I just got this little gift from Ed Ip. This is a little look into a behind the scenes photo shoot!! This is in Richmond VA! and YOU TOO can get in on all the fun! Book a session with Ed and myself today!
ENJOY!
ENJOY!
Week 3
I hope you are enjoying our 4 week countdown to being a fabulous Bridalicious BRIDE! Last week we began a 4 week count down on must do beauty ideas to get you ready for the big day. Now at 3 weeks, we have some more things to talk about!
3 weeks from the big day Skin Care:
Week 3 Skin Care
If you haven’t started the tips from last week, start now! You want to look your best on your special day and the first step to complexion perfection is a great skincare routine!
With the temperatures creeping into the 60’s & 70’s you may be tempted to spend some time soaking in a little Vitamin D. If so, be sure you use at least SPF 15. Nothing will ruin your pictures like unsightly sunburn!
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| Night Time Renewal |
Do you have a problem with your makeup “disappearing” by the end of the day? If you so you are not alone, this is a very common problem. This is your skins way of telling you it is dehydrated. When your skin needs moisture, it starts taking from every source, including your makeup. The good news is there is a simple fix to this problem. Be sure to use a moisturizer every day prior to applying your foundation and a rich, quality night cream, like our Night Time Renewal Cream, to replenish the moisture. Your wedding day will be a long one, so help your makeup “stay put” all day long!
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| Sugar Lip Scrub for moist lips! |
When you pucker up for the all-important first kiss of course you want your lips to be super soft! Our Sugar Lip Scrub and Vitamin E lip treatment are essential products in your makeup bag. Using the Lip Scrub a few times a week and applying the Vitamin E stick nightly will make a noticeable difference. You will never go back to chapped, dry lips!
If you are planning to have a makeup artist on your wedding day, be sure to set up a consultation, if you have not already. This is a great way to make sure you and your artist have the same vision for your wedding day makeup. You will also have a chance to make sure your skin doesn’t react to their products.
Week 3- the start of a beautiful SMILE.....
If you have been following along with our Bridal Beauty on a Budget segments, this is the week you will want to purchase your White Strips. You should NOT have to pay full price either! By now, you should have collected at least 1 White Strip coupon from the Sunday paper and may have been on the LOOK out for a great deal already! MOST of the drugstores also have a $10.00 off purchase i have noticed the past few weeks, and this week Kroger has E coupons you can load right on your card! You should be able to score a GREAT deal on those Whitestrips. Your goal this week is to just get to the store and buy your white strips. You will begin next Sunday using them!
Week 3 TEST SPRAY TAN TRIAL
I would say that 85% of the Brides that come to see me for a consult, plan to have a spray tan or tan before the wedding. While I am not a fan of tanning, I am a fan of spray tanning should you choose to do it. Spray Tan tips:
- Visit a local spray tan salon this very week!
- Start by going on Monday(tomorrow). I have found that often times salons offer deals or 1/2 price sprays on Mondays! Dont hesitate to call around and ask? You can save at least 1/2 the cost for your trial spray with just a little investigation.
- If you are planning to go, make sure to exfoliate really well in the shower before you leave. Put your hair up and head out for the salon.
- Most salons offer levels of shades. Shade 1=light; Shade 2=medium;shade 3=dark. The attendant at the salon should be able to advise you as to which shade would work best with your skin tone. But, I may suggest, stick with light to med. for your Wedding day. Just a hint of color would be your best choice, you really do not want to look like you just got back from Jamaica. You may be going there after the Wedding, but not before. :)
- Your tan should last you all week. Think about a few things while your enjoying your "new" golden bronze look. Does it smell funny? Does it look natural? Does it rub off on your clothing, How much comes off in the shower? Does your fiancee think it looks nice? Does it wear off well? These are very important factors, when you are considering doing it before your BIG Wedding Day. You will need to answer these questions to decide if you should get it done, and how long before the Wedding day? The day before? Two days before? It all depends on how it wears off and smells?
- Lastly, give your MAKEUP ARTIST a heads up about your Spray Tan! Let them know that you will be getting one, so that they can adjust foundations as needed. You may require a shade darker mix if you are darker than your original consult. :)
You should be continuing with your Hair Masque and extra special shampoo and conditioners. This week you may have noticed a nice change in your hair, with the special care you have been giving it. Continue on the same path. Tonight should be a deep conditioning treatment as we discussed last week.
If you are getting a trim, or a color, I would suggest that you would have already set up your salon appointment for a week from today for a trim and about 10 days from the big day for your color.
Week 3 -Your HANDS
If you can afford to get a manicure this week, I would GO FOR IT! A manicure is about 12 bucks. Yes, you are 3 weeks away, but if your anything like me, I have cuticles and don't keep up with my hands like I should. I went for a manicure 3 weeks ago, and I am in need again! If you go this week, you will get a chance to clean up your hands well in advance of the big day and really start getting your nails in shape. If you really want to save some money on a full set of nails, start this week on your manicure, and your nails may be in good enough shape to go eu natural for the Wedding day!! You can ultimately save $ money on getting your own nails french manicured for $12, rather than getting a $40.00 full set! MUCH CHEAPER and BETTER for your nails! As we start on Week 3, enjoy each day of preparation for your Wedding! Sometimes we get so focused on the future we forget to enjoy the present. Enjoy every little part of your time this week preparing, and you will ensure happiness daily!
You can view his Pageantry/Modeling prices here.
DONT FORGET you can WIN a STARBUCKS gift card from Ed!Anyone that finds and likes Ed Ip Photography on Facebook, and mentions this blog (must post it to the wall), will be entered to receive a $20 Starbucks gift card! Contest ends 3/31/11. No purchase necessary!
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| behind the scenes 10 am Sunday morning..so I am not looking very bombshell-ish! |
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| my behind the scenes look! |
Over the past several weeks I have had many Bride to Be's come into the Glam Studio with the same compliant. Dry Skin and Scalp. Its that time of year isn't it? With the heat up in our homes and the air outside so cold. Its hard to keep moisture in our skin. I feel so bad for our chapped lips, and eyelids!
I have been on the look out for a great coupon to get myself some facial moisturizer with out spending a fortune. I just wanted a nice day to day lotion to soothe my facial skin this winter. TODAY I found a GREAT coupon!!
What you need to do, is FISH out the PARADE section of your Sunday paper. Cut out the Garnier coupon with $2 bucks off! THEN go to the Target coupon web site to get another $2.00 off Garnier coupon! YES at Target you can USE both!! Meaning you can STACK them!
I scored a NEW Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream full of vitamin E and Grape water extract. *oil Free. The product was on sale for $6.64 - my ($4.00) in coupons= $2.64! Yep! I paid $2.64 for my new moisturizer!
If you were not looking for a moisturizer, then I would HIGHLY recommend trying the Garnier Nutritioniste Detoxifying Wet Cleansing Towelettes. I use Towelettes everyday to take off makeup and my skin has NEVER, i repeat NEVER looked better in YEARS! I had adult acne BEFORE I started using Cleansing Towlettes. I can thank my beautiful friend LaDaria for that tip! I use most any brand. AND i totally would have gotten the Towlettes and paid a WHOPPING .49 cents for them too(they were 4.49), if I was not looking for a moisturizer!
I can not take all of the credit for finding this little gem. Thanks to the Web site Totally Target, I was able to score a GREAT deal today on Garnier!
Our 4 week segment called BRIDALICIOUS kicks off this SUNDAY (tonight)! I chose Sunday, because its a great day to get back on beauty track. Most of us prepare for the week on Sunday evening and its a great time to rethink and plan. For years, I would start my beauty care routine back on Sunday evening, in preparation for a photo shoot in the upcoming week, or for a beauty pageant that was on the horizon, Sunday evening for me was the holly grail of days to kick everything back into high gear!
Growing up my mother and I were DIY girls when it came to our beauty routines.
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| this is the new version! |
So this Sunday evening.... lets get DIY salon-ing!
So lets say this is a 4 week countdown to your Wedding!! I have asked some experts to weigh in as well. The first thing I would start with tonight would be hair, skin care and fitness.
I think that it is very important to start these things right away since it takes a little time to get them in tip top shape. You are not too late to have glowing beautiful skin on your wedding day with luscious hair to boot!
TONIGHT: SKIN CARE: I have asked my friend Dana Reason, Owner Dana L Skincare and Cosmetics to weigh in on her thoughts at the 4 week point!
Week 4
By now you have decided on a florist, a baker, a photographer, invitations, and have probably taken care of everyone else…but have you taken the time to pay special attention to your skin? With all the things a Bride has on her mind, she often forgets to take care of herself. In order to have that “glow” on your wedding day, you have to spend time on YOU!
You may be saying-well I’ve been thinking of treating myself to a spa visit. If you are not on a first name basis with an esthetician, now is the time to go! Facials and other treatments can pull out imperfections that will need time to subside. If that’s not in your budget (and what is in the budget at this point, right?) there are treatments you can do at home for a fraction of the price. One of the main components of any facial is exfoliation. The last thing you want on your wedding day is for your skin to be covered in dead skin cells that prevent your makeup from looking its best. Dana L Microdermabrasion Cleanser and Exfoliator will instantly improve the tone and texture of your skin and it is gentle enough to use a couple times a week.
I’m often asked-I’m so tired at night, do I really have to wash my face before I go to bed? My answer is simple-yes, you do. It only takes 5 minutes to clean your face with a moisturizing cleanser, a toner (that doesn’t contain alcohol) apply a great eye cream and a rich night cream. This is also a good time to decompress and begin to relax so you can get a good night’s sleep!
We all know we need to drink more water and eat better for our health, but what about for our skin? Beautiful skin truly starts on the inside. The more nutrients you feed your body, the better your skin will look. So, as difficult as it may be, get some rest and eat well!
Week 4 fitness with Kristie Tobias- Miss North Carolina International (4th Runner Up to Miss International)
What to do four weeks from your wedding?
The big day is 1 month away, and you are in a mad dash to fit into that perfect wedding gown. At this point, in your mind, every seemingly minute calorie counts. However, before you grab the quickest weight loss pill and promise to starve yourself until you are as skinny as an Olsen twin, it is important to step back and put things in perspective. The number one thing to remember is that your body is not the same body you had when you were 15 or 16, so you MUST listen to your body. When your fiancé seems to constantly avoid you because your crankiness is so off-putting that even Richard Simmons cannot seem to stay perky, it may be time to take a step back and be realistic about your goals. With all of that said, now we move onto to the healthy eating and exercise tips.
Healthy Eating
The important things to remember at this point in the game are portion control, water intake and cutting down or even completely eliminating alcohol and dessert intake. With alcohol, because you will probably indulge in alcohol on the night of your wedding, I would not recommend cutting it out completely. However, I would cut it down to 1 glass per week. Stay away from heavy cocktails and beers. The lighter in color and the lower in alcohol content the drink contains the less calories it will also contain. Also, while we are on drinks, it is even more important to drink lots of water. Water fills you up much quicker, and keeps you from over-eating. One thing that I learned from Standout Productions (a pageant consulting firm) was to drink 4 ounces of water every 30 minutes or 8 ounces of water every hours. If you stay strict on one thing, this is it!! It is AMAZING the difference you will immediately notice by substituting constant snacking with constant water drinking. Now, when it comes to dessert, one of my life-saving low calorie desserts while preparing to compete at Miss International was Jello Mousse. I LOVE sweets! It is a huge weakness, and these 60 calorie pudding snacks satiated my dessert desires.
Now we move onto the hard part, portion control. The four main things that I ate four weeks prior to nationals were fruit, clean protein (fish, chicken and turkey without sauces), whole wheat carbohydrates and vegetables. Staying heavy on water-rich fruit is incredibly important. As was mentioned before, drinking lots of water fills you up quicker and keeps you from over-eating, so when you eat water-rich foods you add more water to your system and again keep yourself from over-filling on heavy foods. Also, keeping food clean, low in sauces, breading (no FRIED foods!!) and other additives, is very important. Adding spices is great, but stay light on the salt because excess salt will bloat your stomach. One of the smartest things I did when making a meal was when setting my plate, I loaded it with fruit and vegetables, adding on my protein (about the size of my fist) and adding on half that size of carbohydrates. While eating, start with the fruits and vegetables, move to the protein and leave the carbohydrates last. This will keep you from filling up on the heavy food first, and instead filling your bodies with the foods that will help you lose weight but still keep you feeling full.
Exercise
Cardio exercise is incredibly important, but as women we tend to forget that adding weight-training not only helps you burn calories faster, but it also tones your body down making you slimmer at a quicker rate. During those last four weeks, if you are really trying to cut down on weight, I would suggest working out 5 days per week, and making sure you do 30 minutes of cardio twice per day each day. If you are trying to slim down your legs, instead of doing intensive running, I would change it out for alternating speeds of speed walking (again great tips from Standout Production). The transformation you will see in your legs is amazing. I would weight train every other day, so that you do not over exhaust your muscles. Stay with light weights and high reps. Pilates is also an excellent exercise, especially Xtend Barre or Cardio Barre classes. The main focus of these classes is to lengthen and tone, and from personal experience, you will notice very quick results.
So, in a nutshell those are my suggestions when you are four weeks out from a wedding. Remember, exercise is excellent, but if you increase the exercise but you do not follow the healthy eating regimen, you will not see your desired results. A combination of both healthy eating and efficient exercise will produce a wonderful transformation and bring out an even better you on your wedding day.
WEEK 4 HAIR CARE: begin to Strengthening and Condition hair. I would highly recommend investing in a really nice shampoo and conditioner at this time! You would not believe the difference a shampoo and conditioner can REALLY make in your hair! I have tested this theory and it never fails to amaze me! We will spend over one hundreds of dollars on color and cuts, but neglect to get a great shampoo and conditioner to follow up! I promise it will make a huge difference. Now, I am using at this time: Nexxus Color Asssure shampoo and conditioner. I spend extra time with the conditioner on my hair as well. I comb it through and let it sit in at least 5 minutes. Spend time with these products in the shower and you will reap the benefit!
SECONDLY:
HAIR MASQUE:
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| my favorite deep conditioning tx! |
- Hair is left shiny, strong and in a healthy, manageable state
- Results in an immediately noticeable difference in strength, texture and appearance
I would do this K-Pak each and every Sunday night for the next 4 weeks!
I hope you enjoyed week 4 of grooming to be BRIDALICIOUS!!
Extraordinary Among Us as a featured guest! So head on over if you would like to learn more about me( i know you do!) and visit her beautiful jewelry again!
Have a FAB weekend! Lots of weekend photos, Bridal Beauty on a Budget and Bridalicious coming your way in a few short days!!
Have you ever tried cream blush? Its something that I used to use a while ago and then got away from. But for my Brides and Bridesmaids its making a come back in my book!I am lovin' cream blush from MAC!
- it goes on fabulously over the airbrush foundation
- its sheer
- gives you a hydrated+ glowing+ natural looking cheek
AND THAT then brings me to my 4 week upcoming SEGMENT called BRIDALICIOUS! I am going to take you though a 4 week beauty COUNTDOWN. EACH week what YOU should be focusing on just 4 sweet beauty weeks before your Wedding! Starting NEXT WEEK! With "beauty" guests to weigh in on the FUN!! BRIDALICIOUS STARTS SUNDAY NIGHT!
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