First things first, no one said brides have to have ‘traditional wedding make-up’. If a natural, dewy look isn’t for you, that’s perfect! There are no rules when it comes to your wedding. Remember, it’s your wedding and your style! Suddenly opting for a new look won’t make you feel comfortable, plus you always need to look like yourself on your wedding day.
Practice really does makes perfect. The more you know what you’re doing, in exactly what order, the calmer you’ll be on the morning of your wedding. Our top tip is to try and do your make-up near as much natural light as possible. By the window, or even outside! Keep popping outside if you can to see exactly what you’re face will look like in daylight.
The second most important thing you can invest in other than your actual make up is buying the right make-up brushes. Using brushes help to blend and will make your skin look flawless. We love the vegan-friendly Luxie range currently sold at ASOS. Stock up on blending, tapered and fan brushes to achieve complexion perfection.
If you’ve decided to do your own wedding make-up on your wedding day, you probably have a set idea of exactly what you want. You may well be set in your ways about what products you use, however there’s no harm in going into a department store and experimenting with different shades and brands which may work better for you and your skin with a consultant, such as Bobbi Brown who specialise in bridal make up. With the attention on you all day, lots of tears, a professional photographer and roller coaster emotions, you want to remain looking your best through it all! Here are our top tips and tricks on what products are amazing to use in order to look your best all day long.
Before of the Big Day
First thing’s first, it is so important for you to try and get some beauty sleep on the eve of your wedding. Take a relaxing bath and unwind before you go to bed. Not only will your body thank you for it, so will your make-up. You want to avoid red, swollen eyes and a tired complexion, however if you find it hard to sleep there is a solution. Sisley’s Eye Contour Mask calms the skin, smoothes and moisturises in just 10 minutes. Keep this as your little bridal secret for looking so fresh!
Apply a primer
A must-have for every bride. This primer brightens, softens and is perfect for balancing-out the skin and correcting uneven skin tones. Applying primer will sooth your skin and help your make up stay perfect all day. We swear by Stilla’s one step colour correct Primer, inspired by professional make-up artists, this primer masks wrinkles and uneven textures in the skin with three colour-correcting brighteners –
♥ Green tone instantly neutralizes redness and conceals blemish ♥ Lavender tone counteracts sallow undertones for a vibrant, energised look ♥ Peach tone brightens, illuminates and helps diminish the appearance of sun spots
Oily Skin
Dr Nick Lowe Oil Control Day Cream is a light and easily absorbed daily moisturiser with UV sunscreens to help regulate surface oils and deliver ultimate hydration and blemish control. Perfect!
Concealer & Foundation
Next use a long-lasting concealer on any redness, spots or uneven areas, such as Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer. Pat into the skin gently, don’t rub and make sure your hands aren’t too warm as this will effect the temperature of the product and can change its setting.
Next apply your foundation, the less base the better. Studio Fix foundation from MAC provides medium coverage and flawless natural-matte finish. Includes SPF 15 for everyday sun protection. Best applied with a foundation brush. Perfect coverage for the special day.
Powder & Blusher
Powder really is one of the most important products of the day. It will keep the coverage on your face and take away shine and grease. Brush over t-zone and eyelids, to create a great base for eye shadow. The translucent powder from MAC is a dream. Suitable to all types and tones of skin, apply with brush or powder puff after foundation for matt, gorgeous skin.
You will need more blusher than usual for your wedding, as the photography light may take the colour out of your face. Rosy pink colours are gorgeous on the cheeks. Try Bobbi Brown’s award winning blusher. Start by applying just on the apples of your cheeks and then blend upwards towards your temples. We adore shades neutral Desert Pink and pop Pale Pink.
If you’re after an amazing highlighter, use the Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter by Becca on your cheeks, nose and collar bones for a stunning glow. The natural shimmer adds luxurious radiance and feels super soft on your skin. We love the colour champagne pop, beautiful gold tones glide on your cheeks for a flawless bridal look. We promise you won’t be disappointed!
Eyeshadow
To make sure all your eye shadow stays on and doesn’t crease over time wear an eye primer before applying any eye shadow. We love Urban Decay eye shadow primer potion. Remember to dab not rub if you do get emotional! Using a brush to apply eye shadow really makes a difference to using your fingers. Blend and create gorgeous colours with large and small brushes whist shaping the outline of your eyelid. Mac’s eye shadow palette will stay put all day and blends beautifully.
Mascara & Lashes
After adding definition to your brows, make sure your lashes stand out without looking clumpy or crusty. A great lengthening mascara will do the trick but individual eyelashes will give them that extra boost. We love Maybelline’s Volume Express which makes your lashes look sky high with is curved brush and won’t run with tears, an essential for the big day!
Individual eye lashes add length and volume to your own lashes. Unlike strip false eye lashes, they are light and less dramatic. The top tips for successful application is to use tweezers when applying and limit how many lashes you use. Up to 6 individual lashes on each eye is the perfect amount, too many can over crowd your eye. Put a dab of glue onto the palm of your hand and leave it to set for 30 seconds. Then, pick up an eyelash with tweezers, lightly dip the end in the glue, then simply drop on to your eye lid on your lash line. Once done, leave to set for 5-10 minutes, when you apply your mascara your eyes will transform before your eyes! Experiment and practice before your wedding day and try and place the lashes at the corner of your eyes.
Applying a liquid or pencil eyeliner can really help when applying individual lashes as it gives a base where to drop the lash. Experiment with brown, grey and dark green kohl rather than black, for a softer look. Nars Cosmetics eyeliners have rich pigments of longwearing colour, which leave a velvety-smooth finish. Blend your harsh eye liner to make it more subtle for your special day and other occasions with a precision eyeliner brush. Use a brush and dark eye shadow to line and blend across the bottom eyelid to add even more definition.
Lips
Use a thin layer of your usual foundation to your lips before applying final colour for a good base. Next apply a lip liner over the whole lip, then three coats of your chosen lipstick with a brush, blotting each time with tissue. Finish with a dab of gloss for extra staying power. Try and stick to a colour which isn’t too light, as pale lip colours can look washed out in photographs. Create bright, romantic lips with soft plum, coral and soft pink shades. We love smash box, the Be Legendary lipstick collection now totals 120, including 74 hydrating cream shades and 46 velvety mattes with colours that complement every skin tone.
♥ Glides on in one swipe and feels lush and light on the lips ♥ Moisturising satin-smooth creams soften and protect with shea butter and vitamins C and E ♥ Superhero staying power won’t settle unevenly on the lips or dry out
