The Best You! Fabulous Hair and Makeup Tips

It’s the day you’ve waited for all your life — or at least since the proposal — and, of course, you want to look your best. Heather Bryson, owner of The Look, an on-location hair and makeup artistry company, is an expert at making brides look as beautiful as they feel. Now she’s sharing her favorite hair and makeup tips with you!

First, the age-old question: Hair up or hair down? How you wear your locks depends on which features you want to conceal (scar? birthmark? tattoo?), and which you want to accentuate (neck? shoulders? tattoo?). If you can’t decide between wearing your hair up or down, do both! “I’m encouraging many girls to wear their hair up during the ceremony, and then take it down for the reception, or vice versa,” says Bryson. “It allows for two looks, and if you have an on-location artist, it’s perfect.”

Before you “put on your face,” review Bryson’s makeup and skin care tips for a flawless appearance that will have you ready for your close-ups:

• Moisturize your face and lips every day.
• Get a facial a month out.
• Do a trial run with your hairstylist and makeup artist in plenty of time to make changes and finalize the look you want for your wedding.
• Have your eyebrows shaped and waxed professionally, and be sure to allow several days for the redness to subside and for corrections in case of mishaps.
• Whiten your teeth, either with a commercial kit, or at your dentist’s office.
• Pick one facial feature to showcase (eyes or lips, but not both).
• Wear your makeup a half shade darker than normal so you don’t appear washed out in pictures.
• Consider wearing false eyelashes — they make a HUGE difference.
• Drink plenty of water and get lots of rest leading up to the big day.
• Wait until the last possible moment to apply your makeup, and carry a tube of lip gloss and a powder compact for light touch-ups throughout the evening.

Now that you know you’ll look beautiful from your first step down the aisle to the last dance, don’t forget the most important thing you can do to achieve that special bridal glow: Smile, smile, smile! ~CM