Getting married can be stressful, so much to do and think about! Your wedding makeup is something that should not stress you out, so researching a bridal beauty look you want is very beneficial. One thing women tend to do wrong on their wedding day is either go way to strong with their bridal makeup, making them not look themselves, or look like they are partying it up on a sat night – fail!
By Michael Brown
Some brides also choose to go too nude with makeup, forgetting that photography plays a big part on your wedding day. Photos are what you will be looking at in years to come and makeup that’s too nude means no features – boring!
Where is the happy medium you ask? My key words for any bride I have ever worked on are; Fresh, Classic, Feminine These three words describe your skin, overall look and tones used in wedding makeup.
Prep before the wedding day is vital! Your skin tells a story, even the most talented makeup artists need a smooth and hydrated canvas to work on, otherwise makeup will not sit correctly, definitely not lasting the day.
Exfoliation is a must, with or without a wedding, but try to exfoliate at least once a week. This is best in the shower and using small circular movements over areas of the face, excluding eyes, but lips can be done as it really helps lipstick bond beautifully on the big day having no dry scaly bits present.
Also, add into your daily skincare routine a water-based hydrating mask! The same day you exfoliate preferably, add the mask to infuse more water properties to the surface of your skin to allow foundation to bond like a second skin, remember natural seamless skin is best for any occasion.
MB how-to bridal beauty tip – Don’t get a facial of any sort the week of the wedding! Too many times I have seen a bride rock up on the day with a few spots as some facials draw out impurities that can cause a mini breakout. Also, do not change your skincare products too close to your wedding, as your skin needs time to adapt.
Most of you will use a makeup artist on the day, but this doesn’t mean you can forget about the bridal beauty side of things. Yes, the makeup master will create magic but you need to be aware of your skin and its condition, plus it is a great idea to flick through your favorite fashion or bridal mags and find a makeup look you would be comfortable wearing.
This really helps the makeup artist know your level of makeup that you wear and tones you are looking for; otherwise the makeup artist may just apply a look they like which may not be your style.
I always recommend going with what you wear normally and amp it up slightly with contouring and a more polished approach that a professional should know how to create. A good makeup artist should sit and discuss colours, styles and think about your hair, dress, and location as the final decider for your look – don’t be afraid to speak up as at the end of the day, it is your wedding!
Skin for me is the most important factor for any makeup, but especially on your wedding day. Now that you know your skin prep, it is about making sure a foundation is perfect, one that will melt naturally into your skin and evening out your skin tone, not covering it!
Do not over tan – big mistake!! Choose a brighter foundation look than dark, as you may look muddy. If by some chance a fake tan has gone a little ‘dirty’ looking, make sure a warm highlighter is used on frontal bones to really lift and brighten the skin so it has a fresh, classic complexion. The light added to your skin will detract from the darker areas from your fake tan.
Try… Giorgio Armani Maestro foundation and INIKA Highlighting Cream
MB how-to beauty tip – I prefer applying a lighter foundation texture rather than a full coverage as with lighter you are able to build up the coverage on problem areas and full coverage you are stuck with that mask style look with no where to go.
Next step is adding colour! Contouring is a must on your wedding day as it gives shape and can recede away areas you do not want to focus on. Use something as simple as a bronzer under cheekbones to sculpt and lift the face as well as on eye sockets to recede away puffiness or a heavy brow. Once contouring has been applied colour can then be added to either define with deeper shades or highlight with lighter shades.
Wedding tones for the eyes that keep to our three key words are; Neutrals and earthy tones, rose pinks, burgundy and light plums with a touch of copper and khaki. I very rarely would apply grey or black shades, as it can be very harsh, party like not as feminine. If a darker eye is your thing, use a black kohl pencil to line the eyes and smudge into your shadows – softer is best.
MB how-to beauty tip – Do not over highlight the eyes, as frosted, shimmery or very light shades can over take the eye, not allowing the deeper shades to recede away unwanted areas to open the eyes.
Blush and lips should be fresh, no deep plums or browns and be careful of reds!!! Red is hard to maintain, plus the wrong red can alter your skin tone. Pale skins go an orange base red and olive skins go a blue base red – I would suggest only go a bold lip if this is something you do regularly in your makeup routine, as it can be a commitment and you already have a big one of those on your wedding day!
My favorite blush shades for a bride are more coral/pink tones. A straight pink I find may not look good in hours to come as you may flush up from either nerves, getting hot, or drinking later on, so the mix of these factors and a pink blush is over pink! You also should have your bronzer under cheekbone as contour, so blush is more for the apple of the cheek as a light amount of colour.
Try… INIKA Peachy Keen Blush
Lastly, always keep your lipstick and a pressed powder in a clutch that someone can keep on hand. No one wants a half eaten off lipstick in wedding pics and only powder when needed and in the centre of the face only – dry powder can age you if over used or applied on outer cheeks which should be showing off your highlighter.
MB how-to beauty tip – If you do not feel comfortable in your bridal makeup look, it will bother you all day! Wear it with confidence and you will turn heads for sure!
Twitter: @mbrown_beauty
Facebook: facebook.com/michaelbrownbeauty
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