Bridal Makeup Philosophy: Naturally Radiant

A light touch always brings out a bride's natural beauty.

Makeup is often overlooked when planning your wedding, people always remember their hair, but don’t realise that, to look good in your wedding photos, you really need to have good photographic makeup applied…what you may not notice with your naked eye will be captured forever by the camera, possibly belying the beauty of the blushing bride…

My personal choice of make-up for brides is one of corrective, subtle make-up, to enhance your best features and make you look naturally radiant and beautiful on your big day. I want the first thing people notice when they look at you to be how stunning and radiant you look, not your makeup itself. (Of course, that is just my personal preference, I have in the past done a “Pamela Anderson look-alike” make-up for a wedding!)

Where to Begin…

The first thing to get right is your skin and eyebrows…I would recommend a series of facials in the run up to your wedding (that is if you don’t already have regular facials) Start a few months before as it is common for your skin to break out and get worse before it gets better after a facial if you haven’t had one for a long time. (Something to do with getting all the impurities out) Treat yourself to one a month for 3 months before the big day…your last one at least a few days before your wedding, to give your skin time to settle down) Eyebrows should be shaped the day before if possible.

On the morning of your wedding, make sure your skin is well moisturised about 10 minutes before applying your make-up. I always recommend that you have your hair done before your Make-up. Remember that for the photographs you must take extra care when using light reflective foundation and concealer. A lot of women pile on the YSL Touche Elcat, in the misunderstanding that it is a concealer, when actually, it’s job is to “put light” in to dark areas…Don’t do it! You may look good to the naked eye, but it will show up too white in your photos and you could look like you have puffy eyebags!

I’m not saying to steer clear of subtle light reflecting foundations, such as Lucidity by Estee Lauder, in fact they are great for giving the appearance of dewy, youthful skin. (I even use Touche Eclat, sparingly!) Steer very clear of shimmery bronzers and blushers though…If you want to use a bronzer, use a matt one and use it very subtly, softly over your cheeks, bridge of your nose, top of your forehead, where you would naturally catch the sun…bear in mind that your neck should not be too different in colour to your face. (Don’t be tempted to try putting bronzer all over your neck…it’s a slippery slope and you’ll end up staining your dress!)

Eye makeup

For your eyes, you can’t go wrong with matt shadows. I usually use either brown or greys. A soft eyeliner, (brown or black) smudged close to the base of you lashes on your upper lid will make your eyelashes appear thicker and, in conjunction with a little grey or dark brown shadow applied with a thin brush at the base of your lower lashes, will subtly define your eyes perfectly for the photos. I use black WATERPROOF mascara on just about everyone, and make sure I curl the lashes before applying it.

I have touched briefly on the use of blusher/bronzer already, but if you aren’t using it to look tanned and just want to look like the “blushing bride” apply a soft blush to the apples of your cheeks whilst smiling into the mirror, using circular, upwards and outwards brushstrokes…

Lips

For your lips, I like to use a colour that will not clash with your Bouquet…Bearing in mind you have already primed your lips when you applied your foundation and powder by putting a suitable balm or moisturiser on them after you have done your base. (I use Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour cream) By the time you are ready for lipstick to be applied, your lips will be in perfect condition…-Always leave your lips ‘til the very last-

I use a “Nude” lip pencil over the entire lip before applying the lip colour as it gives extra staying power, apply lipcolour then blot with a tissue and reapply lipstick with a touch of gloss over the top.

A quick check and powder before you leave for the ceremony, and your Hubby will be totally bowled over, and the photos of your wedding will be fantastic!

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About the Author...
Laura dos Remedios has been working as a Makeup Artist in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris and London for over eleven years for Magazines, Advertising, TV commercials, MTV, Music Videos, and Fashion Shows.