Expert Tips for Looking Picture Perfect on your Big Day

Are you a millennial bride-to-be, or someone who’s recently become engaged and is looking for expert tips on how to look picture perfect for your big day? Then you’ve come to the right place. Your wedding day will be one of the most important moments of your life captured in countless photos and videos-make sure it’s also one of the most beautiful! Whether this is your first time preparing for such an occasion or if you're a seasoned pro at getting ready for events, there are valuable insights to make sure every detail looks flawless in pictures. Here we offer some expert advice when it comes to planning your bridal beauty. So sit back and relax -there's no need for any pre-wedding jitters when we have all the bridal beauty secrets here!

1. It's important to find an artist or stylist whose bridal hair and makeup styles you gravitate towards, as you want to feel beautiful and relaxed the morning of the wedding. To do this, browse bridal hair and make up looks on Instagram or websites like Pinterest. Pay attention not just to their artistry, but also their communication style - for instance do they respond quickly and professionally? Do you feel a good energy when interacting with them? An experienced makeup artist that can create stunning airbrushed bridal looks might be just what you’re looking for!

2. During the wedding planning process, it is important to book bridal hair and makeup appointments as soon as possible. Depending on the popularity of weddings in your area, dates can fill up quickly; sometimes brides even book their hair and makeup teams a year in advance! Seek out professionals that specialize in bridal makeup - there are many talented stylists out there who offer airbrush makeup and hair styling services of all kinds. Don't worry, finding the perfect artist for bridal looks is easier than you think - communicate what you’re looking for, trust them, and they will work their magic!

3. Schedule a spray tan trial for 1-2 days before your bridal makeup trial. This will allow you to accurately assess how the tan looks with your makeup on. While spray tans are definitely popular for achieving that sun kissed glow, brides who prefer a natural look may choose not to apply them for their wedding day - and that's OK! It all depends on your individual preference and how you want to look in your bridal photos.

4. While it is natural to want to bring bridesmaids or family members along to your bridal trial appointment, there are several reasons why it might be beneficial to go solo. If you come alone you will be more focused on connecting with your artist and making decisions that reflect your true preferences without any pressure or influence from guests. Once you have chosen the perfect bridal look, then you can always ask for valuable opinions afterwards and if necessary request another bridal trial for a different look. Going solo will enable you to make a well thought out decision about your appearance and ensure you look beautiful on your wedding day.

5. Having skin in tiptop shape is essential to any brides' beauty plan. With regular facials and a skincare routine recommended by an experienced esthetician, you can whip your skin into the perfect condition for applying flawless bridal makeup or airbrush makeup for your wedding day. The better you take care of your skin leading up to the big day, the less makeup you’ll need and the more beautiful your bridal look will be. Make skincare part of your wedding planning process – it’s worth it!

6. When deciding on hair color, brides may want to keep their current look or make a change. It's also important to consider whether a desired style will require the use of hair extensions or not. These things should be decided with your hair stylist at least 2 months prior to the wedding day. 

Now that you know all the secrets to looking great in wedding photos, it’s time to put them into action! We understand how important your big day is, and we want to help make sure everything goes smoothly. That’s why we offer complimentary phone consultations where our team can answer any questions you have about preparing for your wedding. We’ll work with you to figure out a beauty game plan so that on your big day, all you have to worry about is saying “I do.” Contact us today to book your consultation- we can’t wait to chat with you about making your wedding dreams come true!

Photo Credit: Luckybird Photography

Soft Natural Airbrush Bridal Makeup and Down Hairstyle with Curls.

The Most Common Questions Brides Ask Makeup Artists

If you’ve never had your makeup professionally done before, you probably feel really overwhelmed by the process of searching for an artist you love and figuring out what questions to ask before booking your date. Here are the questions brides ask us most frequently!

What is airbrush makeup and why is it best for weddings?

If you haven’t tried airbrush makeup before, you’ve probably at least heard of it. What is airbrush and why is it BETTER? It is foundation sprayed through a handheld airbrush gun and applied to your face in tiny dots, which results in a beautiful effect. Airbrush foundation is not thick or heavy like traditional makeup can be and you won’t have any brush lines or cakeyness whatsoever. The formula feels virtually weightless and holds up well in heat and humidity with little to no touch ups for up to 18 hours, which is why our brides love it.

It’s important to know that not all airbrush makeup is created equal. There are different formulas, brands, equipment and techniques - so the quality and results can vary from artist to artist. For over 6 years, we’ve used a silicone-based formula that is water-resistant, tear-resistant, and sweat-resistant. The finish looks just like skin, so if you prefer more of a matte look with no shine whatsoever, it may not be best choice for you (don’t worry, we offer traditional makeup as well). Most of our clients choose airbrush makeup due to how long it lasts and how natural it looks both in person and on camera. Plus it feels really lovely when it gets sprayed on!

I don’t wear much makeup. can you still work with me?

We completely understand that you probably aren’t used to wearing makeup on a daily basis and might be a little anxious about choosing a look for your wedding. I personally don’t wear a lot of makeup myself but I know I need it for pictures, so what I like to do is create makeup looks that are fresh and polished but not too “done-up”. We will tailor the look to your own personal style by building light layers and soft tones. The goal is the bring out the best version of you, highlighting your best features while still letting YOU shine through - nothing too over the top. We want you to feel comfortable and confident!

How long does it take to do everyone’s makeup? 

Every artist is different, but we typically like to plan 30-45 minutes for each bridesmaid or mother and 1 hour with the bride for makeup. Timing could change based on the party’s makeup style, but very rarely do we ever run overtime. We also build in 15 minutes for setup and 15 minutes for tear down. Depending on the size of your bridal party and what time you need to be ready by, you may want several artists working at the same time. There is an additional fee to add a second artist or assistant, but this will expedite your service time significantly which is perfect for brides with larger bridal parties or only a short amount of time to get ready.

Do you travel onsite? 

One of the main benefits of hiring a makeup artist is the luxury of having them travel to you. You’ll save yourself and your bridal party so much time and stress by having a beauty team come to you instead of rushing all over town the morning of. Especially if it’s raining on your day (we sure hope not!)

When should I book you for my wedding?

Wedding dates are first come first serve and we tend to book out as early as 8-12 months in advance, especially during popular months of May through November. Dates can only be secured with a signed contract and 50% retainer. We recommend booking as soon as possible to have the best opportunity to secure your date.

What if some of my bridesmaids may not want their makeup done? 

We’re going to be 100% real with you - it’s YOUR day and they’re YOUR photos that you will share with your family years from now. If all of your bridesmaids have similar dresses and bouquets, doesn’t it make sense that their makeup and hair should look similar as well? What it usually comes down to is not that someone doesn’t want their makeup done (because who doesn’t want to look #flawless?) - there’s usually a budget issue involved. Alternatively, there may be someone in your party who thinks they’re great at makeup and doesn’t need a pro artist. The fact is, even if someone is very good at doing their own makeup on a daily basis, it may not photograph and last the way that it should throughout such a long emotional day. Plus, it’s a fun experience getting all dolled up with a group of girls!

The goal is for all eyes to be on YOU - not your cousin who decided today was the perfect day to wear her favorite dark purple lipstick. Makeup for photography has different requirements that makeup artists are trained to understand and manipulate. If the bridesmaids budget is the main issue for them sitting out on makeup, perhaps you might wish to gift them a portion of their makeup service? Many brides do this instead of giving a physical bridesmaids gift, and end up very happy with their photos.

We hope we’ve helped answer some of your questions! If there’s anything we missed, feel free to let us know in the comments or better yet- schedule a quick phone call with us. We’d love to hear about your vision and discuss how we can help create the perfect wedding look just for you.

XOXO,

Makeup by Amy Lewis & Co.

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Photo: Beth Joy Photography

Styled Shoot: Industrial Chic with Rustic and Modern Accents

When Emily Eileen Photography contacted us about collaborating on a special project earlier this year, we immediately said yes! Emily is so talented and fun to work with, we just knew we had to be a part of whatever magical project she was planning. We had the honor of working alongside some of Toledo’s best wedding experts on this special project called a styled shoot. A styled shoot is similar to a mock wedding, where models pose as bride and groom (in this case, they were a real-life husband and wife named Chelsea and JD!). It is a great chance for wedding professionals to come together and share their talents for the sole purpose of creating some truly amazing images. This allows them to showcase their work for potential clients to see exactly what wedding magic they are capable of! Luckily, we had a rockstar team on board for this shoot. Take a look! All photos you see here are courtesy of Emily Eileen Photography.

We love to do styled shoots because it gives us a chance to get our creative juices flowing and design makeup looks that we don’t normally get to do. Plus, we get to make new friends (or hang with our longtime friends) in the process. It is so fun to collaborate with other talented creatives.

When designing the makeup for Chelsea, we wanted her overall look to be fresh and glowy with soft smoky neutral eyes. The key to any glow starts with proper skincare. Here, we applied Water Balm Skin Prep by Sonia Roselli Beauty and topped with a spritz of rosewater. For soft, conditioned lips we applied Smith’s Rosebud Salve with a lip brush. To up the glow factor, we chose dewy products such as Temptu Airbrush foundation and Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector along with a rose cream blush to get her skin looking luminous and fresh. And finished off the look by filling in her brows with the Senna brow book. Chelsea's baby blues were popping once her makeup was complete!

Of course we couldn't forget our groom JD! With men's grooming, typically the guys don't need much makeup and such was the case here. He already had amazing skin, so we just added a little bit of mattifying moisturizer to take down any shine and a touch of lip balm. Voila! A dapper, camera-ready groom. 

The design of our set was so breath-taking, you would have thought you were peeking in on a real wedding. Event Prep and Ann Strickland at Hafner Florist worked together to create this rustic, yet elegant table filled with gorgeous blooms and greenery. And we just loved the lucite chairs for a modern twist!

Of course it’s always fun to get some rooftop photos with some of Downtown Toledo (affectionately known around here as The Glass City) in the backdrop. The natural light outside really showed off this stunner of a dress from Belle Amour Bridal! 

And that's a wrap! Let us know what you think of how everything turned out. Are you planning an industrial chic wedding? We want to hear about it! Drop us a comment below. 

Rockstar Wedding Pro's Featured In This Shoot: 

Photographer: Emily Eileen Photography

Event Design/Decor: Cassandra Clair of Event Prep

Florist: Hafner Florist

Dress/Veil/Earrings: Belle Amour Bridal

Location: The Blarney Event Center

We Won An Award for Bridal Makeup in Toledo! Hooray!

Makeup by Amy Lewis & Company Wins

WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award for 2017!

Photo: Adore Wedding Photography

(http://adoreweddingphotography.com/)

                        Toledo, Ohio – January 11, 2017–  WeddingWire, the leading global online marketplace for the wedding and event industry, announced Makeup by Amy Lewis & Company as a winner of the esteemed 2017 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® for Makeup in Toledo!    

                        The Couples’ Choice Awards recognize the top five percent of wedding professionals on WeddingWire who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness, and professionalism. The prestigious awards are given to the top local wedding professionals across more than 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on their professional achievements from the previous year. 

                        The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards winners are determined solely based on reviews from real newlyweds and their experiences working with Makeup by Amy Lewis & Company. Award-winning vendors are distinguished for the quality, quantity, consistency and timeliness of the reviews they have received from their past clients.

                        “The Couples’ Choice Awards’ ninth year features one of the most impressive groups of dedicated and acclaimed wedding professionals yet,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “It is our honor to work with high-caliber merchants, such as Makeup by Amy Lewis & Company, who not only make a couple's big day possible, but also contribute to the more than 2.5 million U.S. reviews represented on WeddingWire.  We congratulate all of this year's winners on their achievements.”                        

                        Makeup by Amy Lewis & Company is thrilled to be one of the top Makeup Artists in Toledo on WeddingWire. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. We truly value all of our clients and appreciate the positive feedback that helped us earn a 2017 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award. Thank you to each and every one of you who made last year amazing. We’re thrilled to be your top choice for Bridal Makeup in Toledo! 

To learn more about the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards®, please visit www.weddingwire.com/couples-choice-awards.

Product Review: YSL Vinyl Cream Lip Stain

As a professional makeup artist, you can probably guess how picky I am about my lip products. I have tested a lot of them and yet there are still new ones launching every day. In fact, for my own wedding I must have tried at least 40 lipsticks, glosses, and liners! For the big day, everything has to be PERFECT. Brides want a great lip color that won’t disappear after a few smooches. The old favorite I settled on 3 years ago was one of YSL’s glossy lip stains in a peachy shade. The texture was absolutely divine, and I was obsessed. So when I found out that YSL was sending me their new Vinyl Cream lip stain to test out, my heart did a happy dance! 

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The lip stain comes in a gold box and when I pulled the lip stain out, I noticed that the packaging is a bit different from their other lip stains. The others typically have a gold top and black bottom with a clear strip showing the color inside and of course the iconic YSL logo on one side. This particular stain is entirely black with a clear strip and the YSL logo which I think is very sleek and sexy. 

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Application: 

When I first applied the lip stain, I noticed how creamy it is. As with YSL’s other formulas, it is a very wet application so I had to be careful not to accidentally overdraw my lip line. I loved how saturated the lip color was though! The stain is buildable, but you really don’t need more than 1 coat because it is so pigmented. 

Experience On Lips: 

The thing I love most about this lip stain is the way it makes my lips feel! The texture is decadent. Hydrated and bouncy. Tacky, not sticky. Since its called Vinyl, I expected more of a high-shine finish but this is just a regular glossy finish not unlike the YSL Glossy Stains. Since I love those, I’m not complaining. 

Wear: 

I was pleasantly surprised by the durability of this stuff! While it is not advertised as kiss-proof, it certainly is. I tested it out on my husband and while he did get just a little bit of clear “gloss” on him, absolutely no color transferred to him whatsoever. I wore this for 6 hours and it didn’t budge. When I went to remove it with a makeup wipe before bed, it left a little bit of color stained on my lips which I actually enjoyed. Long wear that doesn’t dry out lips? Vinyl Cream Lip Stain rocks!

(excuse my sad, fuzzy cell phone photos- they don't do this color justice)

Overall I give this product TWO THUMBS UP! The price point is kinda high at $36 a pop, but considering how decadent YSL’s lip products are and how long they last, it’s worth it to me. I will probably go buy a couple more of them for my kit. Plus the packaging itself just makes you feel fancy putting it on :)

I received this product complimentary for testing purposes. I assure you that my opinion is honest and was not influenced by the free gift. 

Until next time beauties!

XOXO,

-A.L.

Fall 2016 Makeup Trends You Can Actually Wear

Our clients always want to know what’s currently “on trend.” We all know about the contouring and strobing crazes that plagued 2015 and early 2016. That’s ALL over now! (...makeup artists everywhere breathe a sigh of relief). So what’s next?? Well, the New York Fashion Week runways featured many art-forward trends for fall. We picked the most wearable looks for everyday women and we want to share them with you! You can try one or all of them- who knows, you might just find your new favorite beauty routine. 

#1. Black Eyeliner all the way around the eye.

The more worn-in looking the eyeliner is, the better! But it MUST be black. Preferably in the waterline, all around the eye on top and bottom (you can skip your inner corners if you’d like). We love L’Oreal Infallible’s 16 Hour Eyeliner in Carbon Black because it stays put, has a smudger tool on the opposite end, and is SUPER black. You can also use a cotton swab to smudge out your liner or clean up any mistakes. 

Credit: http://stylecaster.com/beauty/givenchy-khol-couture-waterproof-eye-liner-review/

#2. Almost-Black Berry Lipstick paired with a Bare Eye Look for a Modern- Gothic Vibe

This trend isn’t for the makeup shy gals out there! It’s a bold look with a lot of attitude. But if you think you can pull it off we say own it! Just make sure you look for very dark colors close to black with a hint of purple or red in them. If you close your mouth and smile as big as you can, you’ll get the cleanest, sharpest lip line possible. This lip look is so fierce, we recommend leaving the rest of your face as natural as possible (foundation, powder, mascara, and brows should do it). 

peaceloveshea.com

#3. Glitter. Eyeshadow, liner, lips, wherever you want to sparkle!

Glitter isn’t just for fabulous five year olds. And if you apply it correctly, your face won’t look like a disco ball at the end of the night either. Here’s how to work this trend like a pro…

1- It’s very important you don’t use just ANY glitter - if its going on your eye region it MUST be a cosmetic-grade glitter, such as the kind from our friends at Lit Cosmetics (they’re like the Swarovski crystals of the glitter makeup department). Using craft store glitter or other cheap glitters can result in damage and irritation to your eye, so don’t slack- look for the good stuff! 

2- You gotta glue it. Start with a glitter glue as your primer. Lit Cosmetics has a great one, or Glitter Glue from TooFaced is fantastic as well. Apply with your finger. Fill a brush with glitter, and carefully pat it on top of the primer. It will stick and stay put! For added insurance, spray a setting spray over your face like Urban Decay All Nighter. 

Credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/519743613218398043/

#4. Peach colors in the Fall!

Normally peach is considered a spring color, but this year we are mixing it up! Peach tones create a fresh, unexpected monochromatic tone for autumn. Pairing a peachy shadow with a peach lip and cheek makes for an effortlessly pretty look that goes with just about anything. And it shouldn’t take you longer than five minutes. Bonus points if you can find a multitasking product (lipsticks can double as cream blushes)!

Credit: http://www.prettydesigns.com/peach-makeup-ideas-spring/

#5. Stained, stamped on red lips.

Don't use a brush, put it on with your ring finger and it will look much cooler. It shouldn't look too perfect either. Deep, rich colors look best. While you can achieve this look best with an actual lipstick, you can get a similar effect with Revlon's ColorStay Kissable Balm Stains (a staple in our personal makeup bags for years!). 

There you have it - the hottest makeup trends for Fall 2016. Which one is your favorite? Drop us a comment below and tell us what you think! We bet you want to go shop for new makeup now. (P.S. We heart makeup shopping. Want to bring us with you on your next trip to Sephora or another beauty counter? Contact us for our personal consulting rates!)

Until next time. 

XOXO,

Amy