Lupita Nyong'o for Lancôme

Lupita Nyong'o makes her Lancôme debut looking as stunning as ever...

Wedding Day Beauty

Me at my 2006 wedding.

Summer’s here!  The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, the bees are buzzing, and love is in the air!  It is the perfect time for weddings.  June has consistently been the number one month to get married in, followed by September (the month I was married) and October.  So, in light of the unofficial start of wedding season, here are some beauty and skincare tips to get you from the vows to the last dance looking as beautiful as ever.

Doing my sister's hair and makeup for her 2011 wedding.

Enlist a glam squad for your big day – you will probably be a barrel of nerves that day, so making sure you look fabulous should be one less thing you have to worry about.  For my September 2006 nuptials, I got a professional manicure and pedicure and also had my hairstylist and makeup artist on hand.  It kept me free to relax and enjoy the process of getting ready to become a Mrs.

If you don’t want to shell out funds for a professional, enlist friends and family members who are handy with a curling iron and powder brush.  It really is calming to have someone pamper you on one of the most important days of your life.

Don’t alter your look too much – I wouldn’t recommend a drastic haircut or color, or trying out any crazy makeup shades on your wedding day.  A hair and makeup disaster is the last thing you need on your wedding day. 

Don’t go to heavy with the lipstick, powder, and paint – Let your natural beauty shine through, just make some enhancements.  Don’t hide behind a mask of heavy foundation, lashes, eyebrows, etc.  Trust me, he wants to see the woman he fell in love with meeting him at the altar, not a Japanese Kabuki performer.

Do a trial run with makeup and hair – The ceremony is not the only thing that should get a rehearsal.  Trying out a few wedding looks before the wedding will help you decide exactly how you want to look on your big day.  

Hit the spa, just don’t get a facial or chemical peel right before your nuptials – Facials can bring all the toxins in the skin to the surface, which may cause breakouts and chemical peels can cause redness and peeling.  You don’t want uninvited skin issues RSVP-ing to your day.  Not a good look for a bride.  Just say no to any facial treatments, but indulge in relaxing massages and non-invasive body treatments to your heart’s content.  My husband and I hit the spa together before our wedding day and walked away more calm than we had been in weeks, maybe months! 

Long wear makeup and a touch up kit are a must – Your wedding day can be long and exhausting. With all the kissing, hugging, crying, smiling, etc. that you will do that day, having makeup that can go the distance is very necessary.

Choose makeup that is long wear, waterproof, etc. and include a primer and setting spray or powder in your wedding day arsenal.  Also, be sure to keep your beauty essentials (blotting papers, powder,

 mascara, lip color, fragrance, etc.) close at hand for quick touch ups as necessary.

Speaking of long wear, make sure to choose a hairstyle that can keep up with your long, busy day, as well.  No droopy curls or unfurling topknots by the last dance.  Hold spray will be your bestie on your big day.

Have a signature fragrance – This is a completely frivolous one, but one I believe every bride should have – a wedding day fragrance that reminds them of their big day every time they spray it.  After nearly eight years of marriage, every time I spray my own wedding day fragrance, it reminds me of my ceremony and honeymoon…and the love of my life, of course.

Kiki