Film & TV Makeup Pro Lisa Strong’s Skincare & Makeup Tips for Brides

It’s every bride’s goal to have a healthful glow and clear, problem-free skin on her wedding day. With a little preparation and the right ingredients, you’ll face your wedding with vibrant skin and a radiant glow.

How to clear up skin problems before your wedding

You may already have problem skin, allergies, psoriasis, redness or skin sensitivities. If you are using an organic skincare line, be sure to do an ingredient check using the free Think Dirty app. This will help you determine if there are any harmful ingredients lurking in your skincare that may be contributing to an imbalance.

If you are not using an organic toxin-free skin care line, be sure to make the switch well in advance of your big day. A solid skincare regime can dramatically improve your skin’s condition and tone. If you are looking for an organic skincare line, consider using Aiona Alive.

Aiona Alive skincare is PH balanced, plant-based, organic and free of chemicals. As a film and television makeup pro, I created this skincare line to help women and men look their absolute best on camera. I am not a big brand or corporation. I am a makeup professional who is passionate about skincare and health. I made Aiona Alive skincare for my film and tv clients and am now making it available to anyone who wants a healthy, organic, healing skincare regime. My hope is that both men and women will try the products, see the benefits for themselves, then share it with family and friends. But back to the brides!

On your wedding day: start with a stress-free skincare regime

To look your best on your wedding day, I recommend picking up the full line of Aiona Alive Skincare well in advance of the big day. As soon as you start you will receive immediate skin health benefits. Your skin’s PH level, moisture level and texture will begin to balance and improve. The full line includes:

• e-Citrus Exfoliating Cleanser
• Moisture HA Serum – Premium Hyaluronic Acid for the Face [step 1]
• E-ternal Gold Collagen Leave on Mask (or the Acne version for sensitive skin) [step 2]
• E-sensual Moisturizing Cream for the Face [step 3]

You can buy online through this website, or click here to go to Amazon.

Wedding day skin prep

Exfoliate and cleanse your face with Aiona Alive e-Citrus Cleanser. Your skin will be perfectly PH balanced, cleansed and exfoliated. And the natural citrus essential oils will give you an energizing lift. A great start to your day!

1. Apply Aiona Alive Hyaluronic Acid Serum [step 1] all over face, neck and decollage. This product is safe to use on your eye area. No need for a separate eye cream as this will hydrate the entire eye area and eyebrows.
2. Immediately apply the Aiona Alive Gold Collagen Mask [step 2] over face, neck and decollage. You will feel a tightening sensation as the HA Serum and Gold Collagen Mask penetrate the skin.
3. After the Serum/Mask combo sets (about 5 mins), apply the Moisturizer [step 3] over face, neck and decollage.

You now have a wearable, breathable moisture mask that is the perfect primer for makeup. This regime works great on all skin types and is suitable in all climates throughout the year. The formulas are lightweight and work synergistically to provide a beautiful moisturizing, non-greasy finish.

Organic makeup tips for the bride

Begin with a foundation that matches your skin tone. Again, you’ll benefit from using organic cosmetics that are free of allergens and toxins. If you’re looking for a toxic-free cosmetic line, I recommend Sappho Organics (Click here to go to Sappho.). Sappho’s foundations & blushes pair beautifully with Aiona Alive skincare.

Be sure to get these products well in advance of your wedding day. This way you will get the full benefits of using an organic line on your skin, and you will also have plenty of time to play around with the coverage to see what’s right for you.

Pro Tip: Always set your make-up with a translucent (no color) powder.

Gorgeous shimmering bride eyes!

A golden palette on the eyes looks beautiful on all skin types and compliments all eye colors. As a fail safe, practice this look a few times before your big day. Here are the steps:

1. Apply a dab of eye base over the eyelid and brow bone. I like Laura Mercier’s product. Buff colour for darker skin, Peach and Wheat for lighter skin. This creates a smooth canvas for the eye shadow that will last all day.
2. Apply a soft camel colour in the eye crease to create some shape, and extend at the outer corner.
3. On the brow bone add a lighter eyeshadow and blend downwards into the crease.
4. On the eyelid, finish with a gold shimmer.
5. Line the upper lash line with an espresso brown gel liner. Apply in thin short strokes and extend slightly out at the outer corner.
6. For lower lash line, I like to use eyeshadow instead of gel liner to create a soft smoky look. Use an angled brush to apply your favorite shade of brown, grey or blue.
7. The final and most important step for creating stunning eyes is of course MASCARA. Lashes, Lashes, Lashes….Ladies! Lavera Organics and Dr. Hauschka are great brands to try out in this department.
8. Finally, don’t forget your eyebrows! A strong defined brow, will help frame your face. Choose a brow shadow close to your eyebrow colour for a natural look.

Pro Tip: Clean up any mistakes or smudges with a small dab of Aiona Alive e-Citrus cleanser on a q-tip (you can apply it to the back of your hand first, and just dab the q-tip to pick up a small amount. To finish, up add a little concealer under your eye.

Polish: cheeks & lips

A soft pinky rose on cheeks creates a natural blush without looking over done. I prefer a powder over a gel or cream blush. Sappho Organic’s “Emma” for cheeks work well on most skin tones.

Finish lips with a spot of color and a dab of gloss. Lavara and Sappho both make lipsticks free of contaminants in a lovely array of colors. Top it off with Sappho Organic’s “Rita” lip gloss for a perfectly sheer tinted finish.

Pro Tip: Put together a little touch up kit with cleanser, q-tips, concealer, setting powder, lip pencil and gloss for retouches throughout the day.

You now have an easy and fresh look for your wedding day that will last through all your festivities!