Beauty Call
Janel Bladow
On her wedding day, a bride is the star of the show, surrounded by hundreds of her adoring fans. With that in mind, we sought the top ten beauty tips every bride should know from celebrity makeup artist Mark Payne. He whips out his brushes behind the scenes on TV shows such as Live With Regis and Kelly and The View and has also powdered such famous faces as Madonna and Goldie Hawn. “The best advice I can give a bride? Hire a professional makeup artist for her wedding day. It’s the best money you’ll spend,” he says. Here are Mark’s 10 golden rules for the blushing bride: RULE #1: HUNT FOR A PRO EARLY Start shopping for the perfect makeup artist when you begin hunting for the perfect dress, about nine months before your wedding. Always have a trial run to be sure the colors and looks are right for you. Remember you’ll be stressed on your Big Day so find someone who is low maintenance and will help you relax. Makeup pros get very busy so be sure to book far in advance. RULE #2: LOSE THE TATTOO You know that snake tattoo that twists around your arm or the little devil peeking out of your cleavage? Your fiancé loves it but your mom is mortified — not to mention that snakes and devils just don’t go well with white organza. Don’t worry. Mark suggests that you can cover-up your ink stain critter by using makeup like Dermablend Cover Creme, designed to hide scars and burns. (It’s suitable for all skin types.) Then pat with a translucent powder. RULE #3: LOOK-ALIKE BRIDAL PARTY Coordinate your makeup with your bridesmaids, says Mark. Looks and lipstick colors should work together so that no one stands out in the photos. Keep eye shadow and lip color palettes on hand. If you can afford it, hire a makeup artist (or assistant) for them too. Also, remember to include your mom and future mother-in-law in the makeover as well. They deserve a little pampering too. RULE #4: WATCH THE TAN LINES If you plan on bronzing up on the beach, at a tanning salon or with a self-tanner, do it well before the wedding. You don’t want to look like a lobster and you certainly don’t want orange streaks all over you or your dress. Always exfoliate first. Use a body scrub to remove dead skin and prevent an uneven tan. Before self-tanning (a day or two before the wedding), Mark suggests, moisturize knees, elbows, heels and toes to keep them from absorbing too much color. Wear latex gloves to keep your palms from going dark. Use a cotton ball or sponge to put tanner on the backs of your hands then wipe a clean tissue over knuckles and between fingers to clean away excess. Work with small amounts of tanner at a time. For the most natural shade of color, apply a series of thin layers (three dime-size dollops a leg, a pea-size one on the face). Don’t forget drying time. It takes from five to 15 minutes, depending on the product. To speed things up, use a blow dryer. To fix mistakes, exfoliate again with a body scrub. RULE #5: BOW TO THE BROWS Your eyebrows literally frame your face, says Mark, who believes it’s important to have the best frame possible. “Be sure to start working on your brows months before the wedding so that if there’s a mistake, you have time to grow them out. You want them perfect on your wedding day.” Tweeze or wax at least two days beforehand to avoid ugly irritations. General brow guidelines: A round face should have a high arch to lift eyes and give the face more length. For the same reason, avoid high arches if you have a long, thin face; a straighter brow will look more balanced. Square faces can be softened with a more rounded arch. Prominent features look better with a fuller brow. Small faces with petite features look better with a thinner brow. Warning: super-skinny brows look terrible on everyone. RULE #6: ZAP THOSE ZITS You’ll surely want to have a facial or give yourself a mask a day or two before WD (wedding day). Fresh, smooth skin is the most radiant and every bride wants to radiate! With all the stress building up, you might break out with a pimple or two. Mix equal parts of water and dry yeast (natural bacteria killers) to form a paste and dot it on unsightly acne bumps before bed. Zap! They’re gone! RULE #7: PICTURES ARE FOREVER Your wedding photos are going to last a lifetime so you don’t want to use trendy makeup colors and you don’t want to overdo the pancake. And, stark white eye shadow shrieks Marilyn Manson in photographs. It’s important to look natural or at least, most like your most beautiful self! Use a tone closest to your natural skin color as the eye shadow and base and to highlight the brow bones, says Mark. Choose neutral tones to define the crease and outer corners of the eyes. And, instead of bright or black eyeliner, go with brown or aubergine. Dark blush can make cheeks look ruddy or even clownish, so stick to peach or pink with a slight shimmer. Women of color may want to use a warm shade in the coral or peach family on their cheek, rather than a dark wine to brown blush. Include a little sparkle for a nighttime glow. RULE #8: DIM THAT DEWY GLOW (JUST A BIT) A dewy, glowing complexion suggests youth and vitality. But for photos, a sheer, matte look is perfect, says Mark. To get the look the camera loves he suggests using oil control gels to absorb excess oil and reduce shine. Apply to bare skin wherever it’s oily. Dust skin with a translucent loose powder with a little shimmer for an even, overall sparkle. RULE #9: EYES AND SHINE Tears of joy will be falling. To prevent raccoon eyes, Mark insists that all brides use only waterproof or water resistant eye makeup. Use a neutral tone concealer as an eye shadow base then dust with translucent powder to help the shadow’s staying power. RULE #10: PUCKER UP, PRINCESS Your lips will be working overtime on your wedding day so you want to be sure they are extra kissable and that the color sticks. For luscious lips, Mark says, start by exfoliating them the day before – give them a little rub with your toothbrush. This will loosen any rough skin. Then, that morning, exfoliate again with a mixture of sugar and honey for moisture and lemon to plump them up. To make your lipstick last, prime lips with matte foundation or translucent powder. Next, use a lip liner that matches your lip color starting at the peak of your mouth to the corners and never go outside your lip shape. Apply lip color and pat with a tissue repeating this step three times. No skimping! Now give your lips another light dusting of powder and follow up with a lipstick sealant to keep you kiss-proof for 8 hours. MAKEUP STAR Makeup artist Mark Payne has polished the looks of celebrities from Madonna to Sting during his stellar career. His work is featured in music videos, magazine articles and advertising campaigns. He has appeared or worked on national TV shows including Live with Regis and Kelly, The View and One Life To Live.