Diary of an MUA: Bridal Beauty with Kalisha

I had the pleasure of doing bridal makeup for Kalisha a week or so ago.  During her trial she was soft spoken but knew exactly what she wanted out of her look...or so we thought!  LOL  You see Kalisha was adamant that she wanted a natural look, like herself but a bit more polished.  So that is what I gave her...with a little bit more that I tried to sneak in.  Oh but Kalisha was having none of that - she had me tone it down even more until she was completely satisfied.  She sent me a text later on that her fiance' gave his seal of approval saying that she looked like herself but professional.  LOL  I love them together.  She surprised me on her wedding day by saying she wanted to pump it up a bit for the big day - she wanted a smoky look but no black!  LOL  So that's what we did.  She sent me a message on Facebook saying that everyone loved the makeup I did for her, her sister (bridesmaid) and the flower girl, so much so that even her grandfather commented on how nice it looked!  Well if that isnt a seal of approval I don't know what is!  :)

Now don't let that recap fool you, though Kalisha knew what she wanted, she never once was demanding.  I felt very calm in working with her both during the trial and on her wedding day.  I was very thankful for that because normally I have to calm brides down when their nerves get the better of them.  I hope to exude that same level of inward peace on my own wedding day.

Another thing I hope to get from Kalisha is the name of her videographer!!!  I am in love with this video and wanted to share it here with you all.  Isnt it beautiful?  I have watched it quite a few times now and it puts the biggest smile on my face.  Their love is captured in the best way.  Enjoy!



Patrick + Kalisha || Wedding Highlight from emelo5678 on Vimeo.

Review: Mehron Tattoo CoveRing

In the vid below I mentioned that I picked up the Mehron Tattoo CoveRing while at IMATS NYC for a bridal client because I had some tattoo cover work I needed to do for a few of the bridesmaids.





Well I did indeed put the ring to work and well... I will let the images tell the story before I add my two cents...

BEFORE: Very large tattoo and you cant see here but there are two medium sized images on either side of the name...

AFTER: 2nd bridesmaid from the front, as you can see the ENTIRE tattoo is covered!

I started this process by removing any excess oils from the skin using the Alcone Makeup Remover Cloths, once the tattoo area was dry I began applying the Mehron Tattoo CoveRing, which can be picked up here, with a brush in thin layers multiple times.  The CoveRing makeup is very thick in consistency as it provides maximum coverage however if you mix it on the back of your sanitized hand it will warm to the point where you can mix to get a better match to your client/yourself.  In between each application I set the layers with my Make Up Forever HD Powder .  Once I completely covered the tattoo I then went over it with a custom blend foundation to match the client's skin, for that I used my Graftobian foundation palette's (I have all 3).  Once her skin tone was achieved I then dusted once more with translucent powder and set it with the Mehron Barrier Spray.

All in all I was pleased with the Mehron Tattoo CoveRing.  Keep in mind that this is in no way an easy process.  It is very time consuming, at least for the type of cover job I had to complete which took a good hour at least!  So just be certain to plan accordingly.  I am now on a quest to find the ultimate tattoo cover products that can minimize time spent on the task itself.

Bridal Beauty: Natural Beauty

I received a referral for a bridal trial last week.  The bride was very easy going and wanted a really natural look.  She didnt wear much more than a light shadow and gloss on a regular basis and didnt want to look overdone. 

She didnt really have any skin issues so I focused more on accentuating her eyes with neutral tones.  She did want lashes and a bit of a sexy look with them so I opted for individuals.  While I thought they were a bit too much drama she liked them.  We are still in a toss up over them but I know we will get it worked out before the end of the month which is when I am set to take care of her and her bridal party!  Again I must say I am lucking out with my bridal clients.  Each has been so wonderful to meet and get to know.  As always as soon as I get pro pics I will share!  Now for my snapshots:

BEFORE

AFTER

Bridal Beauty: Traditional Glamour

I received a referral for a bridal client this past week from the company Sweet Marital Bliss.  They will actually be doing the videography for the wedding.  I was at their wedding many moons ago and cant wait to work with them in this capacity! The bride will be getting married this coming weekend and while she liked the look she got from a previous MUA trial, she was looking for a bit more pop. 

I asked her a series of questions to get a feel for her day and her usual makeup routine and decided upon a look that I thought would suit her needs.

Her skin was pretty much clear of blemishes, her only issue was skin sensitivity and dryness in certain areas.  She had just cleansed her face and hadnt applied any moisturizer and actually admitted that she doesnt use it.  I told her that was a no no, and suggested some products that would be beneficial without causing skin irritation.  That day I used Origins Zero Oil lotion.  I followed the moisturizer with MAC Prep + Prime.

For her foundation application I used my Graftobian Warm Palette (LOVE)-I mixed Sienna and Pecan to come up with her color.  Prior to starting her makeup application I asked her if she wore makeup everyday and she said she did and her foundation of choice was Flori Roberts.  While she liked the coverage it gave she complained that it has a tendency to go a bit orange on her so I kept that in mind when mixing her custom color.  Under her eyes I used my Graftobian Dark Corrector Wheel (the orange color) which worked perfectly!  Definitely a must have for my MUA readers or just anyone in general.  I set her foundation with MAC MSF in Deep Dark.

When I do a bridal trial I do a full face foundation application but only do one eye so the bride can adjust if need be, we also try different lip looks.  For her shadow application I used a white foundation by MAC to make her lid pop more and applied a peachy champagne color that I cant think of the name of at the moment.  In her crease I used MAC Brown Down and Carbon to add more depth.  I lined her eyes first with Carbon and Embark mixed then went over it with Blacktrack Fluidline. 

On her cheeks I used a bit of NARS Exhibit A and it was just the right amount.  Everyone know that blush can be scary but its magic on women of color.

On her lips we tried two looks.  A more neutral brown and gold tone and then a deep plum gloss.  Now on to the pics!

Well she was happy with her look so I booked the wedding!  :-)  Luckily she was happy BEFORE I got sick...yeah I got like violently ill while at the consult.  I actually woke up sick but refused to not show or call and cancel.  She was very nice about the whole thing but had it happened prior to me finishing the first half of the consult I am almost certain there wouldve been a different outcome.  Muy embarrassing...anywho, as soon as I get pro images I will share! 

**Graftobian was kind enough to send me the dark corrector wheel to review.  All other products mentioned were purchased by me**