Weddings are definitely not all just glitz and glamour. Behind every gorgeous wedding hair and every flawlessly executed bridal makeup, with every beautiful bride is a great deal of preparation. From the bride herself to her wedding hair stylist and her bridal makeup artists’ team. It requires thorough and careful planning.

If you are a bride-to-be, you are going to need all the help you can get from your bridal hair stylist and your wedding makeup artist to achieve the bridal look you’ve always dreamed of. Make sure you are well-informed not just on the beauty side of it but, in every aspect of your wedding day. To avoid any type of headache on your wedding day make sure all the financial, scheduling and advance organization are clear and in place.

Here are twelve questions that you should ask your bridal hair and makeup team before your wedding day.
Take this advice from an expert!

1. Will you provide the hair and/or makeup schedule for my wedding day?
It is definitely a must for you to know the availability and schedule of your hair and makeup team on the day of your wedding. A well-elaborated hair and makeup schedule will give you the peace of mind that everyone will be ready on time. Avoid the stress and make sure everything is right on schedule.

2. I do have allergies to some cosmetics, how are you going to work with that?
This is one of the reasons why having a bridal hair and makeup trial is a must. Your hair and makeup artist must do allergy tests during your hair and makeup trial. Such tests must be done before any complete makeup application to avoid any catastrophic consequences on your wedding day.

3. Can you provide service to my getting ready-location?
It is important for you to ask this question since some hair stylists who work in hair salons may not be able to their working place especially in weekends when they are busier with more clients.

4. Would you charge extra for driving to location?
Some locations could be far away from your stylist. An extra fee may be charged due to long driving distance and more time spent for time. Be sure to ask this so you can manage your finances or budget better.

5. If I want to shorten the “getting ready time”, could you bring extra stylists/artists? Is there going to be an extra charge? How much would that be?
One makeup artist/hair stylist no matter how good he or she is cannot handle a big number of parties. You don’t want people to feel uncomfortable and inconvenient for having to wait long for hair and makeup getting ready sessions. Ask for a specific price and try to check for packages so you can save some money. The usual getting ready time would be 2.5 to 5 hours, with anything longer than that you should consider asking your stylist to bring extra help.

6. Do you offer written contracts?
Why should you ask for a written contract? It is extremely important to do so since written agreements of charges and services that will be provided will make sure you won’t get last minute surprises. It well set things clear in writing and will guarantee expectations will be met.

7. Do you have bridal work portfolio?
It is important to ask for the makeup artist/stylist portfolio for you to see samples of their work. This will also give you an idea of their style and quality of work.

8. Would you provide touch up kit on my wedding day?
You will definitely need to have some touch ups before and after pictures during the ceremony and up to the reception. This will make sure you still look fresh and shine free all throughout the event. Touch ups also make your hair and makeup stay longer. Better be sure to ask your bridal hair and makeup artist if this will be provided.

9. I will need you to stay longer for hair and makeup changes and touch ups, would there be an extra charge?
You may want the artist to stay for hair and makeup retouches or make changes for photos, ceremony and reception. Make sure to know how much it will cost for these extra services.

10. Do you have cancellation fees?
If for any undesirable reason you need to cancel, you will want to know in advance the financial cost this may represent.

11. I have very specific likes and dislikes, how can we make sure I’m happy with the end results?
It is important for you to have confidence right from the beginning that you will have the look you always dreamed of on the most important day of your life – your wedding day. Your makeup artist must be able to communicate to you how s/he can make that happen.

12. Are there going to be any extra charges that I should know about?
Make sure to know what other extra charges are there for there can be many such as driving to location, vehicle parking, assistants, air-brush makeup, false lashes, hair extensions, tattoo coverings and hourly rate for waiting time.

Being well-informed is an advantage!

Aside from saving you from any unnecessary stress and unexpected surprises and charges, it also guarantees getting the perfect bridal hair and wedding makeup look on your big and beautiful day. So feel free to ask your preferred expert/artist/stylist on wedding hair and makeup in Washington, DC. Baltimore, MD and Northern Virginia area.

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From Gabbana to CHANEL and from Van Furstenberg to Dior, runway shows and fashion shoots have come to showcase the latest trends in fashion and beauty this Spring-Summer season!

Here are some of the best hair and makeup style trends that made the biggest impact and would be the ones to have for this Spring-Summer 2015.

As a rule of thumb, keep it light, natural and carefree.

In this season less is more!

THE BEST HAIRSTYLES FOR THE 2015 SEASSON

Boho Waves
This simple girl-next-door hairdo is once again in trend this spring summer of 2015 with its effortless but chic tousled with soft curls hair that look effortlessly perfect.

Bombshell Blowout
This sultry hairdo with sleek, stylish, and big curls almost never goes out of style. A look preferred by celebrities and a hairstyle that men love in their women.

Out-of-the-Water
Wet and creative just came out-of-the-water hair look is sported by models on the runways this season. Brushed all the way up or parted in the middle; gelled or splashed with water, the hair is achieved by exhibiting a slick and shiny look.

Big Buns
Long hair all pulled back into a big bun for a neat, polished, and classic look.

Long Ponytail
This is probably one of the most hassle free ways to do your hair. Yes, done in a matter of 3 seconds! Lazy but trendy this spring.

Braid and Twists and Mixed Materials
From a simple braid to an expertly made complicated twist of braided hair integrated into different hairstyles, braids and twists are definitely IN this season!
Any hairstyle adorned with any type of accessories or even flowers caught the eyes of the fashion getters this season from flowers, gems, barrettes and clips. Anything goes.

THE BEST MAKEUP LOOKS FOR THE 2015 SEASSON

When it comes to Makeup, these looks are IN!

FOR THE EYES
Eyes well outlined by black liquid eyeliner – ranging from a well defined simple and clean to a slightly flicked eye liner application.
Instead of the usual eye makeup, satin stickers, strips of leather, and even bright colored lipsticks were used to emphasize the eyes for a pop art eye makeup look. Baby blue to highlight the eyes never looked so better before this season.

FOR THE LIPS

Any bright well applied lip color for flaming high impact lips works this season. Shades of brown or a shade of purple for eye makeup for the not-so-daring girls is definitely IN!

FOR THE SKIN

Bronzed and sun-kissed skin gave the after effect feel of a well spent island vacation. One of my favorite bronzers is Nars Bronzing Illuminator in Laguna.

AND LASTLY BUT NOT LEAST, THE MAKEUP “NO MAKE” UP LOOK.

Hair and makeup trends come and go, but there’s nothing more beautiful than natural glowing skin!

Yes you could play with a bright lip color and even a dramatic smoky eye latter on the day but make sure you balance your makeup look with a natural beautiful skin.

With the use of pinky nude make up and lipstick, the trendy no makeup look is achieved. Also cream color cosmetic are wonderful to achieve this supernatural glowing makeup look.

The post Hair and Makeup Trends for Spring-Summer 2015 appeared first on Audrey Bethards..

For the last 14 years I had the pleasure of being a part of the Nordstrom Fashion Creative Team.

From our Opening Galas to the Designer’s Fashion Previews and well renowned Designer’s Trunk Shows to our wonderful Nordstrom Beauty Trend Shows, it is always my pleasure to work and being a part of such an amazing fashion leading firm.

All these events have been the perfect platform to showcase some of my Fashion Hair work, and for this fall/winter 2014/2015 season we have some wonderful hair trend styles!

In these Nordstrom Beauty Trend Shows, leading cosmetic lines showcase the latest makeup, cosmetics and beauty trends for the Fall/Winter 2014/2015 season.

We get the pleasure to showcase some of our Fashion Runway Hair Work for these wonderful beauty events.

Modern Braided Hair is a very elegant trend for this 2014/2015 fall/winter season. The best thing about this look is that you can wear it perfectly well with a jean jacket or with a evening gown!

Not much product needed, just light hairspray, small hair rubber bands, bobby pins and finishing shine. Symmetry and texture are the key ingredients for these fantastic hair looks. To achieve beautiful texture on braids make sure you lightly (widen) pull apart your braids, this will hence the look! Nothing to polished or symmetric, just a naturally organic elegant look.

Great to dress up or down. Fantastic for brides to be in any indoors or outdoors wedding and any bridal or special events.

Need help looking your best in any bridal, wedding, gala or special event?

Contact me, it would be my pleasure to work with you!

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Time to say goodbye to the hottest season of the year, for this crisp and cool autumn season we warmly welcome the hottest hairstyles for weddings straight from the runway. Who wouldn’t fall in love with these simple yet stunning fall hair styles?

Get inspired with a variety of ballerina buns to different ways to twist and braid your hair. Here are my favorite runway hairstyles that would definitely make a gorgeous bridal hairstyles for weddings in Washington, DC.

Braids and Twists.

Braids in a Bun by Dolce & Gabbana

For romantic and dramatic dos, get inspirations from the catwalk of fall 2014. Braids and twists are making a wave this autumn 2014. There are varieties to choose from. For a less formal do, you can go half-up and half-down. For a formal and sophisticated bridal do, go for tucked and twisted pieces up do to create fabulous layered effect on your wedding day.

Sleek Ballerina Bun from Prada – Off Duty Ballerina Bun

Ballerina buns also referred to as top knots are gracing the catwalk this fall. This hair trend definitely works as a trendy and chic up do for brides who want a classic yet stylish bridal hairstyles for weddings look . It is a perfect option for brides who want to keep their hair off their neck and shoulders to accentuate their beautiful faces or to highlight the back detailing of their wedding dress. Ballerina buns come in different shapes and sizes. Here are our top picks from the runway:

This clean and sleek ballerina bun at the nape of the neck spells elegance – perfect for sophisticated classic-themed weddings.

Unkempt High Top Knot Off-Duty Ballerina Bun by Diane Von Furstenberg and Back Braided Bridal Chignon from Roberto Cavalli. 

Do not feel like wearing a conventional ballerina bun on your big day? This effortlessly sexy undone ballerina bun/top knot is ideal for brides who want to have a rustic-themed wedding.

Add more drama to your bridal hairstyles for weddings by adding braids to an ordinary bun. Wisps of hair and slightly undone look give more texture to your hairstyles for weddings. This up do looks great with a veil.

Loose Braids by Emilio Pucci

For a rustic-themed wedding and carefree bridal do, recreate this look on your wedding day. It’s sexy and laidback at the same time.

Something very edgy but super elegant and sexy at the same time is this intricate braided hair style by Nicole Miller. As well as this “High Top Chignon: by Carolina Herrera in the Fall of 2014.

Now, if what you look for is something very modern, simple and elegant?

Sophisticated carefree waves are a simple and elegant way to go. Amazing hairstyles for weddings look for a Fall wedding in 2014.

We saw this wonderful look in Rochas Fall 2014.

To make sure you get the best hairstyles for weddings in Washington, DC, contact yours truly. It’s always a pleasure to hear a word from bride-to-be’s. Having a perfect bridal hair is not just recreating a runway look but it also takes the skillful hands of a professional hair stylist. It would be my pleasure and honor to be a part of your wedding day!

All Images credited to, Harpers Bazaar.

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Many brides are scared away from summertime weddings due to the hot and humid weather. As a professional wedding hair and makeup artists, I’m here to tell you that we don’t need to fear the elements when it comes to bridal beauty. While we cannot make the heat and humidity go away, we can use it to our advantage when it comes to a perfect bridal look.

The following tips will help you brainstorm exactly what wedding hair and makeup styles you may want for a summertime wedding. Whether you are having a destination wedding or a summer wedding at home, these tips will help control the quality of your wedding hair and makeup during the long, hot summer days.

1. Embrace the Frizzy Style

I know with this one you may think I’m going crazy, but just give me a second to explain. No one likes overly frizzy hairstyles, but there is a way to control frizziness. First off, you need to choose a wedding hairstyle that looks good with a little bit of frizz. Anything too formal will not look good with a little frizz, but looser bridal hairstyles look great with frizz. Some bridal hairstyles I would even argue look better with frizz. By working with a bridal hairstylist like myself, you can figure out exactly what hairstyle will work with your taste and the heat and humidity!

Photo by, tulleandchantilly.com

 2. Keep Your Hair Off the Face and Skin

When the weather is hot and humid, the last thing you want is a bunch of hair on your face and skin. Not only is this uncomfortable, but the sweat off your skin can cause your hair to get wet. Wet, sweaty hair is something we want to avoid in our wedding day if at all possible. Also, when you try to brush your hair away from your face, you can smear and smudge your bridal makeup if you are not careful. For these reasons I highly recommend selecting an bridal up-do or a braid, so that your hair is out the way.

3. Light Makeup

Face powders, dark makeup and caked-on makeup are just not going to work in the hot and humid weather. That is good, because heavy bridal makeup isn’t what you want for an ideal wedding look anyways. What you do want is a more natural, cream-colored makeup. Lighter colors and cream will be your best friend for a summertime ceremony, because it won’t get all icky, runny or melty in the heat. This more natural bridal look will allow your natural beauty to shine through by highlighting your unique, gorgeous face.

4. Waterproof Makeup

The other aspect of makeup to really take advantage of is waterproof makeup. I really recommend the cosmetic line “AQUA” from Makeup For Ever. It is with out a doubt my first pick for waterproof makeup. The great thing about this cosmetic line is it guarantees that water, tears or sweat will not cause the makeup to smudge! Even on the hottest days of summer, you will still have an all natural look sans smudges, smears or any other unsightly marks.

5. Flower Braids

A really hot trend right now in summertime wedding hair is flowery braids. These loose and care-free braids offer a natural look with a fun twist. There are lots of different ways to configure a braid that will look formal enough for a wedding, but whimsical enough to withstand the heat and humidity. Hopefully, some of the sample pictures in my blog will give you an idea of some of the options available for this bridal hairstyle.

Photo by, tulleandchantilly.com 

Photo by, tulleandchantilly.com                                                      Photo by, fashionfemale.net

6. Overall Care-Free Natural Look

Generally, the best bet for summertime weddings is to keep things simple, fun and natural to ensure that humidity, tears and the heat don’t mess up the style of the bride or anyone else in attendance of the wedding. The great thing about care-free looks is that even if it gets a bit messy, it will look like you paid a stylist to cause any frizziness, loose strands, etc. Also, when you have a care-free look you can worry less about what you look like and just let things naturally happen with out falling appart. This will give you the ability to spend more time enjoying your very special wedding day!

Don’t Forget is all About the Summertime Love!

Ultimately, beauty is only on the surface, and yes everyone looks at that. But part of really enjoying a bridal look is feeling really happy and confident about the wedding day. On the day of a wedding there are so many things to be happy about that in the end it won’t matter what season it was! What really will matter are the memories you make and the love you share for the rest of your life. Let me do your hair and makeup for weddings in DC, so that I can join in on the fun!

The post Pro Summertime Wedding Hair and Makeup Tips appeared first on Audrey Bethards..

Hello everyone,

I have been busily preparing for the spring 2014 Fashion Beauty Trend Shows at Nordstrom in the DC, MD and VA areas! I’m really excited to work with models to showcase the latest beauty trends for women in my area who love fashion and beauty as much as I do! Shows like this are one of the many reasons that I love being a part of the fashion beauty industry!

If you love fashion, hair and makeup, these shows are a wonderful chance to attend a fashion show in your local area. And yes! They do take part nationwide.  So grab your girlfriends, sisters, daughters or whoever you know who loves fashion and beauty as much as you do to come see the Beauty Trend shows at a Nordstrom’s near you! As a bonus, these shows are a wonderful excuse to come shop- not that you needed one!

At the Nordstrom Beauty Trend shows, I’m personally working to showcase the latest fashion trends in hair and makeup. Working with twelve different models, twelve different cosmetic lines including Chanel, MAC, Trisha McEvoy, Nars, Bobbi Brown and Yves Saint Lauren will showcase their different cosmetics makeup trends. It is fun work with all these different cosmetics lines! It also gives me a chance to review all the latest products, so I can choose which products I like best to use on my clients. I like using only the best products on my clients, so events like this keep the quality of my beauty tool kit up-to-date.

Events like gives me the ability to showcase the latest fashion trends of the season. Being a hair and makeup artists is not just about applying makeup and styling hair, but one must also keep up with the latest fashions. For this particular fashion show, I looked for inspiration from one of the biggest trend setting events in the world- the Oscars!

We all love watching the glamorous and elegant celebrities walk the red carpets. To me the beauty and fashion of the celebrities is the most interesting part of the show where I do invaluable research for my profession. This year the hairstyles of the celebrities especially inspired me; the hairstyles included waves, side-swept hair, soft curls and informal, girly styles that I just absolutely love. After watching the Oscars I decided I wanted to adapt this style to make it my own to showcase on models at the Fashion Beauty Trend Shows at Nordstrom’s!

Of course, being a creative artist, not a copy-cat, I wanted to add my own twist to the girlie and curly style trends of spring 2014. To make the hairstyle more dramatic and fun, I decided to feature some Wild Faux Hawks and wavy tailored pony tails on some of my models. The Faux Hawk adds a dramatic contrast to the wavy, side-swept style!

I just love spring, so these wonderful hair styles would be a wonderful way to celebrate this beautiful spring weather we are finally having in the Washington D.C. area. What is even more important to me though is that I thought it was a style you, the audience at Nordstrom’s, could adapt to your own everyday style!

For some of you, this may be more than you ever needed to know about my preparations for a beauty show, but for others out there I know you may secretly be reading this wishing to expand or start your career as a hair stylist and/or makeup artist.

Just as a friendly reminder, I do offer continuing education that can help beauty and makeup artist start and expand their careers, so that you could get a chance to do an event like this one. If working with models and the latest fashion trends sounds like something you’d love to do, make sure to check out my Hair Stylists and Makeup Artists Training in Washington, DC. I can help you make your dreams come true to expand your career as long as you are willing to put in the effort!

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Anyone who is a hair fanatic knows that the “Ferrari” of hairbrushes is the much desirable BN1 Popular by Mason Pearson, right?

Sadly, most of us also know that this coveted ‘diva hair brush’ comes with a high price tag of $205.00 at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

Personally, I have owned a “Mason Pearson” brush since I can remember. I got my first “Mason Brush” about 16 years ago and lost it in an airplane. My second brush, which I use almost every day, has been with me for about 11 years and counting! Still looks wonderful and I use it almost every day.

Recently, I bumped into a very similar hairbrush under the name of ‘Beautique’ at our very own Sally’s Beauty Supply. Of course, it was not a “Mason Pearson”, though I could have sworn it was the same brush, under a different brand name and a much different price tag. Bough it, bought it home and after doing a close comparison between the two, this is what I found:

Similarities:

Both brushes have almost the same size, shape, proportions, and color palette.

They weigh almost the same, and have very similar type of bristles. For all these reasons the “feel” on your hand it’s very similar.

Differences:

The “Beautique” brush bristles and rubber cushion are a little stiffer, not as soft and flexible as on the “Mason Pearson.”

On the “Beautique” brush there is no drainage escape orifice, contrary to the BN1. This lack of drainage could result in humidity buildup within the brush upon cleaning, creating the risk of bacteria buildup inside it.

The “Beautique” brush does not come with the rectangular cleaning brush that accompanies the “Mason Pearson”.

Finally, the big difference is in the cost, with the “Beautique” brush featuring a smashing price tag of $9.99 USD!

Conclusion:

Needless to say, I love my “Mason Pearson” but, the “Beautique” brush could be a wonderful “second option” as long as we keep close attention with the bacteria buildup and this (if any) it’s handled properly. And of course… If you have a tougher scalp!

Now we just need to see if this our “second option” it will last 11+ years grooming our beautiful manes and looking as great as my Diva “Mason Pearson” hair brush still does!

Oops… I almost forgot!

Don’t forget the little ‘Mini-Me’ Pearson available at Sephora. Yes, once again, it is not a Mason Pearson but it is cute!

The post Is this a Mason Pearson Twin? appeared first on Audrey Bethards..

One final view!

It does not matter if you are a Hair Stylist or Makeup Artist, this technique will apply to all stylists and artists working in the beauty industry. Great technique for Runway Shows, Photo Shots, Special events and Galas.

There is nothing better than standing about 7 to 10 feet away from your work and taking a look at it from every angle not only straight on. This will ensure your work will look great to everyone and from every angle.

Take this time for one very important final view and assessment. Analyze your work’s balance, harmony, dimension and over all your creative energy . This will help you see things from a different perspective, from the spectators’ perspective not from the hair stylist’s or makeup artist’s perspective.

This will give you an opportunity to really asses and appreciate your hairstylist and/or makeup artist work, deliver some final touches,  and improve the very final results.

Many hair stylists and makeup artists fail to do this, and it shows on the results of their work, giving a chance to say to themselves,

“OMG! I never noticed that!”, “If I only…”, “Well… next time”.

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Many women would leave makeup applications and skin care out of their daily routine, but could never pass up a good quality hair product.

With an annual worldwide hair care sales of 54 billion dollars and 7 billion in the US alone, it’s a fact!

And the reasons are many, our hair is dry or oily, damaged and dull, lifeless and heavy so we keep on buying and buying all types of hair products without achieving our much desired results.

“Problem”

Our hair works like a ‘sponge’ and good products are unable to penetrate into the hair shaft due to built-up residues from previous used products. Believe it or not, regular shampoos are not formulated to strip hair of this gunky buildup residues. In fact, most regular shampoos will try to deliver more product into the hair!

“Solution”

We would need to have a fresh start.

We would need to strip, clean and detox our hair from all of these built-up residues.
Yes, it is time for a “Hair Detox”!

My Professional “Audrey’s advice”

There are many cleansing/stripping shampoos that will do the trick.

But there is a Non-Drying Deep Cleanser Clarifying Hair Shampoo which I really, really love!

It is called “L’anza KB2 Daily Clarifying Shampoo”.

It is powerful but yet delicate with your hair, leaving it perfectly clean and free of product build-up. Used properly, it will do miracles to oily hair and wonders to dull, lifeless and heavy hair, allowing it to breathe and fully absorb much needed nurturing hair products.

“Do you color?”

If you color your hair you would need to use this Clarifying Shampoo before you color.

“Warning”

The proper use of this shampoo may lead to love your hair more than usual.

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“Welcome to our Grand Opening”

So finally we are here and this would be my very first blog post of many to come.
After so much research, work and headache the day to reveal my new website is here and I can not believe it is actually finish!
About 15 years ago I built and designed my first hair stylist and makeup artist website. Back in 1998 it was an accomplishment and back then, it was a “state of the art” in design and efficiency. But over the past few years my site needed not only a “Face Lift”, but a “Tummy Tuck”, “Liposuction” and a very serious “Chemical Peel”! Technologically speaking, I needed a more powerful platform, faster server and a total redesign. Basically, I needed an entire new website.
So I put all my hair brushes and makeup stuff on the side, worked hard on this website jumped on the HTML and CSS files and here it is.

I can not believe I have finally finished it and to only think that I made it myself!
Welcome to the “Grand Opening” of my new mymakeupbook.com !

I hope you enjoy it,

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