Be the Quintessential Blushing Bride

By Courtney Zepeda-Hawkes

It is difficult to argue that there is nothing more beautiful on a wedding day than a vibrant, fresh-faced bride…a woman who looks like herself, but at her very best, on one of the most important days of her life.

With the wide array of products available today, the look can be achieved quickly and easily.
There is no need to slather a face in foundation and cover up the natural beauty of your skin. Tarte offers a fabulous concealer called “The Eraser.” It’s packaged in a fabulous pen which is so easy to use. All you have to do is twist the bottom and the smooth, concealing cream is dispensed through a soft brush that makes application clean and tidy, without the mess of having to blend it in with your fingers. It’s very easy to control for a flawless finish. To follow up the concealer, all I would recommend would be the “T-Zone Travel” compact from Tarte. It’s an invisible shine control powder that is suitable for all shades of skin. It’s light and won’t cake up. The compact is a gorgeous little number which houses the pressed powder, a fabulous flat brush for application and a pack of blotting sheets for quick touch-ups.

For the lovely “blushing” part of the look, I highly recommend any of the cheek stains by Tarte. My favorite cheek stain is the new “Natural Cheek Stain.” It’s a new twist on Tarte’s most popular product. The cheek stain is packed with natural ingredients to keep your skin radiant and is paraben free, phthalate free, mineral oil free, propylene glycol free, sulfate free and is dermatologist tested. It is naturally fragranced with cassis and gives your cheeks and lips a gorgeous sheer berry stain. The color is much easier to control than other lip and cheek stains since it’s in stick form and not liquid. And don’t forget to truly look flushed, just put color on the apples of your cheeks…where you would naturally blush.

You don’t have to work hard to have fabulous eyes on your wedding day. I found some gorgeous products to use from Urban Decay that will help emphasize, but not over emphasize, your natural beauty. First, start off with the “24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil” in “Yeyo.” This shade is a subtle, pearly white which will help make your eyes look whiter and brighter. All you have to do is line the inside part of your bottom lid. I recommend doing this first so it can wear some and look completely natural by the time you are finished with your eyes. From there apply their “Sellout” eye shadow onto your brow bone, just under your eyebrow, from the arch to the outer edge. A matte shadow like “Shakedown” is perfect for applying to your entire lid. Follow up with the “Bourbon” eye pencil at your lash line, then blend the line with “Secret Service” matte shadow. Last but not least, finish off with the “Big Fatty Mascara” for lush lashes!

When it comes to your lips…keep it simple. Plan to wear a color that is natural enough to not be noticeable if it wears off some. In my 16 years as a make-up artist, I have yet to find a long-lasting lipstick that really knocks my socks off. So, I opt for soft and natural. I really like tinted lip balms. They usually have such a natural hint of color they can be applied without a mirror. I am a big fan of Tarte’s “24-7” tinted lip balms, which also have an SPF of 15. “Champagne Brunch” is a very pretty natural color that could be worn by anyone. If you want that extra touch of sparkle and shine, put a layer of Too Faced’s super-shiny “Diamond Gloss” in “White” on top of the lip balm.

Voila! You are a stunning, blushing bride!