Every girl likes to look her best. But unless you are royalty or a performer, there is only one day where you are guaranteed to be the star attraction … your wedding day! All eyes will be on you. How you look on that one day will be captured in photos and probably take pride of place on your mantelpiece for the rest of your life! Phew, so no pressure then?
I got married a few years ago and remember feeling quite stressed that I would look crap on my big day. I have to admit to going stir crazy in the run-up to the big day and putting 200 pounds of make-up on my credit card! Shame on me! I also became a bit obsessed with articles about bridal beauty and was quite relentless in my pestering of women at make-up counters for tips! So, it seems a shame for all that knowledge to go to waste. In the spirit of sisterhood, here are Auntie Maia’s helpful hints!I’m going to begin with a brief discussion of whether to do it yourself or hire a makeup artist, before moving onto the specifics of wedding make-up from concealer to nail varnish, and finally end with five general top tips for looking your best!
>> DIY or HIRE A MAKE-UP ARTIST? <<
I decided not to hire a makeup artist, because I was getting married overseas and didn’t want to experiment with someone I didn’t know. But if you can afford it, a makeup artist can help you look your best. Just remember to:
- Ask to see photos of his/her work
- Have a complete dry-run a few weeks before, so you can check you like the look
- Discuss prices and dates so there are no misunderstandingsIf, like me, you prefer to go it alone, you can always get ideas from professionals. I booked in an hour’s free wedding makeover at Space NK (a make-up shop with branches across London). I was very lucky and got the Queen Bee, who trained all Space NK’s makeup artists. She had previously trained and worked as a Bobbi Brown makeup artist, so knew her stuff! She gave me loads of tips. Be sure to tell them that it is for your wedding. Also get them to show you how to do it yourself.
>> FACIAL MAKE-UP <<
CONCEALER: Chances are that last-minute nerves will play havoc with your sleep and you may have dark circles. Concealer brightens your face, gets rid of any blemishes and is a wedding essential. Find the right concealer: creamy texture and yellow-based. For a subtle effect, choose a shade that is two shades lighter than your skin tone. Apply the concealer under your eyes up to the lowest lashes and on the innermost corner of the eye. Smooth and blend. FOUNDATION: Foundation is crucial for looking like you have clear, smooth skin. You should not be able to tell that you are wearing foundation. For weddings, it is important to go for a yellow-based foundation (I’ll explain why later). Do not use foundation on your chest or shoulders, incase you stain your dress. Also be careful when you put your dress on – you don’t want to leave ghastly brown tidemarks all over the dress!
POWDER: I don’t normally wear powder, but it is really important for brides because without it, you may look greasy and sweaty in photos. Think: silky, smooth texture and yellow-toned powder. BLUSHER: Wear a pretty shade of blusher. If you’re olive or dark-skinned, a rose colour looks good. For fairer skins, a pink colour is best. Remember to put on slightly more than you would usually as it needs to be long-lasting.
>> LIPS <<
Brighter lip colours are better for weddings. Pale or brown lip colours tend to look washed-out in photos, especially if you’re wearing a white dress. You could always use them as a base, and then wear a pink/rose colour on top to give you a bit of ‘lift’.>> EYES <<
MASCARA: It goes without saying that you should wear waterproof mascara. Even if you think you won’t cry, you don’t want to risk panda-eye syndrome!
EYESHADOW: Bobbi Brown recommends using white shadow as highlighter on your brow bone (if you have light skin) or a warm, light peach or vanilla highlighter (if you have dark skin). This works really well with lighter coloured wedding dresses (ivory/cream/white).EYELINER: Light-medium eyeliner usually works best in photos and looks the most elegant. A nice charcoal, navy or mahogany colour is best.
>> FRAGRANCE <<
Top tip: layer, layer, layer! Choose your favourite fragrance and begin the wedding day with a soothing shower or bath using the shower gel. After drying yourself, moisturise all over with the body lotion. Finish, by spraying the perfume on your pulse points (behind ears, wrists, ankles and behind knees).>> NAILS <<
Have a relaxing manicure and pedicure a few days before the wedding (if possible on the actual day). In the run-up to your wedding, take great care to look after your nails. Normally, my nails are in the worst condition ever – chipped, bitten and with big white calcium spots! I went for fortnightly manicures for 2-3 months beforehand, drank lots of milk and always used washing up gloves!
When it comes to nail colour, the best tip someone gave me was to keep it fresh and simple. If your nails are long, French Manicures look good. However, try as I did, I couldn’t grow mine long enough so I chose a pretty sheer pink from Space NK. The last thing you want to worry about on the big day is chipped nail varnish, so try not to choose a bright red colour, which will be noticeable when it chips! >> GENERAL TOP FIVE TIPS <<
(1) Think elegance, rather than fashion
Now is not the time to go crazy and experiment with the latest fashions. In twenty years time you don’t want to go looking back at your wedding photos and think: “why on earth was I wearing blue eyeliner and frosted lipstick?”
(2) Some make-up doesn't work in photos
Make-up that looks great on a day-to-day basis may not look fantastic on film or in photos. For example, electric flash photography can intensify the pinks of foundation. Translucent powder can also look ‘masklike’ in photos and drain colour from your face. Try to stick with yellow-based products. Other products that don’t work well on film are: very glossy lips, dark liner, shimmer, and clashing shadow/lip colours. If you have time, I’d advise taking a few photos of yourself in your wedding make-up beforehand, so you can check there are no make-up horrors that will blight your wedding photos!(3) Matte not shimmer
Normally, I love to shimmer. Gloss, glitter and go! But for your wedding day, it is important to remember that the finish on your face should be matte, not dewy. Even the smallest bit of moisture on your face will look greasy in your wedding photos.
(4) Cheat (bring along touch-ups)
Get your mother or bridesmaid to keep the following items handy for touch-ups:
- Lipstick
- Tissues
- Mascara (in case you cry and need to reapply!)
- Loose powder (5) Relax and enjoy!
It’s your big day girlfriend! Smile, smile and more smiles! My face ached for the first few days of the honeymoon with all the smiling. Women always look their most radiant when they’re enjoying themselves. So, who cares if your ghastly aunt Mary is fighting with your other aunt? And the flowers aren’t exactly the ones you wanted? Don’t worry when all your carefully laid plans start falling apart. No-one’s wedding goes exactly to plan. Just relax and remember to smile!
by (2%):
by (1%):
31.08.2004 14:43
Yep as below but im getting married in 6 weeks (oct 17th) so I want to look my best. Brilliant review and tips I hadn't thought of Sonia xxx
13.07.2004 10:57
A fab review - I am getting married in 3 weeks and need to know as much as possible! Soph
12.07.2004 13:17
Excellent tips there!I'm jotting some of them down if you don't mind?I'm getting married in two years time but planning from now so we get everything done in time and save up enough money :) Some of these tips will be relly helpful to me! Aimee xxx