Gutted for all ye brides to be… Coronavirus has sent the wedding industry into total turmoil. For many brides, the morning of their wedding is spent getting their makeup done with their makeup artist. But that was before & Now, in the wake of level 5 restrictions again us make-up artists are unable to work for the next 6 weeks & As a result, doing your own make-up is your only option. And if you’re one of those brides doing your own make-up take a breather. It’s going to be okay.
I’m here to share my tips to help you DIY your bridal makeup. Here’s how to nail it yourself.

The first and most important step toward nailing that perfect look is to give your skin a flawless finish. Beautiful bridal makeup starts with good skin – no foundation will look perfect without a smooth, exfoliated base.  Here’s how you can attain it:

Surprise, surprise… Drink lots of water! I know it’s not rocket science but it does work. I find that if I carry a water bottle with me everywhere, it becomes habit to drink more. Gentle exfoliation on the face works wonders! You don’t have to buy expensive products, just use a flannel and warm water and gently rub the skin. Don’t do the under eye area because that bit is too delicate but the cheeks, forehead, chin, jaw line and around the nose is what you’re aiming for. Do this twice a week

Obvious one, but hey ho, make sure you wash off your make up at night.

Also, make sure you take your make up off before you exercise because your make up mixes with sweat and clogs up your pores.

Wear a lightweight Sun cream even if you’re indoors because sun damage can occur through windows too.

Cut down on sugar. (another obvious one, sorry!)

Green Tea is packed with anti-oxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Drinking one cup a day will really help reduce horrible break outs.

Change your pillow case often because the oil from your hair gets on there and then you rub your face all over it!

Use Skin-Specific Moisturizer! All moisturizers are not created equal. Look for one that caters to your skin concerns. For oily skin, you don’t want to add much more moisture, but you do want to hydrate. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid or ferulic acid, both of which help your skin maintain water. For dry skin, stick with the hyaluronic acid or ferulic acid, but don’t worry about finding an oil-free formula. Your skin craves moisture. For breakout-prone skin, choose a moisturizer that’s noncomedogenic. It should say so on the bottle. For sensitive skin, your go-to is a fragrance-free product.

Prepare ahead of time.

Practice, Practice, Practice
No matter how makeup-savvy you may be, you don’t want to wait to apply your wedding-day look for the first time on your wedding day. “Practice, practice, practice until you have the look that you want,Then document what you used so that on the wedding day you can refer to your notes to remind you what products you used and how you used them.

Set Up a Space
Not only do you need time to apply your makeup, but you’ll need a calm environment in which to do in. Getting-ready rooms can be quite hectic sometimes and well-meaning bridal party members may distract you, so it’s important to have some privacy to relax and put on your makeup.

Use a Primer
After you’ve moisturized your skin , you’ll want to apply a thin layer of primer. A primer will serve as a temporary corrector, filling in enlarged pores as well as smoothing fine lines and some deeper-set lines, different textures of primer will also help to prepare the skin. For example, a mattifying primer will help to immediately diminish excess shine while an illuminating primer will give the skin an instant, radiant base for makeup.
Embryolisse Lait-Creme I highly recommend and can be bought on ASOS

Use an Eye Primer, Too
You need a separate primer for your eyelids than what you’ve used on the rest of your face. For eyes, I recommend using an eye primer or cream eye shadow that is neutral in tone, A bone or nude shade works well to help even out discoloration on lids and allows for a smoother eye shadow application if you plan to layer additional powder or cream shadows right over it.
My go toos are Urban decay Eyeshadow Primer, Mac Painterly Paint Pot
Again you can purchase on Asos with next day delivery… keep an eye out for those flash sales of 20% off!!!

Avoid Makeup With SPF
While sunscreen is very good for your skin, it can be very bad for your wedding photos. The zinc and titanium oxides that are found in SPF formulas can cause a white cast on the face in flash photography.

Don’t Use White Finishing Powder
Sunscreen isn’t the only thing that will give you a ghostly glow. White finishing powders, too, can cast your face in unflattering ways When a flash hits the powder on your face, it will give the appearance of clown-white skin.

Foundation
It’s hard enough to choose a foundation for day-to-day wear, but when you’re planning a wedding, you want your foundation to make your skin look perfectly airbrushed and Instagram-worthy, but you also want it to last all day, and you also don’t want it to look like, well, makeup. Brides need not worry. The secret? Two magic letters: HD. High-definition foundation includes pigments that catch and absorb light, giving your skin an airbrushed-celebrity-on-a-billboard effect.
In less than a minute, you’ll get the perfect base for your wedding day makeup, with zero—and I mean zero – imperfections.
My top wedding foundation is Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation. On your wedding day, you want to look flawless and this foundation allows you or your makeup artist to build coverage without ever looking cakey. The HD effect allows it to sit right on top of your skin without clogging your pores or setting into wrinkles, and always looks stunning on camera. It’s perfect for long wedding days and also works well with powder for those mid-day touch-ups. This foundation is available in over 40 shades, so there’s a colour for every bride.
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup
This is a long-wearing formula that literally evens out the most uneven skin without having to overload skin with products,
This foundation is a total must-buy for anyone who loves full coverage, and if you’re hoping to avoid any makeup touch-ups on the big day, it will be your new best friend.

Invest in a Creamy Formula-Based Concealer
Let’s face it: The bride is going to be busy running around finishing last-minute tasks, staying up late, attending a rehearsal dinner, and more. What about those unwanted dark circles or a sudden blemish? Make sure you put foundation on first and then lightly dab with your fingertip on areas that look dark.
10.Set in loose powder
Highlighting and contouring
You’re never fully dressed without a smile… and your bridal beauty look is not complete without a great highlight and contour! A fantastic bridal makeup technique to slim the face, give a healthy glow and really make those features pop.

Don’t Forget the Blush!
Blush the apples on your cheeks to add colour back into your face. The secret to finding the perfect shade of blush is to match the tone of your natural lip colour. When applying blush, apply a bit more than usual as the colour tends to fade.

Perfect the Brows.
If the eyes are the windows to your soul, then brows are the frames to your face. Perfect your brows by filling them in with brow powder, working it out to the tail; remember to go with your brows’ natural shape. Blend out any harsh lines.

Avoid Sparkly Products
Much like SPF and white powders, things that sparkle don’t shine(—pun intended—)in photos.That means any eye shadows, face powders, highlighters with sparkles—they look absolutely terrible in flash photography, Stick with neutral, subtle tones, and more matte eye shadows.
For a Natural Eye Makeup Look Use an eyeshadow base to lock down the colours of your eyeshadow, opt for lighter coloured shadows all over the lid and medium-toned colours around the crease. For a wide-eyed look, tightly line your eyes using a pencil liner on the top and bottom of your lash line.
Enhance Your Lashes
If you are not used to using falsies, go for a volumising and lengthening waterproof mascara. Not only do you want your mascara to stay in place through any stray tears, but waterproof formulas should withstand the heat, too.
Yet, if you are comfortable with false eyelashes then make sure to test them out beforehand to ensure that it looks as natural as possible; remember false lashes are supposed to enhance your natural lashes, not change them completely.

Layer Your Lip Colors
Layering on your lips will ensure a long-lasting finish,.Begin by conditioning lips with a lip balm to help prep and soften and follow by applying a light layer of lipstick in a satin or cream formula,then swipe your lipstick on a second time to build its color.
Optionally, if you prefer to add the appearance of volume and definition, draw lip liner along or just outside the natural lip line and then feather in the color onto the lipstick. Press lips together to set.
Also totally optional: Finish with a light layer of gloss for a multi-dimensional look.

Wear More Makeup Than You Would on Any Day
Doing makeup to be photographed is a different ball game than a casual look. While you may be hesitant, in the case of photography, more is more. Adding color to your lips will keep you from looking washed out, while Fuller advocates for more blush then you might be used to.

Splurge on a Setting Spray
The key to really making your makeup last, using a setting spray .They prevent makeup from wearing away, and they’re sweat-proof and waterproof.
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray, Mac Pre & prime Fix Spray, Lancome Setting Spray

Bring Blotting Sheets
While you may be tempted to pack a pressed powder in your purse, you should never reapply powder instead use blotting sheets to absorb oil.Blotting sheets won’t disturb the makeup—they just lift away the oil for a shine-free finish.

Don’t Follow Trends
If you don’t wear a lot of makeup in your everyday life, then you shouldn’t have a cat-eye for your wedding day. Instead, i recommend sticking to colors that will brighten your eye area without going overboard. And, if you have a stronger eye, then you should go for a more neutral lip color.If your eyes are less made up, you can do a bolder lip color.

Ladies I’m here to help… please get in touch with any concerns you have I’ll gladly answer.

G, xx