Local beauty experts share their tips for runway-inspired big day hair and makeup.
Bare Beauty (pictured above)
Barely there visages, seen on Oscar de la Renta’s Spring 2015 runway, are a timeless look for events of any type. “Natural doesn’t mean naked,” says SF makeup artist Racine Christensen, who anchors this look with a bold brow. “With natural beauty, the face doesn’t rely on lots of color for impact, so let a thicker brow be the strongest accent.” To get the look, highlight the corners of the eye, the cheekbones, and the curve of the upper lip (aka Cupid’s bow), with a luminizer. Contour with matte bronzer beneath the cheekbones.
DIY essentials:
Lorac’s Take a Brow kit, Revlon’s Brow Fantasy pencil & gel, RMS Beauty’s Living Luminizer, Make Up For Ever’s Mat Bronze powder, and Nars’ sheer lipstick in Dolce Vita.
Side-Swept Glamour
“There’s lots of romance in a side-swept hairstyle,” says Moises Villa, creative director of diPietro Todd Salon. He notes that a good blowout, lots of hairspray, and dry shampoo at the roots ensure a full-bodied, long-lasting look. Create texture in the hair using a one-inch curling iron. Allow curls to set, then brush out and sweep hair to one side. Secure in place with bobby pins. This elegant look makes a perfect canvas for statement hardware.
DIY essentials:
Shu Uemura’s Ample Angora volumizing foam and Sheer Lacquer finishing spray; and a Mason Pearson boar-bristle brush.
Imperfect Ponytail
Ponytails trotted down Jenny Packham and Marchesa’s spring runways. “A well-executed ponytail can be really strong, but still soft and effortless,” says Villa. First, apply mousse at the roots and use a diffuser to dry the hair. Next, smooth individual pieces with a flat iron, starting midshaft to keep volume at the roots. Pull hair back into a low ponytail. To ensure the look reads “wedding day” rather than “workout,” Villa wraps a small segment of hair from underneath the ponytail around the elastic to conceal it, securing with a bobby pin.
DIY essentials:
Kerastase’s Mousse Bouffante volumizing mousse, Laque Dentelle micro-mist fixing hairspray, and Volume in Powder spray.
Come-Hither Eyes
Christensen’s makeup kit is always loaded with lashes. “False eyelashes are one of the best ways to play up your eyes,” she says. Using a tweezer, Christensen applies four to five individual lashes starting at the outer corner of the eye, working inward along the lash line, stopping at the center. To pump up the drama, channel Marilyn Monroe in her pin-up heyday with a brave, liquid-liner cat eye.
DIY essentials:
Andrea’s PermaLash individual lashes, and Surratt’s Autographique Liner in Chat Noir.
Credits: Makeup by Racine Christensen, Nars Cosmetics. Hair by Moises Villa, diPietro Todd Salon. Styling by Olya Dzilikhova.
This article was published in 7x7's 2015 Wedding issue. Click here to subscribe.
