October Update!

I am loving these sunny bright autumnal days and I am not usually a fan of autumn! It has been a lovely month I have taken a bit of me time to slow down the pace after an intense summer working.  I have watched lots of trash television... I absolutely love anything reality! I have also had lots of coffee and cake treats frequenting many of my local bakeries and generally got things in order that I have lacked the time to do recently!  I am now heading into the festive season feeling much more relaxed and on top of things again.

I started off October with hair and makeup for lovely Claire's bridal party at St Michaels Manor https://stmichaelsmanor.com/ and returned the following week for Emily's Wedding.  I am very happy to be a recommended supplier at this beautiful local venue, it is definitely one of my favourites.

Emily's Hair & Makeup

Stunning Katherine's Wedding Day

I met with Rujita ahead of her graduation for makeup and a bouncy blow dry.

Bridal Makeup for Laura and her sister ahead of her wedding at Offley place. https://www.offleyplace.com/ I was also back there there a few days later for Sara's wedding although I didn't get time to take any pictures.  Another local venue where I am privileged to be a recommended supplier.

Hair Trials - I offer hairstyling by individual request as I cannot always cater depending on the party size and ceremony time and I specialise in bridal makeup.  However I do also have a lovely hair stylist crew I regularly work with and can also recommend wherever possible.

It has been a busy month for weddings compared to other years due to limited available dates. I have also had lots of trials ahead of winter weddings, special occasion hair and makeup's and makeup lessons.  

Do drop me an email if you are interested in booking an appointment or reserving a wedding date.  I have limited dates available for 2022 now and am currently also taking bookings for 2023.

You can also book now for Christmas Special Occasion Hair & Makeup's.

Please see www.nikimakeup.co.uk and Instagram @nikimakeup

January 2022 something new is coming to Niki Makeup HQ! Watch this space.

Friday Fave: Charlotte Tilbury Jewel pots!

I am in love with the Limited Edition Charlotte Tilbury Jewel pots!  If you like sparkly eyes these are definitely for you!

I think these are perfect for the festive season ahead of us!

They are creme eyeshadows and are available in just the two shades WALK OF NO SHAME (copper creme sparkle) and PILLOW TALK (pink creme sparkle).

They come in the most adorably cute pots and I am really impressed at the staying power. I have been wearing Pillow Talk for a few weeks now and it stays put all day! I do wear my trusty MAC primer underneath which may help (MAC Soft Ochre paint pot).

They glide on easily and blend seamlessly, I usually apply and blend with my ring finger.

The Pillow Talk shade is an absolute must for Flower girls and Bridesmaids!

Limited edition.

£24.00

www.charlottetilbury.com

Can I wear SPF on my Wedding day?

SPF can cause flashback in photographs taken using a flash.  Flash back is a white cast that appears on the skin in photographs. 

The main ingredients causing this are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.  Silica and Silver Mica often found in mineral makeup and high definition powder because of the silky smooth finish they achieve are also a major culprit.

Be mindful when choosing 'Illuminating' and 'light reflecting' highlighters, moisturisers, primers, setting sprays, concealers and foundations as these can also increase the risk.  

Sunscreen products are designed to bounce light off the skin so therefore are definitely best avoided. 

It is worth noting SPF will not cause flash back with digital photography.

The safest foolproof way to avoid it is to not use SPF on the wedding day.  

Charlotte Tilbury now has a Primer SPF 50 that has no flashback I use this on most of my bridal clients as it keeps makeup in place, adds glow and smooths pores as well as protecting the skin. I  recommend this although when studying the ingredient list is also contains titanium dioxide. https://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/product/invisible-uv-flawless-poreless-spf-primer

There definitely are cosmetic products containing these ingredients that can be used, I advise always testing by taking a flash photograph before the big day.  For example, I have used Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation in my professional kit forever and never had any flashback issues however I know a lot of people do with this particular foundation that contains SPF 10.  It could be down to the amount used/how it is applied as I use very little normally as I like to achieve natural looking skin or the powders that are used on top of it to set the makeup.

Chemical SPFs often used in makeup will also not cause it however mineral SPF such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide mentioned above can.  This is because of the opaque white pigments designed to reflect the suns harmful rays, reflect a camera flash on top of this and you are left with a white appearance.

Below are just some of the famous faces that have been caught out in the past!

All Wedding Enquiries via www.nikimakeup.co.uk

My Top 3 Beauty Tips for Brides before the Big Day!

1. “Commit to a good skin care routine” in the lead up to the wedding day. A cleanser and moisturiser at minimum ideally include a separate eye cream, serum, gentle exfoliator, regular face masks, and an spf. I recommend La Roche Posay https://www.laroche-posay.co.uk I have seen far too many brides this year who do not use moisturiser and believe me I can tell before I ask! Your foundation and wedding day make-up will blend seamlessly and look so much better on hydrated and well nourished skin. If you have been investing in “facials” in the months prior to the wedding make sure the last one is at least a week before the big day in case of any break out, this will give the skin time to heal.
2. I cannot emphasise enough “do not try new products” in the last few weeks before your wedding or go for a new hair cut or colour. I have seen it all! Brides unhappy with new hairstyles, breakouts following facials, ring marks left from cupping treatments, streaky/patchy or worse still too dark/orange fake tans, brows coloured too dark or uneven, and allergies to eyelash extensions and waxing or threading. It is just not worth the risk!
3. “Look after your Well-Being”. It is so important to do this as the pre-wedding stresses can really take their toll especially during the pandemic.  Take time for some pampering, drink plenty of water, eat healthily, exercise, get enough sleep and try meditation if you don’t already. I highly recommend this for relaxing the body and calming the mind. Ten to fifteen minutes meditation daily is my ultimate de-stress tool.  Pamper yourself the night before. Use a dry sheet mask for that bridal glow and relax and unwind for a few hours, by now the to do list should be all checked off and you can sit back, delegate and enjoy! I recommend https://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/product/dry-sheet-face-mask

                  Photo Credit @ayellephoto.com

September Update!

Phew! September is done!! Wedding season has officially calmed down!  What a Season it has been... I think most wedding suppliers will agree it has been one of the busiest years on record when we eventually were able to get back to work with so many new and postponed weddings finally able to take place.

I just had a little look and in the past six months I have had over 40 weddings alongside an insane amount of pre-wedding trials as well as photoshoots and makeup lessons.  It has been an exhausting few months especially going from no work for months on end to an extreme amount.  I actually breathed a sigh of relief that October is a bit quieter! 

Next year is looking very busy as well as there are still a lot of postponed weddings taking place.  I urge you to book your suppliers sooner rather than later!  I already have some bookings for 2023, it is definitely better to get the suppliers you love reserved rather than being disappointed further down the line. 

I think the biggest challenge for me was April to June when I was doing so many trials as well as weddings, sometimes meeting the Bride just weeks before her big day!  Ideally I recommend a hair and make up trial around six moths before the wedding.

Here is a few of my I-Phone snaps from September!

Lovely visit to Brocket Hall.  https://brocket-hall.co.uk

Luton Hoo https://www.lutonhoo.co.uk

Coltsfoot Wedding

Offley Place Bride https://www.offleyplace.com

Coltsfoot Bride https://www.coltsfoot.com

Hair & Makeup Trials

I am currently taking bookings for Special Occasion Hair and Makeup services for Christmas so do drop me a line if you have an upcoming event. 

All Bridal enquiries via www.nikimakeup.co.uk and Branding/Shoots via www.nikimakeup.com