In Part 2 of our guest blog from award-winning make-up artist and stylist to the stars, Phoebe Caramitsos, (the brains and beauty behind Flossy & Leigh) Phoebe talks us through her handbag essentials to keep brides looking their best throughout their big day.

Depending on which package bride’s choose, Flossy & Leigh’s full concierge service includes a signature, deluxe 12 hour full day-to-night VIP service, including full bridal hair and make-up service, bridal accessories sourcing, concierge facility, make-up touch ups throughout the day and a glitter bar for the evening party. So much more than your normal hair and make-up offering!

It is this unrivalled knowledge and experience that makes Phoebe’s make up hacks a must-read for LOVE brides. I might be adding a certain product to my handbag very soon…

(And if you missed Part 1 of Phoebe’s blog – Make-Up Looks for Wedding WOW – you can read that here.)

Emma

xoxo

If there’s one day in your life you can be forgiven for being regarded as ‘vain’, it’s certainly your wedding day.

The photos are going to be around for generations to come, so you want to make sure you look your best, even for when your great great great Granddaughter is going through the hologram copies of the family albums in her underwater house.

I’ve been offering a full day (12 hour) bridal styling concierge service for over a decade, which means you have your own personal makeup and hair assistant for the day (we also extend this touch up service to the entire bridal party and guests). This has proved invaluable to so many of our brides, especially on windy, rainy, or even the hottest of days.

However, what happens if your budget doesn’t allow for a full day styling service? If you’re remotely worried about how to do your own touch-ups to ensure you look perfect from dawn till dusk, here’s some of my top tips:

Handbag essentials:

• My Handbag Must Have:

Caudalie Beauty Elixir – https://uk.caudalie.com/beauty-elixir-30-ml.html

This is an all year round essential in my bag, and they come in handy little mini sizes, so there’s no excuse.

The Caudalie beauty elixir spray diffuses a super fine mist of exquisite smelling hydration. It stops your makeup drying up from thirsty skin in Winter, and the refreshing peppermint oil in it has a cooling effect in Summer. This cult favourite reveals an instant radiance boost for the complexion, whilst tightening the pores and smoothing fine lines and make-up creases.

• Skin:

If you’ve already hired a professional bridal makeup artist to get you ready, the chances are the makeup base should last rather well, if not all day, with minimal to no creasing.

This is certainly the case with the airbrush makeup my team and I use, the American product, Temptu S/B foundations. These contain silicon which means you can sweat through it, cry through it, and it just ‘aint’ budging.

However, it may be that you’re just prone to shine and oily skin. The oils will still want to come through, regardless of the specific oil-control primers and oil-control setting powders.

My advice is to dab the excess oil away with blotting sheets, which come in really handy little handbag size sachets, and then keep a super-fine blotting powder (available in convenient little compacts) either close by in your room, or with your chief bridesmaid.

• Lips:

The one thing that we do need to constantly watch for and top up throughout our service, is lips.

Unless you’re going for a long-lasting lip paint type product (which does tend to go bitty and dry out your lips – I’m not a huge fan), the chances are, you are most certainly going to have to reapply.

Whatever you use in the morning, ensure you leave it with your chief bridesmaid and have her on ‘lip-watch’ throughout the day. Ask her to discreetly touch-up whenever it’s drying out or coming off.

The best way to prolong the staying power of a lip colour, is to smudge or fill the entire lip with whatever lip liner you are using, before applying the lipstick and/or gloss.

• Eyeliner:

I’m a fiend for liner in the waterline, so if you’re the same, maybe keep one close by, and touch-up just before the party starts after dinner. It’ll help to intensify your look for the evening.

• Hair:

If you are using a professional hair stylist, your ‘do’ should stay put. But, with the best will in the world, you’re not supergluing your hair into place! It is wise to ensure that your hairdresser leaves you with a small selection grips for your hair and your bridesmaids’ hair, just in case. Also, make sure you keep a small can of hairspray in your room to smooth out any fly aways.

xxx

Thank you so much to Phoebe for her sharing her handbag essentials with us. If you’re looking for some bridal gown inspiration, as well as make up inspiration, why not make an appointment with a LOVE stylist to browse our beautiful, designer dresses. Book now.

Stunning wedding pictures captured by Lesley Meredith Photography