Joel Warren and Laura Geller
What styles are brides going for these days?
LG: Exaggerated eyeliner on top that comes up and wings out from the corner of your eyes.
JW: For short hair, a twenties Chanel bob with cascading curls, or a Twiggy-inspired haircut. For long hair, we’re doing soft waves, a French twist, or a chignon braided on top. At the hair trial, make sure you experiment with all-up, half-up, and all-down styles.
LG: Go on as many trials as you need until you say, “Bingo! You got me!”
How can one disguise physical flaws?
JW: There’s beauty in exposing a large forehead, but side-swept bangs can soften the area. For a square jaw, keep the hair down and soft around the face.
LG: With makeup, the forehead and jaw are things you can’t really cheat. But if you have a prominent nose, work with a contour color; use a shade of light brown along the sides of your nose to make it look thinner, and apply a lighter color on the bridge. If your eyes are small and close together, lighten the inside corners—where the bridge of the nose sort of casts a shadow—as much as you can to make the eye look wider.
Any good problem-hair-and-skin remedies?
LG: See a dermatologist. Ellen C. Gendler is great—I know her number by heart. Dr. Adrienne Denese and Dr. Amy B. Lewis are good cosmetic dermatologists, too. Gloss Day Spa is a small facial salon that does beautiful work.
JW: Six months before the wedding, the hair must be conditioned, cut, and colored every six weeks. Take a multivitamin with folic acid and vitamin B, which are good for stronger, healthier hair. Luckily for brides, stress does not have any effect on the hair. If it did, everybody in New York City would be bald.
What is no longer considered au courant?
LG: There was a time when everyone wanted that dewy look that was all over the red carpet. I can still do that, but I’ll warn you: You’ll look like a blob of shine in pictures. I also think that bold, red lips are passé; now it’s about the smoky eye.
How do you make sure the bride’s hair and makeup doesn’t fall apart by the end of the night?
LG: I use long-wearing products, like Spackle. It’s an oil-free foundation primer for the skin; don’t wear moisturizer, it’ll only make you smudge and streak. Pucker & Pout is our long-wearing lipstick, which is important because brides are always dehydrated and stressed, which means their lipstick fades quicker. Use oil-blotting powder to absorb perspiration and re-matte your skin.
JW: Hairspray is not a thing of the eighties; it’s a must for updos. Ours doesn’t leave a sticky residue, and our hair polish locks out frizz and static.
What should brides do one week before the wedding?
JW: Cut and color. You won’t get roots in a week.
LG: Don’t wax or tweeze, and avoid facials.
And on the day-of?
JW: Hair should be done at least two hours prior to the ceremony.
LG: Makeup shouldn’t take more than 45 minutes. If at your trial, the artist takes an hour and a half on your face, run away.
Tip From the Trade
QUICK FIX
“Kryolan Dermacolor Camouflage Cream is the crème de la crème of concealers. Use it to cover up dark circles.” Cream, $26 at Alcone NYC.
212-262-8899; warrentricomi.com
212-570-5477; laurageller.com
Joel Warren and Laura Geller are contributors to The Park Avenue Diet.
Cream Photo: Courtesy of Kryolan