Get glowing skin for your wedding
HOW TO PREP YOUR SKIN LIKE A PRO
Every bride over the last decade I have worked in weddings has always wanted glowing skin. So I expect my 2022 brides to be no exception!
Photo: Modern Vintage Weddings, UK.
How to prep your skin like a pro
Every bride over the last decade I have worked in weddings has always wanted glowing skin. So I expect my 2022 brides to be no exception! The way your skin looks and feels can have a major impact on how you feel. Having a professional makeup artist for the wedding day is super important - they know how to make you look good in photos and real life - but the journey to great skin starts much earlier.
So for 2022 summer brides, now is the time to start working on your skin!
I’ve put together 7 steps to glowing skin for brides. There is no truly one size fits all so I intend this list to be more of a pick & mix than following every step religiously. Pick what suits you! Also please note that I am not a dermatologist, though I do suggest you see one if you have any issues.
1. Start early, 9-12 months in advance is great
Get into a good AM and PM routine now. You can’t ignore your skin for most of the week and then hope a sheet mask on a Sunday afternoon will fix everything. So when you have booked your wedding date, start your skin regime as well. It takes time for your skin to change. Any product that promises quick fixes is not worth your time or money. Just like so many other things in life, your skin likes consistency.
2. Find your baseline - with or without a dermatologist
Everyones skin can get back to a neutral, happy place. It’s only after that that you can start working on your glow! Booking in to see a dermatologist if you have issues such as acne should be done asap. Do your research locally and really choose the best you can afford.
If you decide to get your skin to its very best without a dermatologist and your skin is fairly normal, a vitamin C serum in the AM and retinol in the PM is a great route to glowing skin. I would however stop using retinol a week or two before the wedding and concentrate on hydrating instead fully. You will need to use a great SPF as well. Again, every skin is individual but here’s a few products I love:
3. Pay attention to nutrition, water and sleep
I know this is painful but sugar - sugar, oh that lovely amazing sugar - is an enemy of beautiful skin. As is caffeine and alcohol so choose your vices carefully. I’m not saying cut everything out but for me personally, switching to dark chocolate (also non dairy) and avoiding alcohol for the most part works wonders as I am reluctant to give up my morning caffeine kick ; )!
Sleep is so important for beautiful skin. Thats when the skin regenerates and all the beautiful products you use in the evening have a chance to do their magic. 7h at least if you can!
4. Consider lasers or peels
Peels gently loosen connections between dead skin cells and thus they encourage exfoliation. Pores feel tighter, wrinkles seem smaller, the list is endless. Peels can be done professionally or to a lesser degree at home. My favourite at home treatment is the Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peeling pads. There are different strengths but the website has a quiz on what’s appropriate for you:
If you have pigmentation, melasma, or acne scarring a laser treatment can work wonders. Please research locally and only go for the very best, it’s your skin, it’s so very worth it. Also please opt for a consultation and really listen to the advice and ask to see before and after photos.
5. Consider a HydraFacial
HydraFacials have become probably the most common facials my brides are having. A hydrafacial is one of the most powerful, non-invasive skin resurfacing treatments available. It combines cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, hydration and antioxidant protection that removes dead skin cells and impurities, while simultaneously delivering moisturizing serums into the skin. In general it’s well tolerated and suits most skin types. Check out their website for local aestheticians:
6. If you are doing botox or fillers, do a trial run
It’s tempting to try botox or fillers for the first time before your big day. I’m here to tell you don’t, do a trial run well in advance!
I have seen all sorts of problems with last minute botox gone wrong - bruising being the biggest issue. There is no denying that botox can really make a huge difference to wrinkles but this is something that I suggest a bride tries at the very lest 6 months in advance so if you don’t like the effects, they would have well and truly worn off by the wedding day. If you have a top up before the wedding, please make sure its about 3 weeks before the big day.
Fillers used well and sparingly can also have a fabulous impact on the way you look and feel. The wonderful thing about fillers is that if you are not happy, they can be dissolved - unlike botox. Again, do your research very well and start small!
7. The last two weeks before your wedding
No more trying out new products! Stick to what you know and love at this point. The extra stress near the wedding will possibly cause skin issues at the last moment but resist the temptation to try and grab something you haven’t tried before. Trust that your makeup artist will be able to cover a last minute pimple!
Use a hydrating mask the night before and prep with some under eye gel patches the morning of and then sit back and let your makeup artist worry about the rest - your job is done here, just enjoy your day!
My favourite skin hydrating mask is by Dr Barbara Strum:
My favourite under eye patches not only moisturise with hyaluronic acid but all very importantly, de-puffs:
…and most of all, remember to enjoy & have fun with your skincare. Happiness shows on your skin too!
Lots of love, Sanni xx
Beauty hygiene in the new Covid-19 era
Returning safely to work post lockdown
Hygiene has always been a very important aspect of my services. I consider it an integral part of a luxury beauty service and adhere to strict rules and guidelines….
Hygiene has always been a very important aspect of my services. I consider it an integral part of a luxury beauty service and adhere to strict rules and guidelines. The new Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted some habits that we all in the beauty industry need to add to our regular hygiene regimes for our clients - and our own - safety.
In light of the new situation, I have completed three new courses on health and safety for the beauty industry. I have taken the Barbicide Covid-19 Certification Course as well as the Online Coronavirus Infection Prevention online course for the Beauty Industry and I feel totally prepared to start working and keeping my clients safe once the lockdown measures are eased. I also took a refresher course on general hygiene practices - Online Health, Hygiene and Safety in the Beauty Workplace - as it’s been 9 years since I trained.
New measures in light of the current situation:
- I have always been very diligent in disinfecting all my kit and brushes in between clients. As a new measure I not only use normal makeup and brush cleaner - Beauty So Clean - but I also double up with 99.9% alcohol (yes it’s going to wear my brushes out but it is the best!).
- I have gone through my whole kit thoroughly and cleaned every container and casing with 99.9% alcohol and wipes. I do this after every job on a regular basis.
- I wear a mask while seeing clients and I am totally happy for my clients to wear a mask while am doing their eye makeup. I start with the eyes so the mask is on for a lot of the makeup portion if the client so wishes. Obviously for foundation the mask does need to come off. I am also very happy to use the clients own lipstick during this time, as even though I use the method described above to disinfect, I understand if they would prefer to stick to their own lip products. I have also switched to disposable lip brushes.
- I have stopped using my Beauty Blender as it’s difficult to disinfect on location and replaced it with disposable makeup sponges.
- For hair styling there has been varying in opinions on the use of hairdryers. Some stylists are not using them as the fear is they would blow air around too much and spread the virus. I am leaning towards avoiding blowdrying when it’s not necessary. But luckily most styles I create on set or at a wedding - apart from blowdries on short hair - can be achieved without the need to do a blowout first.
- I disinfect all hair tools in between clients and thoroughly wash them at the end of each day.
- For weddings, I will work with the wedding planner to allow for slightly longer appointments as well as limit the number of people in the room.
I ask my clients to please inform me if they are not feeling well before the appointment as I’ll need to reschedule if they are showing any signs of the virus. I follow the same guidelines myself. I also ask all my clients to let me know if in the days after our appointment they start feeling unwell as I will need to contact any clients I have seen after.
We are all in this together and we all share the responsibility to control the spread of the virus. I look forward to a time post Covid-19 but for now, I want you to feel safe in booking my services!
Cruelty free beauty favourites this summer
I go through some of my summer faves in the video below! Cruelty free and gorgeous, I love these products and you’ll find links to all of them under the video. Enjoy! xx
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% https://theordinary.deciem.com/product/rdn-niacinamide-10pct-zinc-1pct-30ml?ccvis=1
Votary Super Seed Serum https://www.votary.co.uk/product/super-seed-serum-broccoli-seed-peptides/
Vanderohe No1 Serum https://vanderohe.com/collections/the-collection/products/nourishing-face-serum-1
Glow Recipe Avocado Retinol Sleeping Mask https://www.glowrecipe.com/products/avocado-melt-retinol-sleeping-mask
Kora Noni Radiant Eye Roller Oil https://us.koraorganics.com/products/noni-radiant-eye-oil
KNC Beauty Eye eye patches https://kncbeauty.com/products/all-natural-retinol-infused-eye-mask-5-pack
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer in Medium https://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/product/airbrush-matte-bronzer-medium
Charlotte Tilbury Loose Magic Powder https://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/product/charlottes-genius-magic-loose-powder-2-medium
Anastasia Luminous Foundation in 270C https://www.anastasiabeverlyhills.com/en_gb/luminous-foundation/luminous-foundation.html
Venics Organics Diamond Glow Melted Highlighter in Wedding Ring https://www.venicsorganic.com/products/wedding-ring-diamond-glow-skin-illuminator **Discount code for 15% discount is sannimakeupartist **
Glossier Cloud Paints in Haze https://www.glossier.com/products/cloud-paint
Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in Wedding Belles https://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/product/matte-revolution-lipstick-wedding-belles
Maria Nila Repair Range
Maria Nila shampoo
Maria Nila conditioner
Maria Nila mask
Maria Nila leave in
https://marianila.com/
Virtue 6 in 1 styler https://www.virtuelabs.com/en/one-for-all-6-in-1-styler.html #Crueltyfreebeauty
Getting ready for a personal branding shoot
I love being behind the scenes helping brides, tv presenters or models get ready but as a makeup artist, I’m not a natural in front of the camera. Follow along how my personal branding shoot went…
I love being behind the scenes helping brides, tv presenters or models get ready but I’m not a natural in front of the camera. Sure, I do YouTube videos but those I can shoot by myself, not really posing for anyone. I am also the person that has to try really hard not to pull a crazy wide grin when a camera comes out. Personal branding and portrait shoots are way out of my comfort zone!
So this was going to be a challenge.
So the night before my shoot with the lovely Eva from https://www.evatarnok.com I was a little bit apprehensive. I had picked out my outfit days ahead of time, a white linen dress from Son de Flor and Superga trainers to go with the white buildings in South Kensington where we were shooting. I wanted something I could move in and feel comfortable…something that felt like me so any ideas of high heels had to go. But more importantly, I wanted my clothing to reflect me and my attitude, my brand. I want to come across as approachable, playful and fun to be with. Girly and cute but not overly sexy or glamorous.
I really thought about my hair and makeup as well. I wanted to look relatively timeless and not adhere to any trends currently on the likes of Instagram as these will really date the photos in a matter of months. I played up my eyes and used a very natural set of lashes and kept everything else neutral.
As my hair is growing out of a pixie, there was a limited amount of things I could do with it. It being the pandemic summer of 2020, I also had not had my colour done in months! The easiest way to hide very - very - long roots is adding waves and movement. In my case very slight waves as I wanted to maximise the length.
My top tips for getting ready for your personal branding or portrait shoot:
1. Choose your photographer carefully - their personality is so important! It’s a two way communication throughout the whole shoot so it’s important you connect with your photographer. Also share a moodboard beforehand, I love Pinterest for this.
2. Study your chosen photographers style and the lighting they use. This will directly translate into how much makeup you’ll need. As a rule of thumb, if the style is very light an airy, amp up the makeup by 30% as it will otherwise disappear in the final photos.
3. Wear clothes you can move in if you are shooting outside. If you want heels for the shoot, bring flip flips or trainers and wear them between shots.
4. Try out your whole look beforehand and take photos. Always make sure you feel like the clothes are flattering as you don’t want to look at hundreds of photos and just pay attention to a waistband that is clearly digging in.
5. Sounds obvious but have fun! Try and forget about yourself, forget - or at least ignore - your insecurities and just go for it.
We had 2h scheduled for the shoot and I thought there was no way I would be ok being in front of the camera fo so long. Eva is super nice, chilled out and calming so that made the process a lot easier. For the first 15min I was quite awkward but then I really got into it. I was starting to have fun and I felt like something could actually come out of this. Eva game me positive feedback the whole time and I felt like I could trust her to make me look cute and fun.
I love the photos and will be using them for years. I am so happy we had the shoot! I’m not about to schedule another one anytime soon - I really don’t need any more photos of myself for a long time - but when the next one comes, I know I’ll do just fine!
How to wear foundation with a face mask?
Long lasting makeup while wearing a mask
Foundation and face masks can be tricky. You want to look great both with a mask and once you take it off. As a makeup artist, I have some tricks up my sleeve so you can achieve this.
Foundation and face masks can be tricky. You want to look great when you take the mask off but so often the makeup is too heavy and stains the mask (not cute!) or due to slightly steamy conditions, it wears off. Also, you’re more prone to breakouts too!
Here’s a quick tutorial on how I wear foundation with a face mask and how I avoid breaking out: