When it comes to your wedding day, you’ll want to look your most beautiful so your makeup needs to be absolutely perfect. We share with you some top-tips on achieving an impeccable bridal look.
1. Practice makes perfect. Always have a trial beforehand, or if you are doing you own makeup, do a test run before the big day. This will ensure that you know exactly what you are getting or how the makeup will actually look like when it counts, and avert the unexpected.
2. Stay away from trends. Don’t be tempted to go for a trendy makeup look for your big day as these looks can quickly become dated. You don’t want to be looking back on your wedding day photo years down the line and cringe at the heavy blue eyeshadow accompanied by frosted, pink lipstick (a big 80’s trend). Opt for a more timeless, classical look where you’ll be able to look at your wedding photo but not be able to put a date to it.
3. Stay true to yourself. If you’re someone that doesn’t normally wear makeup then instead of piling it on, go for a more natural look with light layers and soft colours. But if you are someone that swears by a winged eye and a red lip on a daily basis, then you should stick to that look but a more polished version else your groom might fail to recognise you.
4. Complimentary colours. Tie your shade selection in with the colour scheme of your wedding. If you’re going for a cool colour scheme (think blues, lilacs, silver etc), then you probably want to opt for complementary tones in your makeup such as taupes and greys. For a warm scheme (think pinks, corals, yellows etc), opt for shades like golds, pinks and peaches. For a neutral colour scheme, such as white or green, then the world is your oyster. However, if you’re colour scheme is cool pastel blue but you don’t tend to suit cool tones, opt for a middle ground, neutral tone of the shade.
5. Beware of flash photography. If you’re having an evening wedding or one that will roll on into the night then you want to think about the flash light from the camera. Steer clear of a high SPF in your foundation as this can cause a white cast that will make you look like you’re wearing a mask in photos. Be sure to place light reflective products like highlighter only where you want the light to catch and be sure to blend well to avoid harsh edges otherwise you could end up with sharp stripes on your face. Sparkly powders are also a no-no. Always take photos of your makeup at the trial, with flash, to avoid any nasty surprises.
6. Longevity is key. You will definitely want your makeup to last especially if it is an all day event and thankfully there are plenty of long-wearing formulations when it comes to makeup, from foundations through to lipsticks. Go for waterproof formulations where possible, particularly when it comes to eye makeup, like mascara and eyeliner, as you don’t want these to run, especially as there are bound to be a few tears. Applying makeup in thin layers also helps with longevity so avoid piling it on.
7. Consider the white dress. Think about how your makeup will look against your white dress, or whatever colour your dress is. White can sometimes wash you out and you may find that you need a stronger lip or a little more blush to bring life back to your complexion. Equally, a white dress may cause makeup to look to harsh against it so you might find that you need to tone it down in areas. Whilst it might not be practical to wear your wedding dress at your trial, you might want to wear a white top or have a white piece of fabric to hand so you can hold it up against your face.
8. Touch-ups for all day freshness. You’ll likely need to touch up your makeup at some-point during the day. Have someone who will be with you most of the day, your maid of honour or bridesmaid, carry with them some face powder to take away the shine, and also your lipstick which will likely fade from all the kissing, eating and drinking.
