TSO Loves: Natalie Shafie

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Image courtesy of NatalieShafieMakeup.com

Image courtesy of NatalieShafieMakeup.com

As any good Stylish One knows, makeup is a key part of your bridal look. With all eyes on you, and hundreds of photos being taken, it's important that you look and feel your best. I was fortunate enough to find a makeup artist who not only understands the various elements of bridal makeup (weather hazards, flash bulbs, etc.), but also wanted to truly understand my vision... meet, Natalie Shafie!  

The moment I met Natalie Shafie, I knew she would be the makeup artist for me. She came directly to my home, had an amazing toolkit and even brought her fancy makeup chair. She listened intently, was willing to make adjustments, and was so easy to talk to. I loved the advice she had to offer and the insight she had into the whole wedding makeup process. As a fellow beauty junky, I knew we'd make a perfect match.

I recently did a fun Q&A session with Natalie where she shared some incredible insider tips and advice for brides. Check out what our Big Day Beauty Guru had to say:

How long have you been doing makeup professionally? 
I have been in the makeup industry for 12 years.  I started working for MAC Cosmetics in 2003 and I worked for the company for about 8 years. During my years with MAC, I was constantly inspired by the artists that I worked with. And with Pinterest and Instagram I am still getting inspired. It's not just makeup that I follow to get my creative juices flowing... I love photography, fashion, art and music. The type of makeup artistry I do ranges from commercial and production work to editorial, photo shoots, and of course... weddings. 

What is your favorite part of a wedding?
I love going on location on a bride's wedding day and being a part of the whole "getting ready" process. Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life and being around that energy is amazing. There is so much excitement in the air!

What should a bride do to prepare before her trial? 
Get on Pinterest and create a board with bridal makeup looks that you love and inspire you so you can show your makeup artist what style you're going for. Exfoliate your skin the night before and make sure you are consistently hydrating. During the trial, I do offer suggestions, but I want to get a feel of what you envision for your wedding day. It's definitely a collaboration and a bride should look like the absolute best version of herself.

What is one thing that you wish all your brides knew to do for their skin before their Big Day?
In the months leading up to the wedding, I recommend regular facials. I love microdermabrasion, It gives your skin a beautiful glow. But definitely stop all facials 3 weeks before your wedding day. Also, Drinking 2-3 liters of water daily makes a huge difference in the way your skin looks and in the way you feel. Makeup looks so much better on skin that is hydrated and exfoliated. Lastly, one of the key things to do is to perfect your brows. Get them shaped professionally and maintain them. Brows frame your face and are so important! 

Do you have a go-to beauty product you love to use on brides? 
I have many ! I love to hydrate and prep the skin with Lait-Crème Concentrè and Radiant Eye by Embryolisse. These are cult favorites among makeup artists. I also can't live without TEMPTU airbrush system. It really makes skin look flawless. 

What beauty trends are you seeing for this season's weddings? 
I'm not big into trends, I like to do timeless looks. You should be able to look at your wedding pics 10 or 20 years from now and think your makeup looks gorgeous. I love glowing, radiant skin and luscious lashes using individual false lashes. A thin slightly winged out black liquid or gel liner is a look that will never go out of style.

What is your biggest bridal "don't" before the wedding? 
I know weddings are a time for celebration... and celebrations call for lots of alcohol. However, I think brides should be mindful of the amount of alcohol they consume at their rehearsal dinner. I have seen the negative effects that alcohol has on the skin after having a few too many glasses of champagne the night before the wedding. Have one and refill your flute with seltzer water. Trust me, you will look and feel better the next day. Also, no brow waxing up to a week before the wedding and no facials or chemical peels up to three weeks before the wedding. 

If a bride could only have three items in her bag during her wedding what would they be?  
A makeup touchup kit is important. I always suggest having your lip combination (lip liner, lipstick, and lipgloss) blot powder to keep shine at bay, and lash glue. 

Needless to say, I will be following all of Natalie's great advice and can't wait for her to do my makeup for the most special day of my life. I know my mom and my girls are going to love her, too and I can't wait to show you our Big Day beauty looks!

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