Travelling abroad for your wedding & applying your own makeup?
It’s becoming more and more popular for brides & grooms to jet off and tie the knot in beautiful locations such as Italy, Greece, Cypress & Spain. On the plus side you are definitely guaranteed the sun and the heat, but the only downside to the heat is having your makeup slide off your face before your dinner!
I’ve had plenty of brides come to me for private bridal lessons so they can do it themselves on their wedding morning. I’ve heard of astronomical quotes for hair and makeup in various hotels abroad so this is definitely a cheaper option.
In the heat their are a number of products to help keep your makeup in place, I’ve listed them below.
Primer- This is a MUST have with any bride but especially in a hot county when the humidity is high. There are tons of different brands avilable but my favourite is Laura Mercier’s primer.
Oil free Foundation- This is going to have the lasting power to endure the heat and any perspiring on the face. Again lots available on the market, depending on cost and personel preference. I’m a massive Laura Mercier fan so love her oil free range.
Do you remember years ago using blotting paper!? I might be showing my age but the body shop used to stock them. They are a god send for anyone who gets a shiny t-zone throughout the day. They absorb any excess oil on the face without interfering with your makeup.
Most people just keep re-applying powder and this can create a white pale face in pictures. Seeing the oil on the paper is awful! 
There are plenty of brands on the market, they are pictured below. The mac ones have 30 sheets and retail at €16.50 and the others can be found in the larger Boots stores.
Blot powder- Powder is used AFTER your blotting paper. To simplify it, you want to remove any excess oil from the skin with the blotting paper, then matify your skin using the powder. Try not reapply a foundation later in the day, you will struggle to blend it seamlessly and there is always the dreaded risk of spillage over your dress! Remember not to reapply too much, or you’ll look like a ghost in pictures
Gel Liners- These gel liners are long lasting and water resistant, great for any tears or weepy eyes. They are available in so many shades, not just black. If you not a pro at applying eye liner, best use a thin angled brush for applying. There are so many brands available, bobbi brown, mac, inglot.
Kate Middleton shunned the help of a make-up artist on her wedding day to do it herself instead. I think that’s one of the major reasons that we all love Kate, it really does seem like she could be just like us.
Kate took make-up lessons from bridal artist Arabella Preston in preparation. She used a make-up artist at a test shoot for the official engagement pictures, but she was unhappy with the result so removed it and reapplied herself. She looked absolutely beautiful and with 2 billion eyes scrutinising her I say fair play to her! The look she created was a soft smokey eye, natural lips and fab pink cheeks.
If you are considering doing your own make-up for your wedding, here are a few things to consider….
*I wouldn’t recommend doing your own bridal makeup if you are terrible at applying your own makeup. If you have a firm grasp of what looks nice on you, go for a lesson and if you feel confident enough go for it!
* Stick with products that you have used before, so you don’t have to worry about allergic reactions. It’s never wise to take chances on your big day.
* Always do a few trial runs yourself and photograph them.
*Apply your makeup in bright room, closest to a window with natural daylight.
* Make sure you allocate enough time for your makeup, ideally you want to be ready a full hour before you are due to leave, to allow for any mistakes.
*Try to use waterproof products around the eyes to avoid mascara running if there are tears.
It’s a big decision doing your own makeup for such a big day so have a good think about it!
Below is a picture of Pam on her wedding day after applying her makeup herself! Pam flew to Tuscany last August, decided to have a makeup lesson with me and bravely applied their own make up on her big day. This is what she had to say about her lesson…..
”Getting married abroad takes alot of consideration. Who will I get to do my hair and makeup? I was nervous about getting someone from the local village to do my makeup and couldn’t afford to pay for Alyson to come to Italy to do my makeup on the day. So I decided to go to her for a pre- wedding makeup lesson. This is one of the best things I did before the wedding. She brought me through the whole makeup process from the preparation of my skin with a primer right through to what types of makeup and brands to buy, which brushes to buy, and most importantly how to apply to makeup. Makeup is a minefield and she successfully guided me through the process with kindness, professionalism and expertise”.
”My makeup on the day worked well and in 40 degree heat it stayed on, with a few minor touch ups throughout the day. Her makeup tips and professional insight into how the A listers make their cheekbones stand out, to highlighting different areas of your face I think really made a massive difference to how I looked on the day. Alyson also applied my Mink eyelashes which I have never in my life got so many comments about. I am sooooo glad I didn’t gamble with a local person to do my makeup. I feel that I did a good job on the day considering I am not a makeup professional like Alyson. The pre-wedding makeup lesson is something that I will have forever because now I know how to use makeup properly all the time not just on my wedding day. I really in truly could not recommend her enough”.
Pam
Private bridal makeup lessons cost €80 and take about 2 hours, a personal workbook is given to each bride detailing every step. Email me on info@alysonmakeup for more information
The Truth about Eyelash Extensions
Every now and then a client comes to me who has had a bad experience with eyelash extensions and I need to remove them. If too long a length is used they can snap your own lashes but more commonly, bad application is to blame. Here is some information on how they should feel like on.
When applied properly eyelash extensions DO NOT damage your own lash. They fall out naturally one by one with your own lash, when your natural lash is ready to fall out, it takes the extension with it. A new lash grows in it’s place immediately. After about 4 weeks you should notice about 50 % of of your eyelash extensions left. Refills are required after about 4 weeks if you would like to maintain them. The glue has no direct contact with your skin, the extension is placed approx 2mm away from your eyelid. A full set can take up to 2 hours.
When PROPERLY applied, you can’t feel any difference after the procedure. They should feel weightless and comfortable. The lashes should look full yet individually separated with no clumps of glue or lashes stuck together. See my lovely clients below..
When IMPROPERLY applied, your lashed feel heavy and uncomfortable, similar to having a strip of lashes on. There should be no criss cross lashes or gaps. Your lashes grow minimal amounts so a week after your procedure they will look slightly longer, this must be taken into account. You can have them professionally removed so DON’T try this yourself, you will pull your own eyelashes out too. Here are some bad cases below.
Nicole Kidman, Georgia Scalpa, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Rosanna Davidson, Naomi Campbell and Abi Titmus are all said to be fans of semi permanent eyelashes.
When choosing your eyelash technician, there are a few things to consider.
* Make sure they are fully qualified and find out what lash and glue they use.
*Make sure they have at least 3 months experience
*Are fully insured
*Do they offer a removal service should you want to remove them at any stage.
*Make sure you have a consultation. A lot of the time clients aren’t asked what look, length or curl they would like. There are a number of lengths and curls to choose from depending on your eye shape and what look you want.
* Don’t always go for the cheapest offer, it is a meticulous process that can’t be rushed.
Right I think I’ve covered everything, any questions just shout!
New York Trip
I’ve always wanted to visit New York so when I finally got to see it last week for the first time I realised why it’s everyone’s favourite destination! I turned 30 this month and couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than heading off to the big city lights of New York.
What an exciting fast pace of life! I found it mesmerising watching the thousands of people rushing around the city carrying their coffee’s whilst on their phones! We did all the touristy sights, my favourite was the liberty Island boat trip, I couldn’t get over how small she actually is.
While away I was purchasing large volumes of makeup on my company visa, my bank called wondering if someone had stolen my card because of the large transactions! Needless to say I stocked up my kit while saving lots of money.
I noticed that the day to day makeup of the women in New York was very natural. I saw some strong lips on a few business women but generally the makeup is quite fresh and minimal. The ladies are so beautiful but look after themselves. Bright coloured nail polish seems to be quite popular, I was checking out all the painted fingers on the subway. I also noticed a lot of ladies doing their makeup on the go, I saw a lady put on her full face in the theatre in the row in front of me just before the show started.
One shop that I would love to see in Dublin is Sephora. You are handed a little basket on the way into the shop ( greeted with a huge smile of course ”welcome to Sephora”) You can wander around the shop viewing all the different brands selecting items for your basket. Then paying for everything at the till at the end. It carries all the big brand names lancome, Givenchy, urban decay, Dior, Benefit, Nars, smashbox and also carries an amazing skin care range.
My transaction for Sephora was put through via a handheld device which scanned all my items, charged my visa card, then she emailed me my receipt with the click of a button….. they are so up to speed with technology! Another thing that fascinated me was so many people, no matter what age were using iphones, ipods or ipads!
One of my favourite buys for myself was an eye cream from a Danish range Ole Henriksen, I think you can source it here, I’ve been using it for almost 2 weeks now and see a huge improvment. Costing $45, the tub is quite big and will last about a year. This was from Sephora.
In the US, there are so many makeup brands available to you that are really reasonably priced. Dublin has got a Huge mac following but isn’t one of the most popular brands in New york.
Known as being a loud and dynamic city, it was unusual for me to see men wearing full makeup, foundation, mascara, powder the works! Men also seem to dominate the makeup shops and high end fashion shops.
Eyebrow threading and nail brows are on every corner, I didn’t see many eyelash extensions or HD brows. I was disappointed I didn’t see any celebrities about the streets of Manhattan but did see plenty of camera crews filming throughout the city.
In all, I loved the city and would travel back tomorrow if I could, it has such an amazing buzz about it!
Alyson x
My Zuca Bag!
I love my job but lugging my bulky kit around with me is hard on my back & shoulders and not to mention very awkward, getting into lifts, fitting it into my boot and dragging it around the city. I was hours on the internet trying to source an alternative. I came across the Zuca bag, the buzz and hype about his bag is incredible. The story behind it is really cool, Laura Udall designed the first Zuca bag for her 10 year old daughter who was having back pain from carrying so many school books. They have been going since 2004 and since then have brought out the pro artist line for hair and make up artists. Genius!
It was not cheap at €240 but definitely worth it! It offers a life time warranty and the cover can be removed and cleaned along with all the vinyl inserts. I purchased mine at London Belle in the UK and avoided the hefty shipping costs from the US.
The most amazing thing about this bag is the built-in chair! The aluminium frame on the bag allows you to be able to use it a chair. It can hold up to 300 pounds! This is fantastic because sometimes I don’t always have access to a seat.
You can purchase the bag in fun colourful patterns. The pro artist Zuca bag comes with 5 washable vinyl inserts which are so easy to store & because they are see through I can see exactly what I need.
This is my very bulky old kit! While carrying both of these, I could barely carry my car keys, let alone my phone or a bottle of water! I needed everthing in my case, a lot of the time I haven’t met the client yet so I have to be prepared for any skin type and tone.
So my next step was to organise and move everything from one kit to another! As you can see I have a lot of stuff! 
3 HOURS LATER!!!!! Look how compact it is it! I only ended up using 4 of the clear inserts, so I will use the other one for my own makeup at home. The expandable side pocket fits so much, as you can see I did a ”Monica” on it and labelled everything with my label printer!
The Zuca bag has a big celebrity following….
*Pussycat Doll, Nicole Scherzinger, on set of Britney Spears’ Circus Tour.
*Kim Kardashian with her pro artist case!
*ZUCA was the official “Everybody Wins at the OSCARS gift bag” at the 2009 Academy Awards
I highly recommend the Zuca bag, especially if you are a freelance makeup artist. Even if you aren’t a makeup artist and just have a ton of makeup, it’s great for storing all your items especially with the utility pouches. My Zuca has got to be one of my all-time favourite beauty buys! My makeup finally has a home! x
My next purchase is the Zuca hair stylist back pack, this can be clipped onto the top of the pro artist wheelie bag. At some shoots and jobs I am asked to do basic hair styling. This is also a must have bag for any hair stylist. It has a heat resistant expandable thermal pocket for your GHD or thongs, it can withstand temperatures up to 350 Degrees, no need to wait for your tools to cool down!
The Oscars 2012! Red lips verses natural?
NATURAL……
The Stunning Emma Stone looking very sophisticated for only 23 years old! Pink eyeshadow with a red dress could have went so wrong but this works beautifully. Love the cat flick liner!
Sandra Bullock never seems to age! She opted for a fab strong eye, a sheer lipstick and a beautiful pink pop of colour on her cheeks.
Shailene Woodley wore a subtle smokey eye that works really well with her hazel eyes, a lovely fresh face with a very subtle lip.
Natalie Portman always looks so elegant and flawless, wearing earthy colours on her eyes and a sheer lippie. Love the Bling!
Sporting her trade mark black kohl pencil, rimmed on the inside of her eyes and fresh illuminated face, Cameron looks amazing.
My favourite flawless face of the night, Jessica Chastain went for a sheer matte foundation with very subtle cheeks, sheer lips and an eyeliner flick. Love it!!
Gwenth Paltrow looked radiant wearing lovely gold & bronze eye colours with a dewy finish to her foundation. Her sleek hair works really well with her look.
RED LIPS…….
Angelina always seems to get it right, bronze smokey eyes making her green eyes pop! Her dress got more attention than anything else that night!
Milla Jovovich was my favourite rep lip of the night, accompanied with a sheer pink cheek and illuminated face, absolutely fab.
I really likes Miley Cyrus’s look, she wore a full strip of lashes, strong brow and lip. She looked very grown up in her gown, I still think she’s only 12!
Mara Rooney & January Jones both looked like they were plucked from another era for the night! Love both styles of makeup, this really shows you the dynamics of red lips on blonds and brunettes!
My Favourite lady of the night was Michelle Williams, she’s come along way from Dawson’s creek! I’m normally not a big fan of ladies with super short hair but Michelle totally rocks this. Who said pink doesn’t go with red?! Red dress, pink lips and bag, love it.
Michelle’s gown was a peplum number designed by Louis Vuitton. It supposedly took over 300 hours to make!! Absolutely stunning and totally worth it!