A girl’s wedding day is a day most girls will dream of and even plan out from time to time, especially whilst swinging their legs on the swings at the playground. But when that time actually comes around, there is a vast number of things that need to be prepared and executed before the big day comes. One of the biggest things for the bride to be prepared is in choosing the perfect wedding makeup look, to go with the gorgeous wedding dress.
A blushing bride’s makeup should be natural looking whilst emphasizing her features, so they can look flawless in and out of photographs. The makeup look should depend on the theme of the wedding and the time it will be taking place.
Daytime bridal looks should be minimal. Neutral eye shadows and a rosy lip and cheek. Evening bridal looks can be a little more dramatic. Sultry eyes and bold shadows. In popular opinion every bride should accentuate their lips for a timeless look.
No matter what the bridal makeup is, it should be applied before putting on the dress (unless it goes over head). In this case, use a bed sheet to cover the bride so no makeup fall out and lands on the dress.
The perfect wedding makeup look requires several steps to get it just right. There are steps like prepping your skin beforehand so it looks radiant, deciding which makeup artist will be doing your makeup on the day and then allotting time to be able to do trial runs.
So your dress is sorted, but here are a few makeup tips to help you look flawless on your big dreamy day.
Do:
1: Make sure that when you are planning your makeup trial, plan for at least three to five weeks before your big day. If you are planning on using fake tan, for a lovely holiday glow, make sure you have a test run before you have your makeup trial. Doing this will help your makeup artist see what colour your skin will be on the day.
2: Wearing a white t-shirt for your makeup trials is a great top tip, this ensures that you and your makeup artist can see how your makeup looks against a pale colour (like your wedding dress). Also take a picture of yourself, with no flash, in daylight before you buy anything.
3: Try emphasizing your eyes by brightening them up, concealing any under eye circles and redness by using a colour correcting concealer.
4: Look for any references and images for makeup styles that you like and take them with you to your makeup trial. This way you and your makeup artist can try and identify what it is that you like about the makeup and whether you can translate it with your skin colour. As a Kim Kardashian glow may not necessarily translate well on a Dita Von Teese pale complexion.
5: Make sure your bridal makeup has enough colour to compensate for the whiteness of your wedding dress as there is a big difference in the clothes you wear everyday to a gown, so there should be a difference in the makeup you wear too. Always good to make sure you start off by making your skin look as even and smooth as possible, then start adding a hint of colour to your cheeks and lips. This will give you a natural flawless glow.
6: Using individual eyelashes is a brilliant way of making your eyes stand out with a more subtle effect than using a full strip. Using different lengths of individuals will create a natural look. Nestling them in between your natural lashes rather than gluing them on top will give you a beautifully fluttery eye.
7: Get the important elements of your makeup right, such as a seamlessly flawless skin, soft well groomed eyebrows and natural looking lashes, then the rest of your makeup will simply fall into place.
8: As your bridal makeup will slightly differ from the makeup you wear everyday, you should try and research different application techniques. This could be anything from what tools you use to how you apply your eyeliner. For example – if you line your eyes with an eyeshadow, make it last all day by using a damp eyeliner brush.
9: The best wedding makeup should last as long as you do. So choice products that are well known for their superior wear. This will help ensure your makeup lasts the day and the evening.
10: To achieve a perfect finish to your makeup look, apply a highlighter on your brow bone. This will make your eyes pop! Go for more of a light matte shade, patting it into the corners of your brow bone will subtly draw attention to this part of the face, opening your face up.
Don’t:
1: Don’t have your makeup trials done under fluorescent lighting. If you have arranged for your makeup artist to come to your home, then arrange your appointment for when it’s still daylight outside. This will ensure your makeup looks as natural as possible with the right shades try to your skin.
2: Don’t let your makeup artist try and hijack your bridal look with their own opinions or suggestions, especially if it is someone that may not know you or how you like to wear your makeup. You don’t want your husband-to-be waiting for you at the altar and you turn up looking like someone else. For most brides, their big day is a day where they can indulge in having someone else do their makeup. Just remember that the best bridal makeups, in my opinion, are the ones that are a simple, polished version of how you usually look.
3: Slapping loads of makeup on is not a great look. Plastering your makeup on for your photographs is a massive myth. A lot of wedding photos are taken under natural light sources, so choosing a heavy foundation base will make your makeup look too obvious. When it comes to the photographer’s flash, all you will need to do is make sure your T zone is looking matte so you don’t look too shiny. You can do this by using translucent powders and blotting powders, not by layering on more makeup.
4: Take into consideration that you will live with these photos for the rest of your life. That being said, don’t go for anything too trend-led. Avoid statement looks and opt for the more classic look. That glittery eyeshadow effect you may have seen on a Parisian catwalk the other day may look bang on trend now, but could look very dated in the next 10-20 years. This doesn’t automatically mean you have to have a range of beige’s if you are used to more of a punchy makeup look.
5: Don’t be scared of choosing colours that are brighter than you would normally go for. Neutral hues, browns and pale nudes can sometimes look a little washed out in photographs. Picking a lipstick that is a few shades brighter than what you would normally go for will help. Pinks, roses and plum shades are all classic choices for bridal makeup.
6: When applying makeup, don’t just apply it to your face. Instead, extend it down your neck and slightly over your shoulders (if you feel it’s necessary). Doing this will ensure that your face is not a completely different colour, or even texture, to the rest of your body. On your wedding day, everything should look uniform to create a most natural look.
7: Don’t forget to decide on the maintenance that your would prefer on your day. For example, whether you want to keep checking on your makeup throughout the day or once your makeup is on to just forget it’s there? Using a waterproof mascara is an obvious choice, but it’s worth thinking about using cream eyeshadows that can be set well. This way they will stay where you put them.
8: For a bridal makeup, you should never go too dark around the eyes. You should define your eyes by using a colour in the crease of your eyelid, but avoid using colours that are too intense or pigmented as it can detract from your eyes.
9: Don’t go overboard by being overly glossy or too matte. Try to avoid lipsticks that are at either end of the scale. Being too glossy will last five minutes and too matte could leave your pout looking dry by the time you’re ready to pucker up and kiss your groom. Use a moisturising satin finish lipstick. These lipsticks will help your lips look their best and, when they begin to wear off, will apply evenly and most naturally.
10: Don’t Rush! When you’re ready for your makeup, allow at least 45 minutes to an hour, on your wedding day. Rushing causes stress, just sit back and let the makeup artist do all the work for you.
