Fav Wedding Hair of 2014 - Down Hairstyles

Earlier this wk I shared w/ you some of my fav updos that I created for my wonderful clients this year.  So it only makes sense to share some of my fav half updo and down hairstyles of this past season.

In the past it was very much the norm and expected that brides wear their hair in updos on their wedding day.  Trends have definitely changed over the past few years and I for one am very happy about that.  For one hair for the most part is not about being stiff or "helmet" like.  Even with updos brides (at least mine) tend to want styles that are are a lot softer, more loose and romantic in style.

I think this soft, undone done hair trend has been part of the reason down hairstyles have gotten more popular in recent years.  No matter how it's styled there does tend to be a softer look when hair is left down.

Also, with the rise in popularity of clip-in hair extensions down hairstyles are becoming a lot more of a possibility for brides that may in the past have not been able to pull of the style.  Truth is when you see pictures of girls on Pinterest w/ big loose curls I'd say 90% of the time (especially if they are photo shoot/model/actor type pics) these women are wearing some sort of hair extensions.  It's very rare for a girl to be able to have really long, thick hair that holds amazing curl and style naturally...for those blessed few we call them hair models ;) ...for the rest of us hair extensions are the answer lol!

Luckily for my brides I also make clip-in extensions so they never have to worry about the hassle of matching and buying their own extensions b/c if they don't know what they are looking for or where to go it can all be a little overwhelming...and the last things brides need is another thing to worry about ;)

So here's some of my fav half up or down hairstyles from this past wedding season!

Of course if I'm talking about beautiful hair I gotta include my "Barbie" bride Brittany.  We did add extensions to her hair..not so much for length but more for volume and thickness.  Photos courtesy of Stephanie Amoroso

This is probably one of my fav accessories to date.  It was so unique and it just accentuated and worked w/ the style so well!  Crazy thing was she borrowed it!

This was all Chantal's hair...girl had A LOT of hair!  Photo courtesy of Heidi Ram

Personally I've found it to be a bit of a wive's tale that Asian hair doesn't curl.  Yes, naturally a lot of times it is naturally straight but I've also found b/c it's often very thick and coarse it can create some gorgeous down hairstyles that hold VERY well.  Diane was a perfect example of this.  Her hair held beautifully and was gorgeous, long and thick!  Photos courtesy of Jennifer Moher

Rasha was another bride I made extensions for.  Funny thing was we did her trial like a year in advance so on the wedding day she was having some doubts about the style we did at the trial.  I ended up taking the half updo style down and just leaving it all down and it looked gorgeous and full!

Amie was another bride w/ gorgeous thick hair.  We did a classic half updo w/ loose curls.  Her hair held so well I actually felt comfortable running my fingers through the curls to loosen them...there's a lot of brides I wouldn't dare try that with for fear that their curls would fall right out lol!

I'm so sad I don't have professional shots from Gabby's wedding.  Seriously, the nicest set of extensions I've ever made for a bride.  Love how seamlessly they blended in and the colour matched..even all the highlights!

 Eva was probably my "nicest" and "sweetest" bride last year.  Seriously the girl was just so sweet...like genuinely sweet!

Stephanie was another bride I made extensions for.  Blonde hair w/ all it's highlights always photographs so nicely and choosing the right colour extensions w/ the right highlights is especially important!  Wish I had professional pics of her...so pretty!

Fav Wedding Hair of 2014 - Updo Edition

Last year I did a post where I looked back at some of my fav. hairstyles/make up looks from the previous wedding season.  I really liked the post and thought it was a great way to share w/ my readers some of the creative and beautiful hairstyles I got a chance to create last year.

One thing for sure I'm really loving the fact that a lot of bride's are now incorporating extensions into updos as well...not just down hairstyles (where it's often necessary to create volume and length). When using extensions in updos it's often not length that we need more of it's the volume.  To create a lot of those big bun or elaborate updos you just need a lot of hair...and let's be real not everyone has it naturally lol!

Can't wait to see what new and awesome hairstyles I'll get the chance to create on this year's crop of brides and bridesmaids!

LOVED LOVED LOVED this updo I created for Adrianna - we did add additional clip in extensions to get the volume and fullness for the style.  Photos courtesy Azure Blue Photography

Erin changed her hairstyle right at the last minute as her original hair idea was a lot more smooth and sleek.  I'm so glad she did b/c this style was so much better for her features and dress!  Loved the few loose pieces we left around the face and her hair piece.  Photos courtesy of Avenue Photography

Kadie had so much hair to work with!  It was wonderful for this full curly updo!  Loved the addition of the headband.

Lanette naturally has very thin, fine hair so I was really happy w/ the amount of volume and fullness I was able to achieve in this curly side updo style.  Photos courtesy of Taylor Roades

I worked with Laurel on another wedding a few years prior to hers so I was so happy when she contacted me for her wedding.  Loved this smooth, layered low bun we created for the day.  Photos courtesy of Jer Wilcocks

I'm really into creating soft, romantic, textured updos and I think this updo for Lori really captured exactly what my style is all about.  So pretty!  Photos courtesy of Renaissance Studios

Loved Bailey's soft curly, messy bun!  Her hair wasn't super long but sometimes brides are surprised w/ how much we can achieve even w/ shorter hair.  Her hair was thick though so that definitely helped! Photos courtesy of Meghan Andrews

Martha had thinner, finer hair but doing doing a tighter curl and then running the fingers through the hair to create the tousled, textured and fuller look really worked great.  Plus I loved her headband so much!  And the fact that that she left some pieces out around her face.  Photos courtesy of Reid Lampshead.

Sophia's hair was another updo where I added extensions.  Her hair wasn't that long and it's super baby fine so extensions were definitely necessary!  Photos courtesy of Diane at DNA Weddings

With finer hair adding this flower was a great idea to create the illusion of bigger, fuller updo.

I love working a braid into an updo sometimes.

Again this was another updo where the bride had shorter hair but I was still able to create a really nice full updo.  Photos courtesy of Little Blue Lemon

Just a great shot of me working lol! Photos courtesy of Avenue Photo

Another updo where we added extensions for length and thickness.  Her updo is also actually the lead picture at the top of the blog.  Photos courtesy of Jennifer Ballard

The rest of the updos are just snapshots I took w/ my phone...really love some of these looks though!

I Love Hourglass Cosmetics

I have to say I've tried a few things from the Hourglass Cosmetics so far and I've LOVED everything I've tried thus far.  I've loved their products so much that I thought it was worth writing about AND they don't have a Pro Discount (well they have one for US artists but not Canada :( ) so that means I've been paying FULL PRICE...something I pretty much NEVER do...so if that doesn't say something I don't know what does lol!

It is a "luxury" brand and therefore at a bit higher price range than some brands but the quality is there so I think it's worth it.  Plus when it comes to things like foundation I think investing money on good products is never a waste!  They have been around for just over 10 years and from what I know they've been in Sephora (where I get my Hourglass products) for at least a few years now.  I really love that they are a cruelty free brand and many of the products are vegan and produced w/out gluten, parabans, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, GMOS, Triclosan and nonoparticles ...very important for a lot of ppl these days!

I originally got introduced to the brand when I was sent a Nude Lip Stylo to review.  Right away I really liked that the brand had many different colours of nude lip stylos...often ppl don't realize that one shade of nude isn't right for everyone and ppl w/ darker skin tones often have to go darker in nudes than they might initially realize.  It was a great product and I love the chubby stick pencils for lipsticks these days as they are very easy to apply and fill in...especially if you're on the go!

One of the biggest products for the brand and probably the one that has made them the most well known has been their primer.  I've never actually bought a full size version of it but have tried samples.  It's good but the funny thing is it's not my fav. product by them lol!

Next I think I got another mini rouge liquid lipstick in Icon w/ one of my Sephora orders. Immediately I loved it!  Went on matte/opaque and was a gorgeous red...one that I think would look good on almost anyone!  Very smooth and easy to apply and very long lasting!  I think it was after this that I really started to take notice and look at the other products the brand had to offer.

After hearing a lot of buzz about it I decided to invest in one of their pricier items - The Ambient Lighting Palette!  I'm obsessed w/ a nice glowy cheek for my clients so I thought this would be a gorgeous addition to my kit and I was definitely not wrong!  Goes on so smooth and seamlessly blends into the skin.  Creates a gorgeous glow - not too sparkly or shimmery.  All 3 powders would be universally flattering on pretty much anyone and the product is definitely good for both day and evening looks!

After this I was pretty much hooked so when Sephora released an Ambient Light Blush Palette for VIB members I knew I had to give it a try...and of course I was not let down.  Gorgeous finish and colour - Peach, Pink, Plum blushes. I really love how smooth and buildable all the products are...never cakey or powdery looking. I would say though this product probably wouldn't be suitable for darker skin tones as I don't think it would show up.

Finally after all of this and being a die hard Cover FX foundation user on myself I decided to try out their Liquid Powder Foundation.  Anyone who reads this blog knows I have oily and acne prone skin so the idea that a foundation was oil absorbing, buildable coverage and had a matte/velvet finish all sounded pretty good to me.  The "secret" ingredient is Cashmere Kaolinite Clay which has been shown to absorb 75% of it's weight in sebum while still retaining moisture in the skin.  I personally like to apply the product w/ a damp beauty blender and tap/bounce the product into the skin.  One of the first days I was wearing it another artist commented how great my skin looked...umm right there I guess we can say I was sold!  When another artist comments your skin/foundation looks great you know you have a winner!

So yeah I guess you can say I'm a fan of the brand.  Haven't tried anything I didn't like...and I've even been paying full price :S  If anything all I have to say is Hourglass bring your Pro Discount to Canada!!!  Definitely worth checking out the products though if you don't mind investing in good quality makeup!

Special Day of a Special Friend

Whenever one of my friends are getting married it makes that special day a little more exciting for me.  Of course I love seeing all my brides looking beautiful on their wedding days but obviously when it's a close friend it's a little more personal and exciting to be part of it.

This past September one of my oldest friends Sophia got married so of course I offered I'm my makeup and hair services on her special day!  I must say overall I'm really lucky...I have a really attractive group of friends so anytime one of them gets married I know the pictures are going to be a great addition to my site and of course Sophia's wedding was no different.

Sophia got ready at the Thompson Hotel and married at Spoke Club which is just around the corner. We were a little nervous about the weather but it ended up being a gorgeous and fabulous evening and her intimate rooftop ceremony was so beautiful.

For her look I wanted to keep it really soft and beautiful.  Sophia is a natural beauty w/ gorgeous pale skin so that makes my job pretty easy lol!  I did a natural smokey eye, flushed cheek and soft nude pink lip.  I used airbrush on her skin just b/c I'm really loving the flawless finish these days and the durability of it.

For her hair we added in some clip-in extensions for her undone updo b/c her natural hair was a bit short and too fine to achieve the look we were after.  It was accented beautifully w/ a flower I pinned into the back of the updo.

Photos courtesy of Diane at DNA Weddings

Obviously I don't typically have curls in my hair on the job lol!  Also...man I look short next to my tall friend in her heels...this is why I almost always wear heels lol!

These are just some photos with my phone from the night :)  I really need to get my butt in gear and get back to this size lol!

 The York University Theatre Crew

A little later in the night obviously ;)

Gorgeous Couple, Gorgeous Day!

Back in August I had the pleasure of working with a beautiful bride named Lori.  I knew after the trial that I was definitely going to be hounding her for pictures after her wedding day!  And once I finally got the pics earlier this month I knew all my emailing was worth it!  Lori sent me the full gallery to look through which to me is always awesome b/c then I can pick and choose the pics I like most...brides don't always realize what I'm looking for in a picture or why I think a particular picture is good.

Let me just say there were SO MANY amazing pictures...seriously I'm going to show you a bunch in this post but I could have picked at least 10 more!  It's hard to pick even just a couple for my site! Well done Renaissance Studios Photography!  Lori mentioned possibly submitted the pics to some various places for publication and I really hope she does b/c they are gorgeous...of course the ones I'm going to show focus primarily on the makeup and hair but there were a ton of great pics!  It of course doesn't hurt that both Lori and her husband are super good looking lol!

For Lori's look we decided to do a gorgeous side updo w/ lots of curls and twirls for texture and it paired perfectly with her fascinator veil.  For the makeup Lori let me get a little bit dramatic on the eyes which I always enjoy.  I did a gold/bronze/brown smokey eye accented w/ a bit of black and full black liner (which is something she does every day anyway so she felt "naked" with out it).  Always important to ask brides if they have anything makeup wise they do every day...especially when it comes to eye liner!  Lori was super tanned so it paired beautifully w/ the more dramatic eye style and the airbrush foundation looked flawless on her.  All her bridesmaids were super pretty girls too making my day especially easy lol!

You know I love some good action shots ;)

Gorgeous Girls - Thanks Becca for your AWESOME hair work that day!

I kind of like when all the girls do the opposite of the bride for hair - Bride has updo/Girls where their hair done in various styles or vice versa

The Bride, Her Husband & Parents