Wedding Planner

Bridal Shopping - Wedding Day Makeup

Don't fight natural tendencies, says Darlene Mathis in her beauty book Women of Color. Enhance them, so that your heritage works for you, not against you. Most professionals recommend that you go with the flow of your natural texture. If you want to try something different -- either perming or relaxing -- ask your hairdresser how he or she thinks your hair will respond. The health of your hair should be the primary consideration. Liza Espinoza, chemical specialist and artist for Joico International, warns, Brides-to-be should be very careful when it comes to chemical services. If the hair isn't healthy, it won't look good or shine as much and it will be difficult to manage. Again, experiment sooner rather than later, so that you have plenty of time to undo anything that doesn't work. Do make sure your hair color harmonizes with your skin tone and eye color. If you're curious to see how a new shade would look, get professional advice and then try a temporary dye first or have a plan for correcting any blunders.

Don't choose a hairstyle that's inconsistent with your overall bridal image. If you'll be wearing a gown with simple lines, you probably don't want to have a lot of curls and complications on your head. Also remember that your headpiece will be up there too, competing for space and attention. Generally speaking -- whether you opt for straight or curly, long or short -- your bridal hairstyle should be simple, comfortable, and compatible with your attire. You'll be facing a long day. It's sensible to choose a style that you won't have to worry about keeping in place.

Some more tips from the professionals:

For short hair: Wendy says, Consider trying a little color for added richness. Enhance your natural texture with a salon treatment or products to intensify curl and sheen.

According to Gibson, Afros are in. Crisp lines and healthy shine make the difference. A fresh trim and a spritz of spray will help give the final gloss and set the style.

Multi-textured looks are very popular, Espinoza notes, and can give you a lot of options with your headpiece. She says twisting can work well (with pomade for added shine and control) or try pin curls. Or consider a short Afro with more length in the front or textured around the face for accent. Ornamentation with flowers instead of the traditional veil is very attractive with short hair," she adds.

For mid-length hair: Wendy suggests the 1960s flip as a fresh, sophisticated alternative if your veil is simple.

If you're growing your hair out and don't want to cut it, she recommends an up-do and a light trim: You don't have to change the length dramatically to freshen the look when you're between styles."

For long hair: Wear long hair up for control and polish, says Wendy. This allows you to look graceful and elegant for the entire day without any stress about falling curls or the dreaded frizzies."

Gibson reports, Sophisticated, finished, glossy -- we are returning to the glamour focus of the 1940s and 1950s -- a retro-elegance with controlled wet sets creating soft, subtle waves.

According to Espinoza, very soft feminine looks are back with loose, glamorous curl. We're all doing a lot of fringing around the face with slight layering for accent.

Weaving and Bonding

For added length, thickness, or color, weaves -- by which commercial hair is attached to the natural hair -- are perhaps the most popular styling aid among Black brides today, according to Brittanica and Associates Salon in New York City. And our grooms like the effect too. Men have a thing for hair, says Brittanica. They don't care if you beg, borrow or steal it -- they love hair! I did a weave for an administrator at a major recording company who was getting married. She has fairly long hair already. The weave added fullness and a bit more length. When she returned from her honeymoon, she said he husband never knew her hair was a weave!

Brittanica always asks a bride whether she's considering a weave because of need or desire. A wedding-day look is very different from an everyday look. It may call for more framing to flatter her face or for her extra height or length for an upsweep. Or her natural hair may be too weak to withstand a color treatment and weaving in colored commercial hair is the best option. These are needs. Desire is when the bride wants to make a fashion statement or simply dazzle! says Brittanica. When she knows whether a bride is going for a look just for her wedding, needing help achieving a vision beyond the capabilities of her own hair, or wanting a total life change, Brittanica can advise her on the most appropriate of the four popular methods of weaving:

Cornrow is the most popular and lasts approximately two months. Natural hair is cornrowed (braided flat along the scalp) and the commercial hair is attached to the braids. The cost ranges from $500 to $1500, depending on the quantity of commercial hair used.

Interlocking extensions are the best choice for glamour for the day and last a maximum of forty-eight hours. Natural hair is braided together with commercial hair. Priced at Brittanica and Associates at $150 for the first hour and $100 for each additional hour.

The Christina Method is the only patented weaving process and is best for long-term live-in looks and the health of the hair. It lasts for two or three months and the natural hair can be relaxed while the weave is in place. The finest quality commercial hair is attached to the natural hair at the scalp with a weave machine." Cost ranges from $500 to $2000, depending on the amount of commercial hair required.

Bonding, in which an adhesive solution is applied to the scalp to attach commercial hair, should only be used for up to twenty-four hours to avoid extreme breakage. Although it's least expensive of the four methods (from $50 to $150), Brittanica doesn't recommend it because of the damage it can do to natural hair.

The cost of weaving varies for different salons and regions of the country as well as for the different method used. We've given you these sample ranges just to let you know that you'll need to allow more room in your beauty budget for a weave than you would for styling your natural hair.

Before you decide on a weave, always consult with a professional who should:

Never give you a price over the phone

Look carefully at your scalp

Match your hair with one of the four commercial hair types -- crinkly, curly, wavy or straight.

Brittanica emphasizes that you tell your professional how long you're planning to keep the weave in and under what conditions: I've heard about a bride whose new hair became a ball of muss after she jumped in the pool on her honeymoon. She reminds us that, even with a weave, there's no such thing as maintenance-free hair. With good professional advice and styling and proper care, you can achieve a perfect wedding-day look that will also survive an active honeymoon intact.

Once you've found the look you like, set up a regular schedule for conditioning and trimming so you can maintain the look until your wedding day. And, finally, consider having your stylist visit your home to do your hair just before the ceremony. It's an additional expense but worth it for warding off stress and avoiding last minute problems. It could keep your Big Day from being a bad hair day.

Until recently, the selection of makeup formulated especially for women of color was limited. Now many cosmetic companies offer lines specifically targeted to us or incorporate shades for women of color into their existing lines. Foundations and powders now contain increased pigment levels and use transparent titanium dioxide, which prevents the ashy effect these products previously had on Black skin. Cheek and lip colors are bolder and blend more easily to complement darker skin tones.

With so many choices available today, how do you select and apply the products that will help you appear more radiant on your Big Day (and in the photographs you'll be looking at for years to come)? Byron Barnes, the creative director of Iman Skin Care and Cosmetics, recommends that you visit a makeup counter in a department store for a full face makeup session, which is usually free. Get a chart for placement of the product and the product colors that were used so you can repeat it yourself.

After you are made up, think about the lighting you'll be seen in at your wedding and replicate that lighting as best you can. Walk outside with a mirror if you need to and see how you will really look. Also, consider that you will be in pictures. You need to wear a little more foundation to avoid shine, a little more concealer under the eyes, a bit more mascara. Black skin, even when it is not oily, reflects light and will look shiny in photos without a little extra foundation and some pressed powder.

In consultation with the makeup artist, follow these guidelines as you select the combination of products that's right for you: Determine your skin tone. Women of color have more of a challenge finding a foundation because they have a wider range of skin tones," says B.J. Gillian, Cover Girl's makeup pro.

With the help of your professional, decide if your skin is dark, medium or light. Undertone is the amount of yellow, red, or neutral pigment in your skin. When you stand in front of a mirror and surround your face with a white cloth, the most prominent shade you see is your undertone.

Use concealer. African-American skin tends to heal more slowly and not as invisibly as lighter complexions. Blemish marks often turn purple. Women of color also tend to have dark shadows around the eyes, nose and mouth. Before you apply foundation, use concealer in a shade that matches your skin tone and blends evenly.

Choose the right foundation. Gillian stresses the importance of foundation, especially for your wedding photos: The camera sees more than your friends do.

Test foundation right above your jawline and view the result in natural light. Because many women of color have an oily T-zone, Gillian recommends an oil-free foundation and powder created just for your face right at the makeup counter.

Always apply foundation with a sponge for even coverage. For a more radiant look, use a shade that's a bit lighter than your skin tone on the center of your face and one that matches your skin on the sides of your face. For more defined cheekbones, use a darker shade on your nose.

Finish with powder. Gillian recommends using a combination foundation and powder so you don't have to retouch your makeup as often. If you opt for a separate powder, choose one that's translucent and oil-free so you preserve the finish and don't discolor the foundation. Apply with a puff, starting at the center of the face and working your way out. And don't forget your eyelids, neck, ears and décolletage.

Apply a natural-looking blush. What looks good in person might look garish in photos. Stick to natural colors compatible with the undertones that appear inside your lower lip. In general, Gillian and Barnes agree, neutral colors of the same family work best for bridal makeup.

Apply blush first to the apples of your cheeks and work your way out. You can also use a deeper shade to contour your cheekbones, eye creases, and nose.

Choose eye shadow that blends with your skin tone. Gillian advises against bright, frosty shades on your wedding day. Go neutral for a classic look.

Don't forget eyeliner. Apply a deep, preferably black, eyeliner close to and in between your top lashes, but not too heavily. (Cat-eyes are out!) To give the illusion of long lower lashes, apply a bit of earth-colored or brown eye shadow under your bottom lashes and smudge it.

Use mascara. If your lashes don't curl naturally, use a curler first. Wait two minutes between coats to avoid clumps. Always use lip liner. Use a brownish shade or, if you're lining inside your natural lip line, a shade that's slightly darker. Fill your lips in with the liner, too, so that your lipstick stays put longer.

Pick a lip color more opaque than your usual shade. Find the color that works best with your undertone and that's opaque enough to show up well in photographs.

Have a makeup dress rehearsal. Byron Barnes strongly suggests trying out your makeup and testing it in photographs before the Big Day.

Invite your attendants over for a makeup party. (This also gives you a chance to preview the group look.) Apply the makeup you each plan to wear and try to replicate the lighting you'll be seen in on your wedding day. Take Poloroids of each other and look at the results with honest eyes. As we mentioned earlier, Black skin, even when it is not oily, reflects light and will often look shiny in photographs. You may need to wear a little more foundation to compensate, a little more concealer under the eyes, a bit more mascara -- while avoiding applying so much that you look theatrical. (Carry a little pressed powder with you on your wedding day for touch-ups.)

Ideally, says Barnes, you want to strike a balance between being camera-ready and being able to greet people comfortably face-to-face. 'Less is more,' Iman always tells us. I think she's right, especially for weddings. I've seen some brides that end up looking like the cake!

Consider hiring a makeup artist. Often, behind-the-counter artists freelance by making house calls. See if the one you've used is available to do your makeup on your wedding day or if she can recommend another professional.

If you do hire a makeup artist, get the terms of your agreement in writing, including a provision for a back-up artist. Spell out The cost of the bride's makeup

Additional costs for the bridesmaids, mother-of-the-bride, and even for applying a little powder on the groom and his attendants if you wish