Similar to the tale of the Beauty and the Beast, Beauty and the Bride (BATB) will examine a relationship fraught with mistrust, deception, fear, and hopefully, a happy ending.  BeautyXposé will follow BATB as she traverses the perilous landscape of wedding-day beauty leading up to her September nuptials.  Have a question for BATB?  A topic you’d like her to cover?  A conspiracy you’ve uncovered in the Wedding Industrial Complex (WIC) you’d like exposed?  Email her at: beautyandthebride@beautyxpose.com.

This past week I had my makeup trial.  And unlike my hair trial, I had done no advance preparation for it.  Hadn’t looked in magazines, found pictures I liked online, tried out options on myself, nothing.  I went in with a complete blank slate — both my face and my mind.

When I booked the appointment, I was nervous that it was so close to the wedding — just over a month.  Now I realize for many women, that’s not all that close.  But I’d never met my makeup artist, never had my makeup done professionally before — unless you count having my neighbor who “did hair” do it before my prom freshman year.  Yeah, I don’t count that either.  I had no expectations about how it would go or really even any goals.  I just wanted to look like me, just prettier.  Cause well, isn’t that the point of most makeup?

At the start of my appointment, I was immediately put at ease.  She was nice.  And interested in my thoughts (of which I had zero, but not really the point).  She gave me a book of bridal, evening, and daytime looks to go through, but told me she already had one in mind after talking to me for three minutes.  She asked me just a few basic questions, but those immediately narrowed down her plans.

What time is your wedding?

What is the rest of your wedding “look” like?

How much makeup do you wear everyday?

What do you want the focus to be on?

And just like that she pointed to my favorite picture in the book — a semi-natural look with just a touch of glamour around the eye with a pink lip.  I was worried about the pink — warm colors look much better on me than cool — but I figured we’d give it a try.

Twenty minutes later and I was blown away.  You know that picture you have in your head of the best you’ve ever looked?  Like that day when you were 19 and your hair was perfect and you had a light tan and had just moisturized?  Yeah — that’s how I felt when I looked in the mirror.  I was so excited.  And after a few lipstick shade choices, we both decided that a warmer, though light, red looked much better than the pink.

I was concerned about the longevity of the makeup, especially since she recommended a few products if I was interested in purchasing them.  So I spent the day running errands, getting a drink and sitting on the deck, and generally not being kind to my makeup.  But there it stayed.  For over eight hours without problem.  Which is just about what I’ll need.

Brides always talk about the “now it feels real” moment.  For some it’s sending out their save-the-dates, for others, it’s getting back the first RSVP, for others, it’s opening the first wedding present from the mail.  While my makeup trial wasn’t it, it certainly helped.  I’m not sure if mine has actually hit yet.  But the anxiety dreams I keep having about all the stuff left to do may suggest otherwise…

Oh and a quick tip!  If you’re a bride-to-be or just expecting to be photographed a lot, steer away from the shimmery lip gloss.  According to my makeup artist (who by the way has the coolest credentials — President Obama and Hillary Clinton, I’m such a nerd), you should avoid a shimmer when being photographed.  It leaves a white spot when the flash reflects back from it!

Photo Credit: Cover Image – Lotus Head; Girl with Makeup – Miroslav Sárička; Lipstick – unknown (via Stock Xchng)