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Are there really are only 12 days left until the big C? Has anyone else not started their shopping yet? Is it just me? (Can you feel the panic through your screen?) Luckily, my fabulous Featured Supplier and fashion and bridal beauty expert Jo Leversuch of Make Up By Jo is on hand with some Christmas shopping suggestions that will also fit perfectly into your wedding day kit should you, you know, fancy treating yourself while you are at it.
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Ladies, I give you Make Up By Jo’s 12 days of Christmas beauty stocking fillers, one for each day left on the calendar. Just how good have you been this year?!
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Jo says: I wanted to share with you my favourite 12 items of make-up perfect for Christmas presents for friends and family members. The make-up items i have chosen are all under £20 and vary from brand to brand. Have a Merry Christmas and a beautiful New Year!
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1. Bobby Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner
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This award winning gel liner gives you the look of a liquid liner. It is easy to apply with a brush and is water-resistant. Black is great for those wonderful "cat flick" eyes perfect for News Year’s Eve.
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2. Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour
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These chubby sticks are fun, colourful and you are spoilt for choice which colour to choose. The lip treatment has a sheer colour that is perfect for dry, cracked lips and provides moisture.
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3. Ariane Poole Conceal and Contour Palette
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Voted the best concealer. This multi-functional products contains three shades of concealer perfect to blend to counteract dark circles under the eyes, redness and thread veins on the cheeks.
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4. Chanel Nail Polish – Le Vernis Nail Colour
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The famous Rouge Noir colour nail polish… the essential pick of all nail polishes to have in your make-up bag, and festive too.
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A beauty secret cherished by the Japanese Geisha for centuries, these handmade, gold-infused papers remove excess oil and sweat without disturbing makeup or stealing moisture from the skin, so you can go all day without needing to touch-up.
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6. Steam Cream face, hand and body cream
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This amazing natural product represents the latest concept in skincare. Freshly handmade in the UK and Japan, this wonder product can be used all over the body. You can choose over 100 funky all limited edition tins… the perfect stocking filler.
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7. Kate Moss Long Lasting Matt Lipsticks
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These gorgeous lipsticks come in a variety of colours and are so easy to apply with a velvet, rich matt texture. Perfect for the party season.
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A squeezy tube mascara that adds drama, volume and curl to the eyelashes. Key ingredients are keratin and Shea Butter .
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9. Nars Soft Touch Shadow Pencils
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The product comes in over 13 shades and are so easy to apply. These jumbo sized pencils are versatile and can be applied to shade the lid, line or highlight the eye.
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10. Lancôme Ombre Hypnose Mono Eyeshadow
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An intense & smoothing eye shadow. This black eyeshadow has a subtle shimmer in for that intense strong smoky eye look.
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The iconic Shu Uemura Eyelash curler is still the best! Perfect to curl eyelashes to make the eyes appear larger.
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These rich strong pigmentation cream blushers are perfect for a rosy cheek colour or to highlight cheekbones and add a Winter glow.
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Merry shopping!
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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog – Images © 2012 as credited
Make Up By Jo is a Brides Up North Featured Supplier and this is a sponsored post
Contact Brides Up North to submit your business as a Featured Supplier
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Look after your skin, and stick to a skin care routine leading up to the wedding
Skin primers for face and possible eyes and lips
Waterproof mascara and eyeliners
Good foundation 
Lipstick that suits you as a person
Fake tan on the evening before or morning of the wedding
Not blending or choosing the wrong shade of foundation
Wearing the wrong shade of lipstick that makes you look washed out
Wearing a facemask on the morning of the wedding
Fake tan not applied correctly on the hands
Use a great long lasting foundation. You will be hugging and kissing lots of people and don’t want transfer.
Use blusher. Even if you’re not used to wearing it. Try using a bronzer for a healthy glow on your cheeks so you don’t look washed out. The photographs drain colour from you so its an essential.
False lashes applied to the outer third of the eye will open them up and add and instant glamour to your look.
Make a note of the lipstick used at your trial and buy one for top ups throughout the day.
Book a professional make up artist early to avoid disappointment. 
Ask your ‘hair & make up artist’ about their qualifications. Are they a fully qualified hairdresser or just a hair stylist. There is massive difference between someone who is fully trained in the art of ‘hair dressing’ and someone who has had a couple of hours training to do a couple of ‘bridal up dos’.
If you are having your hair put up don’t wash it the wedding morning. Wash it the evening before.
Use a strong hair spray. Even if you don’t like hairspray, your hair has to look great for a long time.
Think carefully about what you want to wear in your hair and discuss your ideas with your hairdresser before buying anything.
Have a good hair routine prior to the wedding day. Use a conditioning treatment weekly and if you have your hair coloured have it done the week before to give your hair time to settle and any skin staining to go.
Orange bronzer
Glitter
Thick mascara
Using a too dark foundation
Lip gloss if you are wearing a veil over your face
Wearing your hair up just because you think its a ‘bridal’ thing to do.
Thinking that just because your hair is short you don’t have to do anything with it.
Don’t buy a tiara that is too heavy, tight or uncomfortable. Its going to be on a long time and you don’t want a headache on your wedding day!
Don’t go for a look that’s so far removed from ‘you’.
Don’t go for a radical colour change just before your wedding day. Hair colour can change the look of everything from make up to your dress and colour scheme and what looked amazing with blonde hair may look washed out if you go brunette.
Spring is a time of natural renewal – so do the same for your skin and invest in a fine polishing product to get rid of dead skin cells – smooth radiant skin looks tons better in digital photos. Try: Philosophy Microdelivery Exfoliating Kit available at 
Spring light can be very white – use a pink or peach primer first to make the skin sparkle before applying foundations. Try: L’Oreal Studio Secrets Anti Dull Skin Primer at 
Foundations need to have some sticking power for weddings and most likely it’s going to be a long, emotional day for you. Even if you are not a girl who wears make-up – make this the day you wear a proper foundation. It doesn’t need to be heavy, but it does need to have a matte or semi matte finish. If you have anything with sparkles or sheen it will make you look sweaty in the photos or will slip during the day.
Apply your foundation with a proper brush. it gives you a much better finish and allows you to build up layers easily. I love Daniel Sandler “Base brush” at 
Invest in a new style fluid blusher which will plump up the cheeks and won’t look powdery or dry on your wedding day. Try: Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in “Cherub” or “Blush”. It’s a silicone base which means it will last all day and night. 
New eye shadow colours for the new season! If you are DIY’ing your bridal make-up, try soft corals, champagnes and browny lilacs for this time of year. Remember to buy your make-up a couple of weeks in advance and practice your look at least a couple of times before the wedding. You don’t want any surprises on the day! Try: Nars Eyeshadow Trios (limited editions) in “Douce France” or “Calanque” at 
There are loads of options for lashes – not just mascara. Long lasting lash extensions are becoming increasingly popular for brides (ask your therapist for a full but natural set – and avoid the dreaded “spider” lashes) or if you have a couple of months you might want to consider investing in “Revitalash” serum. This is an amazing product developed by a Doctor whose wife had lost her eyelashes due to chemotherapy. It works! I used it for my wedding last year and can heartily recommend it. Try: Revitalash available from QVC at 
Peach lips are a favourite of mine – get the right peach for you and it immediately lifts and brightens your face. Illamasqua at 
Teeth will be on show so consider some dental whitening. Rather than laser whitening which although is fast and speedy can be unpredictable in terms of how white you go, consider getting a tray set made at your dentist. That way you can control the degree of whitening so you get the right white for you and your skin. I recommend 
Finally a tip which won’t cost you anything… whatever you end up doing with your make-up, when you are all dressed and ready to walk down that aisle – don’t forget to smile!
