Renee + Fabien

November 30, 2017December 1, 2017Leave a comment

I “met” Renee the same way I meet most of my brides–via email. But unlike most of my brides, who have found me thanks to personal referrals from a past clients, friends or photographers, Renee was the first of a new wave of brides–the ones who found me on Instagram. I find it hard to describe how thrilling it was to get her email, and realize that all those hours of typing with my thumbs might actually have been for good reason! I think I floated on a happy cloud for a few days after our first exchange. #winning

While Renee lives in Brooklyn, she and her fiance were planning a Chicago wedding at one of my favorite city venues, Room 1520. We set a date for her trial, and when I met her (finally, in person!) she was just as warm and as lovely as her emails had suggested. As we chatted about the details of her wedding, she revealed a truly all-star line-up of vendors, headed by Nicole at Urban Allure and I started to get really excited for her and Fabien’s big day. I can’t wait any longer so get excited, because photographer Lidia Codrean captured every single part of Renee and Fabien’s vision exquisitely.

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As we talked about her vision for her bridal look, Renee shared with me that she normally wears a deep red lip as part of her signature look, but that she was hesitant to do so, because of the colors she had chosen for her bridesmaids. Look at these beautiful pink and blush tones–with those bouquets by LaRue Floral!

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I agreed, and we decided that maybe it would be better to still do a statement lip, but veer more towards a deep pink. We knew no matter what, we wanted her lips to be the focal point, so I kept the rest of her bridal makeup very classic, old-Hollywood. To me this means, soft matte skin, defined eyes with crisp liner and just enough lashes to bring out her eyes and balance her whole look without over-powering.

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I left our bridal preview with detailed notes on what I had used, and also pictures of the look we created. On wedding day, I might make skincare adjustments based on how my client’s skin is behaving, and of course I match their foundation and color to whatever shade they are that day, regardless of what we did at the preview…after all, if a bride gets a tan, or loses sun-kissed color, I want to match their wedding day skin, not whatever they looked like on trial day! I also always encourage my brides to wear their makeup for the rest of the day, taking note of how everything holds up, and letting me know if they have any feedback for me. It’s really a collaborative process and I love that while I bring my expertise and professional products to the preview, it’s also really important that my brides share with me what they want for their bridal beauty look, and are honest with me about how they feel I interpret their vision!

A few days after our trial, Renee emailed me and said that while she loved the look we created, she just didn’t feel like herself without her signature red lipstick. I am so glad she was honest about what made her feel beautiful, because my friends, you cannot believe how stunning she was…

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Are you ready?

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It’s almost TOO good!

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Perfection.

Renee’s lovely friends were some of the sweetest bridesmaids I’ve ever worked with, and our morning at the Chicago Athletic Hotel was dreamy. We had a view over Millennium Park of sailboats on Lake Michigan, and once everyone was ready, they headed out for pictures at the Art Institute. Oh, Chicago!

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Stunning. I mean, STUNNING.

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Beautiful romantic hair by Annie of Epoch Salon!

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Beautiful bridal makeup will look good in black & white AND in color photographs!

I also make sure my brides makeup looks good from all angles…those LASHES!

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I mean, these pictures. So good!

I also have to include photos of some of my favorite people on wedding day–the moms! I encourage my brides to include mothers in the hair and makeup on wedding day, even (and especially) if they don’t normally wear makeup. They also probably don’t wear a sequined dress, and it’s all about finding balance and looking special, but not overdone. In many cases, I do a trial with the mom as well, so she gets excited for the big day, and not nervous that I will make her look unrecognizable, I did a trial with Renee’s mom, and it was great to get to know her a bit before we met on wedding day. I just love moms!

Room 1520 has beautiful light and amazing rooftop views. Just look at these!

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Now, I know you are already having a hard time handling all this beauty, but I have to tell you, Renee and Fabien’s celebration didn’t end here. They flew to France and said their vows again in a beautiful cathedral for Renee + Fabien Part Deux. SWOON.

Renee, thank you for scrolling through the hashtags and thousands of pictures on Instagram and finding me! It was a joy to be a part of your wedding day, and bear witness to your and Fabien’s incredible love, and the joy your family felt at coming together to share in your happiness. Every detail of your day demonstrated what a special couple you are. I wish you years of happiness and adventure, together! And thank you for being honest with me about what would make you feel like the most beautiful version of you, because that red lip… I mean, come on! You are a knockout!

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Renee + Fabien Vendor Love:

Planning and Coordination: Urban Allure

Photography: Lidia Codrean

Videography: Ruben Codrean

Florals: LaRue Floral (formerly Casey of Pen and Petals)

Calligraphy: Jen of Pen and Petals

Hair: Annie Framstad, Epoch Salon

Venues: Room 1520 and Chicago Athletic Association Hotel

Entertainment: Toast and Jam DJs

Catering: D’Absolute Catering

Sweets: Sweet Mandy B’s

Photobooth: Fotio Co

And in a case of serendipitous timing, you can read Renee’s take on everything by reading her review of my services here. Thank you Renee! You were a highlight of my 2017 and I will treasure these beautiful pictures of you looking so radiant and happy.

2016 Reflections

December 31, 2016Leave a comment

I don’t know about you, but for me, 2016 was a year of exhilarating highs and very discouraging lows. I often say I make a lot of mistakes, but never the same mistake twice. I learned a lot of lessons the hard way this year and I won’t be repeating those mistakes. But this post is not about re-hashing my struggles and challenges. I had a lot of great experiences this year and I’d like to end 2016 on a high note, celebrating the happy achievements and sweet successes that will stay with me longer than the sting of disappointments. So join me for a little New Year’s Eve reminiscing, won’t you?

1. A Feature on Style Me Pretty

It’s still a thrill to see my bride Ally and her beautiful Room 1520 wedding featured on Style Me Pretty, thanks to the gorgeous photography of Betsi Ewing. I loved absolutely everything about this wedding, you really have to read the feature for all the gorgeous details! Trying to pick favorite images is almost impossible, but here are my top three:

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2. A fantastic Milwaukee wedding

Another thing I say a lot is that I have the best brides, because I DO. I am grateful for each and every one. But some are especially dear to my heart, and Jenna is one of them. She was the manager at the Starbucks I frequented every day when I was still in the corporate world, and she cheered me on during my career highs and lows, pregnancy and maternity leave and subsequent dive into the world of freelance bridal makeup. She booked me for her wedding 2 years in advance, and over the course of her hair and makeup trials I got to meet all the women in her family and fall under their spell. What an amazing and fun group of people! Her beautiful wedding in Milwaukee was a definite highlight of my 2016 season. Bellow Blue Photography captured so many breathtaking moments! Jenna, thank you for letting me be a part of this magical day. You are the best.

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3. First a sweet bridesmaid, then a radiant bride

There is no higher compliment than when a bridesmaid contacts me and says it’s her turn to walk down the aisle, and asks me to work with her on her wedding day. Julia got married on a beautiful day in early summer in the heart of Chicago. We started the day prepping her wonderful family and friends (who had met the year before at her friend Claire’s wedding, and I dare you to find a lovelier group of girls) and then they took photos in Millennium Park before an enchanted reception at the University Club of Chicago. I also got to meet Julia’s mom and sister at her hair trial (makeup for this wedding by Ryan Jaeger), so I felt like we were old chums by wedding day, and I just love that. 2016 was a year of great families! Lucky for me, the whole day was documented by Avery House!

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4. Master Class with Anthony Gordon

In October I was thrilled to attend an intensive hands-on class with The Makeup Man himself, Anthony Gordon. Anthony has been a professional makeup artist in Hollywood for decades, and brought his amazing range of skills to us Midwestern artists and it was a day I will never forget. We were challenged to create 3 iconic looks from 3 different eras, 1940’s Glamour, 1960’s Mod, and Chinese Opera (!)and I was stretched wayyyy beyond my comfort zone. I learned so much and was reminded of how important it is to continue to seek out quality education and always be pushing myself creatively. Thanks to Your Name Pro Cosmetics for bringing Anthony to Chicago, Sonia Roselli for hosting the class (I got to meet so many other working pros, like Cass Barron pictured with her model) and to the fantastic Ben Fink for capturing so many cool images from the day. Thanks also to my dear friend Shannon for being my model for the day!

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5.Trials as Try-Outs

To be honest, one of the challenges of 2016 has been facing up to how the makeup industry is changing. There is more competition than ever before, and I am choosing to embrace that fact as motivation to work harder than ever. In years past, clients would book me for their wedding and then we would schedule their trial so we could collaborate on a wedding look. Now, with so many options to choose from, brides are very particular (as they should be!) and want to make sure they find the right artist by doing their trial BEFORE booking. So a trial is truly a try-out to see if I can achieve the look they want, and if I am the right artist for them. Although I am not a competitive person by nature, I do get a rush when I meet these potential brides and have to demonstrate my skills and make a genuine connection with them. Happily, I have “Passed” every try-out and been booked!

Photo by Christy Tyler Photography

Photo by Bob and Dawn Davis Photography and Design

6. High Standards, Happy Customers

Another highlight of this season was Claudia’s wedding. She was my first “trial as try-out” and she warned me she had high standards, and I enjoyed meeting them. That her bridal bouquet was almost exactly like mine only cemented my idea of her having impeccable taste. I did makeup for her mom, aunt, sister and friend, while Magnificent Brides provided beautiful hair styling. Aside from the laughs we shared, one of my favorite moments was when her sister-in-law who had opted to do her own makeup (beautifully!) pulled me aside and said she was impressed with my work and wished she had gotten in on the fun! Thanks to Natalie Probst for the beautiful images from this day!

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7. Being Featured on Glossible

As I said previously, 2016 has brought the realization that the beauty industry is changing. One pro leading the charge to maintain industry standards of artistic quality, professional conduct and overall integrity is Sonia Roselli. Not only is she one of THE top artists in Chicago (I do not exaggerate when I say I looked up to 2 people as I was getting started, Sonia and Bobbi Brown) debuted a game-changing skin care line created in Japan and the most sinfully soft brushes I’ve ever worked with (hello, Nudes!) but she has created a forum where makeup artists can gather to learn from each other, and this resource has helped me immensely this year. To be featured for my work with bride Ally on Glossible in the artist showcase was a true high point for me this year. Sonia, you have given me the fuel to keep going, stronger than ever in 2017!

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Well friends, those are my lucky 7. I wanted to end this year focusing on what has been great, and resolving to learn from ALL my experiences. Thanks for sharing in this journey with me, and CHEERS to 2017!

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Bridal Beauty: Katie

February 6, 2015February 6, 20153 Comments

I say all the time that I love my job-because I do! Every bride is so special to me, and it is such a privilege to spend the morning of their wedding day with them and their loved ones, helping them look and feel their best.

Katie got married in early summer–on one of the rainiest days of the year! But as you will see in these photos, she didn’t let grey skies stand in the way of celebrating! Since I was able to get so many stunning images thanks to Nicole Christine Photography, I am actually going to do a couple of posts about this wedding, because I really want to highlight a few different aspects of this gorgeous bridal party.

Let’s start by focusing on this stunning bride!

Katie, like many of my brides, doesn’t wear a ton of makeup in her everyday life. At her trial, she expressed concern that if she wore a lot of makeup she wouldn’t feel like herself, and her fiance might not like it. THIS IS A VERY COMMON CONCERN! But I’ve learned a few things in my years of doing natural-looking bridal makeup. The first is, you can be wearing what might seem like a lot of makeup (if you don’t normally wear much) but if it is applied skillfully, it won’t LOOK or FEEL overdone once the process is complete. Secondly, your significant other doesn’t need to know how long it took you to get ready on your wedding day, it is our little secret! And lastly, I am not suggesting that you wear this amount of makeup every day. You don’t wear a wedding dress every day, do you? Of course not! This type of makeup is special occasion! It is appropriate for the setting and your outfit! Lastly, this is going to be one of the most photographed days of your life. You need makeup that will enhance your best features, make you feel confident, and photograph beautifully.

SO back to Katie. We did her trial at her mom’s house. Katie’s mom is a lot like my mom. They are proud of us, think we are gorgeous, and they want their daughters to wear more lipstick! But having your mom at your trial is a great thing. We settled on a look that they both were happy with, and then Kay (Katie’s mom) wasn’t nervous about having me do her makeup on wedding day either. (Another common concern–moms worry they will look way overdone!)

Katie has beautiful, big, wide-set eyes. At her trial, we used a half-strip of false lashes on each eye, but after we finished on wedding day, she came back to my chair and asked for more! WOO HOO! I almost never say no to more lashes! LOOK at how gorgeous she is!

I almost can’t handle how amazing those thick lush lashes look! (And isn’t her gown just amazing?!)

I trimmed Katie’s brows just a bit, and filled them in with Anastasia brow powder in taupe and light brown. I used Kett airbrush foundation as I do with most of my brides, and we kept her look softly bronzed and glowing.

I always love the reveal!

For her lips, we wanted just enough color to look defined, but still natural. We went with MAC Creme Cup which is a pretty pink that she felt comfortable in and was MOB (mother-of-the-bride) approved.

I’m a total sucker for proud dad pictures. Look at the smiles on these two!

Ok one more so you can see these gorgeous lashes!

And I leave you with one more gorgeous picture of this lovely bride. I will do another post about her fun bridesmaids, and then a third about her beautiful and fun mom!

Thanks for reading!

Check out more amazing photography by Nicole Christine at http://nicolechristinephoto.com/

Love and lipstick,

Tricia

1920’s Wedding: Fabulous Friends

September 4, 20142 Comments

I shared in my last post about one of my favorite weddings so far this year. {K}’s party in June was 1920’s themed and each of her bridesmaids wore a different flapper-style dress, along with a custom made headpiece. They all looked amazing, and even better, this group of women knew how to have fun! The morning spent doing their makeup was definitely a highlight of my summer. I truly love what I do, but when I get to do it for really lovely people, I really appreciate it!

The bride and groom rented a sweet vintage car and EVERYONE dressed up for this wedding! Can you even imagine?

{K} also had a friend on hand during the prep portion of the day to take some getting ready shots. I especially enjoyed doing makeup on {K}’s niece, as she is the same age I was when I started to realize I seriously loved makeup, and I just have a heart for adolescent girls. She was delightful.

Side note: When did my hair get so long? Sheesh! And if you’ve noticed, I pretty much wear the same shirts when I am working, I wear this pink one from Express all the time, it’s comfy, doesn’t wrinkle, and I can move in it! For a busy mom, this is a good thing, I need easy to take care of clothes!

My other favorite part of the day was doing makeup for {K}’s mom. I truly love my bride’s moms. They are harder to win over, but once you have established trust, they are the sweetest. They’ve spent years taking care of other people, and rarely get to pamper themselves. This mother in particular was a dear. She waited to go until the very end, to make sure everyone else was taken care of, and then held her granddaughter on her lap the whole time! They were both the sweetest.

Love this shot of mother and daughter, glammed up and looking fabulous!

This really was a fun family, here is the bride with her sister, love that the sister wanted to do smoky eyes. And I love the ringlets on both of them! I wish I could take credit for these hairstyles but it was a friend of the brides who worked that curling iron all morning!

I will leave you with a color shot of the lovely bride. Thanks {K} for hiring me, your wedding was a highlight of my summer!

A special thank you to Kristin Kukla of Kukla Photography for these beautiful images!

Bridal Look: 1920’s Glam

September 1, 20141 Comment

Early in the summer, I got an email from a bride whose makeup artist had cancelled at the last minute. (I can’t even. What stress!) She’d been referred to me by a fellow makeup artist and wanted to know if I was free for a Saturday wedding. Normally in June, with only 3 weeks notice, no way! However, as I am constantly striving to balance my personal and professional life, I committed in 2014 to work one wedding per weekend, and for that weekend I had booked a Friday wedding. Well, rules are made to be broken, right? And there was no way I could leave a bride in need!

We made the arrangements, but realized with her real-life responsibilities and the limited time, there was just no way to do a makeup trial. I ALWAYS require a trial for my brides, so I was super nervous to forego one in this case, especially because I didn’t know the bride! My worries increased as I drove to her parent’s house that morning, because I realized she’d said the wedding was in a town that is known for its summer-long Renaissance Faire! Would I be asked to do Ren Fair makeup? What would that even mean? She had sent a picture of makeup she liked, and it didn’t scream corsets and 14th century, but one never knows. Determined I would satisfy her no matter what, I thanked my lucky stars I had a smart phone, and figured Google would help me if I had to quickly research Elizabethan makeup! Huzzah!

My worries were unfounded when I was greeted at the door by a beautiful woman with clear skin and strawberry blonde hair. As we chatted while her hair stylist worked and I set up my kit, I tactfully inquired as to what style she was hoping for, and she laughed when I confessed my Ren Fair concerns. “It’s a time period wedding but we’re not going that far back,” she laughed. “It’s 1920’s!”

WHEW! And, how FUN! This was by far, one of my favorite weddings to work on this summer. Every single woman that sat in my chair was so fun, we had a blast all morning. They each chose their own flapper style dress, and a friend’s mom made everyone fantastic headpieces.

The bride herself opted for a look that was all about the eyes. We used a strip lash and some dramatic shadows to really let her gorgeous green-blue eyes stand out. Here are some shots of the process so you can see the transformation!

Under-eye concealing with my MAC 224 brush and MAC Pro Longwear Concealers.

About halfway there, she still needs lashes, lips and some finishing blush and bronzer.

WOW! (If I do say so myself!) Look at those lashes and that GLOW! I loved how her ringlets really pulled the whole look together.

This black and white shot is my favorite because she really could be a glamorous moll from the 1920’s, don’t you think?

And here is the happy couple! Cheers you two! Here’s to a lifetime of laughs and love, I think you are off to a great start!

Thanks to Kristin Kukla of Kukla Photography for the beautiful images! My next post will feature some of K’s fabulous family and friends. They were so fun, I had to do a separate post. Check back soon!

Stay pretty, ladies!

Bridal Look: Understated Elegance

August 15, 20144 Comments

It’s kinda funny, as a bridal makeup artist, I am invited into people’s homes and welcomed to touch their faces, usually mere moments after we meet for the first time! It’s exciting but also daunting, because we’re each trying to get a feel for one another. I need the bride to be honest about what she wants to look like on her wedding day, and I am hoping I interpret that correctly! Sometimes I also have to help frame someone’s expectations, and explain what will and won’t work for them. Often at a bridal trial I can suggest that someone start using eye cream, or begin seeing a professional esthetician for brow grooming. These seem like little things, but when you are going to spend a day being photographed they make a big difference.

In Giles’ case, her bridal trial was scheduled for the night of her bachelorette party, which turned out to be really fun, as she included her bridesmaids in the action, and everyone got to get dolled up together. It also gave Giles a chance to wear her makeup all night, and see what she loved AND what she wanted to change for her wedding day look. I really value this chance to get feedback from my brides, because I want them to feel phenomenal when they walk down the aisle. I can do what I think is a flawless makeup application, but if the final look doesn’t match the bridal vision they’ve been dreaming about, they won’t feel truly confident and stunning.

After her trial, Giles emailed me and requested we tone down her blush, because she tends to flush naturally. And, although she found the strip lashes I applied to be comfortable (which is crucial!) she wanted a more subtle look. I was able to take these requests and adjust my application so that she felt like the best version of herself on her wedding day. That’s always my goal: to make my brides not only feel beautiful, but like the most beautiful version of their authentic self. Then they can really shine!

Here’s Giles on her wedding day!

For those of you who like product details, I used Smashbox Photo Finish Primer in Light, MAC PRO Longwear Concealer and Kett Airbrush Foundation, applied with my Kett Jet.

I applied just a touch of a light MAC Cream blush prior to airbrushing her foundation, so just a very soft coral would appear as a gentle flush. I contoured her using Benefit Hoola, applied with a very light hand. I used MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Medium Plus to give her a bit more dimension on her cheeks without veering in pink or red territory.

I primed her eyelids with TooFaced Shadow Insurance in Lemon Drop, and used various MAC shadows on her eyes, Eye liner is Bobbi Brown gel liner in Black, and I used Cover Girl Lashblast mascara in Very Black, then applied Monda Studio Lashes #213 using Duo Glue.

Giles’ lips are lined in MAC Subculture, and topped with Creme Cup. Here are some of her posed and candid pics from the rest of her day! Look at those lashes!

These two clearly have a blast with each other!

And these two bridesmaids, so fun! I loved coming up with fun eye looks to play off their purple dresses!

Still looking good well into the night, that’s what I like to see!

Bridal Beauty: Behind the Scenes

August 14, 2014Leave a comment

Gorgeous pictures from this summer’s weddings keep rolling in! Seeing my beautiful brides in their professional pictures is seriously one of my favorite things about being a makeup artist. For Giles’ wedding, I actually got a bonus. Her photographer, the fantastic Erin Hoyt, actually took pictures of me in action, and best of all, I don’t look gross in them! Sometimes by the end of a gig, depending on how big it is, how hot the room was, and how long I was up with my teething baby the night before, I can look really ROUGH! I actually look ok in these! (We’re always our own worst critic so of course I start analyzing what I could have done differently…but enough! We should all quit obsessing sometimes.)

But enough about me! Giles’ wedding was really fun. She scheduled her trial for the night of her bachelorette party, so I got to meet her bridesmaids too! I did their makeup as well, so that everyone would be looking amazing for their night out in Chicago. The great thing about hiring your wedding makeup artist for your trial is that everyone gets to know each other a bit, and things on your wedding day go that much more smoothly. I even wrote a whole article about it for Chicago Style Weddings, which you can read here.

Shameless plug aside, in the case of Giles and her bridesmaids, it worked really well to have had trials for everyone. I walked in on wedding day feeling like we were already all friends, and we had a blast. And now, I will stop talking and show you some pictures!

If you look closely in this one, you can see the makeup spraying out of my airbrush!

Talk about natural light! It was a pleasure getting to work in that room!

I have to concentrate really hard on eye liner. Even pros have to work hard to get even lines! I am almost sticking my tongue out here!

The big reveal. I am always nervous! Love to see the smile on her face.

Now it all starts to come together as her mom helps her into her amazing dress. Loved the sheer detail and applique. Giles picked the perfect dress for her style and figure and looked stunning. And can I just say, I love that wine lip on her mom!

And here is the beautiful bride!

We opted for very, very soft neutral blush as Giles said she flushes naturally and didn’t want to look too pink. We also used more subtle lashes for her wedding than we did for her bachelorette party. She really wanted the focus on her eyes, without them looking overdone. How did we do?

I hope you liked this sneak peek into what it’s like behind the scenes! Come back on Friday for this lovely brides posed pictures with her handsome groom.

Stay pretty, ladies! xo, Tricia

Simple and Sweet Bridal Beauty: Melissa

August 4, 2014August 4, 20142 Comments

I can’t believe it’s already August 3rd–this summer has flown by. In July, I celebrated one year of Tricia Clarke Makeup! As I look back on my first full year as a freelance makeup artist, I am so grateful for all of the brides and brides-to-be who have chosen me to make them feel beautiful for their special days.

As my busy summer draws to a close, I am finally able to start posting some of the gorgeous pics that are beginning to flood my inbox! It is always exciting when I see an email from a bride who has sent me her professional pics.Depending on the day and on the bride, sometimes my job is done and I leave before her dress is even on, so I just ADORE seeing the pics of my brides completely dressed in their stunning gowns, with jewelry, head pieces and colorful flowers. So get ready, because over the next few weeks I will be sharing some of my favorite brides from wedding season 2014!

First up is sweet Melissa. Oh Melissa, what a dear heart. This girl is special to me. I have known Melissa since she was about 5 years old, and she joined the Swedish Children’s group my family was in, I was even the folk dance instructor for a few years while I was in high school! ( I have never hid my nerd status and I am not about to start, so there!) While our parents lived in the same town, the fact that I was about 10 years older than Melissa meant that once I graduated from the group, I didn’t see Melissa for about 2 decades, but would hear through the grapevine that she was doing well. Imagine my delight when she contacted me last year and asked me to do her wedding makeup. It was so fun to see her again, and to realize that the sweet little girl I knew had grown into a lovely young woman, so composed and professional, but still genuine and charming and funny.

When we met for her trial, Melissa had already told me that she wears VERY minimal makeup on a daily basis, but understood that she wanted to look great for her wedding and to photograph beautifully. I kept my application to a minimum, and used a light touch in eyeshadow, and did only minimal contouring and foundation, as she really wanted her freckles to remain visible. Melissa took my advice and had her trial on the day of her wedding shower so that she could get feedback from her family and friends . Here is a picture of her finished trial look:

While overall she told me she felt very pretty, she shared with me she still felt like the makeup was too much. THIS is why I insist on trials with my brides. It is so important to me that they not only feel beautiful on their wedding day, but also LIKE THEMSELVES! Because we did a trial, I knew what I had to adjust on the day of the wedding, and I was able to give Melissa exactly what she wanted. Here is a picture of Melissa’s final look on wedding day!

To keep the look as natural as possible, I opted to use individual lash clusters, instead of strip lashes. These really blend with her natural lashes and just give her a bit more volume so that her eyes pop but are not too dramatic.

I also used a dark brown gel eye liner (Bobbi Brown, my fave!) instead of black. Melissa had a daytime, outdoor ceremony and we really wanted to keep the look soft and effortlessly lovely.

Using Kett airbrush foundation sparingly, I was able to really perfect Melissa’s already glowing skin so that it would look great in HD photography, but also not look “made-up”. Ooh, look, action shot!

As you can see, Melissa has great skin and beautiful rosy tone to her lips. It was really easy to make her look great, I just played up her eyes using soft browns with a bit of gold in the center of the lid to make her blue eyes pop. I also softly defined her brows using my Anastasia of Beverly Hills Pro Palette, which I splurged on this year and have loved SO MUCH! I don’t even know how I did brows before!

It was also a treat to get to see Melissa’s mom again after so many years. I love doing mother of the bride makeup, because often times, I really have to win their trust, but once I do, we have a blast. Like Melissa, her mom doesn’t wear a lot of makeup, and wasn’t even sure she wanted me to apply any! I use Benefit’s Porefessional to really smooth out her skin, applied mascara and defined her brows, and did a subtle pink lip–and VOILA! She still looked like herself, but felt special, as she should on such a special day! When Melissa emailed me and told her that her mom really liked the way she looked that day, I smiled for a whole hour. If I can make women feel better about themselves, my work is done!

Melissa, thank you for letting me be a part of your wedding day. You are beautiful inside and out. It was a privilege to be allowed to make you feel gorgeous and can I just say, I am THRILLED to have pictures of your beautiful face in my portfolio! I mean, just look at this smile!

I wish you and your husband a lifetime of happiness! And I leave you, dear readers, with one of Melissa’s favorites from her wedding day. Photo credit goes to Dave Jilek of George Street Photography. I love having these fantastic images–he really captured their joy at becoming husband and wife! Cheers, Melissa and Nate! xoxo, Tricia

Bridal Look: Red Lips

May 19, 2014May 19, 2014Leave a comment

I love when brides come to me with a point of inspiration. It can be their veil, a color they love, or a celebrity they want to emulate. In Rachel’s case, she knew she wanted a classic look to go with her chic head piece, and she’d found a great red liquid lipstick that she thought would work. She was right, and the color was perfect with her gorgeous porcelain skin and rich, dark hair color.

In contrast, her sister wanted to go for the smokey eye/nude lip combo that is always popular with bridesmaids. She had gotten a spray tan the day before the wedding, and she would be the first to tell you, get a trial spray tan so you know what you’re in for!

I always love collaborating with my brides. Every woman has their own personal style, their own vision of what bridal beauty means to them, and everyone comes with a different level of comfort and experience when it comes to makeup. It is so fun to work together to create a look they love. I adore this picture of the new Mr. and Mrs. B! Thanks Rachel, for letting me be a part of your big day!

Hair by Krista at Urban Lift Salon

Photography by Alicia Griffith www.aliciamphotos.com

New Drugstore Faves and Haul Previews!

March 26, 2014Leave a comment

Hi Ladies!

Is it Spring yet? I am grateful for the sun today, that’s for sure, but I am ready for some 40+ temps, aren’t you? Thanks for sticking with me through this winter! I wanted to show you some of my recent drugstore favorites, and then tease you with some haul pictures. I will have reviews of my haul goodies coming soon, I had a great class at MAC yesterday, and last week I popped into Benefit for some new products, and I am having so much fun playing with everything.

Ok–this L’Oreal Volume Filler Thickening shampoo and conditioner are so far the best I’ve seen for volume, and they run about $5 each–sweet, huh? They are made with Filloxane–which I have never heard of, and might be a made-up word, but the products deliver on their promises of full, bouncy hair.

The blue bottle is called Miracle Leave In by It’s a 10. My sister got it as a freebie at ULTA, and I am hoping it helps strengthen all the baby hairs I have on my hairline–something my stylist said she sees on almost all new mommies. Did any of you have these? I never had clumps of hair fall out after my son was born, which I have heard women complain of, so I’m grateful for that, but these wispy baby hairs are bizarre. Remember Katie Holmes after Suri–when it looked like she had funky bangs? That’s me, but at least they’re growing. Hopefully this keratin treatment helps.

I’m also trying Suave’s version of Moroccan Oil (since I ran out of the real deal!) and for a cheapie, it’s ok. I don’t think it delivers on the shine as well, and I don’t love the fragrance. It helps make my hair a bit silkier and at about 1/8 the cost, I can live with it for now. It’s made with coconut and Sweet Almond oil, but also a bunch of other ingredients ending in “-cone” so it’s pretty synthetic and when I replenish my Moroccan Oil I will be comparing ingredients. Usually, you pay for what you get!

Now for the previews—first up, Benefit!

I am loving the Big Easy Bigger Than BB Cream for casual, everyday coverage. Lollitint MAY unseat Cha-Cha tint from my list of Top 5 products—we will have to see! And I of course had to stock up on the Porefessional and They’re Real–duh.

You could almost do your whole face (minus brows) with just these products!

Okay, here’s my MAC haul:

I took a Master Class at MAC PRO yesterday–WOW. Romero Jennings taught the class on mature skin and he was great. I learned a lot about technique, in particular in regards to foundation, concealing, and eye sculpting. Can’t wait to get my hands on some “mature” ladies. I have an upcoming Makeup and Martinis night, and those women will be the first to benefit from all my new skills. He also used brushes in ways I’ve never considered, so of course I had to get 6, and wanted at least 10 more.

I’ve got lots more in store for you ladies, something BIG is coming this Friday–make sure you don’t miss any updates. Follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TriciaClarkeMakeup where we talk about everything beauty and I dole out advice.

ALSO–Instagram, my new obsession! Follow TriciaCMakeup for looks of the day, pictures of fave products, and also foodie pics and the occasional appearance of my little man!

Thanks ladies, stay pretty!

Tricia Clarke Makeup

On-location Makeup Artist and Bridal Hairstylist

Category: Makeup