Wedding Makeup: Beautifully Understated

As the saying goes “less is more” and in my personal opinion this should definitely be taken into consideration for your wedding day makeup.

If you choose a “Glam” makeup application, remember that it will take on the trend of the time it is applied.  So with this in mind I would personally advise you to consider going for a natural, timeless and beautiful look that brings out the very best in you naturally.
  
Your wedding photos are going to be around for many years to come, in fact you’ll most likely be looking at them with your grandchildren in the future so you don’t want to be wincing back at graphic eyeliner or the overly contoured trend in the same way I look back at photos of myself with blue mascara (with my green eyes!) or thick black kohl rimmed around my eyes and hideous pale pink lipstick (which really doesn't suit me) when I was in my teens - seriously, it makes me cringe every time!  My daughters look at those photos with complete confusion and wonder what on earth I was thinking.  Obviously I was the height of fashion on believed I looked amazing!

Remember the only person you should look like on your wedding day is, YOU.  Don't try and look like someone else on your wedding day regardless of what the media and Pinterest might be saying.  Its important to think about the features you love, and how you feel comfortable wearing your hair, and then discuss this with your hair and makeup artist so that together you can work out the best way of showcasing them on your special day.  

I'm sure you've heard the expression that your eyes are the window to your soul and I think everyone’s eyes should pop, but that doesn’t mean layering on eyeshadow or using copious amounts of black liquid liner or kohl pencil.  In fact I try to steer away from both, particularly kohl pencil, as it doesn’t wear well throughout the day and can cause black goop to collect in the corner of your eyes or just general smudging around the eye area.  An alternative to this would be using a dark brown or grey and perhaps lining with powder on a sharp angled brush to give a softer definition.  A strong flicked liquid liner can look beautiful for a vintage inspired look but the truth is that those with the perfect eye shape to pull it off are few and far between - I’m not one of them. Forcing such a look on the wrong eye shape doesn’t look great and there will be a much better way of enhancing your eyes perhaps by contouring the crease or through the definition of your brows that is better suited to you.

The same goes for false lashes.  I always think natural is best, and life is generally easier without foreign objects stuck onto your face that could potentially irritate your eyes or get knocked off or come loose later in the day.  Using thick false lashes because it’s “in” right now is not your best reasoning.  If you’re a bit sparse on eyelashes in particular areas then your makeup artist should be able to correct that with the application of individual lashes to just those areas or perhaps just a few individuals on the outer corners if your lashes aren’t so long or you want to open your eyes out.    And if you are set on having lashes I advise my brides to get some natural extensions put in - they look a million times better than ones I can glue on.  

Now for for base and contouring.  A light contour, whether achieved by liquids or powders, is a perfectly subtle way of bringing out the best in your own bone structure.  I personally would never advise chiseling out your cheekbones beyond recognition or changing the shape of your nose unnecessarily but instead, use a subtle contouring technique to reinforce the shadows and highlights of your face that you love and make you unique.
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Lip colour has been around for years, although I can recall a particular trend around the 2000’s when we all thought it was “cool” to wear concealer on our lips - as long as you don’t try and recreate that you should be fine!  It’s important that you do have some colour on your lips, especially with all the wedding photos and potential over exposure.  I love naturally coloured lips for a bridal makeup.  Everyones lip colour is naturally different - so there isn't a lipstick that will work for everyone.  2 of my most popular shades are Charlotte Tilbury's Bond Girl and Pillow Talk.  It really doesn't matter if you prefer lipstick or lipgloss, but I would always suggest carrying one in your bag, and always remember the liner to ensure your own beautiful lip shape is defined.

So theres just a few pointers in my opinion for achieving your perfect wedding day makeup look.  It’s always worth speaking with your artist first to get a clear idea of your options and what can be done to enhance your own features without completely altering them so that you can still be you - and you at your most beautiful.

​Emma x