Wedding make-up shouldn’t be a chore or a headache for the bride on her wedding day. It should look natural and enhance her features. The important things to remember for wedding make-up is that it has to last all day; withstand all the kisses and tears and should look matte because a dewy complexion can look greasy on photographs. If you are doing your own make-up for your big day, here are some key tips to make sure you look fantastic.

Start by cleansing the skin with cleanser; make sure it’s suited to your skin type for maximum benefits. Then, if you wish, use either a mattifying toner suited for oily skins or warm water for normal/dry skins. For oily skins an oil-free moisturiser is a must. For normal/dry skins a light moisturising lotion will suit your skin without feeling heavy. For an all-day shine-free face, invest in a pre-matte base and apply to any oily areas before using foundation. These areas include the forehead, nose and chin known as the T-zone. Normal and dry skins can also use this product for a long-lasting base.

A yellow-toned oil-free foundation will even out complexions, and last all day. To test if the shade is right for you try the foundation along the jaw line in natural daylight, if it disappears, it’s the right shade. All skin types can use oil-free foundations for long-lasting even base, but if you feel it’s leaving your skin a little tight, mix it with moisturiser. Apply foundation to the areas you need and also over the eyelids and lips because this will help shadows and lipsticks last longer. Use a foundation sponge or foundation brush for best, even results. If you are prone to break-outs take a creamy yellow-toned concealer and with a tiny brush dab the concealer over the break out gently building it up until it is all covered. If under-eye circles are the key problem then invest in a liquid light-reflective concealer pen which won’t make your eyes look caked in product but will help diffuse the circles nicely.

For long-lasting blushing bride rosy cheeks, now’s the time to apply a little crème blusher to the apples of the cheeks. Choose a pink shade to match the colour of your natural blush after exercising. To do this use your ring finger, to gently dab 3 small circles on to the fattest part of the cheek, and then with the finger blend upwards and outwards towards the top of the ear.

All done? Then lightly dust over the whole face with loose powder including eyes and lips with a big brush.

Now add colours for the defining of the face. Take an eyebrow pencil in a shade that matches your eyebrows or perhaps just a little lighter and feather stroke some `fake` eyebrow hairs over your own. This will frame and draw attention to the eyes. For eye shadows, it is best to go for natural shades which suit your colouring and open the eyes for that wide eyed sparkle. Cream, ivory, and sand shades should be used first. With an eye-shadow brush apply all over the eyelid - this means right up under the eyebrow and into the inner corners of the eyes and will make eyes look brighter and wider. Mid shades such as bronzes, light browns and taupe should be used to create depth to your eyes and applied to the crease of the eyelids. With an eye-shadow brush, apply at the outer mid corners, blending really well so that there’s no harsh line.

Dark shades should only be used as an eye-liner. Brown, brown/black, navy and grey shades placed along the top lash line and half way along the lower lash line and blended really well. You can use eye pencils or eye-shadow applied with a damp cotton bud for added intensity. Liquid eyeliner should only be used on the top lash line. Using an eye-liner will define the eyes making them look good in photographs – particularly black and white photographs. Waterproof mascara is a must. Use black/brown or brown. Two coats should be used for great looking bambi eyes. Apply to top and bottom lashes.

Choosing Lipstick shades depend on a number of factors:

• What colours you like.
• What colours suit you?
• Wedding themes/colours.

Pink, rose, berry and red shades look great on all brides and it’s not hard to find one that will suit you. Pale shades suit cool blondes and warmer richer shades for brunettes. Redheads tend to focus more on their green eye shade so keep lips natural with clear gloss.

To create lipstick that stays, remembering that you’ve already applied foundation and powder to the lips which has created a great base for the lipstick. Next take a lip liner pencil in a natural shade and outline the lips and also fill them in with it, this will help prevent that nasty lip line you sometimes get when your lipstick fades and you’re left with just the outline! Take a lip brush and apply your chosen lip shade. Using a brush means you don’t over apply the lipstick to the lips. Then take a tissue and blot the excess lipstick off. With the tissue still over the lips apply a light dusting of powder over the tissue. This will take away any oil from the lipstick without drying the lips. Re-apply the lipstick with a brush and blot, applying the powder twice. This will leave a matte colour stain on your lips which look great and won’t leave lipstick marks on anybody. Before you finish your lips, lightly outline the lips again for definition and apply a tiny bit of gloss to the centre of your bottom lip only for a bit of shine and fullness.

You’re nearly done. You just need to now apply a light dusting of pink powder blusher to compliment the crème blusher to the cheeks, with a blusher brush sweep from under the apples of the cheeks up and outwards towards the temples, also sweep over chin and jaw line for a natural glow. This gives your face added definition.
There all done, remember practise makes perfect, so practise a lot before your big day with techniques and products.

For re-touches during the wedding day ask your mum or bridesmaid to carry your lipstick/gloss, and pressed powder papers to blot any shine. And ask them to lipstick watch and tell you when you need to top up with products during the day.
Make-up isn’t supposed to be permanent but by layering it on rather than being heavy handed, it should last you well into and beyond your first dance as a Mrs.

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