This week, we had the great pleasure of interviewing one of our favorite makeup artists, Lora Kelley of Lora Elaine. So for this Friday and next, we will be sharing her tricks and tips of the trade for achieving your perfect wedding day look! Even if you're not a bride-to-be, we've found Lora has some wonderful, helpful advice to make you look glowy and beautiful every day! Easton: How should a bride select her makeup artist? What are the things to look for / avoid? Lora: Brides should select makeup artists based on five main criteria. Makeup skill, how long they've been working as a makeup artist, the products they use (are they professional, high end, quality products?), their portfolio, and referrals or reviews from other brides or vendors. Ask yourself if their past brides look natural? Does their skin look dewy and fresh? Do you see yourself in this makeup artist's work? I would avoid anyone who does not have a substantial body of work to represent what they do. It's not always easy, as an artists, to keep up with these things, but it's really important, as a bride, to know how you will look in photographs - after all, that is what you have for the rest of your life, and you want to LOVE the way you look!
Easton: As a makeup artist, what is your personal style? Lora: Almost every single one of my brides says the same thing: "I want to look like myself, just a bit better." My goal is to make your natural beauty more obvious. Occasionally, I have people request a smoky eye or bright lip (and I love doing this), but most of my brides just want to look like a natural, more glamorous version of themselves. I think I work well with all of my brides because I have been a bride myself, and I know what looks good on skin. I also know what reads well on camera, what feels comfortable, and what enhances a woman's look. I always go for a dewy, glowy skin - very fresh faced with subtle accentuating of the eyes, cheeks and lips.
Easton: How should a bride best prepare for her wedding day in the area of skincare? Lora: I have six recommendations for any bride, so she feels at her best on the big day. 1. Take vitamins - specifically zinc, B7, B12 and a women's multivitamin. Personally, I recommend taking these to any woman every day, but definitely start when you get engaged. 2. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, or stress. Cortisol is a hormone released into your body when you experience stress, and it can make your hormones to fluctuate, causing you to break out. 3. Avoid smoking. I have some brides who ask me why they break out around their mouth and on their chin, and the first question I have to ask is "do you smoke?" Smoking is often something people don't think about, but when you inhale smoke or are around it a lot, all of those toxins cling to your skin and clog your pores. Unfortunately, that means breakouts. 4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. The number one way to flush your system of toxins and help your skin cells turn over quickly is to drink lots of water. It keeps your skin taut and plump. 5. Find a skin care system that works for you. Right now, I am loving Arbonne. Luckily, I have a fabulous friend who gave me their entire line (which has a European formula with yummy vitamins to nourish your skin). My skin hasn't been this happy in a long time! 6. Be consistent. Everything works better if you do it every day for an extended period of time. If you have to, set yourself an alarm to remind you to take your vitamins, drink your water, and plop on that moisturizer. Do it! You will be so glad you did!
Thank you, Lora! To check out the rest of Lora's portfolio, we encourage you to head over to her makeup website. Stay tuned for next Friday's makeup lesson! All images courtesy of Eric Kelley Photography.