I had such an honor working with fabulous air brush queen Carla on a project. I thought I’d pick her brain and give my brides some beauty tips. After all, it’s your wedding day. Don’t we all want to look amazing on this day? This bridal makeup guide gives you many skincare tips before your wedding day which is as important as makeup application on the day of.
Introducing Carla!

Carla is a Makeup Artist specializing in beautiful bridal makeup! She is the owner of Creative Contour by Carla based in Boston. She prefers a wearable style of makeup that enhances your natural beauty! Carla wants you to look and feel like the absolute best version of yourself on your wedding day! She creates a fully customized makeup experience, where you get the exact look you want! It can’t get any better than that! She uses a combination of her acquired skills and knowledge with your desires to create your unique makeup look for your wedding day!
Bridal Makeup: Air Brush vs. Traditional
Airbrush is sprayed via a machine and sets automatically on the skin. Airbrush cannot be manipulated to provide different coverage preference– it is simply applied in multiple layers. Pros: last longer, feels lighter, most importantly tends to be more TEAR PROOF!!!
That’s a big deal brides!!! I have seen so many brides had to touch up their makeup after first look. Their tears literally created line on their cheeks. That’s like after makeup artist has left and before your wedding party portraits start.
Traditional foundation has different thicknesses and formulas. And it can be manipulated to provide various levels of coverage. Either option can provide a smooth, poreless finish with proper pre-wedding skin care and application techniques!
Tips to a Flawless, Long Lasting Bridal Makeup
I know the year leading up to your wedding day can be hectic! There’s so much going on! No worries, beauties, Carla’s got you! Here are some tips on how to maintain great skin during the year leading up to your wedding date from this air brush queen:
1. Facials If you’ve never had a facial before, now is the time to start! Licensed Estheticians (like myself) are trained to maintain beautiful skin. Know that this process takes quite a bit of time before you start seeing results, so the earlier you start, the better your skin will be on your wedding day! I recommend monthly facials leading up to your wedding day.
2. A Solid Skincare Routine You know this one would be next, beauties! As a Makeup Artist, the skin is my canvas. Remember to treat and care for your canvas well during this time. Planning a wedding can be quite stressful, which can lead to breakouts. The last thing you want showing up on your wedding day is acne! I recommend keeping a solid skincare routine, consisting of: cleansing twice per day, moisturizing day and night, exfoliating once per week, and masking 1-2x per month. It may sound like a lot right now, but once you start this routine, you’ll see how easy it really is!
3. Staying hydrated Beauties, it’s crazy how many of us are dehydrated! Our bodies consist of mainly water, so give your body what it needs! By drinking enough water daily, your skin will be glowing from within and stay clear longer. The recommended amount of water daily is half your weight in ounces. I recommend refilling a reusable water bottle twice each day. Also, hydrating is a key to a long lasting bridal makeup on your wedding day. So be prepared to hydrate yourself starting couple of month before the big day. Beside, it’s good for not just for one day beauty, but also a healthy life style.
4. Book your makeup trial early! Beauties, I cannot tell you how many times I have heard brides scheduling their makeup trials too late, then not liking their results. Please make sure you are booking your makeup trials early! I recommend booking your makeup trial with me about 12 months out from your wedding day.
5. Communicate during your makeup trial Speak up, beauties! The makeup trial is your time to communicate with your makeup artist. You don’t have to know exactly what you want for your makeup look. However, it does help to know what you don’t want.
How long does it take?
I allow 1 hour for the bride. You should be pampered on your special day! You can relax in my chair knowing I’ve got you covered! We start with a relaxing skin preparation using my go-to skincare products. Next is your makeup look that we perfected at your trial. We finish with a beautiful pair of false eyelashes and the perfect lip color!
The group gets love, too! I allow up to 45 minutes per attendee, following the same process as the bride. I want to insure that each person feels comfortable and looks great!
And of course, I will make a formal schedule for everyone to follow. Together, we will coordinate the best schedule for your group. This helps the day have a smooth flow! I’ll even coordinate your schedule with your hair stylist if you provide their information!
So beauties, that’s it! And of course if you have any questions, feel free to contact Carla directly: creativecontourbycarla@gmail.com!
Lots of hugs,
Carla