylist in your area.  I am a High Definition Brow stylist and this treatment is so revolutionary in helping over plucked or under plucked brow look their most fabulous.   It’s a unique treatment a mix of bespoke tinting and hair removal to develop a perfect shape for your facial contours.  However if you are rocking the over-plucked brow then I would suggest starting High Definition at 6 months before and having the treatment every 4 weeks. 

Please note that when looking for a High Defnition stylist that you ensure that the stylist is qualified by High Definition and they are on the High Defnition website as a listed and trained stylist.  Please be aware there are many Beauty therapists out there claiming to do the treatments with no formal qualifications.

3 months before

You now have your style, dress and theme sorted so now is the time to meet with the MUA you have booked and have a trial and consultation.  Use this opportunity wisely, take picture of looks you like, be realistic with images and be aware that the flawless skin in the picture has most likely been photo-shopped.  Know the type of formulations in foundations you like be in matte or dewy and give her/him as much information as possible. 

This is the best time to try a spray tan now find a good therapist and make sure she does it well no patches and streaks, last thing you want is patchy tan in your wedding gown.  If she has done a good job she will do a good job for you on your day.

2 weeks before

Have a final facial they can cause spots so to give them chance to go away before the day.

Final High Definition Brow treatment, threading can cause spots so give your skin chance again to get over them.

1 week before

Ideally book a day in the salon that does it all 2-3 days before, have your nails done, either shellac on your natural nail or acrylics if your nails are short.

Have your brows tidied if necessary getting your therapist to remove any stray hairs with tweezers, don't ever be tempted to do yourself, only use a reputable stylist to do this.

Book in the spray tan with the tested therapist, ideally don’t do it the night before the wedding as the next day it can be too strong so I would suggest you do it 2 days before.

Semi perm lashes are the essential treatment for all brides, I am a semi perm lash therapist and all my brides are advised to have them fitted.  They look amazing, they last 3-4 weeks before needing a top up and they come in various styles, curls and thickness.  So much better than fiddly strips that run the risk of coming off in the corners.

Remember drink lots of water in the run up as water is the best beauty product money can buy, always have a litre bottle to hand and sip throughout the day.  Hydrated skin is the best skin and you want your skin to be amazing.  You want to look super radiant. 

Juliet and Andy - Hilbark Hotel

My gorgeous bride from late August this year was Juliet.  She married Andy at Hillbark Hotel on the Wirral.

Hillbark is a fabulous wedding venue near Pensby on the Wirral, its such a gorgeous venue for brides looking for a boutique style hotel with amazing grounds.

She wore a gown from Cherish the Bride in West Kirby and it was a Madeline Gardner MGNY, it was beautiful a full lace gown with a princess skirt and train, a delicate bead encrusted belt the gown had a slight blush tone.  Bridesmaid wore lovely bright pink gowns which reflected the style and theme of summer flowers especially pink gerberas.

I met Juliet on a couple of occasions before her big day with her lovely Mum, Juliet being a naturally pretty girl she wanted her look to be pretty and she wanted to have makeup on but she wanted it to look as natural as possible.

Initially we trialled the airbase but after a second trial she decided she preferred a liquid foundation and we opted for the Silk Creme by Laura Mercier.


Her eyes I used my Illamasqua Neutral palette in the crease and highlighted the brow bone area with the matte cream tone in the palette.  I used my tried and tested favourite pigment in the centre of the eye and again its an Illamasqua product a pure pigment called furore, its beautiful it adds a subtle shimmer and is a peach/champagne tone.

For base I used a primer by Laura Mercier to add radiance, then I used Laura Mercier Silk Creme and for the contour my Charlotte Tilbury.

For the Blush I used Lover and Hussy duo by my favourite brand Illamasqua and I used a little bit of cream highlight again by Illamasqua.

For definition on her brow I used dip brow by Anastasia Beverley Hills and ran through her brow with a dry mascara spooly to disperse the product and to give it more of a natural finish.

Finally a slick of a coral/pink tone in shade Blushing Bride by Love, Honour and be True.  I love this brand of lipstick, all lipsticks in the range of complementary for a wedding and each shade allows bride to choose her own unique style, but the colours bridal friendly.  Blushing bride is my personal favourite in the range and I retail these to my brides at £12 a lipstick and such a great keepsake to wear again or to put into your wedding memory box.

Juliet opted for me to return to the venue after the wedding breakfast in order for me to touch-up her makeup and to change her look for the evening reception, for the change I added a touch of sparkle to the centre of the eye area using a Lit Glitter called Champagne Wishes.  Lit is a fab range of unique glitters from a brand from the USA, the only retailer for these glitters is Peaches and Cream in Liverpool but if you can not get to Liverpool you can get from their on-line store.


I really enjoyed this wedding as Juliet and her maids were really friendly and lovely and we had lots of fun on the morning and it was fabulous to be part of.

Rocks for Frocks 2015 campaign in Liverpool

Another great shoot I was part of for Rocks for Frocks, on this occasion I again worked with the designer Gail Bell for her 2015/16 designs, Carol Ellis-Thompson created the amazing hair designs and the photographer this time was the very wonderful Herve Gillet, who is based in the Liverpool Wedding House with Gail.  Gowns again were supplied by Cloud 9 Bridal who are also in the Wedding House.

We used various locations for this shoot, but the main location was the Cunard building which graces the famous Liverpool waterfront.  It just so happened that this location was part of the historic event that weekend with the 3 Cunard ships docking in Liverpool, so it was perfect timing for our shoot.

Model was the very beautiful Lucy who had the perfect look for our vision with her stunning Auburn/red hair, we wanted to create a more unique look for this shoot, slightly vintage to reflect the vintage styling of the pieces and in the final looks we went more avant garde.

The final locations for the shoot where the Liverpool Pier head and the Dock Road outside of the Titanic Hotel.

Carol created some beautiful soft updo's and romantic curls and some of the images and looks had a Edwardian quality to them.

Here is a run down on the products I used.

Many of the headpieces on this shoot had slight colour in them so on this occasion rather than nudes and browns I wanted to inject a bit more colour in the looks.




Base - Lucy had really porcelain skin and many of the bases I had were too yellow in tone and too warm, so the colour I used was 01 and 02 from Illamasqua Skin base which was perfect for her I was concerned that what I used in terms of contour would be too warm again for her skin as most contour has too much bronze in it.  On this occasion I used a 02 on its own  in the illamasqua skin base and blended in with my beauty blender,  I did not want to create any strong contour.


Eyes - We decided on soft pinks for the eyes and we started the look by using Urban Decay Naked Pallette, I then moved adding a bit of a burgundy/brick tone from my Illamasqua Empower palette.  For the final look I used a Lit Glitter not to look glittery as its hard for glitter to show up on photos but to give the eyes a wetlook sheen, the tone I used was the Cowgirl shade.

Cheeks - I used a pink blush from my custom made Inglot palette.

Lips - I made a custom blended lipstick on each of the looks with my Le Maqpro palette which can be used on both cheeks and lips and I love it.

I love this shoot and the images I use as my main picture on all my advertising because all the pictures are beautiful and timeless.

Rocks for Frocks Advertising shoot

One of my fave designers in the Bridal industry is Gail Bell of Rocks for Frocks, who designs Jewellery and Headpieces for brides for their wedding.

Her pieces are beautiful and I wore a side tiara for my wedding day 2 years ago, from her collection.

Since my wedding I have got friendly with Gail and have worked with her on her advertising photo-shoots.

On these shoots I work with a very talented hair-stylist called Carol Ellis-Thompson. Carol too was my hair-dresser on my wedding day and she too I have become very friendly with and work with her on many weddings and photo-shoots.

Photographer for the shoot was Morgan Wiltshire Photography.

Dresses from Cloud 9 Bridal who are based at the Liverpool Wedding House.

Locations for this shoot, various locations around Liverpool and 30 James Street Hotel, in Liverpool city centre.

30 James Street is a boutique hotel that offers brides and unique and very fashionable wedding venue in the heart of Liverpool city centre, overlooking the Liver and Cunard Buildings on Liverpool's impressive water-front.

Carol and I created various looks in both hair and make-up for each of the head-pieces from the Rocks for Frocks collection.

The brief was very pretty and romantic with pretty pink hues in the makeup







I used the following:

Base - Illamasqua Skin base - it photographs amazingly and looks flawless when applied to the skin, I used a primer under this again by Illamasqua called Hydra-veil, this adds hydration to the skin and paired with skin base it looks beautiful.

Contour - I used to use a budget brand for this by Sleek, its excellent, blends well.  I prefer to contour with powders I feel I get better control and it does never look heavy.

Blush - To give her a pink flush to the cheeks I applied Benefit lolli-tint to the cheeks its a liquid that can be built up depending on the intensity, for the first looks I also used this on the lips as well.

Eyes - I used an eye-shadow from Bobbi brown called Ballet, which is a shimmering pink and through the shoot I built up the intensity with pink shadows I have in my kit by MAC.  Liner was Illamasqua in kohl and gel liners.  Brows HD Brow Palette through the brow and brush the product through with a dry mascara wand to help disperse the colour and make it look less block colour.

Lips - I started the look with Lolli-tint by Benefit and moving up to custom blended colours from my OCC lip tars and clear gloss.

I love working with Gail and Carol and I will be covering the other shoot later this week that we did earlier this year.




Links -
www.rocksforfrocks.co.uk
www.facebook.com/hairbycarolellisthompson
www.madeupbycathryn.co.uk
www.cloud9brides.co.uk
www.morganwiltshireblog.com

Nikki and Mike - Inglewood Manor

Another Bride from this years Summer season, was the very beautiful Nikki who married her man at her local church following on to her reception at Inglewood Manor in Ledsham, Cheshire.

I love Inglewood Manor its a beautiful place to get married set it stunning gardens and grounds and the property itself is very impressive mock tudor building, a very grand venue for a wedding.  When I started out as a Makeup Artist, my very first Bridal photoshoot, was in this venue so it holds a special place in my heart.

Nikki had 4 Bridesmaids who looked absolutely sensational in Light Orange halter neck, long gowns, perfect colour choice for a summer wedding, which matched perfectly with her floral colour scheme.

Each Bridesmaid wanted a relaxed natural look and each Bridesmaid had Airbrush Foundation, with it being a Summer's day and it being hot makeup has more of a chance of moving off the face and to stop this happening Airbase is the best option as it is water-proof and sweat-proof.

Nikki's gown was possibly the most breathtaking gown I have ever seen it was so beautiful, following the trend this year of form fitting, fishtail gowns.   This dress had a high neck which was encrusted with beautiful beadwork and the gown the in highest quality satin.  Her gown was a David Tutera gown for Mon Cheri which she purchased from bridal boutique, Bethany Hannah in Stockton Heath near Warrington, Cheshire.

For Nikki's look I used the following:

Her dress being fairly vintage in styling she wanted a look that was reminiscent of old school Hollywood which she wanted with her gown.

For her Base I again used Airbase on her skin as she wanted to look flawless and for her make-up to last throughout the day.

I used a light bronzer on her skin as she had a spray-tan at Star Beauty a couple of days before and the only bronzer that I use is MAC Matte Bronzer, with it being matte it has no shine or shimmer particules and the colour is really lovely and not too orange in tone like many bronzers on the market.

I used a little bit of contouring on her skin but she did not need much at all just a bit to bring our her cheekbones, a bit on her temples for this I used Illamasqua Contour palette,  I highlighted her with Gleam a light cream highlighter by Illamasqua.

The quintessential look for a Hollywood look is less on the eyes and more about the liner and the lashes.  I highlighted Nikki's brow with MAC vanilla pigment and used that product in the tear duct also.  I added into the crease from my Naked Palett, in the Naked tone and in the centre of the eye I used my trusted Furore Pigment with Beguille over the top by Illamasqua.  Liner I used Inglot Gel Liner and her lashes were Classic semi-perm lashes that she had done by me a couple of days before the big day.  Finally I tidied her brow a couple of days before the day and then I used Anastasia dip brow to define them on the big day.

For the  blush I used by Illamasqua Palette in Lover and Hussy (I do love the names of these blushers)

No Hollywood glam look would be complete without the red lipstick and for this I used a Matte red called Red Velvet by Lime Crime.

Red lipstick can look sensational on a bride and Nikki really pulled this look off well.  With red lipstick I always advise my brides who are going to do this look to do with caution its not a look you should try if you do not normally wear it, the reason why is you want your future husband to see you on the day and if you don't normally wear red it can be quite shocking and a real statement, however its the best statement and I always love it when a bride is brave enough to do it.

I am sure you will agree that Nikki looked amazing and I thank her very much for allowing me to share this blog and her photographs.

Links

Bethany Hannah Bridal - www.bethanyhannahbridal.com
Mon Cheri - www.mon-cheri.co.uk
Inglewood Manor - www.inglewoodmanor.co.uk
Made up by Cathryn -www.madeupbycathryn.co.uk