Wedded Bliss: Emily’s Face Makeup & Skincare Favorites

Brides to be put in so much planning before the wedding to look amazing. So much effort and beauty research goes into a “wow” look for the big day, but does it have to all end there? Can’t we just make wedded beauty bliss part of our regular routine? Here are all of my beauty favorites that you can consider adding to your make up routine no matter what part of life you are in – your engagement period, your bump period, married life and beyond.

Some things to consider first when reading my makeup recommendations:

My age: mid 20s

My skin: combination normal/oily, occasional breakouts

My complexion: medium/tan

My ethnicity: Latina / Native American descent

 

PRE-MAKEUP PREP ESSENTIALS:

CLEANSE, EXFOLIATE, TREAT, MOISTURIZE, PRIME

1. CLEANSE – Let’s start with the basics. Cleanser is one of the most important parts of your beauty routine. If you don’t remember anything else from this blog post remember these key takeaways:

CLEANSE BEFORE BED

CLEANSE BEFORE MAKEUP

CLEANSE AFTER SWEAT

We all know going to bed with makeup is a no-no but some of us may forget how important it is to also wash your face again when you wake up before applying anything. You can perspire while you sleep and build up oils so it’s very important to get a fresh clean start to your day. It’s also important to cleanse immediately after working out. If you are prone to breakouts or get oily then this one needs to be added to your commandments. It may be hard for us to remove makeup before the gym (it’s best if you do), but if you can’t wipe it off before make sure to cleanse thoroughly after!! Remove all of the oil, sweat, and dirt build up to prevent acne and keep your skin bright. These are some of my top favorites and regularly used cleansing products:

Clarisonic Mia 2, $150 with Deep Pore Cleaning Brush, $27   I use this gentle but effective cleansing brush to thoroughly remove all the dirt and makeup from my face (avoiding eyes of course!). Some may be hesitant thinking that it’s too abrasive for the face, but it really isn’t. It works perfectly and makes a world of difference!! I don’t particularly like the Clarisonic cleanser that comes with the brush (too creamy and pricey for my preference) so I use my own favorite: Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Cleanser for just $7.50 at any drugstore. I LOVE it for getting makeup off.

So now we have to think about the EYES. So I’m the type that loves to play with eye makeup. In recent months I have been toning it down more than I used to (just to switch it up!) but here is a photo of me wearing a decent amount of shadow and eyeliner to give you an idea of what I’m working with when it comes time to remove it all.

My old method from back in the day used to be just simply blobbing some cleanser on my fingers and rubbing my eyes with it then, to my mother’s dismay, I would wipe the residue on my towels / washcloths leaving black eyeliner marks everywhere! Nowadays as a wedded, blissful makeup junkie, I take much better care of removing my eye makeup.

Key takeaway: BE GENTLE, GENTLE, AND MORE GENTLE WITH YOUR EYES!!!

Makeup wipes are great if you’re in a pinch but don’t rely on them for everyday use. They can dry out your skin especially around the eye area and even cause redness.

My 2 eye make up remover favorites are: 1) Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover $6 (with a Q Tip lightly dab) for when I’m wearing GOBS of eye makeup

AND

2) Regular good old Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo $3 (with a Q Tip lightly dab) for light eye makeup removal

2. EXFOLIATE

As mentioned in the bridal beauty post – exfoliating is very important for flawless skin. Buff off all the dead skin cells and leave your face soft and refreshed. One of my all time favorites:

L’Occitane Ultra Rich Face Scrub $34

I also use this Neutrogena Grapefruit Foaming Scrub/Cleanser $7 sparingly – when I have a couple breakouts or after a really sweaty workout. I try not to use it too much because it can be drying.

3. TREAT

It’s usually a good idea to either exfoliate or treat at one time. My face is pretty durable and can handle just about anything so exfoliating & treating back to back does not hurt it, but for some with more sensitive skin types, you should be careful about the frequency that you treat and/or exfoliate your skin. Think of treat like something special – like a cupcake. Treatment is important for healing and rejuvenation for problem areas but it is also something you don’t do everyday (unless your skin can handle it!)

Since my skin is combination oily and normal/dry I have some days where I’m really oily and acne prone and others when I’m combating dryness so I do a combination of treatments depending on my needs.

OIL AND ACNE:

One of the best I’ve tried is a bit pricey but so worth it. And I feel like I’ve done everything under the sun. I’ve done Proactiv before too but it was too drying 😦 This is the one I really love: Murad Acne Complex Clarifying Mask $37. I feel that it gives the perfect combination of acne-zapping plus hydration that is much needed.

If you have a bad zit, try a general drugstore brand benzoyl peroxide and dab VERY LIGHTLY with a Q-TIP on the breakout only. It’s so important that you don’t spread it around on your face because this medication is extremely drying and you only want it to dry out your zit not your entire face. BEWARE of applying it to any areas that come in contact with clothing. Since peroxide is a lightening chemical it can discolor your clothes and leave permanent marks. USE WITH CAUTION. That being said, I have found this to be super effective in eliminating spots as they come up. Once they dry out use an exfoliating scrub I mentioned above to flush away dead skin!

MOISTURE & BRIGHTNESS

My favorite on earth is currently out of stock and I’m not sure yet if it has been discontinued by L’occitane. I have about 3/4 of jar left right now so I wouldn’t have discovered this until I went searching for a link for this blog post. My moisture mask / love of my life treatment is L’occitane Brightening Mask that retails for $42. I leave it on overnight and let it soak into my skin. The next day, after cleansing, my skin feels amazingly smooth and NON GREASY. I absolutely love it. But my runner up choice, since it appears to be discontinued, is Aveda Tourmaline Radiance Masque, $34. It provides smoothness and softness without the grease and smells great.

4. MOISTURIZE / SUNSCREEN

Moisturizing is another critical component to your skincare regime. There are so many out there to choose from. Since I usually wear SPF in my BB cream, primer, concealer, foundation and mineral powder, I do not include a separate sunscreen in my beauty routine. For my combination skin, I prefer these top contenders for moisturizer:

Salma Hayek Hydra Light Gel $17 at CVS

L’Occitane Angelica Matte Fluide $42

DON’T FORGET YOUR EYES! 🙂

Shiseido White Lucent Anti-Dark Circles $55 is the best one out there for me.

Other top picks: L’occitane Immortelle Eye Balm $38,  and Dior Hydra Life Pro Youth Eye Cream, $49

5. PRIME

Your last step of face prep is priming! I use both a BB cream and a separate primer. I LOVE Maybelline BB Cream – they have one for acne and one for normal skin. I use both. The acne one on my  T zone and the other everywhere else. With SPF 30, the Medium Tint BB cream is perfect as a moisturizer, primer, concealer, and most of all sunscreen! And for just $9 – how can you not love it?

                

Then I move on to a favorite – Clinique Pore Refining Instant Perfector $21 for my T zone. It mattes the area and makes for a perfect polished look under make up.

Don’t forget to prime the eyes!! If you have dark circles like me, I have to wear concealer underneath them. This means I need a primer that is moisturizing for this delicate area. I like Smashbox Under Eye Primer, $29

Lastly, throughout the day you might feel yourself getting a little dry or oily (depending on which way your combination skin is rolling!) I love this product for moisture:

Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray, $28

And these old time classic oil sheets for fool proof de-greasing:

And now…for the MAKEUP!

MAKEUP FAVORITES:  FACE, EYES, LIPS

1. Foundation: Nada – just concealer on little spots but if I had to recommend one, I would say the Makeup Forever HD Foundation and for my skin I’m shade #128

2. Concealer – Makeup Forever , $32 Shade Golden Beige #10

3. Powder to set makeup  –  Bare Escentuals Matte Foundation, $27 – In Medium Tan only for a light dusting on T zone to set the makeup

4. Cheeks – MAC Bronzing/Shimmer Blush, $21 – Sweet as Cocoa, Love Joy and Gingerly are my top favorites.

5. Eye Concealer – Dior Hydrating Under Eye Concealer, $32

6. Eye Liner – Rimmel London White Liner to line the lower lid, $2

7. Eye Liner – MAC Engraved Eye Pencil, $16 – to line upper lid, lash line and corners of lower lid

8. Eye Shadow – Maybelline Palette “Give Me Gold” $10 – because these colors just work so well for any color complexion and for a drugstore brand, it’s pretty AWESOME. I also use MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow, $21 and “Gilt by Association” is a fav.

9. Eyebrows – Clinique Brow Keeper, $16 in “Warm Brown” or Mac Brow Pencil, $16 in Rich Brunette “Spiked”

10. Lashes (after using your favorite Sephora lash curler of course!) – Benefit, They’re Real – the small version $10 (so you can get the best grip on the small wand)

11. Lip Liner – Rimmel London Liner $3

12. Lip treatment favorites – AERIN rose lip conditioner, $28 and Fresh Lip Balm Sugar Plum, $25

                                              

13. Lip gloss favorites – because they smell delicious and look beautiful too: Bobbi Brown, $25 in Rose Gold and Beach Gold,  MAC Dazzleglass $20 – Date Night and MAC Tinted Glass , $15 in Pop Mode

15. Lip stick/gloss favorites – Tory Burch lipstick in Swizzle, Tomboy and Knock on Wood $32

That’s all for face makeup & skincare for now!  More fun tips and tricks to come. Enjoy your life as a pre-wedding bee, mom to be, and/or already wedded blissful beauty! 🙂

– Yours Truly

Rhode Island Wedding Ideas – The Dangers of DIY for Brides on a Budget

Hello brides to be! Happy Spring!

Many of Emily Things followers are from the Rhode Island area looking for places to have a wedding and most of all – save money! We all know that wedding bells bring wedding bills, and savvy, crafty, DIY brides are always looking for ways to be resourceful and ultimately save on the overall wedding cost. But are there dangers in trying to plan a DIY wedding if you are on a tight budget? Could your efforts to save money be ultimately countered by what you end up spending in trying to make everything yourself?

Yup.

Take it from a previous RI bride and craft guru herself – I’ve been there and done that.

Like you, I knew I was clever enough to figure out how to make things myself and diligent enough to not get carried away with spending. I was incredibly blessed to have parents who provided a very opulent wedding at Glen Manor House, but honestly, I truly wanted to keep everything as simple and stress free. The very principle of spending a lot of money on a wedding just seemed so outrageous to me that I wanted to figure out how to cut costs wherever I could. So why not save on all the wedding stationery and decorations if you can just make them yourself, right?

Wrong!

Before I got involved in the stationery, wedding planning, and wedding accessories business of Emily’s Enchantments, I did not have a wholesale license or any fancy shmancy way to get access to bulk shimmery paper, ribbons, lace, jewels and all the other wonderfully splendid wedding decorations that you see on Pinterest. Chances are, unless you are a professional stationer, you don’t have this either.

1. DIY Wedding Invitation Cost Reality

Crafts stores and online shops are a RIP OFF for invitations!

Did you fall in love with a lace invitation on Etsy or Pinterest and thinking of DIY? Good luck. Joann’s Fabrics charges $4-5 per yard. From experience in making lace invitations by hand, I know that you need about 1/3 of a yard of lace per invitation. So you’re talking $1.66 just for the lace!  Basic, single sided faux silk ribbon is about $4 per spool and from my experience that gets you only about 6 invitations, because they obviously don’t give you very many yards.

Here’s a breakdown of other invitation components if you were to look at (PER INVITATION):

• Lace $1.66
• Pocketfolds $0.80-1.25
• Card stock $0.40-1.99
• Ribbon $0.50-$0.75
• RSVP envelopes – $0.20-$0.30
• Mailing envelopes – $0.23-$0.35
• Rhinestone buckles – $0.75-1.99
• Rhinestone brooches – $1.00-10+

Then you have to factor in (for someone who doesn’t have professional printing and cutting equipment):

• Basic paper trimmer – $30
• Glue for all of the invites – $7-15
• 60-70 hours of your time (depending on how many and how involved your invites are)

You could be thinking that you’re saving when you see at the register $20 here, and $20 there as you make several trips to the craft store or make several online purchases from different retailers. But you never realize how much that really adds up. What is your time worth?

 * I will, however, suggest that if you are willing to wait 4-6 weeks to receive craft supplies and take a gamble on the level of quality you receive, eBay can be a pretty good hit or miss option for finding many invitation making supplies for a bride with LOTS of time who doesn’t care if she wastes $30 here and there and several weeks of time waiting around for something that could end up being nothing like the photo and complete crap. Sometimes you can luck out though but just take that into consideration.

 

2. DIY At Home Rhode Island Wedding Venue Reality

Ok, so I really and truly entertained the idea of hosting our wedding at my then-fiance’s home in Cumberland, RI. He had a gorgeous colonial home and a big, very private back yard with lots of luscious grass and space. Plus there was plenty of parking on the street for guests. I figured this will be PERFECT and we will save on having to spend $5K at a venue somewhere in Rhode Island. We all know that most of the East Bay and Providence wedding venues charge an arm and a leg just to have your wedding there with nothing else included.

But here was what I learned when I did my research and priced out what it would actually cost to have a wedding at home in Rhode Island:

Let’s talk about RENTALS!

You want to host your own wedding at home in RI but chances are you don’t have 50 or even 100 chairs nor do you have event tables and other very important items. So what are your options for renting?

Rhode Island Rentals

Newport Tent Company

Rentals Unlimited

Quality Rental

 

I have a pros and cons list for each of these companies but those would really require separate blog posts. For now, let’s just do a break down of what things would cost to rent items for a small, backyard wedding.

Backyard Wedding Rentals Checklist:

 

 

1. TENT – please, please, please DO NOT think that rain will not happen. I will keep my fingers crossed for all of you that it won’t rain a drop on your wedding day but in New England we all know that it is completely unpredictable. If you are having any sort of outdoor wedding, you absolutely need to have a tent!!! No ifs ands or buts! This is #1 on the list of priorities for your backyard wedding rental list.
2. Hallman’s Portable TOILETS – you are probably laughing out  loud thinking that I’ve lost my mind. You might be rolling your eyes saying, Really? Toilets?  Ladies and gentlemen, this is NOT a joking matter.  Do you really think that your guests even say a small group of 30-50 people are not going to clog your toilet? Think again! I was at an event once where children clogged someone’s home toilet by throwing salad down it. The little girls were incredibly adorable and giggling, but the scene of the overflowing toilet made by the next user who did not know it was clogged, not so adorable…DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN AT YOUR WEDDING. You are a smart bride, you know better. I have wonderful things to say about Hallman Toilets and I’ll write a separate post later, but just trust me, you cannot forget to rent these.
3. Dance Floor – unless you have an enormous patio or do not plan on any dancing at your wedding, you need a floor space. These rental companies provide pieces of flooring you can snap together yourself to make your own floor. You can get anything – floor that looks like wood or even faux stone. DO NOT assume that everyone will want to dance on the grass. And again, remember the rain possibility…even if you faithfully followed my suggestion #1 with the tent, grass will be wet, and dancing on wet grass even in casual attire is just a don’t.
4. Reception tables (for guests to sit and eat…obviously)
5. Buffet food station tables (assuming you are going with a buffet style as it’s more affordable with caterers than sit-down and serve)
6. Tables for music (DJ or you can save money using an iPod, you would just need to rent speakers which cost about $1000 to rent)
7. Tables for a bar area
8. Table for gifts or guest book
9. Chairs for Ceremony
10. Chairs for Reception (you could use the same chairs for both ceremony & reception…just think about who is going to be coordinating the moving of them. Hope you’re paying for a wedding planner!)

 

For a 40 person wedding, you are looking at $6,800 in rentals for the above mentioned items.

This pricing has been compared between all 4 of the top RI rental places and they are all within the same price ranges +/- $62.00

Oh and in case your caterer does not provide these items you will need:

• Plates, Glassware, Flatware, Napkins (unless you wanted to do BBQ style disposal plates, napkins, glassware, and flatware then you will need to rent these items!)

Factor in another $800 for a 40 person wedding

So $6800 for just rentals??? This means that you’re already shedding close to $7K on having a 40 person wedding at your house. You could have almost rented a fancy spot in Newport for that price. Yikes!!

 

Other DIY Backyard Wedding Expenses and Issues to Consider:

1. Catering – you may be charged additional fees for the caterer to come to a home versus a commercial building. There is liability and other issues involved with hosting food and having a bar set up at your house in addition to the extra time spent on the caterer’s part in traveling to you and setting everything up.
2. Parking & Neighbors – do your neighbors like you? Well, hopefully they still will! You want to make sure your neighbors are fine with you having a wedding at your house, on their street, within their earshot. And where will your very small 30-50 person group of guests park? Oh, on the street? So 15-28 vehicles can fit on the street and won’t block any traffic or upset neighbors? Hopefully not!
3. Clean up – my instant thought is bride in yellow rubber gloves. Caterers will usually clean up all the food and beverages, but they are not going to be cleaning up everything else. Who is putting away chairs, breaking down the floors, folding up tables and everything else? Hopefully you have factored in a wedding planner to be your savior in this situation, but if you’re a DIY bride, chances are you think that “wedding planner” and “the bride” are one in the same.

 

Hey, I’m a DIY everything. I love DIY and I was definitely bride & wedding planner at the same time. I’m not hating on DIY weddings or brides. I’m just giving you the whole honest truth and showing you a reality so that you can make the best and most informed decision. Maybe you see things that I mentioned that don’t apply to you because you’re doing it completely differently. I am so impressed and inspired by those who have DIY weddings and can really pull off saving money. Anyone who has had success in it, please send along your story so I can share with our fellow brides. I hope this has been helpful in your wedding planning journey!

 

(And don’t forget to rent those toilets!!!!)

Wedding Menu Cards – Rhode Island Invitations

That moment when you first walk into your reception is a truly magical and mesmerzing experience. For a few moments you may lose your breath at the sight of just purely decadent, jaw-dropping beauty all around you – as you take in every last indulgent detail that you worked so hard on putting together for your special day. Sparkling intricacy and blissful elegance encompass the very essence of Emily’s Enchantments’ stationery. Whether you have chosen a simple, sophisticated menu card with a touch of glitz or an ornate, luxury wedding menu bound-book with personalized names of each guest – you will find pure enchantment for every taste.

  

 

Bride & Groom chairs – custom designed for the perfect sweetheart setting at an elegant wedding reception.

Gold chivari chairs with shimmery wedding menu cards at each setting create unmatched sophistication for any special event.

 

 

Personalized wedding menu cards provide a unique greeting to each guest as he or she takes a seat at a breathtakingly beautiful reception table.

 

 

If you love lace as much as we do, you would know why we enjoy wedding menus, wedding programs and rehearsal dinner invitations such as these with touches of matching lace on each!

 

 

Signature cocktails should always be featured on shimmery card stock bar signs with a touch of glimmer.

 

While each guest may have his or her own bound personalized wedding menu, the bride & groom have their own reception menu that pays tribute to their first dinner as “Mr. & Mrs.”

 

Wedding Table Numbers – Rhode Island Invitations

Table numbers are a small detail for the wedding decor, but they can make a significant impact and accent your theme. I chose to have table numbers that matched our wedding menus and other colors used in the wedding – very shimmery, sparkling, and elegant.

A growing trend is to use “table names” instead of numbers, which is creative way to make your wedding unique to you. Some couples may choose names of their favorite cities, restaurants from memorable dates they’ve had together, or perhaps just sweet words and phrases like “love” and “joy.” I saw a wedding that was French themed and each table was named a city in France. The fun part about the table numbers and place cards is that you can really get creative and add some pizzazz to your wedding in an easy, simple way.

You can make Table #s like these using chipboard, shimmery cardstock, ribbon, and rhinestone  buckles 🙂 Display on an easel or personalized stand!

 

Don’t forget to include something cute for your sweetheart table!

Rhode Island Wedding Invitations – Pink, Coral, Orange

What is it about weddings that we find so enchanting? Maybe it’s the way the groom looks when his face lights up as his bride first appears at the end of the aisle on dad’s arm, or the way the bride’s incandescent, glowing smile and glistening eyes trigger little joyful droplets on everyone’s face. There are so many moments in a wedding that make it truly magical. Sending the save the date or invitation to your guests is the very start of it all – it’s where all the enchantment begins. Emily’s Enchantments is a Rhode Island Wedding Invitations company that enchants brides and their wedding guests across the globe. If you’re going to make the first impression to your guests with the invitation, and the last impression with the thank you notes, and everything in between – why not choose a stationer whose paper products evoke enchantment? After all, this is your wedding day – the most magical day of your life. 

Take a peek at some new favorites – pink, orange, coral, and lace!

Lace Wrapped Wedding Invitations – Rhode Island Invitations

There’s something special about lace that just makes us smile. Maybe it’s the textured, elegant fluidity or its graceful sweetness. Maybe it’s the swirls of joyous patterns that bring us to a state of enchantment when we see lace. Or maybe it’s the timeless sophistication that evokes unmatched exuberance.

Whatever the reason – we all tend to gravitate toward lace and ribbons. What better way to send an invitation to your closest family and friends for the most magical day of your life than with one wrapped in lace?

Beverly Hills Sweet Sixteen: Chloe’s Glittering Gold Invitation Boxes

“Glitter is in the Air” for this fabulous Californian Sweet Sixteen 🙂 I’m so excited to be doing these invitations for Chloe’s sweet sixteen party. She loves gold and glitter – and with the theme of “Glitter in the Air” for her party, what better way to make a statement to her guests than by having these fab gold invitation boxes decorated with glitzy designs? This was a great opportunity to put the Cameo machine to the test by using double sided adhesive sheets to cut out custom-designed flourishes as well as her initial “C” – and then embellished the adhesive cut outs in gold glitter and sealed them with a lacquer. I added touches of gold luxe metallic ribbons and a few little Swarovski crystals. Below are two different designs that I did as samples for her party invitations.

Chloe’s unique style allows the most glamorous boxed invitations I have done so far! I can’t wait to do the rest of her party event stationery and get these shipped out to her guests 🙂

Heidi and Daniel’s Laurel Creek Country Club Merchantville, NJ Wedding Invitations

Heidi & Daniel are getting married in the fall of 2013 at Laurel Creek Country Club in Merchantville, NJ. I’m excited to share some samples of the couple’s wedding invitations 🙂 I had a few different design ideas to capture their elegant, sophisticated style that includes navy, gold, cream, and silver with touches of bling and shimmery paper. Congrats to Heidi & Daniel!

 

Boxed Wedding Invitations: Long Beach, NY Wedding Invitations

Brianna and Greg are planning their New York wedding for the 4th of July in 2014! Although it’s a patriotic holiday, Brianna’s colors are black, silver, and dark purple. She recently requested a sample order from Emily’s Enchantments and so I gave her a couple of options to choose from – silver boxes or black boxes and purple rhinestone flat buckle or purple ribbon bow with rhinestone center. Her venue is at a contemporary, elegant hotel in Long Beach, NY and she is hoping her invitations will closely reflect her formal, upscale event. Here’s a peek at the samples we put together for her!

                           

Bridal Shower Invitations: Love Birds – Rhode Island Wedding Invitations

This is the first time I’ve done a bird design on invitations. The maid of honor wanted these to have a some “bling”, ribbons, bows, and shimmery paper. The colors are a light shimmery coral, pearly white, and black. The love birds are embellished with Swarovski crystals and a thick satin band runs behind the coral paper. On the inside, little crystals are in between each phrase and a rhinestone buckle is the featured embellishment for the invitation. I’m excited to work with this maid of honor Cristina, and bride, Grace, for a Rhode Island wedding coming up in 2013! Congrats Grace & Federico.