Brides should look like themselves, only better—That's the philosophy behind renowned makeup artist Kimara Ahnert, most recently makeup artist to Catherine Zeta Jones for her wedding in New York City. Kimara's advice put simply—Enhance your everyday look with subtle accents that bring out your best.

Before you say “I Do,” some beauty DO's and DON'Ts from Kimara Ahnert:

1. DON'T GET CAUGHT UP WITH THE LATEST TRENDS Ten years from now you might not think that glitter looks so hot. Instead, skip the mod look and just perk up your everyday face. For example, take your favorite lip color a few shades deeper for a more intense look and top with sheer gloss. For an eye-popping effect, line your inner eye with an off-white pencil. And never use frosts; they photograph poorly.

2. DO WEAR A LITTLE MORE COVERAGE THAN USUAL To even out your skin tone and enhance the appearance of your skin, base your face with care. Better coverage doesn't have to mean a heavy, caked-on look—a matte, oil-free foundation set with powder will look natural and clean and last through the final dance.

3. DON'T HAVE UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS Makeup is designed to enhance and improve your features, not fake them. So instead of drawing on the face of your dreams, accentuate the face he fell in love with.

4. DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE Whether you're doing your own makeup or having it professionally applied, have a trial run and take a picture. A practice session will make it easier for you to replicate your makeup on the big day. And the photo will let you see how you will look for the professional photographs (whether it's too much or it's too little, it's still not too late to fix your look.)

5. DON'T FORGET TO STEP INTO YOUR DRESS You may have pulled it over your head during your fittings, but it's the fastest way to ruin your hair and makeup.

Kimara Ahnert offers makeup lessons and applications in her Madison Avenue studio (1113 Madison Avenue) or onsite, and provides wedding services for the entire bridal party.

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