face time with Laura Bateman

Our dear friend and makeup artist Laura Bateman took time out of her busy schedule to stop by and give some planning tips on how to have picture perfect looks on your wedding day!

{rb} Tell us a little bit about your background - how did you get involved in makeup?

LB: I have been obsessed with makeup and skincare products since I was very young...I can remember my little brother always being mad at me for taking so long to get ready back when we shared a bathroom! I started doing my freshman year college roommate's makeup for her sorority events, and that's when I realized that I had a true passion for cosmetics and helping other women be aware of their skin care regime. Later I became a Makeup Artist for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics at a high end department store, which provided me with the training and knowledge necessary to go out on my own as a Freelancer. Today I do makeup for weddings and all sorts of special events in the DC area...and I love every second!

{rb} What tips do you have for a bride-to-be on having a good skin regimen leading up to the wedding?

LB: Drink water, rest, and drink more water. I know the time leading up to the wedding can be a very hectic and stressful time, but your skin truly reflects what's going on inside your body, and any stress or worry will show on your face if you let it! I cannot stress the importance of staying extra-hydrated during this time as well...this will help your complexion glow, and will also get rid of under eye circles. I also recommend that brides cut out sugar, processed foods, and load up on leafy greens, berries, citrus fruits, fish and green tea in the weeks leading up to the wedding. These essential vitamins and anti-oxidants are a crucial part in good skin care, and your body will thank you, too!

{rb} What styles/looks are you seeing for Spring/Summer weddings this season for brides?

LB: This year it's all about fresh, pretty and feminine makeup; I'm liking lots of pinks and peaches on brides. My philosophy is all about taking an already beautiful woman and simply enhancing her natural features to make her look like herself, with a little more oomph on her big day.

{rb} Any tricks of the trade for brides that help wedding day makeup application go smoothly?

LB: Please ladies, embrace exfoliation! This is an important step in skin care that lots of women forget about. I recommend that you exfoliate your face twice a week for the month leading up to the wedding, this will slough off dead skin cells, aid in the skin cell turnover process, and reveal a beautiful new layer of skin that will glow on your wedding day. It also provides a wonderful canvas for makeup application. With that being said, please do not get a facial the day of the wedding! Your skin needs a few days to "heal", meaning it is possible and normal for your face to be a little red and puffy the day of your facial, and that's not something you want on your wedding day! Also, if you get extractions during your facial, make sure to do that at least 2 weeks prior.

Thanks Laura for stopping by! Be sure to contact Laura Bateman for all things makeup if you are in the DC area...you will love her & her work!

{Photo credits: Rothwell Photography}