It's True! Kate Did Her Own Makeup!!

I am a total hopeless romantic and yes, I woke up at 5am EST to watch the royal wedding....and I was not the least bit disappointed!! What a fairytale wedding it was!!!

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I loved EVERYTHING, from the Kate's classy and elegant dress, to the way the couple was able to incorporate themselves in the ceremony...amidst a guest list of 1700, you felt like you were observing a small, intimate wedding.

And word on the street, ok not the street, Vogue UK's website, is that Kate did her own makeup! Kate was rumoured to have had a series of private lessons prior to the wedding from London-based make-up artist Arabella Preston. However, on the day Miss Middleton was the one holding the brushes; choosing to create a softly smoky eye, enhancing the apples of her cheeks with a pink blush colour teamed with a matching lipstick shade:

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And since I love cake, I can't help but drool over Will and Kate's gorgeous 8-tier wedding cake:

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 Did you watch the royal wedding? What did you think about it?

Sushmita Sen Bridal Makeup Breakdown

Even though I already had my dream wedding, I am still mesmerized by bridal wear and love seeing the latest bridal collections from the top Indian designers. (Ok, so please tell me I'm not the only one who does stuff like this!?) 

So as I was browsing through designer Vikram Phadnis's bridal collection from earlier this year, I couldn't help but notice how gorgeous actress Sushmita Sen was looking as she strutted down the runway:

Even her makeup was impeccable....very appropriate for a bridal look and very age appropriate:

Tidbits from the Honeymoon

Hey gals! I am back to doing a few blog posts on the Indian wedding website Maharani Weddings. I recently wrote a few thoughts about my honeymoon to Tahiti and posted some pics. I previously mentioned that I had a fantastic time, but to read a few more of my thoughts, click here.

Current Fave: MAC Pro Longwear Lipstain Marker Review and Swatch

Because of my wedding and getting settled in to married life, I haven't had a chance to tell you about some of my fave products that I am loving and helped get me through all the wedding events. Well, here is one of them: MAC's Pro Longwear Lipstain Marker in Sunset. I used it a lot on the honeymoon since I didn't want to use sticky lipstick or gloss, and it still gave my lips some color.

This item got mixed reviews in the blogging world, but I will give you my two cents worth: I absolutely love it! This marker adds a stain to the lip that provides your lips with color that doesn't fade and looks natural. I picked up a couple but this one in Sunset is the one I have been using very often. Here is a swatch:

It doesn't look that spectacular on my hand, but on my lips, it looks so natural and juicy:

A lot of bloggers said this product was drying, but I don't believe it is that drying. I have used the MAC Pro Longwear Lipcolors (the double ended liquid lipstick) and those are may-jahly drying. This lipstain not so much. The marker deposits color evenly, though with some you may have to go over your lips twice to get a darker color. I think it's a great thing because you can customize the intensity. I recommend applying this not using the tip, but by gliding the sides against the lip, kinda like when you apply old school kajal to the waterline. Sometimes I use just this, sometimes I layer gloss on top, or for fancy occasions, I will use this as a base, then add lipstick and gloss on top. This is great for that because even when your lipstick fades, you still have color on your lips!

Kajal Couture Overall Rating: A

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: A great lipstain that leaves a hint of color, without the stickiness or mess of lipstick or gloss. Great for using on its own or for layering. Now only if they made this permanent....

First off, Wedding Details

As you may already know, I had a traditional Indian Hindu wedding. It was a weeklong affair that included all the traditional ceremonies and parties. I had been doing the majority of wedding planning so I was super stressed out prior to the wedding (not to mention I was still working until the week before the big day), but in the end it was all worth it and everything went as smooth as silk! Of course, there were a few minor hiccups, but overall I couldn't have asked for a better day (or shall I say week).

Here are a couple snaps from the wedding:

This pic is from my videographer Robles Video. The videographer put this as the company's profile picture on Facebook and it was cute because my mom saw it and called me right away to tell me. It feels like such an honor to be the face of their company on FB! It the only close up I have right now where you can see my makeup. I have not yet received all of the photographer's photos, so I only have pics taken by family and friends.

You may have also noticed how heavy and dramatic the makeup is, especially the eye makeup. When you look at the whole outfit and jewelry together, Indian brides need heavy makeup in order to make the features stand out. The pic below shows some of my outfit:

I may post more pics later when I get them from my photographer and my family members. Right now all the family member's photos are with my parents, so I will get them when I see them in a few days. Until then, at least you get a glimpse of my bridal look.

The hubby and I went to Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora (all are islands in French Polynesia) for our honeymoon, and it was AMAZING!!! I will post some island pics soon, but I just have to tell you that if you ever get an opportunity to go to these islands, GO!!! These islands are absolutely GORGEOUS and the beautiful nature is preserved so I think it is an amazing place to visit with your significant other and highly recommend it! =)

I'm Married!!!

I'm back from my wedding and honeymoon and still can't believe I am a married woman now!! Eeeeek!!!! 

The feeling hasn't sunk in yet....but getting back to reality has. I have lots to share with you about the wedding and beauty, so look forward to my regularly scheduled posts within the next day or two. Until then, here is a little snap of me pre-ceremony:

kj

Last Post Before Wedding

Hello!! I just wanted to let you all know this will be my last post before my wedding. I am running out of time with wedding stuff, so I really don't have any time to blog...I've barely worn any makeup in the past couple weeks....I have been that busy!!!

In any case, feel free to read my latest blog post for Maharani Weddings Rani's Blog site. It details some of my favorite primers!!!

I will return to my regularly scheduled blog posting at the end of May after the hubby-to-be and I have returned from our honeymoon.

Yay...I'm getting married!!! Eeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Choosing a Makeup and Hair Artist for Your Big Day

As a makeup artist, I often get asked if I will be doing my own makeup for my wedding day. Since my wedding day is one of the few days in my life where I can be a total princess, I wanted to get the princess treatment and have my hair and makeup done by another professional. I think it is so relaxing to sit back and have some one play with my hair and makeover my face.

(This is me at work doing a makeup application)

Since I have some experience doing bridal makeup, I would like to share with you 10 tips about hair and makeup artistry for your wedding day:

1. First off, decide what type of look you are going for.

Do you want something classic that is timeless? Do you want something bold? Perhaps you want to go classic for your wedding ceremony and more modern and dramatic for the reception? Look at pictures online or of friends or magazines and see what type of look you want. It's helpful to your artist if you bring in these photos so they get an idea of the looks you like. 

To keep reading more of my article, check out the complete post on Maharani Weddings.

Engagement Portraits

Hey my lovelies! This past week has been insanely busy for me and very stressful, so I haven't been able to post as often as I like to. I also drafted a post on my engagement portrait session over at the Rani's page at Maharani Weddings and although it has been a couple days, I still wanted to tell you all about it. If you get a chance, check it out!

And I promise more great beauty posts coming soon!

Wedding Adventures Post #2: Looking Your Best On Your Big Day!

Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day. Our wedding day photos are going to be enlarged and forever fastened to the walls of our parent's homes. Those albums will be viewed by relatives, friends, coworkers...every person who will stand around long enough for your mom/dad/grandparent to show off to. Not to mention, you want to look great for your hubby-to-be!

To read about my bridal beauty regimen and product recommendations, check out my second post at Maharani Weddings. 

My Newest Blogging Adventure - Maharani Weddings

Amidst all my wedding planning and keeping up with my passion for makeup, I have taken on a new adventure. I have just joined the crew of Ranis (bridal bloggers) at the fabulous South Asian bridal website Maharani Weddings and I will be blogging about my wedding experiences!!! To read my first post and stay updated on my journey from Miss to Mrs., check out the RANIS page over at Maharani Weddings!

If you are a bride to be or just like weddings, I highly recommend checking out the site because they have so many great features, like the inspiration board pictured above.

Experiences Shopping for Indian Bridal Wear

As you may have read in a previous post, one of the reasons I went to India in January was to do my wedding shopping. And by wedding shopping, I mean buy my bridal outfits. Of course, we had to buy other things like gifts, and items used during the ceremony, but the largest and most fun purchases were the outfits I am going to wear for the wedding reception and ceremony.

Traditionally, in the Gujurati (the type of Indian I am) culture, we wear a Panetar Saree, which is a white saree with a red border. A saree consists of wearing a petticoat skirt, a blouse, and the saree itself, which is 6 meters of fabric draped around the body. Examples of Panetars are pictured below:

Then for the reception, we wear a Chaniya Choli or Lengha (skirt) type outfit. This consists of an embroidered skirt, blouse, and a dupatta, which is a wide scarf (approx 1m x 2m) that can b draped around the body in various fashions:
So my plan was to follow the tradition. I tried on a few Panetars, and quickly realized the style just did not suit me. I looked twice my size, and I looked twice my age. Not exactly the look I was going for as a bride. So then I ended up mixing the traditional and modern and getting a Panetar style Chaniya Choli, so it is a Chaniya Choli style but in white and red. I am not going to post pics of the outfits I purchased. The first time I want anyone (other than my parents) to see the outfits will be as I walk down the aisle on my wedding day. =)

I did purchase my outfits in Mumbai, though I looked in a couple different cities in India. Mumbai is the largest, most populated city, and can be called the Paris of India. All the celebrities live in Mumbai, all the hottest styles are first seen in Mumbai and then filter through the country, and the best selection of clothing is in Mumbai. Since the best of the best merchandise is in Mumbai, it is also more expensive than other cities. All this I have just stated is not merely my observation, but a fact. Every family member, friend, shop owner admitted that the styles I would see in Mumbai, I would not find anywhere else in the country. And they were right. A girl I met in a shop in Mumbai had already bought her wedding outfit from Ahmedabad, and was looking only for her reception. But she liked the merchandise in Mumbai so much that she ended up buying a new wedding outfit!

That being said, here are a few tips I would like to share when shopping for bridal wear in India:

1. Try and go to Mumbai or Delhi (the capital of India) first and check out the selection. Then go to other cities, suburbs and all, and look at the styles and prices. You can compare the styles and prices with the larger cities and get an idea of what you want and what will fit in your budget. If you find something you like in the smaller cities, purchase it. If not, you can go back to Mumbai or Delhi and get whatever you like.
2. Have an open mind about what you like. If you are dead set on a certain color or cut, chances are you will fall in love with something different, and then be confused because it is not what you originally wanted. Try on as many outfits as possible, including the colors and cuts that are not your number 1 choice. You will be surprised as to what you find flattering on yourself.
3. Take into consideration how your outfit will look in pictures. The most popular colors in bridal wear are red and gold. Everywhere I went, people kept showing me gold outfits. I was open to it, until I realized that it just doesn't look flattering on my skin tone in pictures. My skin tone is too similar to the gold color of bridal wear, and the monotone look just doesn't look very nice. I didn't want my skin to blend in with my outfit, I wanted some contrast, so I went with color. Most places will not let you take pictures of their outfits, because they don't want pics in the wrong hands and risk having the styles copied, but if you explain to them you want to see what the outfit will look like in pictures, they will let you take a couple, as long as you delete them right away.
4. Remember to take a camera with you. Why? Re-read #3 above.
5. Take a few people with you. You will definitely need some opinions on what does and does not look good. It is sooo easy to get confused once you wear a few different outfits and like all of them. Having others point out things you may not realize, will help in the decision making process.
6. If possible, take some locals with you. They will know the best shops and it will be easier to bargain. A lot of bigger shops are fixed price nowadays, especially in Mumbai, so as much as you try, you won't even be able to drop the price by 1 rupee.
7. Have fun! This is your bridal wear after all, and you (hopefully) won't be shopping for bridal wear every again, so make the most of the experience!

Another thing I want to share is for those of you who are considering buying your bridal clothes in your country and not in India, I have some interesting info for you. The following outfit, as all the other pics in this post, are from a well known store in Mumbai called Pramanik.

The outfit above is listed online for $532. I saw a very similar outfit, similar type of embroidery, same color, same style, at a store in Cerritos, California (also known as the Little India of Los Angeles) for $5100. I am not joking. That is almost a 10X markup! People think its crazy to fly halfway around the world to shop for bridal wear, but once you learn the price difference, it really makes sense to pay the $1500 airfare to fly to India. Even if you and your mom flew, that would be around $3000, and you bought a $1000 outfit, it still comes out to be cheaper than the one outfit I saw in LA. And if you went to India, you would be buying more than one outfit, so all together, if you add up the savings of everything you could purchase there, it really comes out to be cheaper than buying things in the States.

By now you might be tired of my ramblings so I will end it here. If you have any questions about wedding shopping in India, please feel free to email me!

The Beginning of the Rest of My Life

So as I've mentioned before, I am getting married in May!!! Since it is getting close, a lot of friends and family have been asking "Are you excited?" And every time I hear that I am overcome with mixed emotions. OF COURSE I am excited to be getting married to the love of my life. But the planning process, although fun, can be quite stressful. I started the planning process soon after we got engaged last February (our engagement anniversary is coming up....eeeeeee!), but with only 3 months to go, it's time to start sorting out all the details and really get prepared.

By the way, I love this pic...my cousin is a photographer and this is from a wedding he shot a couple years ago. I used this as the opening photo for my wedding website.

Since my wedding is one of the most important events in my life, I figured I would start blogging about it. I get a lot of questions about the whole event, especially since it is so unique to non-Indians, and I thought it would be nice to share a little of my special day with all of you. Hopefully, this will help you with your future wedding process, let you reminisce about your own wedding, or just allow you a peek into my personal life. In any case, cheers and I hope you enjoy the posts!!