Welcome back!!! I'm so excited to get my beauty blog back up and running! I blinked and a year has gone by since my last post. I've spent a lot of time thinking about what to talk about and in what order to share it. I received some amazing topic ideas from other lovers of beauty and can't wait to share my thoughts, but first I'd like to tell you a little about myself and my experience as a makeup artist so you can better understand where I'm coming from through these posts. So grab a cup of tea, get comfortable, and let's get this blog going!
For those of you who don't know me yet, I'm a 20-something entrepreneur that loves bright lipstick and has a burning passion to help women feel a sense of confidence they may not have felt before. I live a crazy, beautiful life in Virginia and have been here for about 5 years now. Seriously, I blinked and next thing I know it's been FIVE YEARS! I was born and raised in Idaho (not to be confused with Iowa and no, it's not next to Kansas) and in case you were wondering, I DO love all things potatoes - preferably in the form of hash browns and curly fries ;) While we're on the topic of carbs, my other passion in life is fitness. Between working full time, doing makeup for weddings on the weekends, and attempting to keep up with some sort of social life you'll find me at the gym 5-6 days a week. I love lifting, I love carbs, and I love feeling strong. Also, leggings ARE pants... :)
Alright, now that we've covered the basics, let's talk makeup. When I first started Laura Henderson Makeup 2 short years ago, I was still getting a feel for what direction I wanted to take my business. Do I focus on getting in to editorial type of work? Movies? Should I start a YouTube channel? Everyone loves YouTube, right? I could make millions! One of my best friends and roommate at the time specialized in hair for weddings (you've most likely seen her tagged in the majority of my IG photos as Kirsten Marie Design #dreamteam) who really piqued my interest in bridal work. In addition to that, my brother is a wedding photographer (Scott Henderson Photography) and I had friends in the wedding industry as well, so this seemed to make the most sense for me. In the 2 years I've been doing this, I've been blessed with truly THE most amazing brides and the people I've connected with in this industry blow me away with their talent, kindness, and drive to be the best they can be! #communityovercompetition
My brides - these women aren't just another client to me, I spend months communicating with my brides before the wedding, learn about their love story and help calm their nerves as they get ready for one of the biggest days of their life. Some have even become friends through the process! I've heard horror stories from other makeup artists working with bridezillas, but I can honestly say every single one of my brides has been a joy to work with! One of my favorite parts of the wedding morning is taking a photo with her once she's all glammed up. Why I thought this was a good idea to do after I've been working for hours and feeling a hot-mess is beyond me but I LOVE it!
In my blog you're going to see me talk about affordable products, tips and tricks, how to do certain looks, products reviews, how to take care of your brushes, keeping your products clean, makeup trends, etc. but it's important to understand that there is a big difference between the every day products you may use and products used by professionals that are meant for HD and flash photography. When you have an event coming up, like your wedding for example, don't cut corners! This is not one of the things you want to cut out from your budget. I cringe every time someone who never does their own makeup asks me for advice on how to do their makeup on their wedding day, or when that 1 bridesmaid decides she's "just going to do her own makeup". PS, when you're the only one not getting makeup professionally done, you stand out like a sore thumb in pictures.
Your makeup needs to last 8-12 hours through sweat, tears, dancing, getting smothered in cake and possibly even a champagne bottle exploding in your face (love you, Kirby! LOL). I also wouldn't recommend choosing your makeup artist by price shopping. You're spending a lot of money on a photographer to capture those special moments which will include your face in 90% of them; spend the money on an experienced makeup artist who's work you love and you know will make you look and feel your best on your big day. Find someone who really listens to what you want and communicates what your best options would be for your face shape/features. For brides it's all about finding ways to enhance your natural beauty!
Now that we've gotten the introductions out of the way and you know a little bit about my story and how I got to where I am (and my short rant about skimping on your makeup budget), stay tuned for the fun stuff! We're going to keep it real here and talk about popular topics AND things that may not have even crossed your mind!
xoxo - Laura