What makeup??

That's more then I know so yes definitely does!

I'm no expert either but you'll need primers and smashbox are without doubt the best I've come across. It helps make up last. Photo finish does exactly what it says.

boots tend to have a counter and and will usually help you find what works. You may get a trial sample if they have any too.

I used smashbox primer. At the counter I went to, when I bought something they offered me a free sample of something else, so I bought a small size of the photo finish primer and got a sample of the colour correcting one as I have pink toned skin. The colour correcting one is what I ended up using - in fact I'm still using that sample jar now!

For foundation I used Bourjois Healthy Mix which is SPF free. I tested a few more expensive ones but liked that best. For me, learning to apply it with a damp sponge was half the battle - once I started doing that, it looked so much better than when I smeared it on with my fingers!

Concealer I used Bobbi brown - but I wasn't that happy with the under eye stuff. I think what you use really depends on whether you have bags, dark circles or neither.

Thanks ladies - I've never heard of primers before.......like I say makeup isn't my thing in actual fact the thought of makeup counters terrifies me I'm very grateful my friend is coming with me to hold my hand!

Yeah, I wear makeup every day but I still hate the counters. When I went to Bobbi brown the woman there put so much concealer under my eyes that I could barely blink on the way home! And at clinique the woman somehow talked me into buying one of their foundations even though they're far too orange for my skin. I'm weak.

Yay I did this for one of my friends in September! Like you she very rarely wears makeup and I am obsessed with it and have way too much. We went to Space NK and she had a makeover with the woman at Laura Mercier. I really rate them across the board but also like Bobbi Brown. We had agreed I was doing her makeup on the day and Jo wanted all new things so we went for the makeover, Jo bought EVERYTHING the woman used (I wish I had stepped in - she did NOT need a £20 eyebrow pencil!) and we had3 practice runs before the day. The woman in Space NK put way too much on Jo - she looked lovely if you didn't know her but if you did know her you would think 'wow she has a lot of makeup on' so I put less on her and tweaked it slightly.

I agree re the primer - Jo used the Laura Mercier illunimating one as she has quite dry skin but I am oily ish and have used the Smashbox one before and loved it. A little goes a long way so the suggestion of getting a sample above is on the money!

I would strongly recommend you get your friend to practice a few times - it's one thing me doing my own face but doing someone else takes me longer so I needed to know the timings, we needed to be sure Jo liked it and adjust anything she didn't and on the day I needed to be able to just get on with it without having to worry too much.

SPF can flash back, especially those under eye pens but my tip is to take a photo when you have it on - I took photos of Jo in Space NK with and without flash so we could test it before she bought anything.

My foundation recommendation by the way would be Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua - pricey (and actually the Bourjois Healthy Mix is not at all dissimilar to it - Chanel own Bourjois) but it just looks like really good skin, not like makeup.

Sorry, I could go on about this for days.

Last thought - decent brushes - if your friend has good brushes she presumably will use hers? Those stupid foam things they come with are a waste of time. Oh and Lisa Eldridge who is now the creative director of Lancome but is also a celeb and fashion makeup artist has a great You Tube channel and she has done a whole load of videos about bridal makeup.

OK I'll stop now.

Mxx

I'm so glad I'm not the only one hates them - I think it's because I don't have a clue what they are on about and always feel like I'm being tricked into buying stuff!

Thank you very much ladies for all your help! I survived yesterday - according to my friend I had a look of bambi wanting to bolt at one point but she was very good and took me to something easier - she was discussing different foundations.....

I actually only came away with one bit of makeup - so my skin regime of water (combined with outdoor sports) means that my skin is quite dry, it doesn't look it but is o touch or with makeup on so I bought a face wash and hydrating moisturiser - the French spa sensitive skin stuff as I know I don't react to it - used it about 8 years ago.

My friend helped me brave a lancome counter - we actually walked past quite a few - benefit, channel etc but the amount the ladies were made up and the pushiness made me feel nervous and not comfortable at all but the lancome lady was fantastic.

She agreed with my friend and she did very basic makeup with a smokey eye - no primers etc as in her words it would scare me and send me backwards! lol I found a rose eye palate which I loved along with the illuminator for my bags! But best thing was that boots had a buy two lancome products and get a bag of goodies - this included the lipstick I really liked and mascara, she also was out of stock on the eye palate so gave me the gift set for just 1 product!

I'm now on a face regime morning and night and will be going back to sort out rest of makeup in a month or so. Its actually a different friend doing my makeup as the friend which held my hand is doing my hair but I have a sneaking feeling she will be helping out lots as she has all the kit etc.

Hooray! Well done. I never understand why the ladies on the counters, who mostly are all trained makeup artists I think, cake it on so heavily. Glad she was gentle with you - let us know what bits you get next time.