When my Clinique-loving girlfriend and ex-bridesmaid told me that she wouldn’t be able to make it to my destination wedding after all, I was disappointed. Mostly because I really wanted her to celebrate with us, but also, because she was supposed to be my wedding makeup artist. I probably don’t need to explain to you why it’s important to have a trustworthy makeup artist on your big day, and obviously, I wasn’t just going to let some stranger do my makeup for me…So, what’s a bride-to-be to do? Learn how to DIY, of course!

To get myself started on the road to wedding makeup know-it-all-ness, I stopped by Sephora, and booked an application appointment with the lovely Flavia. The goal was to pick up some products that I would need on my wedding day, and learn a trick or two (or a dozen) to help me do my own makeup…ahem…better. Sephora makeup applications are free, but you do need to buy a $50 giftcard, that can be used to buy anything in the store.

After years of using Clinique products (almost exclusively), I had to fess up to Flavia (and myself), that my makeup routine no longer worked for my skin. My foundation wore off after a couple of hours, making me look exhausted by 5pm. And considering how long an average wedding day is, that just wouldn’t do. So out with the old it was…and in with the new and improved.

1. To get me started, Flavia recommended a couple of good primers: Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer and Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. Usually, I skip primers all-together, but in this case, more is actually more. A primer smoothed and enhanced my skin’s texture, while helping my foundation stay on longer. For my trial run at home, I used the Make Up For Ever primer…and I can’t express how much I loved it. Lightweight, and oil-free, it did wonders for my face.

2. After all the priming and moisturizing, we got to the truly interesting part – concealers, foundations, and powders. In my early 20s, I got away with using tinted moisturizers…mostly because I’ve never been a fan of the cakey/overdone look, and my skin was youthful and free of imperfections. Now that I am nearing 30, I’ve realized that I need something more…substantial.

After the rave reviews from close friends, I told Flavia that I’d like to try Make Up For Ever concealer and foundation, and she agreed that their long-lasting HD line was one of the best, if I wanted staying power, and medium coverage.

Now that I’ve been using Make Up For Ever HD concealer and foundation for over a week, I cannot help but kick myself for not trying these products sooner. My friend has been raving about the company for years, so why was I the last to make the leap? The coverage is great, and it literally will not budge from your face until you’re ready to take it off, leaving your with a flawless-looking face. I could really get used to that. To set my makeup, I now use the brand’s HD Microfinish Powder – translucent and barely there.

More beauty tips after the jump!

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