Wedding makeup for newby

[Anonymous]

I'm looking for makeup for my wedding in September that'll hold up in heat and sweat/tears/possible rain. (I know I'm asking a lot but I have no idea where to start. I am overwhelmed by so many choices at Sephora)

I have very sensitive skin that breaks out with most of the covergirl, neutrogena, and Avon foundations. 

I recently tried tarte rainforest of the sea foundation, and I love it. Hasn't broken me out yet! Will it cause flashback?

I need a blush that won't disappear in 2 hours. What is a good one?

Also would highlight be a bad idea since I'm oily? 

This world of makeup is confusing. What is a good place to start with the start of it all being my wedding?

[lylysa]

Congrats on the up-coming big day! 😄

If your skin tends to be more sensitive and you're a bit overwhelmed at where to start or what to do for makeup, starting early to test out products and practice working on your look will be keys to making sure you are prepared the day off and won't have any worries.

If you're looking to do your own makeup for your wedding day, I would also recommend doing test shots or some trial runs with your photographer to see how your makeup photographs. If you're hiring or employing a photographer with a professional camera and may be utilizing studio or artificial lighting for set-ups, then chances are makeup will need to be applied a bit heavier as to withstand the flash and lights so your look doesn't become washed out in photographs. Knowing how to apply makeup for the real world and "everyday" can be quite different that the amount used for "on screen" and in photos, but it's also important that you're finding a balance so you don't feel like a totally different person with mounds of product on their face if that's not what you're used to.

Another user recently posted an inquiry about wedding makeup and you may find the responses in her thread also beneficial to you:

http://community.sephora.com/t5/Products/Getting-married-in-Hawaii-doing-my-own-makeup-advice-ideas/...

I personally chimed into that thread with many links to previous threads that cover how lighting and distance, as well as specific setting powders may photograph. 

Flashback is a term that may have different meanings to different folks. Traditionally, it references makeup that cause a reflection or "kick back" of light used from flash photography, often caused by mineral components in makeup (such as titanium dioxide, which is commonly used in mineral makeup or as a sunscreen as it's properties reflect the sun's UV rays from skin to protect it from that damage). The Tarte foundation you're using does have a non-chemical SPF, and as confirmed by Tarte's website, it utilizes titanium dioxide (6.23%) and zinc oxide (3.84%) as its mineral sunscreen components. If you're shooting outdoors, chances are the natural lighting and even the clouds in the sky which serve as natural diffusion for said-light will soften how mineral makeup photographs (even if the photographer uses added flash or lights, but again, try for test shots if they may be doing very up-close beauty shots with that artificial lighting aspect), cutting down risk of makeup appearing super shiny or reflective. Considering a foundation is often topped with other products such as blush, bronzer, highlight, and setting powder, there is a may to help cut down on chances of your SPF foundation from photographing in a less than flattering manner. The use of a silica-based powder can help soften and diffuse the artificial light used along the mineral components on your skin. Silica particles are spherical in nature, thus providing a "cushioned" barrier on skin for light to hit and then evenly disperse on versus being immediately reflected back to the camera. The usage of silica powders do come with quite a learning curve and my response in the wedding thread above details many tips and tricks for using them to ensure you're not overloading skin. Too heavy of an application on makeup and silica powder may photograph as white or cloudy patches along the skin as if the face has been dusted with flower, so that practice and test shot aspect will be key.

With sensitive skin, if you're not aware of what your reactive to, your best bet may be to stick with products you may already use that you know you have no reaction to or try items within brands that you've had the most luck with. Getting samples or trying on items in store will also help give you a gauge if any particular item will cause any immediate reactions which will then of course prompt you to look to another product. Try test patches or spot applications on smaller portions of your face or skin to avoid irritating too large of an area. 

In regards to helping makeup hold up to the conditions of heat, sweat, rain, and tears, primers can help out in a huge way. Primers serve as the intermediary step from skin care to makeup and can help improve how your product applies, how long it lasts, and also help color come out more true to form so you're not having to layer and layer on product to get it to show up or to obtain the level of coverage needed. Primers are available for foundation, lids, lashes, and even lips. While you may not need all of these, foundation and lid primer are essentials as those areas in particular are more susceptible to being affected by elements like oil, sweat, tears, humidity, and more. 

Tarte does have foundation and lid primers as well as a host of beautiful blushes. Since you've had good luck with their foundation thus far, I would recommend starting with that brand to explore items like blush and even highlight.

With the highlight inquiry, depending on how your skin may have the oil controlled with a primer and how much highlighting you wish to do may determine if this is a viable step for you or not. If your skin gets very oily to where even your primer, foundation, and a powder doesn't mattify skin enough for the duration of wear, you may not wish to go too heavy handed with a highlight application that spans too large of an area. Highlighting can be done with matte shade to still give a brighter and lighter look to higher portions of the face but not necessarily have all of these regions topped with a sparkly shimmer or satin finish as that reflective quality may further enhance oil.

If you're in close proximity to a Sephora, I would recommend venturing inside to speak with a Cast Member about your wedding makeup, what products you're looking for, and the look you're trying to achieve so you can even book a beauty service or opt for some of the complimentary services in the Beauty Studio (the complimentary classes focus on particular aspects of a look such as creating a smoky eye, contouring/highlighting, etc. while the paid beauty services require a minimum in product purchase).

https://www.sephora.com/store-locations-events?icid2=meganav_stores_findsephora_med_us_image

More details regarding the services (as well as beauty classes and events) can be found in the above. Sometimes learning techniques from someone face to face can be a great tool and give you the steps and elements necessary to then go home and practice on yourself as you'd have a bit of guidance prior.