This was published in the Register-Guard’s January 2015 Wedding special publication.
Bridal Beauty
Whether you do it yourself or go pro with your primping, allow time to get the best results
By Vanessa Salvia
Kate Middleton walked down the aisle as a commoner, said her vows to Prince William, and became Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge. After the extravagant affair, media outlets reported that the nervous bride-to-be ate only a bite of toast that morning, and yet she still did her own makeup.
Not every woman who walks down the aisle becomes a princess afterwards, but
every bride wants to feel like one. Nails, makeup, tanning and waxing are services that can make a woman feel her most beautiful, but they can’t be undertaken at the last minute. Tanning and waxing preparation requires a month or more to get right, and some things, like nails and makeup, you can do yourself with expert help.
The truth is, though Kate applied her own makeup, she had help. She worked with renowned makeup artist Bobbi Brown to find just the right shades for her smoky eye, pink lips and rosy cheeks. Locally, makeup consultants with Mary Kay Cosmetics can do the same for you.
“Mary Kay is geared toward giving the bride the skills to do her makeup herself,” says Jennifer Marinacci, an independent sales director with Mary Kay Cosmetics. “We help them find the right products, the right colors, and it’s all free.”
Mary Kay representatives hold free get-togethers where they help brides and bridal parties find their right colors and products. “The brides bring their friends and families, their trusted wedding advisers,” she says with a laugh. “If they fall in love with a product that they try, they can buy it but there’s zero obligation.”
Marinacci, who has been working with brides as a makeup consultant for 17 years, says even if brides do buy the products it’s typically less expensive than having someone do your makeup. “We can help them pick out products that they can wear everyday and glam it up for the day of,” she says, “so they’re not just buying a bunch of stuff and wearing it once.”
Cassidy Bongers, owner of The Wax Room in Eugene, says to get started a couple of months before your event if you are not already waxing regularly. “You’ll want to get waxed twice before the wedding and then the week of, schedule your appointment for three days before,” Bongers says, “to make sure your skin reacts to it well and gets used to it by the time of your honeymoon.”
The Wax Room offers full body waxing for women and some services for men. They have space to wax only one person at a time, but Bongers says many people do bring their friends in. She recommends that brides call to schedule their appointments at least two weeks in advance.
Ashlee Bridges is manager at all four Tan Republic locations in Eugene, offering UV tanning and spray tanning. “UV tanning is the most natural-looking option,” she says. But, UV tanning is a gradual process, so you need time to safely build up to the color you want, which can take 7 to 10 visits.
She recommends starting a UV tan schedule a month before your event, while spray tanning can be done the day before. “But we do recommend doing a test run,” she explains. “Most people turn out great but sometimes the solution doesn’t work with someone’s skin so we recommend seeing what it looks like.”
Tan Republic has three levels of spray color that work for most people’s skin. Another one of Bridges’ tips is to get your tanning done and take some pictures to see how your skin looks. “The lighting does change,” she says. “Sometimes in real life you look darker than you look in pictures.”
Fingernails may be the smallest piece of the picture, but you know your hands are going to be photographed on your big day. Heather Newsome represents Jamberry, which offers heat-activated nail wraps that brides can apply themselves. The nail wraps can be removed with olive oil. “We have 400 designs and they last about two weeks on fingers and about six weeks on toes,” Newsome says. “It’s super appealing for brides because it’s a lot more affordable than getting your nails done and it’s going to last through their whole event.”
Jamberry has a nail art studio where brides can design their custom looks. “They can do turquoise and white polka dots if they have turquoise in their wedding,” Newsome says. “I’ve had brides take a picture of their bouquet and turn that into nail wraps to put on their fingers. The bridesmaid can do that and there’s junior-sizes so the little flower girls can too.”
Jamberry sheets are $15 and provide enough material for between two and four manicures plus two pedicures. Custom sheets are $18.75. Jamberry representatives don’t apply the wraps, but they do offer parties where they teach brides and their bridesmaids how to apply them themselves. “Brides love it because they don’t have to worry about their nails chipping and they can all do it together,” Newsome says.
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