Beauty blogger - WedZtyle

Stunning Wedding Makeup Styles.

by Fay Kanellos July 31, 2020July 31, 2020

When I was a bride, I chose my makeup look to compliment my dress, hair, and accessories. It was essential to me as it completed my look. I did not research current makeup trends as I knew what I wanted. I went for a heavier smoky eye paired with a light lipstick colour. I wanted my eyes to pop.

I used a makeup artist because I wanted someone who could offer me high quality, pigmented brand of makeup and understood my vision. Not everyone can afford a makeup artist and that is perfectly fine. Whether you and your bridal party do your own makeup, or you engage in a makeup artist, keep the look consistent meaning that the theme is running through each person. And of course, the face must be balanced.

For those brides who are unsure of their makeup style, despite using a makeup artist or doing it yourself, I am going to share various alluring looks that are currently trending and some classics and some not so.

THE CLASSIC LOOK.

Classic bridal makeup is subtle, timeless, and tasteful. Below are images that are ‘classic’. Note the light eyeshadow look, pale cheeks, and soft color lipstick. The face needs to be balanced to create that natural look.

Images: Pinterest.com

When wearing a nude lipstick, you cannot go wrong. It compliments all eye makeup looks. However, to pull it off, choose a nude based lipstick that matches your undertone and lip pigment.

Image: Pinterest.com

The classic red lips. My personal favourite. It never goes out of style and always makes a statement. If this look is what you are after, invest in a high-quality, pigmented red lipstick.

TRADITIONAL LOOKS

Images : Pinterest.com

Do not be afraid to embrace your cultural looks. This makes you unique so wear the look with the pride.

CURRENT WEDDING MAKEUP TRENDS

A current wedding makeup trend is subjective. Your wedding makeup must instil confidence within yourself. However, I feel as a Wedztyler; brides should be aware of what is trending and decide for themselves.

Through my research, THE MINIMALIST LOOK is the running theme. This look involves glowing skin, barely-there foundation, and pale lips.

Image: Pinterest.com

Along with this look – pale painted nails, loose textured hair, even braided suits the minimalist look.

For those wanting more of a vibrant look, “chic” shimmer eyeshadow, black eyeliner, brushed eyebrows, dark eyes, eyelash extensions, and bold lips also make a mention.

Shimmer, Bold Lips, Dark eyes, black eyeliner

Each of the looks are alluring and elegant. The common theme is balancing the makeup from the eyes to the cheeks to the lips. The makeup should tell the story of your look. Pair this with the right hairstyle, nail paint and accessories.

Do not be afraid to experiment. Below are a couple of looks embracing dramatic eyes. Although these are not trending, they are breathtaking.

Image: Pinterest.com

BRIDESMAIDS AND MOTHER OF THE BRIDE

No fixed rule. Depends on the look. Whether it is soft, natural, or bold, it should complement the bride’s makeup. Like the bride, the face needs to balance and suit the dress, hair, nail paint and accessories.

Mother of the bride tend to go for a natural look. Again, the style of makeup is dependant on their look.

Whether you engage a makeup artist or do it yourself, the style of makeup chosen should create a visual appeal which embraces the personality of the person wearing it. I did not choose a classic look, yet it worked for me as it embraced my personality, and the secret of perfectly flawed makeup is good skin. Your skin is a canvas so ensure that the skin is exfoliated, hydrated, and your makeup will look FABULOUS.

DAY TO NIGHT

A personal preference. I left my makeup as it was and touched it up when the evening came. For those who do want to change it up a bit, play around with your lipstick. For example, if you are wearing nude shade, change it to a brighter shade of lipstick. Or if you are already wearing a bold colour, change the tone (hot pink to red or a different shade of red). Another option would also be to change the blush tone to suit the change in lipstick colour. Changing your lipstick and blush shade is an easy and inexpensive method of changing your look. No makeup artist required.

EMERGENCY KIT

Weddings are long days. The wedding party needs to maintain its sleek look from morning until evening. For the bride and her party, this means keeping their makeup looking fresh.

Survival Tips:

Lipstick and liner – a must. If using a makeup artist, ask her to use your lipstick and liner. I did this, and it kept my lips looking fabulous.
Blotting Paper – take away that shine
Mascara and eyeliner – keep your eyes fresh. Those with eyelash extensions need not worry about this.
Foundation, concealer, and powder to keep your face looking amazing
Bronzer and blush – throughout the day, these will fade

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15 Shades of RED

by WedZtyle July 30, 2017

Those who know me will know that when it comes to cosmetics products, it is all about lipsticks. From a young age, I developed a fixation in buying lipsticks in a vast range of colours. The brand was irrelevant. All I cared about was the shade and how I felt when I wore it. I recall the first lipstick that I was given by aunty. It was the perfect brown – not too dark, not too light. It was glossy and it made my lips feel full and pouty. And the obsession began.

In the 90’s, I moved towards matte lipsticks as I found that were pigmented, long lasting although a bit drying depending on the brand. Who could forget Poppy’s infamous opaque lipsticks. Anyone and everyone owned a shade of Poppy lipsticks. One of my favourite shades was Indolence. A nude shade that matched any eye look. And then there was MAC. Their range of lipsticks offered made it my ultimate go-to brand. Whatever lipstick shade I wore, it always matched my mood and look. From day to night, my lips were never without lipstick.

For me, no shade of lipstick made me feel as glamorous, sexy and confident than wearing that perfect red lipstick. It can change your face, your look and your attitude. To this day, this is my preferred colour and as a result, I have accumulated ‘plentiful’ shades red of lipsticks.

Being a brunette with brown eyes and olive skin with golden undertones, I have worn a breadth of reds. I tended to ignore the ‘recommended’ red lipsticks for my hair colour and skin tone. I enjoyed experimenting. From bright reds to dark reds some with blue undertones, some with orange/brown and some with pink. I also played around with different formulas from sheer, gloss, matte semi matte, stains and liquid matte. Over the years, I have developed a ‘few’ favourites. So here are my 15 shades of red:

1. MAC Ruby Woo Known as Retro Matte. Eye catching red lipstick. Intense, striking and beautiful on the lips. Pigmented and long lasting.

red image 1

Image supplied by google – s-media-cache-ak0.pinmg.com

2. MAC RED Satin finish – bright hue of red. The satin finish makes the lips pop. Pigmented and long wearing.

red image 2

Image supplied by google – vg-images.condecdn.net

3. MAC Russian Red Matte – blue based shade of red. Not as vivid as Ruby Woo but still makes as statement on your lips.

Image supplied by google – www.painted-ladies.com

4. Dior 040 – Marilyn Matte lipstick. Long lasting, rich and deep in colour. The lipstick goes on very easily, giving the lips an intense finish. The packaging adds to the sophistication of the lipstick and the brand.

red image 4

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5. Dior 014- Dolce Vita Matte, long lasting and non-drying. Vibrant red. Bold and daring. The perfect shade of red. Again, the packaging adds to the sophistication of the lipstick and the brand.

red image 5

Image supplied by google – www.polyvore.com

6. YVSL Lipstick –Rouge Pur Couture 01 Matte finish, quite pigmented. Pure red colour. Hydrating and glides on easily. Elegant packaging.

Image supplied by google – www.yslbeautyus.com

7. Bodyography Lipstick – Red China Semi-matte. A true red that makes the lips look divine. A hidden gem!

Image supplied by google – cdn.makeupandbeauty.com

8. NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil – Mysterious Red A 2 in 1. A warm red hue that is moisturising and long lasting. This pencil is velvety smooth, making application easy.

Image supplied by google – www.vampyvarish.com

9. Chanel – Rouge Allure A must for every red-loving person. Intense, luminous and incredibly moisturizing. Brilliant packaging. Chanel is engraved within the lipstick. The lipstick barrel comes out when you press the golden base.

Image supplied by google – www.chanel.com

10. Chanel Number 14 Passion Satin matte finish. This shade of red is vibrant and daring. A true red.

Image supplied by google – www.polyvore.com

11. Chanel Number 104 – Passion Deeper red. Intense hue. Lips feels moist and sensuous

Image supplied by google – izzybeautyshoppe.com

12. Kat Von D – Hellbent Rich, deep red. Also known as crimson red. This lipstick makes a statement. Lips look sexy and pouty. Hydrating, long lasting and rich pigment.

Image supplied by google – www.temptalia.com

13. Buxom – Provocateur Full bodied semi matte. A true red that is vibrant and bold. Hydrating, extremely pigmented and lasts all day. The name says it all!! Stila – All Day Liquid Lipstick This lipstick applies wet and dries to a matte finish. Quite moisturising therefore non-drying. True to the name, this lipstick is long lasting. Incredibly pigmented range of colours.

Image supplied by google – www.temptalia.com

14. Fiery Intense full red-blooded colour. Makes the lips look full and sexy.

Image supplied by google – thisthatbeauty.com

15. Beso Pure red. Bold, daring and vivid. Lips looks seductive and sensuous Application is everything when wearing a red lipstick.

Image supplied by google – demandware.edgesuite.net

There are many tips online where you can be guided on how to apply on a red lipstick. I make sure that my lips are well moisturised. I then use a lip liner where I define my lip shape and lightly fill in my lips. I do this to ensure that I get a nice even finish. I then apply the lipstick directly from the bullet. What I do is dab the colour into my lips until I get the dimension of red I desire. For those who are uncomfortable in wearing a red lipstick, don’t be. Own it. With so many shades of red, it is a colour that can easily transition from day to night. Don’t be afraid to play around with various colours, formulas and brands. Find what makes you go ‘wow’ when you put it on your lips. Create your own 15 shades of red!

The Quest for “Straighter” Hair

by WedZtyle March 15, 2017

I have thick curly frizzy hair. For those who have similar hair to me, you will know how difficult it is to maintain. For years, I tried effortlessly to tame my hair, even taking an iron to it. It would take me an hour to straighten my hair yet it never looked smooth, always frizzy. And humid weather was my worst enemy.

Back in 2002, I was elated to learn that a product existed to permanently straighten hair. Known as Japanese Straightening, aka Thermal Ionic Hair Straightening. The product thermally restructures the hair from curly to permanently straight. The thermal ionic system actually flattens the hair cuticle layer to produce permanently straight hair. The hair remains straight until it is cut off.

conair-one-n-only-thermal-ionic-permanent-hair-straightener-202 — Thermal Ionic

Amazing results, my hair was dead straight with no frizz. I remember when I first got it done, I was ecstatic. My hair behaved as if I was born with straight hair. However, I could not curl it or add any body to it. The curl was gone. As my hair grew, the roots were curly even though the length of my hair was straight. This meant that I had to continuously straighten the roots which I did once a year.

The draw back with this treatment is that it is a very lengthy process, even when you get the regrowth done. As the hairdresser has to meticulously iron an inch of hair at a time, it can take anywhere between 4 to 6 hours and the cost ranges from $450 to $650. Although, I liked my hair straight, I wanted body in it. I also got tired of spending 4.5 hours in the salon only to straighten 4 inches of hair along with the inconvenience of not being able to tie or pin it up or wash it for 72 hours. And the not to mention the cost of getting this procedure done.

smooth-hair — Thermal Ionic Before and After Treatment

It was time for a change. Being a creature of habit, it took me awhile to grasp the concept of a Brazilian Keratin Straightening Treatment. Basically, it is a semi-permanent hair straightening method where they infuse liquid keratin and a preservative solution into the hair with a hair iron. It considerably relaxes the curl and eliminates frizz. Over a period of 3-6 months, the hair goes back to its original way.

I took the plunge a few months back. The hairdresser used Alfaparf Lisse design express formula. I was very skeptical of the results. It used a mousse type application and the processes was different to what I was used to. With the Thermal ionic, after thermally reconstructing the hair using an iron, a neutralizer is added to permanently lock the hair in a pin straight look. With the Brazilian treatment, once the product is ironed into your hair, it is done. It takes less time and a quarter of the cost.

alfaparf_milano_lisse_kit[1] — Alfaparf Lisse Keratin Therapy

With much apprehension, I washed my hair and hoped for the best. It was a different outcome to the thermal ionic straightening process. My hair was not dead straight but my curl definitely relaxed and the frizz disappeared. My hair had a nice shine through and it felt soft and conditioned. The advantages for me is that with the Brazilian treatment, my hair has body in it. And there is no curly regrowth, easy to straighten and no frizz.

The disadvantage for me is that because it is not straight I actually now have to take to the hair dryer and iron to straighten my hair. Whereas with the other treatment, no iron was required until the regrowth appeared.

LisseDesign_model — Alfaparf Lisse – Before and After Treatment

The jury is still out on this one for me. Not sure which method of straightening treatment I prefer as the outcomes are completely different. For now, I will continue with the Brazilian Keratin Treatment as I like that I can add body and movement to my hair yet still be able to easily manage my curls.

In conclusion, for those who are skeptical like I was or considering this, my advice will be choose the treatment type that best suits your needs. Choosing the right hairdresser will also determine the result you get so don’t be afraid to ask questions.