See the original post on Toronto Wedding Professionals - your e-source for all things wedding!

As a make-up artist, one of the questions I am most frequently asked by clients is “How do I make my eyeliner last longer?”. Women from all walks of life (not just brides!) encounter their share of frustrations with eyeliner. The same rules apply here for bridal make-up as they would for the everyday working woman (we all want our eyeliner to last as long as possible with minimal upkeep). Check out the following tips to help keep your eyeliner in check for the Big Day (....into evening!):

Use waterproof eye make-up products.
I have yet to meet a pencil eyeliner that is universally smudgeproof (Make-up Forever's Aqua Eyes is the closest I've come from the many I've tried), so I usually opt for other products that have consistently delivered the results I need. On bridal clients, I always use either a waterproof gel liner or a liquid liner. A gel liner is used when a bride wants a softer look; the liquid liner is for a bride that's open to more of a bold make-up look. Both the gel liner and the liquid liner last all day, and are perfectly suited to the overtime day of a bride.
Recommended: Try MAC's Fluidline (gel liner) or L'oreal's Lineur Intense (liquid liner).

Apply a base on the eyelids.
Use either a long-lasting neutral cream eyeshadow or a combination of concealer and powder as the base. Applying a base will help to form a barrier between the natural oils that eventually surface on the lids and the other make-up you apply, such as your eyeliner. Once you start using a base, you'll notice minimal (to zero) creasing, and most importantly, that your eyeliner is still intact! (ARTIST TIP: A base on the lids will also help to increase the lifespan of your eyeshadow application).
Recommended: MAC Paints, MAC Paint Pots

Pack some q-tips.
Just in case your eyeliner of choice migrates away from where you initially applied it, have some q-tips handy to refresh your look. It never hurts to be prepared, especially on a day like the Big Day!
Recommended: q-tips from the dollar store (these q-tips have minimal cotton on them, so you can wipe away without leaving cotton residue on the face)

To see more on eyeliner:
Q & A | Smudging Liquid Liner
PRODUCT REVIEW | MAC Paint Pot
PRODUCT REVIEW | L'oreal Lineur Intense

More make-up tips to come!

Rhia Amio, Toronto Make-up Artist
web: http://www.artistrhi.com
blog: http://artistrhi.blogspot.com
email: rhia@artistrhi.com

The stunning Miss Colleen and I go way back to the university days, a time when I was usually experimenting with make-up in the wee hours of the morning, rather than studying (Sorry, Mom!). Now, Colleen is off to be a 'Mrs.' and I'm absolutely thrilled for her...and of course, I'm excited to do her bridal make-up! Again, I've been fortunate to work with the many brides that have crossed my path this season, but there's always that something extra special to the day when it's an application for a dear friend. Coll, I hope I don't disappoint! ;)

Stay tuned for her wedding pics in late August!

Q: I have really oily eyelids so anything I use seems to disappear or smudge in only a few hours. Based on your recommendation, I tried using one of L'oreal's liquid liners, but find that it's not working for me either. By the end of the day, my eyelids are still oily and the oils (I think) break down the liquid liner, making it smudge. I've almost given up on it, but are there any make-up artist tricks you can advise of? Thanks for the help!!

A: Great question! I used to have this issue when first starting to use liquid liner. In the early days, I experimented with using some concealer and powder on the eyelids to help act as a barrier between the natural oils on the lids and the liquid liner.

But once I discovered MAC Paints and MAC Paint Pots, I never turned back. Just choose a neutral colour that matches (or is slightly lighter) than the skin on your own eyelid for a natural effect. From the Paints, try Sublime Nature, Bare Canvas and Paint Pots in Soft Ochre and Bare Study to see which one best suits your own skin tone. Either apply the product all over the lid from lashline up to the eyebrow or focus the application simply atop the eyelid. You may see some slight creasing later the day (especially if your eyelids are oily like mine!), but the liquid liner will definitely remain intact!

ARTIST TIP: MAC Paints and Paint Pots also double as a great base for eyeshadow application.

Related posts:
ARTIST TIP | How to Make Eyeshadow Last
Q & A | Smudging Eyeliner on Asian Lids
PRODUCT REVIEW | L'oreal Lineur Intense

Here's a glimpse of a wedding I did in June (almost up to speed with wedding pics!) with the beautiful Mary and her gorgeous bridal party. I have to thank these ladies again and again for waking up at 5:30AM so that I could get them all dolled up in time! Despite the lack of sleep and extremely early morning, everyone was in such great spirits!

On the lovely bride-to-be, Mary (pictured below), we kept the look classy and used airbrush foundation to last her throughout the day (and throughout any potential tears!).
Congratulations, Mary - thank you for letting me share in your Big Day!!

To see the full set along with before-and-after pics, go to artistrhi.com.

Related posts:
BEAUTY SHOT | Mary
WEDDING | Finding a Make-up Artist
WEDDING | Do It Yourself Bridal Make-up

Ok, so I'll be the first to admit that I probably do a better than average job taking care of my skin when it comes to my face...but when it comes to the rest of my body, let's just say that when winter rolls around my maintenance techniques for the rest of my skin that isn't visible also go into hibernation!

So of course on an annual basis, the warmer weather of summer comes around and it's time to fast track my once-covered skin into an acceptable level for public viewing. My usual trusted go-to product is cocoa butter, but ever the fan of trying something new, I opted to use a sample received of MAC's Naked Honey Skin Salve.

Now a month later, my skin is back to a presentable condition with the help of Skin Salve! I especially love using it on rougher areas of the body like the elbows, knees and feet. The product is derived from beeswax, sunflower oil and other organic ingredients that instantly moisturize skin (especially my dry, neglected winter skin). I'd love to see how this product would work in the winter, but of course, it's limited edition!

MAC's Naked Honey Skin Salve retails for $22.50 CAD, and is available at MAC counters and stores for a limited time only.