Inside Weddings

Beauty School

  • Weddings call for exuberant yet sophisticated alchemy, like Debut by Parfums DelRae, an effervescent blend including Bergamot, Lime, and Ylang Ylang. 1.7 ounce Eau de Parfum, $125, or Eau de Toilette, $85; beautyhabit.com.

  • Express your gratitude with wit and whimsy with Not Soap, Radio’s “You’re The Best Bridesmaid!” Bubble Bath and Shower Gel, $12. Keep the “You’re the Most Beautiful Bride Ever” version for yourself! At notsoapradio.com and Fred Segal.

  • A gift that pleases beauty junkies and culture connoisseurs alike, The Eyebrow, $29.95, by makeup artist and eyebrow specialist Robyn Cosio is part crystal-clear instruction for brow do-it-yourselfers and part history lesson in brow styles, courtesy of lively writing and iconic photos. Cosio, who travels between LA and New York to accommodate devotees of her incredible “four-minute face lift” brow artistry, recommends a glamorous and clean look for brides, “Think Grace Kelly!” One of her secrets is to use individual false lashes just on the top outside corners of the eyes. “If done correctly, you will look exquisite! It absolutely changes a plain makeup look to sophisticated.” Robyn can be reached at 310.430.3493. The Eyebrow is available at amazon.com.

  • If your beauty arsenal is worth more than your portfolio, it demands to be housed in too-glam-to-hide cases by Give Accessories. As if looks weren’t enough, the brains behind the brand donate a portion of the net profits to designated charities. Shown here, Leather Traincase in Chocolate, $295, and Small Leather Pouch in Plum, $44; shopgive.com or Planet Blue Essentials, Malibu, 310.317.9975 and Venice, CA, 310.396.1767.

  • Estee Lauder’s master noses whirl pomelo zest, cantaloupe, pink pepper, and lush white flowers into the classic Beautiful scent to create Beautiful Love, said to match the intensity of devoted love. 3.4 oz. Eau de Parfum Spray, $78; Estee Lauder Counters.

  • Like a sonic toothbrush for your face, the first-of-its-kind Clarisonic Skin Care Brush uses oscillating bristles to clear pores for super-smooth, impeccably clean skin. In fact, it’s clinically shown to be more than twice as effective as cleansing by hand, leaving skin perfectly primed for maximum product absorption. The starter kit comes with the brush, two brush heads, and a facial cleanser. $195; Sephora or clarisonic.com.

  • Soothe pre-wedding jitters with lavender from Provence in Cote Lavande’s Body Scrub Gel, $19; cote-lavande.com.

  • Instant mental honeymoon, courtesy of the intoxicating Night Blooming Jasmine, Frangipani, Orange Blossom, and Ylang Ylang in Vie Luxe Palm Beach Bath Sea Crystals, $36; vieluxenyc.com.

  • Brush Must: A large, fluffy brush is the key to a natural look with bronzers. Among the best: NARS Botan Brush, $75; narscosmetics.com. Don’t Over Do It: Resist the temptation to color your whole face tan and swirl on matte or slightly shimmery bronzer (hold the glitter, please) only on the places that the sun naturally hits, including the forehead, cheekbones, nose, and chin. Must-haves: 3 Custom Color Matte Cool Bronzer Mini Pressed Powder, $19.50; threecustom.com. ModelCo Colour Box in Bronze, $28; sephora.com; Global Goddess Glow in South Pacific Shimmer, $32; sephora.com; Keep It Real: After bronzer, create dimension with a neutral pink powder blush brushed only on the apples of the cheeks to mimic a true sundrenched flush.

  • Our pick: Michael Marcus Bashful Blush, $18, and Refillable Compact, $6; michaelmarcus.com. Makeup Artist Veronica Lane (weddingmakeupbyveronica.com) swears by Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm, $7, because it “has a matte texture yet still moisturizes and looks so natural it’s even great for men;” sephora.com. Other subtle tints include Lucy B. Stung Lips Tinted Lipbalm in Pink Bikini $17; beautyhabit.com; Stila Plumping Lip Glaze in Berry Mint, $24; stilacosmetics.com; DuWop Duet Gloss-Highlighter in Fauna, $20; sephora.com; Make Up For Ever Professional Super Lip Gloss in #1, $16; sephora.com; Tarte Lipgloss Duo in Odysseus & Penelope, $19; tartecosmetics.com.

  • Our pick: Michael Marcus Bashful Blush, $18, and Refillable Compact, $6; michaelmarcus.com. Makeup Artist Veronica Lane (weddingmakeupbyveronica.com) swears by Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm, $7, because it “has a matte texture yet still moisturizes and looks so natural it’s even great for men;” sephora.com. Other subtle tints include Lucy B. Stung Lips Tinted Lipbalm in Pink Bikini $17; beautyhabit.com; Stila Plumping Lip Glaze in Berry Mint, $24; stilacosmetics.com; DuWop Duet Gloss-Highlighter in Fauna, $20; sephora.com; Make Up For Ever Professional Super Lip Gloss in #1, $16; sephora.com; Tarte Lipgloss Duo in Odysseus & Penelope, $19; tartecosmetics.com.

  • The uber-cool, limited edition Valerie Beverly Hills Eye Candy, created by celebrity makeup artist Valerie Sarnelle, is an innovation in flexible eye color, blending each color pigment into a creamy consistency and baking it on terracotta tiles. “The result,” explains Sarnelle, “is a mix of oil-free shimmers and mattes that can be used dry for a natural and luminous finish, or wet for a creamy look with intense color.” Available in three leather-boxed color palettes (shown here in Blue Berries and Cream), $95; valeriebeverlyhills.com.

  • Scott Barnes, famous for creating J.Lo’s signature nude glow, packs a powerful punch in his Glamour To Go palettes, containing four lip colors, four eye shadows, and two blushes. “Gorgeous” is filled with his signature nudes, and “Stunning” (shown here), has fresh pinks for lips and cheeks and subtle browns and grays for eyes, $55; Saks and scottbarnes.com.

  • Smaller than a wallet and with everything you need for a timeless bridal look, the Bobbi Brown Bridal Palette includes White and Slate shadows, Pale Pink blush, Tulle Lip Color, and Raspberry Lip Shimmer, $45; Bobbi Brown counters and neimanmarcus.com.

  • Think the perfect blowout only exists in salons? Think again. The ceramic ionic FHI Nano Salon Pro 2000 Blow Dryer gives that coveted, glossy-bouncy-perfection to even the clumsiest among us. Besides high heat and greater air velocity for fast drying, its groundbreaking Nano Fuzeion Technology delivers superior conditioning and shine with a remarkably lightweight, quiet yet powerful motor rated for 1200 hours of use (versus 800 hours for standard motors). Fans include Robert Hallowell, the stylist behind Courtney Cox’s luscious locks on FX’s DIRT series, who raves that the dryer is ergonomically correct and easy to hold. Hallowell also loves the “high heat factor and low sound factor, allowing for the best conditions possible.” Available in slate (shown) and pink, $270; fhiheat.com.

  • Leave In Conditioner by The Salon by Maxime instantly silkens and leaves fried ends feeling freshly cut, $22; the salonbymaxime.com.

  • L’Oreal Vive Pro Smooth Intense products contain Advanced Nutrileum Complex to smooth damage and deflate unwanted volume, with formulas for dry, frizzy hair that are either fine, medium, or thick, $4.99; drugstores.

  • Jason Grapefruit & Aloe Vera Smoothing Lotion provides paraben-free, weightless smoothing and strength for split ends and flyaways, $8; drugstores.

  • Alterna Ten Hair Masque glosses, renews, and repairs hair after just one use. The incredible results come from a unique blend of Caviar Age Control Complex, White Truffle Oil, and other luminizing ingredients, $55; 4alterna.com.

  • With a scent as addictive as the luster it gives to rough, frizzy hair, Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey may replace all of the pomades, styling creams, and waxes in your medicine cabinet, $15.50; carolsdaughter.com.

  • Pureology HydraCure Intense Moisture Hair Masque provides thermal and color protection and infuses hair with deep, luxurious hydration with exotic butters of shea, mango, jojoba, and avocado, $55; pureology.com.

  • Antioxidants, a buzzword in skincare, nutrition, and health products, refer to the action of a specific ingredient to reduce free-radical damage (including collagen breakdown) caused by oxygen-containing substances including carbon monoxide, UV rays, pollution, and even common stress. The effects of free-radical damage include aging signs like wrinkles, dullness, sagging skin, and sunspots. Heavy-hitters loaded with antioxidants include Clinique All About Eyes Rich ($27.50, Clinique Counters and clinique.com) and Thibiant Beverly Hills New Radiance Optimum Synergy Cream ($350), which also adds Vitamins A, B, C, E, and Provitamin B5 to increase cell regeneration and renew the vibrance of dull, fatigued skin, and Thibiant Beverly Hills Cell Excel Optimizing Serum ($80, both at thibiantspa.com) a potent grape seed extract antioxidant-charged elixir which blurs fine lines, firms, and improves elasticity. Mrs. Aida Thibiant, skincare guru and owner of the eponymous Thibiant Beverly Hills Day Spa, suggests ampin up your antioxidant routine with a rejuvenating facial such as the Thibiant Beverly Hills New Radiance Facial (310.278.7565 for appointments) one to two days before the wedding to give skin a radiant glow without any redness.

  • Hydroxy Acids, known for noticeable results in exfoliation, improving the appearance of wrinkles, and attacking the effects of photoaging, have enjoyed a cult-like following in recent years. Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA’s) are derived from fruit and milk sugars. One of the most effective, Glycolic Acid, is produced from sugar cane, and is shown to lessen lines, fade sun spots and acne scars, and increase moisture retention. Find it in the Estee Lauder Perfectionist Peel ($85 for 30 pads)

  • Vitamins may not sound cutting-edge, but they are being engineered to target specific skin woes with remarkable results. Among the most noteworthy products are by the Somme Institute, which uses ultraviolet photography to study sun damage and aging. Somme bases its line on MDT5, or Molecular Dispersion Technology 5, a revolutionary breakthrough in the science of skincare. It is a non-prescription blend of five highly engineered vitamin compounds (A, B3, B5, C, D, and E) that penetrate deep within the skin’s inner layers and work synergistically for amazing results. The Somme regimen ($34 to $75) is based on twice-daily use of five simple products that have been clinically proven to treat moderate to severe acne, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, reverse sun damage and fade spots, accelerate cell renewal, treat rosacea, and improve tone, texture, and clarity. The line is used by The Spa at Rancho Valencia in the Ultimate Facial and the Vitamin Infusion Facial Treatment and sold in the Spa Botique for continued home use. Mechelle Hill, Spa Director at Rancho Valencia Resort, is a loyal fan herself after seeing first-hand how the line completely transformed her skin in less than six weeks. For more information or to order products, please visit RanchoValencia.com or call 800.548.3664.

  • Natura Bissé Glycoline, which is centered on weekly, at-home, intensive Glyco-Peels, ($130 - $170) complemented by Glyco Face Hydro-Exfoliating Cream ($77) and Glyco Eye Hidro-Exfoliating Eye Cream ($69, all at Neiman Marcus and naturabisse.com).

  • Salicylic Acid, which is the only Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA), is unlike the water soluble AHA’s in that it is oil soluble and can penetrate sebum-clogged pores, exfoliate the cells within them, and clear whiteheads and blackheads, making it especially beneficial for treating oily skins and acne. Give your skin a seasonal overhaul with Ava MD Radical Departure Kit ($125, avamd.com and select Barneys), a dermatologist-designed professional-caliber system using AHA’s, BHA and Retinol (Vitamin A) to achieve smooth, clear, glowing skin when used for two weeks every few months.

  • A popular antioxidant is CoEnzyme Q10, found in Dr. Ci: Labo Perfect Ageless Cream ($135, beautyhabit.com), which counters the effects of fatigue, low metabolism, and sun exposure, resulting in seriously luminous, lifted skin.

  • Kinerase Dietary Supplement for Beautiful Skin & Wellness ($135, kinerase.com and Sephora), a blend of minerals, nutrients, and herbs designed to promote anti-aging, anti-inflammation, detoxification, and overall skin health.