Karen Silver - Makeup artist in Toronto

Cleanse
Cleanse face thoroughly using sea sponge or soft cloth along with your favorite cleanser.

Toner
This will soften skin and rid skin of any impurities and excess make up as well as it prepares the skin nicely for moisturizers and foundations. Excellent for oily skin. Ask your cosmetician the appropriate toner for your skin type.

Moisturizer
(Preferably after bath or shower). Make sure your moisturizer isn’t too greasy. Blot moisturizer on face gently with a tissue if this occurs before applying foundation.

Foundation
Make sure your colour is right for you. When purchasing foundation ask your cosmetician to test colour on forehead or chin. It should blend with your skin tone. When applying foundation start at forehead and work down horizontally. Make sure foundation is blended well over eyes and under eyes as well as underneath the jaw line. Apply with either fingertips or sponges. Remember, apply foundation lightly as too much can give you an artificial look.

*When blending foundation on eyes and lips your eye shadows and lipstick will set and stay better throughout the day!

*Always check your foundation colour in the daylight.

* Instead of foundation, concealer applied to any imperfections in the skin( Eli: dark spots, blemishes), followed by a light dusting of powder is also a beautiful and natural soft look.

Concealer
Any dark circles under eyes or imperfections in the skin can be covered with concealer. May be applied before foundation or after. I prefer after but this is optional.

Powder
This will set your foundation and give it a matte finish. This is very important when doing photography - you should always aim for no shine. (Unless the style of makeup you are wearing calls for a shiny appearance, as in some of the more trendy styles of the day). Powder well with either a puff or powder brush. When being photographed, apply a bit of powder to neck and chest as the skin without the foundation absorbs the light. On mature skin be careful not to powder too much under eye area, as it may become to dry looking.

Curl lashes
Use eye lash curler.

Eyebrows
Use eyebrow pencil or powder and angular eye brow brush. In most cases the highest part of the brow arch should be just past iris of eye. There are clear mascara products on the market I highly recommend, as this will set the brow to give it a nice clean appearance. Put this on after your brows have been filled to your liking.

*If your brows are unruly, try and get a professional to do a good wax on them and tweeze any stray hairs along the way.

Eyeshadow
1. All over colour (apply over entire lid)
2. Crease Colour
3. Lid Colour
4. Highlight or Brow colour
This is a very conventional way of applying eyeshadow, I find this works with most clients but remember there are no rules in applying make up, whatever works for you and gives you the best results is what I recommend you go with.
Remember there are many different eyeshadow shapes and each one can give you a totally different kind of look, experiment and have fun with it!

Eyeliner
Apply eyeliner as close to your lashes as possible. There is nothing more uncomplimentary when you see the white line between the lashes and eyeliner line not connecting. Choose a pencil to your liking and with your free hand pull your eye taut and slightly downward and draw across in one continuous line to avoid different heights in the eyeliner. This is not easy. Practice, Practice, Practice!

Mascara
Roll wand of mascara in a tissue to remove access to prevent clumping. Apply accordingly. A fanning type movement from side to side followed by brushing the lashes outward, is what I like to do. I f you do get the odd clump, separate with metal lash comb, you can purchase this in drugstores or beauty supply stores.

Lips
Line lips with lip liner. Make sure your lip pencil is sharpened. Lining lips prevents bleeding of lipstick. Follow natural lip line. Fill in lip colour
Blot and reapply lipstick Gloss (optional)

* Powder first coat of lipstick and then reapply it will last longer

Blush
Apply to apple of cheek, jowl line and forehead. Make sure you don’t see lines. Set make up with powder once again.

*Blend well. Use a good blush brush, dip into your blush powder shake off or if it's your personal brush blow off any excess powder and apply to areas I mentioned above, lightly.

I f you are planning on hiring a professional makeup artist on your wedding day, find an artist you are comfortable with, one who listens to your needs and one who offers constructive advice. Look at portfolios if available and do a trial run so you can see how you will look on your wedding day. At the time of the trial run try and have your hair done in the way you'll be wearing it on your wedding day as different hairstyles influence the way your makeup should be done. Make sure at this time the makeup specialist writes down the colours you have chosen.

When you decide on the lipstick, lip pencil and perhaps gloss and powder you will be wearing the day of your wedding, ask the makeup artist if it is possible to purchase those particular products for the day of your wedding as touch ups in those particular areas will be required. If you have a particular colour you want to wear on your lips bring it to the trial run and see if it works with the overall look. Also, most makeup artists will ask the bride and the bridal party to bring their own mascara. This is for sanitary reasons only! It is always a good idea to take this precaution. Make sure when doing your trial run to view makeup in different lights if that is possible.

It is ideal to apply makeup in a room with natural light. I f you feel comfortable with your makeup at the end of your trial run try and book immediately with the makeup artist and get a contract if you can for if you are marrying during a busy season your makeup artist will not hold the date without a commitment.

If you must have a facial, 2-3 weeks before would be ideal to avoid breakouts.

Try to avoid testing new products on your skin as an allergy could occur. Again 2-3 weeks before would be ideal if you must try something new.

Avoid stress, I know this is hard at this time but the week before pamper yourself as much as possible. Warm baths, pedicure, manicure, massage any of these would be helpful if you have the time for it.

Drink lots of water, try to avoid alcohol if possible. I know it's hard with all the extra entertaining you'll be doing but alcohol does dehydrate the skin and can cause breakouts.

Your lasting memories will be in the photographs and videos you take on your wedding day.