Fiona Neale shares her top 5 tips for bridal makeup.
1. Layer wet and dry products
For extra longevity and a flawless, airbrushed look, apply all wet products onto skin first (primer, liquid illuminizer, foundation, concealer, liquid bronzer, crème contouring, crème blush, stick highlighter). Then set the whole face with a light dusting of rice powder. Then set each individual area with a powder equivalent product. (ie set foundation with powder, set your liquid bronzer with a powder bronzer, set crème blush with powder blush in the same shade etc).
2. Rice Powder
Don’t tell the maid of honour, but rice powder is your number one best friend on the big day. All brides need a rice powder in their clutch to mattify the T-zone, especially as day turns to night and flash photography begins to exacerbate shine.
3. Contouring
Traditional makeup photography rules apply to brides, which means contouring needs to be slightly more exaggerated than it would be for a normal special occasion makeup. Depending on the time of day and the lighting conditions (and especially with flash photography), sometimes dimension and depth can be diminished, making the planes of even the most angular face look undefined and flat. Facial structure (cheekbones, jawline, nose, temples, browbone, eye sockets, forehead shaping etc) needs to be brought out and defined more than usual so it translates beautifully in your wedding photos. This doesn’t mean brides will look unnatural or overdone– it means their best features will be picked up on camera.
4. False eyelashes
Tears come with the territory at weddings – even the most stoic of brides have been known to get misty-eyed walking down the aisle. Layers of heavy mascara could cause a disaster of epic proportions, so false lashes are a must. They don’t need to be overly dramatic, some can even look softer than mascara-applied lashes! Aside from adding unrivalled definition and glamour, they will photograph beautifully and won’t run down your cheeks! Ensure brides have some spare eyelash glue in their emergency kit, just in case tears do soften glue slightly and cause edges to lift. Tip: The finer and more flexible the band on a strip lash, the better it will stay on and fit to the lashline.
5. Long lasting lip
It’s the age-old dilemma for brides – how to achieve the perfect long lasting lip that won’t transfer off during ‘The Kiss’. First of all, lining the lips is essential for definition, but for brides, take this a step further and shade in the entire lip with a neutral pencil. This means that if lipstick does fade between re-applications, there won’t be an unsightly line left exposed, but a gently stained lip instead. Secondly, choose a matte lip shade with staying power – crayons are an excellent formula for brides due to their matte texture and unrivalled stain-like lasting power. Blot colour and reapply. If opting for a gloss texture, there’s no avoiding it – you’re going to have a glossy groom after the kiss (temporarily), but at least with these steps, when gloss comes off, the colour will remain intact underneath.
Photography: Seven Silver Swans Photography
Makeup and Hair: The Beauty Case using Issada Cosmetics
Bridal Gowns: Jennifer Gifford
Jewellery: Not Just Jewels
Flowers: Mr Conroy
Fiona Neale is founder and CEO of Issada Cosmetics, visit http://www.issadacosmetics.com/