What Your Wedding Lipstick Shade Says About You

Not every bride treats her lips equally when it comes to the big day. Some prefer gentle and more relaxed lipsticks - and others are brave enough to go with the bold red. There are plenty of choices when it comes to lipstick shades, and you should know their meanings.

Mauve - Luxury With A Hint Of Mystery

Mauve is the softer shade of purple and a color that symbolizes a luxurious woman with a shade of mystery in her. It is great to show off your sophisticated style and portrays strength and confidence. Also, it is modern, trendy and stylish choice that many brides go for recently.

Hot Pink As The Color That Stands Out

Hot pink lipsticks are not for everyone. They are ideal for the brave and energetic brides who know how to light up a room and are never afraid to stand out. They replicate the center of attention and give a bubbly, excited and friendly flair to your wedding.

Coral - The Adventurer

Coral is a new trend and perfectly suits tanned brides with love for adventure and the outdoors. It replicates proud, bravery and ability to stand out for yourself. Brides who wear coral are lovers of the environment and want to spend weekends in the outdoors rather than sit at home.

Taupe As The Earth Shade

Down-to-earth is one way to describe taupe as a bridal lipstick shade. It makes your look wholesome and comfortable and at the same time genuine and dependable. It is natural and gives a hint of expression but at the same time laid back and not too flashy.

Bright Red For The Boldest Brides

Red is probably the boldest color of them all. It is sexy, passionate and confident. Brides who wear red lipsticks know what they want and what they deserve - and are passionate about their moods at all times.

Nude As The Confident And Classy Bride

Last but not the least - nude lipsticks replicate shyness and quiet. They are a great fit for brides who actually don't want to be the center of attention but still want to look classy and elegant and show their kindness and genuine personality.

Book your bridal hair and makeup trials today and enjoy 50% off now through March 1st! 

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What to Look for in Your Next Beauty Team Member?

Last week, I shared why it is important to hire a beauty team and how it can help you with your business. Today, I want to share tips on how to actually start searching for beauty teams.

After all, you certainly want to look professional when hiring someone—and expect the very same from any prospect. Plus, there are many things to discuss when hiring your own beauty team, and they include work ethic, business organization and variety of services.

The truth is, building the best beauty team is not easy. You need to start thinking like a business owner and take care of your team. So, how to begin?

Start Advertising

The first and foremost step to do when hiring a beauty team is to advertise. Even if you try and look for referrals by other beauty professionals, you will hardly get to the number of specialized and targeted beauty team members you expect.

Some of the places where you can find experienced artists and stylists include Facebook Groups and local beauty message boards, Craigslist, Cosmetology schools or social media - where you can advertise as well.

Look for True Professionals

You should always look for artists and stylists that are on-time, educated and professional. You’d actually be surprised to hear how many of these ‘professionals’ actually do not show on time or come up with constant excuses.

It goes without saying that every member of your bridal team should be polite and have good manners—not only because of work ethics, but as a great tactic to keep and retain all the great customers.

Search for Different Levels of Skillset

As soon as you start opening your doors and holding interviews, you should see the different levels of education and experience your beauty team candidates have. In order to suit their needs and expectations, it is best if you work on tiered levels of skills. We have two skillset levels at Elite Secrets:  beauty advisor and senior beauty advisor. The beauty advisor may be slightly experienced and have a small portfolio, where the senior beauty advisor has years of experience and a large portfolio of work.

This will also help your customers choose the option they like most - and know what they are getting in exchange for it.

So, are you ready to grow your team and make most of your wedding business?

Spring-Clean Your Makeup Stash In 3 Steps

Are you frustrated how messy your makeup stash is sometimes? Do you want to throw it away and replace it with another one? The good thing is that you don't have to throw those things away. All you need to do instead is to take a deep breath and take a fresh look at your beauty bag. What is inside may look frustrating at first - but thanks to the steps we are outlining below - will definitely be easy to clean and re-organize.

'So, how to begin?' - you ask?

Step 1: Get Rid of All The Things You Don't Actually Need

Remember those worn-out lipsticks that have been in your purse for a long time? Or that brush that you rarely use and just got stiffer?

We know that sometimes getting rid of stuff is hard. However, replacing makeup every season is what every modern lady should do in order to always look good. And if you have products that you haven't used once over the past six months - you may need to watch out on your spending.

And if you cannot bear to throw things away, there is always that friend in need (that is a friend indeed).

Step 2: Clean Your Makeup Brushes

If your makeup brushes look good but need a thorough cleaning, it's time for you to give it to them. In most of the cases, makeup brushes are notorious for harboring bacteria and other things that make you puke.

The truth is, if you don't clean your brushes - they won't clean your face as much as you expect. The best way to do that is by using baby shampoo. Who knew, right?

Step 3: Start Organizing Your Makeup Stash

Now that you got rid of the things you don't need and cleaned your makeup brushes, it's time to get a bit more responsible about your makeup. After all, organizing your cosmetics in a drawer (or that fancy organizer you have been eyeing) is great because next season, you won't have to go through this process again.

In the end, spring cleaning your makeup stash should be just like cleaning your room. You ditch the things you don't need, clean it up - and get organized for the next season!

7 Bridal-Worthy Red Lipsticks You Will Love

Whether you are saying 'yes' to the love of your life soon - or just want to get a professional opinion on the best lipsticks on the market, you have come to the right place. This week bridal beauty expert, LaTonya Turnage, gives her picks for the best bold and beautiful reds for any skin tone.

1. NYX Full Throttle Lipstick in Up the Bass

Highly pigmented and just brilliant - the red NYX lipstick is so stunning and so affordable that it deserves a place in every bride's trousseau. The best thing about it is that it is fit for any special events even after your wedding!

2. MAC Cosmetics Lipstick in Ruby Woo

Not too warm or too cool, this popular shade of red will flatter every skin tone, and the matte texture will give a long-lasting finish. This can be your go-to red lipstick that you can even wear at your wedding! It is a perfect everyday option but has that tone of red that also makes it classy for special events.

3. Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Creme Lipstick

Featuring a seductive red color that can be interpreted as amazingly sexy and self-contained, this bestseller by Marc Jacobs makes the perfect red lipstick that matches all of your bridal dress combinations.

4. Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Adora

The design of this lipstick’s rose tone is so nice that you will immediately want to put it on your list of wedding day makeup must-haves. It comes in studded packaging and even features tiny specks of gold throughout its pigment that acts as a great alternative to traditional reds.

5. YSL Rouge Pur Couture in Le Rouge

This French classic is the nicely designed and the goldish bridal lipstick that will dress your lips in couture color. With buying it for your big day, you will ensure that your lips are properly hydrated and enriched with antioxidants with a bold and creamy red coverage.

6. Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in F-Bomb

This deep, sumptuous red color will capture your guests’ attention without drawing too much attention away from your dress. It’s a statement lip tone that’s perfect for the bride craving a little drama. You can’t go wrong with this gem...it’s our CEO’s favorite!

7. LimeLight by Alcone Onyx Perfect Lipsticks in Black Cherry

More deep than bright, but still undeniably red, this is the perfect shade for a girl who’s classic with a twist. The matte finish looks edgy, chic, and totally put-together. This lipstick adds intensity to any look and offers opaque coverage that is surprisingly hydrating. *Note: this is a limited-edition item, but you can purchase through Elite Secrets here.

So, have you made your choice yet? Can't decide? Let us help! Book your bridal hair and makeup trial with us today. 

ELITE SECRETS - BEAUTY SECRETS | the honeymoon edit

 

Honeymoons are a blissful time filled with love, relaxation, and memories... Not picking and choosing what products to use! With that being said, we wanted to give you the Ultimate Honeymoon Beauty Guide filled with quick, easy, and amazing products to not only help save you time in the mornings, but also ensure you will look your best.

1. Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizer - lightweight moisturizer that leaves your skin feeling hydrated, replenished, and radiant
2. It Cosmetic's CC Cream - We always suggest bb creams or tinted moisturizers to bride's on their  honeymoon. This CC Cream is  perfect for a light weight, beautiful coverage while also giving you an SPF of 50. You can sit back and enjoy your amazing adventures with one less thing to worry about: sun burn!
3. Limelight By Alcone Bronzer - This will give you the most glowing sun kissed finish to any look. You'll be looking like a goddess in no time.
4. Loreal Waterproof Mascara - From taking dips in the hot tub, to the occasional laugh-cry (we've all been there), a waterproof mascara ensures that your voluminous lashes are going to stay put all day hassle-free.
5. Smashbox Waterpoof Kohl Eyeliner - A smooth, long wearing consistency is the perfect pair with your mascara. Whether you opt for a soft brown or a dramatic black, your eyes will look fantastic tight-lined in Smashbox eyeliners.
6. Limelight By Alcone Lipgloss - A smooth, lightweight constancy is perfect for an easy look. Try a nude or a rosey tone to give you the perfect flush of color without the maintenance of a  lipstick.
7. Smashbox Primer Water - This product is absolutely perfect at setting your look and keeping it in place, no matter the climate or itinerary. A definite must have for every bride's honeymoon!
8. Fresh Sugar Lip Balm - With additional SPF, you can't go wrong with fresh's tinted lip balms. With an array of colors, they are sure to have the perfect shade for you.
9. Neutrogena Face Wash - At the end of the day, you can take your makeup off in no time with these wipes. They're holy grail.
10. Limelight by Alcone Cleanser - We absolutely adore all of their skin products, but while traveling, a cleanser is a must-have item for your morning/night routine.

We hope this helps all our brides/brides to-be as you embark on a new journey! We would love to hear if you have any staple products you'll be bringing on your honeymoon. And don't forget to follow us on social media for more products suggestions and bridal tips & tricks! 

Latonya Turnage 

Elite Secrets 

525 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, United States

410.782.5293

elitescrets@hotmail.com

And as always, thanks for reading! 

-Kimberly Starr