Bridal beauty can feel totally overwhelming – if make-up’s not that important to you day to day, the idea of having to trust someone to do you up is probably stressing you out, and if make-up is really important to you anyway, getting it perfect for the most-documented day of your life isn’t any less stressful.
To help you feel calm and supported about the decisions, we got Nicola Farquhar and Heather Snowie to give you all in the insider info on wedding make-up: how it works, what you can expect, and what you need to be doing.
What make-up artists want you to know about bridal beauty
“When it coms to bridal make-up, first things first,” says make-up artist Nicola Farquhar, “SKIN! I cannot stress enough how important good skincare is, and not just on the wedding morning – we are good but we are not magicians! If you have not taken care of your skin prior to your big day then there is only so much we can do in one morning. If you can, it is definitely worthwhile seeing a skincare specialist who can give you a routine/products specifically to suit your needs, as what works for one person can’t be the absolute opposite for another.”
And don’t feel like you have to wear more make-up than you would normally either, just because you’re being photographed more. “It’s a total misconception that you need to wear a lot of makeup on your wedding day because of the photography.” Heather Snowie says. “Most bridal photographers use natural light which naturally will is very soft and flattering. It’s when pictures are being taken in a studio, under bright lights, that is when a heavier makeup can be beneficial as the light causes features to be diminished.”
And if you don’t like it? Nicola says:”Ladies, don’t be afraid to speak your mind! A good makeup artist would always rather know if something wasn’t quite working for you, as we can then try something different until we nail it! One of the biggest factors in choosing a bridal makeup artist is trust…you have to feel really comfortable with that person and know that they just ‘get you’. After all, you are going to be spending the morning of the most important days in your life with this person so it’s kinda good if you are on the same wavelength…”
How does wedding make-up work on the day?
“Obviously most of you lovely brides-to-be don’t experience wedding mornings on a regular basis,” Nicola says, “however that is literally our job as makeup artists and hairdressers. Therefore, trust us when we work out timings – it may seem like an early start time initially, but believe me it won’t seem like it in that last half an hour when everyone is trying to get into their dresses, pack their lippies and still have time for a glass of bubbly and a selfie! Give us as much information beforehand to allow us to make everything run as smoothly as possible so you can ‘relax’ and enjoy the morning.”
Heather also adds that contrary to popular opinion, she prefers brides not to go last. “My main suggestion for the timing on your wedding day is for the bride to not be last for both hair and makeup. I know you want everything to be as fresh as possible but if for any reason there are any hold ups, then, in my opinion, it’s best that it’s not the bride that everyone is waiting for. Better still, ensure that there is more than enough time planned! Be prepared for the unexpected.”
How to find your bridal make-up style
Both Nicola and Heather agree that your bridal make-up style should be close to your everyday style. “We all want to look our very best on our wedding day but you also want your groom and guest to recognise you!” Heather says. “Your wedding day isn’t the day to try something completely new, so if you don’t normally wear much makeup then a full blown Instagram style makeup might not be the right look for you. Alternatively, if you usually wear a red lip on a night out, then there’s no point going for a nude on your wedding day! My suggestion is to start out with a look that you would wear for a night out or if you were attending a wedding yourself and then adjust or intensify from there.”
Nicola agrees, saying “It should reflect you and your personality so that you still feel and look like yourself. Don’t feel like you have to be super low key for your wedding day if you are the kind of gal who rocks a full glam makeup – as long as you feel like you, you should own it. On the other hand if you are a super natural beauty who never even wears as much as a lipgloss then less is definitely more for you! Remember, though, that it will always look slightly (or a lot if you prefer!) different to how you would normally do your own makeup – after all that’s why you hire a professional!”
