Get that Airbrushed look...

There is nothing nicer than looking back on your photos and seeing that picture perfect flawless complexion!!


When doing wedding make up I often ask if the client would like to try airbrushed make up - the benefits of this type of make up are:

• Airbrush makeup provides flawless coverage by minimizing skin imperfections while giving skin a beautifully natural finished looking result. Airbrush makeup is water resistant and will last for up to twelve hours or more.
• all skin imperfections including tattoos, scars, vitiligo, stretch marks, post-op surgery patients can be concealed.

Maybe its something you should consider and ask of your makeup artist at your trial... or come in to our beautiful beauty spa and let the girls show you the difference!

Some Bride and Mother of the Bride Airbrush Before and Afters :)

Acne - some truths....

I was just reading over some great facial treatment advice and came across a great article that really got me thinking "do we really treat acne skin that well?'

People who suffer from acne not only have to live with the pain that it causes physically but also the pain it causes mentally. I really make a conscious effort to always read up on the latest treatments and educate myself in order to give my clients the best possible help I can.

The article I was reading by Paul Fister & Sue Dann - The Acne Myth stated that there are four factors that are 'at cause' for acne skin.
1. High levels of sebum production - hormonal levels play a major role in the increasing output of sebum.
2. A disturbance in the desquamation process of corneocytes (shedding of the outer layer of skin). Where clumps of skin can combine with sebum to cause blockages in the pores or hair follicles.
3. An increase in acne causing bacteria
4. Acne bacteria that leads to inflammation of the sebaceous gland, due to the wall of the follicle being breached.

This all being said most of my clients seem to feel that cleansing the skin and getting that 'really squeaky clean' feeling is the right thing to do.... This might be where we are going wrong!

Our skins natural Ph level is around 5.5 being more alkaline. While it is good to clean the skin, making it free from dirt and excess oil, its not so great to give it that super dooper clean feel. This could ultimately be doing more damage than you think.

A good routine is to gently cleanse the skin, removing excess oil without affecting the skins acid mantle. Then if extractions are performed it should be with clean sterile equipment and the skin should be cleared of unwanted bacteria before a drawing mask is applied. The mask helps to draw out any impurities from the skin and assist with unblocking of the follicle. It is important to note here that while a mask may be great, if it leaves the skin dehydrated then it is causing another set of problems - the skin needs to be hydrated in order to perform its natural shedding cycle (remembering that if the skin does not shed, it can cause blockages in the follicle).

The skin should always be finished with some form of suitable hydration. If we aide in the skins natural processes then the skin itself will be able to fight the acne with our assistance. Although beauty treatments can be expensive to some, the benefits of talking to an educated skin professional far outweigh the cost. Being educated about your own skin is the first step to understanding and then treating the concerns you have :)

For more information please feel free to email kcdkbeautycouture@hotmail.com

The Wedding List

So many of my clients ask me how I was so calm on my wedding day. I guess good planning comes into it, knowing that you have everything ready and leaving the rest up to fate!

I have rustled through my wedding box (yes I had a wedding box so I wouldnt loose even the tiniest bit of paper!) to find my wedding planner list. 

I have posted it here in the hopes that you can print it and use it yourself to make the best day of your life just a little bit easier!


As soon as you get engaged:

• Announce your engagement to your family and friends
• Get your self a folder or box and start putting every bit of paper you have in relation to your wedding in it - starting from the cutout of your engagement ad to pictures and receipts! Trust me it will save you loads of time and stress!
• Place an engagement announcement in the newspaper
• If you are having an engagement party book it and send out invitations
• Set wedding date, you may need a couple of dates in case the venues you chose are booked out. - make sure you notify all overseas guest asap so they can arrange travel.
• Determine wedding ceremony and reception style, casual or formal, reception centre, marquee, garden, beach or any other ideas.
• Determine the number of guests that you may be looking at - remember this may have an influence over your venue - remember its quality not quantity!
• Set your wedding budget, now is the time to decide who will be contributing and how much - I have written another post on the traditional contribution guides that may help in this area.
• Start thinking about your wedding dress, look at different styles and cut out pictures or ideas from magazines so that you have a real life idea of what you would like.
• Look for a suitable ceremony location and make tentative booking
• Look for a suitable reception location and make tentative booking
• Chose a marriage celebrant or check if your priest is available for your date.
• Confirm your ceremony location and pay a deposit
• Chose a caterer and book them
• Choose and order your wedding dress or at least start paying it off
• Chose and book a photographer - my pick here is Ashford Studio
• Choose and pick your videographer - my pick here is Action Productions  

9 - 11 Months Before Wedding Date:

• Begin your guest list, ask parents for a list and do your own wish list, this can be finalised closer to the date.
• Select your bridal party and ask them if they would do you the honor 
• Meet with your priest/wedding celebrant to discuss the ceremony, fill in all forms and discuss religious requirements.
• Select the colour scheme for the wedding, you will need to think about the colours for your chosen ceremony and reception location and the attire for your bridal party.
• Select your reception entertainment or DJ and start listening to demos
• If you are planning an outdoor ceremony decide if you would like a wet weather option (chapel or marquee) book this in.
• If you are planning an outdoor reception book the marquee and all other party hire such as tables, chairs, floor etc

6 - 8 Months Before Wedding Date:

• Book reception entertainment
• Choose and book ceremony entertainment if required
• Chose and order bridesmaids attire - make sure you include everyone in this
• Chose and order junior attire such as page boy flower girl - make sure you allow for any growth spurts they may have!
• Chose formal wear for groom and groomsmen, organise fitting and book to hire.
• Meet and book florist, decide which flowers you will require and what style you would like - again photos are a great thing to show exactly what you have envisioned
• Chose a gift registry. Try and look for a store with a large range. If you would rather money towards something in particular, arrange a wishing well that guest can put their money gift in.
• Choose your wedding cake and order it.
• Place on hold some hotel rooms near by for your out of town guests
• Inform all out of town and overseas guests of the wedding date as they will need to make travel arrangements.
• Decide on wedding invitation wording and design, dont forget to involve both sets of parents.
• Plan honeymoon or wedding trip
• Organise passports, VISA's, birth certificates for your trip.

4 - 5 Months Before Wedding Date:

• Finalise guest list
• Finalise caterer and reception details
• Reserve bridal suite for wedding night
• Finalise wording for all stationary and order it
• Order wedding rings
• Finalise ceremony arrangements with priest/celebrant including marriage licence
• Select gifts for each other 
• Select gifts for bridal party
• Choose a hairdresser and make up artist - or have the Hypnotic Creative Team take care of all your hair and make up needs on the day - call 0450 LASHES or visit www.hypnoticlashes.com
•  You will need to consider trials for both hair and make up so book them now
• Hire wedding vehicles for the bridal party, you will need to decide what sort of transport you need and where the two parties are getting ready.

2 - 3 Months Before Wedding Date:

• Chose and purchase bridal accessories, veil, headpiece, jewellery, lingerie and shoes.
• Chose and buy grooms accessories, shoes, cufflinks etc
• Any new beauty routine should be started now. If you want to experiment with hair colours or styles now is the time - Make sure you check out our beauty Must Do's post to get you ready for the big day.
• If you plan a diet and exercise routine start it now.
• Pick up your invitations and start addressing them.
• Confirm fittings and delivery date of your dress.
• Confirm with all bridesmaids that they have organised their dresses and shoes - its a good idea to have them try them on a week before the wedding in case they need altering.
• Decide on bombonieres and order them.
• Ask special guests to do readings or take part in the ceremony in any way that you would like
• Chose an MC, this can be a guest or a professional one
• Select ceremony and reception music - you will need to music for such things as walking down the isle, signing the register, the first dance, cutting the cake, and any other specific moment you have.
• Talk to the maid of honor and best man about the hens/bucks nights and any kitchen tea you have chosen to have. They will need lists of names and addresses you wish to invite.
• Mail wedding invites out 6-8 weeks before the wedding
• Have your hair and make up trial - call 0450 LASHES
•  Purchase anything required for the honeymoon.

6-8 Weeks Before Wedding Date:

• Decide on vows and readings for the ceremony
• Write your ceremony program
• Add more gifts to registry if required
• Have your final gown fitting and confirm when dress is to be picked up
• Order drinks and alcohol if not included in catering package
• Work out wedding day times before you confirm booking such as make up, hair, cars etc
• Confirm your honeymoon reservations
• Book in to have nails and toes done 1-2 days before the wedding - you might want to take your bridesmaids with you as well.
• Whiten teeth

3 - 4 Weeks Before Wedding Date:

• Organise your rehearsal and rehersal dinner
• Contact everyone in the bridal party and ensure they know what is expected of them leading up to and on the day - you might even want to give them a print out of our Bridal Party To Do List!
• Make sure all bridal parties shoes and attire are ready 
• Make sure you are following your beauty and fitness routine
• Have a meeting with your priest/celebrant to finalise ceremony structure and let them know about your vows.
• Pick up wedding rings and make sure they fit
• Pick up wedding dress and store it carefully
• For specific traditions make sure you have what you are using for something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Make sure you have a garter
• Call all guest who havnt rsvp to confirm final numbers
• Confirm all reception details including menus and numbers
• Arrange seating for reception and make sure the venue and caterer has this asap
• Name your place cards and deliver them to the reception centre
• Check that you have luggage ready for your trip

1 Week Before Wedding Date:

• Have rehearsal and rehearsal dinner and confirm your ceremony details and time with priest/celebrant.
• Confirm your ceremony location booking, including time.
• Confirm flowers ordered and delivery location and time with florist
• Confirm cake order and delivery location and time with baker.
• Confirm photographer time and location
• Confirm videographer time and location
• Confirm ceremony  and reception entertainment and music
•  Confirm any party hire such as marquee, tables, chairs etc
• Confirm any decorations or specialty items that have been booked
• Confirm Bombonieres number and delivery details
• Confirm transport to ceremony, to photo locations, to reception location and leaving the reception including times.
• Confirm hairdresser and make up on 0450 LASHES
• Confirm nail treatments
• Confirm formal wear
• Confirm MC
• Confirm wedding night accommodation
• Confirm with guests who are doing readings
• Confirm honeymoon arrangements
• Pack for wedding night
• Pack for honeymoon
• Arrange refreshments for bridal party while dressing
• Check that you have all accessories that you need - shoes, jewellery, veil, lingerie, extra pair of stockings all your extras like something borrowed, something new, something used and something blue.
• Have your hens and bucks nights
• Groom should have a hair cut if required
• Prepare your speech
• Plan the night before the wedding - who will stay where
• Leave a copy of your honeymoon itinerary with someone
• Organise cash for anything that will need to be paid for on the day

1 Day Before the Wedding Date:

• Pack car for honeymoon
• Organise someone to transport wedding accessories
• Organise someone to return any hires
• Pick up tux 
• Review schedule with wedding party
• Gather together everything you need to get ready on the wedding day - see our list of wedding day necessities 
• Drop off anything required at the reception venue
• Check all formal wear items have arrived and are the right size.

AND MOST OF ALL REMEMBER ITS YOUR DAY, MAKE IT THE WAY YOU WANT TO REMEMBER IT!