Red Carpet Ready Updos Made Easy

If you love watching celebrities strut their stuff as much as I do, you know that the classic updo is a staple on any red carpet. And, if you love weddings as much as I do, you know that these looks are popular among brides too! Stars pay big bucks to have professional stylists make these ‘dos appear effortless, so I went in search of a beauty bargain that could help you brides get the look for (a lot!) less.

This Pin-Up Girl Kit by RSESSION TOOLS (on sale for just $21.99 at rsessiontools.com) was designed to give a woman the tools she needs to emulate the hottest red-carpet looks around -- from home! Pick a blonde, black, or brown kit, and inside you’ll find step by instructions and supplies to help you achieve any one of these three popular styles: The Perfect Ponytail, The Super Chic Bun, or the Classic Beehive.

Tip: We encourage all brides to give any hair or beauty look a "test run" before their actual wedding. If you’re thinking of an updo for your big day consider this kit, or one that’s similar, so you can practice, practice, practice, until you perfect the look you’re going for. Once you do you’ll know exactly how to make an emergency hair touch up during the wedding, should a hair or pin get out of place. It’s a hairy good idea, don't you think?

photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Purrfectly Naughty Makeup for Brides

Whether you’re shopping around for your own wedding day style essentials, or simply a bridesmaid looking for something fun to give the bride at her bachelorette party, makeup usually isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. After all, how can makeup be pretty, funny, sexy and scandalous all at once? Well, two makeup companies are attempting to prove otherwise.

MAC Hello Kitty Collection: ($11-$38)
Are you a quirky bride that loves bright colors and counts Hello Kitty as one of your Facebook friends (or is that just me and Mariah Carey?). MAC Cosmetics (home to celebrity spokespeople like Fergie and Dita Von Teese) is ready to rock your world with a full line of Hello Kitty Cosmetics for Mild or Wild girls. The colors are loud, the products are brash, and if you can’t see yourself sporting bright turquoise eye shadow while walking down the aisle, consider it as a really fun gift to give your bridesmaids.

NARS Safer Multiple Orgasm Set: (Sephora, $37)
No it doesn’t come with batteries or carry any raunchy recommendations, but the NARS Safer Multiple Orgasm Set does have a multi-purpose. It comes with its famous Multiple in Orgasm peach shimmer stick (good for eyes, lips, and cheeks) and two discretely wrapped condoms. This is one party gift your bride will use and it’s for a good cause: A portion of sales from this product goes to amfAR, The American Foundation for AIDS Research (a program designed to promote global safe sex education and initiatives).

Wedding Hair: Braided Bliss With a Twist

I used to work at a very famous celebrity magazine, and we used to say if you saw the same thing being worn by three different people in the same week then it’s a definite trend. If that’s really the case, then last week proved that braiding is definitely back on the map.

Forget a traditional French braid – this hot new look is loose, sexy and has a Grecian goddess-meets-Rapunzel feel too it. I loved it on Gossip Girl’s Serena (Blake Lively) last week, then copied it myself for a wedding I had to attend (only to discover the bride had the same idea), and then stumbled on the same look again when I spotted Nicole Richie sporting something similar in a recent pic online.

If you love this look as much as I do, here are some quick suggestions on how to make it your own:

For Straight/Fine Hair: Have your stylist apply a texturizing gel or mouse to your hair after washing. (We really like the Jonathan Get Dirty! Kit) Tousle dry, then braid. Set with a texturizing hairspray with extra hold, let it dry, then style.

For Coarse/Curly Hair: I found it easiest to get a blow-out a few days before the event and then apply an frizz-free product (like Frederic Fekkai’s Summer Hair Zero-Humidity Frizz Control). Once applied, work evenly through hair, then style.

Bridal Beauty: Do-it-Yourself Wedding Make-Up

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, why should it cost you an arm and a leg just to get your make-up done on your wedding day? Thankfully, there are a few options out there that allow you to look glamorous on a budget.

We fell in love with Katherine Heigl’s look for her wedding day (subtly smoky eyes and rosy glow), and set out to find a way to recreate it without calling in an expert. First up: EyeEnvy Smokey Kit ($25.00), the peel-away eye shadow application that leaves your eyes looking sexy and smoldering.  When we read about it on AOL earlier this week we thought it sounded a little weird, but after further research it totally makes sense. Designed by a celebrity make-up artist, the kit contains peel-off mineral cream shadows that are 100% hypo-allergenic, totally long-wearing, and crease-proof. Simply place it on your eye, remove and apply the setting powder.

Bright eyes and a gorgeous smile are key when it comes to completing your wedding look. Thankfully, celebrity make-up artist Bobbi Brown (Sienna Miller and Susan Sarandon are big fans) understands that, and created a limited edition bridal kit ($75.00) for you and your entire bridal party. The kit focuses on your focal points (bright, bold eyes and soft, shimmery pink lips) and comes with eye shadow, mascara, liquid liner, lip gloss and a compact.

Beauty may be a beast, but it should never spoil your wedding day.