Category: makeup artist

Wedding Makeup: Do’s and Don’t’s

Wedding makeup, Where do we start?

Wedding Makeup is one of my favorite types of makeup, but also one of the most stressful. Now don’t get me wrong, the makeup isn’t the stressful part, the preparation, working in a room filled with best friends, parents, aunts etc. who feel that they know what would look best and time restrain. That is the stressful part.

The psychology:

First thing to remember about wedding makeup is that it’s all about the bride! I hate when people say; oh she was a bridezilla… No, it’s her day and everything needs to be perfect.  Can you really blame someone for getting extra excited? (weather angry, happy or sad.) When it’s (what they feel) the most important day of their life. Think about it, tensions are high as well as emotions, so any little thing can set anyone off. I get it. That is why I remember always to treat my brides and their wedding party with the highest respect and with the most care I can possible give, from the Mother of the bride to the flower girl, (and especial the bride) everyone should feel like they just got pampered. That should be your goal.

 

Preparation:

The easiest  way to be the best wedding makeup artist, is to always be prepared. I teach my students to expect the unexpected. To be prepared you would need basic things like: Doing a makeup trial with the bride and drawing up a face chart with the look and details of all the items used. You’ll need to add to your wedding makeup kit: band aids,  safety pins, bobby pins, hair ties, visine or contact solution, needle and thread, makeup remover, scissors, and extra makeup palettes just in case an unexpected person wants their makeup done differently from the wedding party.

A contract should be drawn up, it’s for their benefit and yours, you can find outlines of contract online and tweak them for every bride.

 

It’s important that your preparation includes a cleaned well maintained kit.  I cannot tell you how many events I’ve been to where  makeup artist aren’t ready. Artist show up with their brushes dirty, their kits a mess, and their eye shadow palettes dusty. This is unacceptable! The bride is paying well for your services, therefore giver her your best.

You’ll need: regular foundation, airbrush foundation in every range or enough colors to mix to custom create new colors. Last but not least Patience. I also suggest to request for the bride to choose the makeup for the bridesmaid, it makes it easier for you and  for a faster application, also it keeps anyone from trying to out shine the bride.

 

Application:

If you did a face chart and have communicated well with your bride, this step should be easy! Most makeup artist tell me that their biggest concern is that the bride won’t like the makeup. This should not be a problem, keep in mind most bride research before they call you, which means, they’ve already seen your talent and called you because they liked your makeup style the best. Be at ease they already think you are amazing, you came prepared, you’ve done a trial and now it’s just application time.

 

How to apply wedding makeup:

  1. Moisturize:

    A well moisturize skin will make any makeup look amazing! Hydration is key. If you are a licensed skin care specialist  advise your client moths in advance on what skin care regiment they should follow. You can double up your profit offering multiple services like: facials, waxing, and even spray tanning.

  2. Primer:

    A great primer will keep the makeup looking fresh all day. There are tons of primers in the market; from primers that help with the appearance of the skin, rosacea, discoloration, dryness etc. Most imperfections can be corrected with concealers and hd foundations; what you cannot correct with makeup is the appearance of fine lines and large pores, that’s why I recommend a silicone primer that can help with these problems.

  3. HD Foundation and concealers:

    A good high quality foundation can help cover most imperfections and give you a long lasting finish result without it feeling too heavy. If you want a good argument, bring up concealer and foundation and which one should go first. All makeup artist have their own opinion, and that’s all it is an opinion, because it’s up to you! In my opinion, I feel it’s best to do foundation first. Clients will always tell you that what they hate the most is foundation because it feels heavy. The truth, it’s not the foundation, it’s the amount of foundation and concealer and powder. I always do foundation first, if my foundation didn’t cover all imperfections then I add concealer. However if you have a good quality HD foundation that would be all you need.

  4. Setting powder:

    Setting your makeup is extremely important. There are a few thing you should take into consideration: Is she oily? If your client is oily then you have to use a setting powder. Does your client have dry skin? If she does then you might want to skip the powder, if not she might look too dry. Now what powder should you use?

  5. Difference Between powder:

    Translucent powder, HD powder, and touch up powder. Translucent powder, is powder without color, it could be used to set makeup and also to bake in areas where you want to highlight.  HD powder is fine and thin and it’s made to seal makeup. However if you use too much of this powder it will show up in pictures. Touch up powder is the compact powder. Compact powder either come in your shade or translucent. These powders are meant for the model to carry with them to touch up shine through the day. I mostly used the Becca Hydra Mist – set and refresh

  6. Eye shadow primer and eye shadow application:

    Just like face primer, eye shadow primer is essential. Eye shadow primer will keep your clients eye shadow lasting all day. The same way a good eye shadow will help with the longevity of the makeup of your client. Make sure you blend, when eye shadow isn’t blended correctly it will look harsh on camera.

  7. Eyebrows and eyelashes:

    Eyebrows frame the face, they are such an important part of the makeup. Women sometimes are afraid of adding eyebrow products, you have to remind your customer that for picture purpose dark brows are best. Eyelashes might not be everyone cup of tea, but they add so much glamour to any makeup look. If your client can handle them suggest that they should wear them. Always add mascara and make sure that it is water proof.

  8. Lipstick:

    The lipstick is the jewel of the makeup, the bright pop of color to bring everything together. Make sure the lipstick you use compliments the rest of the makeup.

  9. Setting Spray:

    This is the last step on this makeup adventure, the one item that will set all the makeup and your last security measure to make sure the makeup will last all day.

Lastly, remember that wedding makeup, is makeup. Remember the rules you already know, make sure it’s camera ready and set it that it will last all day. Most importantly, you may know what’s right and best for the customer, but listen to your customer do what she asks  and make sure they’re happy.

I hope these do’s and don’t’s and 9 makeup tips help you in your journey as a wedding makeup artist.

I want to thank all these beautiful brides, first for letting me be a part of their special day and second for providing all these beautiful photos. If you are interested in my makeup services, you can reach me on the contact page.

Wet-N-Wild Pro Brush Set

Hello Beauty Addicts

Welcome back to Beauty By Shaq!

Today I wanted to talk you about the new Wet-N-Wild Pro Brush set for the holidays.

Let me tell you a bit about them first:

. It’s cruelty free

. Densely packed, ultra-soft bristles

. Synthetic bristles mimic the consistency of natural hair

. Ergonomic handle for total control

My favorite thing about them is the ergonomic dip, it makes it so easy to use the brushes. Their hair is soft but still firm, and that’s why I think they are a good buy.

You can find them at Walgreens, it usually retails for $30, but this week if you have their rewards card you get them 50% off.

I first saw the pro brush set when I went into Walgreen’s for an errand I had to run. The Wet-N-Wild makeup brushes were front and center. It was like they were calling my name, I had to go to them and check them out!

The Wet-N-Wild Pro Brush set which includes 10 brushes, was advertised for $30 with a value of $90. I thought this was a great deal, so much so that I told my son that if he wanted that was something he could buy me for Christmas.

As I went on with my day I didn’t think much of the brushes. Later I start surfing through Instagram, one of my favorite accounts @trenmood1 they were  talking about the brushes. I read the description and it says they are 50% off 😮! Online or in store, but online had already sold out!

I worried a little and wondered if I should go and get it .. it was late at night, instead I waited and went first thing in the morning.

I teach at a Beauty school and of course I shared the news with the Students and by 12pm it was sold out from the two Walgreens by my Job! Lol!! If you can find it, you should definitely go get them!

Needless to say the Wet-N-Wild Pro Brush Set is worth the money, are great quality and beautiful!

Sephora Collection: Disney Minnie Beauty

Disney Minnie Beauty Collection

If you are a Disney fan like I am, then this collection will make your day!
I was walking the mall, just enjoying the day, when there it was.. at the entrance of Sephora (it’s like they put it there on purpose lol) naturally I had to go inside.
The collection is everything you could hope for!! They have several items, but i only bought 3.

usually when you get a collection like this, i’m afraid of the eyeshadows because most of the time the pigment pay off isn’t worth it.. but that’s not the case with these. These eyeshadows are very pigmented and true color pay off.

The to die for Minnie-ature cream Lip Stain Set.

The colors for this collection are perfect for me, all the colors i love in one set.

 My favorite part of this collection  Minnie’s Black & White Felt Eyeliner Duo.

These eyeliners are beautiful! I love the colors (black and white) they are vibrant, and long lasting.
Tote Bag

This is the cutest bag ever… naturally i had to get it too! This bag is available (while supplies last) to beauty insiders for only 250 points.

Ok now for the sad part… what I didn’t get:
Brush up on Glamour Minnie’s Beauty Tools             Perfect Red Lipstick
Minnie’s Inner Glow Luminizing Blush                     Minnie’s Aren’t you Gorgeous Hand Held Mirror

Reflection of Minnie Compact Mirror

The collection is beautiful! I expected it to just be ordinary, just for looks, but after testing it out and playing with it a bit, I discovered that this collection is well worth it. The collection is not only beautiful but also well made, all the colors are very pigmented and the lip colors long lasting without drying out!

Hope you enjoyed this review of Sephora Disney Minnie Beauty Collection.

If you liked the review leave a comment below, if you tried the product and own some of them, leave a comment below, If you like for me to review any other products leave your suggestions below!
Need a make-up artist? Contact Shaquira at makeupbyshaq@aol.com or 786.879.2346

Half Skull & Half Glam Halloween Makeup

Hello Beauty Addicts!
Welcome back to Beautybyshaq!
Today I bring you this awesome look for Halloween!
I wanted to create a few looks this October, some ideas you could use this festive season, for parties or even trick or treating!!
I wanted to start by sharing the products I used, and links so you can find them easy!
First thing I used is 3rd degree:
This is a 2 part silicone prosthetic material, that when mixed together, you have about ten minutes to shape and mold into what you would like before it gets hard and stays that way! This product while is still wet, you can blend and clean off  with 99% alcohol.
If you don’t have this product, don’t panic! you can still create this look without it! Simply using gel blood for the division or nothing at all! It will still look great and people will be talking about your makeup all night!
Next I used my favorite eye shadow primer at the moment.. this one is from sephora it’s their eye shadow primer and Glitter hold! 
another of my favorite products and one of my favorite brands it’s this Highlight and Contour palette from Crown brush. This palette come with neutral eye shadows and highlighters, bronzer and blushes! definitely a must have in your bag of tricks.
also from crown this amazing trio palette !
Omg i’ts all I use lately!
Another of my favorite brands (seriously i use it all the time) it’s Ofra Cosmetics.
In this tutorial I used their Bright addiction palette and as always their Black gel eye liner.

(more pictures of the look)
In this tutorial I used my Kat VonD foundation (in shade 62) which is full coverage long wear and tattoo cover up.
I love it because it covers all! I also used her Everlasting liquid lipstick in outlaw.

I use my BenNye cameo loose powder, I love how these powders set my makeup.

My latest addiction the Mary-Lou Manizer from The Balm.

For the face painting part of this look I used Mehron Paradise Makeup in Black White and LT-Brown
Last but definitely not least my Thick Blood from Bennye.
Of course all these products are amazing, but you can totally get this look using stuff you already have or things from the nearest pharmacy or Walmart.
The important thing is to have fun recreating this and other looks and rocking them out or have your own privet photo shoot! lol! If you do recreate this or any of my looks tag me on Instagram or email me or leave it here on my comments!
Have fun!

Need a make-up artist? Contact Shaquira at makeupbyshaq@aol.com or 786.879.2346

Cheshire Cat inspired makeup look

Hello Beauty addicts!!
For my second Halloween makeup look teamed up with my friend and co-worker Karla.
She’s an amazing artist who is looking to start a YouTube  channel, so we did this look to get her 
started.
We created this look using Mehron paradise cake makeup, this is a makeup that you activate with water. the trick is to get a consistency of pancake batter… lol… yes… wet but not liquidy, that would give you a better coverage and it’s easier to blend!
However if  you don’t have these products, you can always try to recreate it with eye shadows, cream colors or even eye liners!
have fun! if you try this look tag us on instagram i’m @beautybyshaq and she is @_kgmakeup
Need a make-up artist? Contact Shaquira at makeupbyshaq@aol.com or 786.879.2346