Few events are more photographed than weddings. Needless to say, wedding participants hope to look their best for the celebrations. Women often find that well applied cosmetics can enhance their beauty and help ensure they are picture-perfect.
The key to wedding makeup is finding a balance between application that will come across well in person and will look good in photographs.
Professional makeup artists understand just how heavy a hand to use to apply makeup, but the do-it-yourselfer may need some instruction to master wedding day makeup.
Often the key to wedding makeup is simplicity. Brides want their best features enhanced and have the makeup add to their beauty rather than outshine it. Brides want guests to notice their faces and gowns and not their makeup. Here are some tips brides can employ in an effort to put their best faces forward.
Begin preparations a few days prior to the wedding. If you will be enhancing your skin colour with a spray-tan, do so at least two days prior to the wedding. By the third day the colour will set and appear more natural.
The same idea applies to your brows. Tweezing, waxing and threading can create irritation and redness. Have your brows professionally shaped a few days before the wedding and then do a minor touch-up with your tweezer the night before. This allows your skin to recover and redness to dissipate.
Start out with well hydrated and moisturized skin. Apply a few layers of moisturizer, preferably one with an SPF if you will be spending time out in the sun. When the moisturizer is completely absorbed and dry, use a skin priming product that will help keep your foundation locked into place.
Match your foundation colour to your natural skin colour. When these colours don’t match, your face may look like it is a separate shade from your neck and decolletage. If you will be tanning, then find a shade that matches the tanned colour. A foundation that has slightly yellow undertones will even out redness on the face and look better in photos. Apply the foundation thoroughly with a sponge or brush and be sure to blend it well at your neckline. Set the foundation with a matte powder.
Use an eyebrow pencil or powder to fill in your brows. This is a must for your wedding day and can really help to frame your eyes. Use small, light flicks of the pencil rather than long strokes to make the colour blend naturally. Use a brush to blend in further. Always go a shade or two lighter than your natural colour. Finish with a gel that will set the hairs into place.
Complement your lips and eyes. If you are going for a dramatic eye, opt for a more neutral lip and vice versa. Neutral colours look best for weddings and will not appear dated in photos. Stick to subtle browns and taupes for universal flattery on most eye colours. Use a light hand to apply a neutral shade of light shadow all over the lid. Apply a medium brown to the crease of the eye and a darker brown to the very outer corner and blend thoroughly. A very light shade of shadow can be used directly under the browline and toward the inside of the eye to make eyes appear wide and bright.
Apply liner before mascara and blend it with a brush. Use mascara to lengthen lashes. If you will be using false lashes, apply them now. Err on the shorter side for fake lashes, and cut them as needed to fit your eye. Lashes that are too long or full may appear cartoonish and can be uncomfortable to wear. Connect your lashes together with the false ones with another application of mascara. Waterproof mascara will hold up through tears of joy.
Choose a long-lasting lip colour that will hold up through kisses and smiles. Lip stains work very well, as they provide that hint of colour but wear well during the day.
Another helpful tip is to perform a practice run prior to the wedding, taking some photographs to see how the makeup looks in pictures. Cameras and flashes can wash out makeup, so sometimes you need to apply just a little more than usual for it to show up on film. Certain makeup products will reflect light more, don’t forget to stock up on oil-blotting papers to touch up your face during the day.