Make up tips for beautiful bridal make up
Its that time of year again!
I love bridal season, I have been really busy over the last few weeks with bridal make up trials and wanted to pass on some tips to you ladies who are doing your own make up for your big day.
Here are my top 10 tips for perfect bridal make up
.1. It’s all in the eyes.
If you are like me your regular mascara may be your saviour! But for this one day I say ditch it! I’m not asking you to go out on your wedding day with naked lashes!!!! I Often apply individual lashes to my brides and blend them with the natural lashes with a little waterproof mascara. This is a really glamorous alternative, adding enhancing length, thickness without any unnatural clogging.
Using individual lashes with a little coating of waterproof mascara is a cleaner smudge free alternative You might not be the “crying” type, but don’t take the risk, you don’t want to be a soppy mess.
2. Beauty is only skin deep….
Drink plenty, drink water like its going out of fashion! Hydrating the skin will give you a glow, it will help your skin become clear of any spots and will also plump out any dehydration lines which prematurely age the skin.
Also invest in a skin care regime which is recommended for your skin type and conditions.
3. Cheat your way to a perfect base. Many women don’t see the necessity of a make up primer, well let me tell you; the right primer for your skin can be a god send. All primers cause your make up to stay fresher and longer.
Specialised primers can also mattify or create a dewy finish, there are also silicone based primers which fill pores and fine lines!
4. Its not a great thing to try new things or make big changes just before your big day! If you are going to get a spray tan don’t do it on the eve of your wedding do it a couple of days before just so you have time to remove a patchy dodgy job!
This goes for brow grooming too, maintain your usual regimen. You could end up chola’d!
And as for vajazzling- just don’t! You inevitably will be walking down the aisle like John Wayne!
5. Keep shine at bay. For your photographs keeping the shine down on you face is imperative.
If you know you have oily skin opt for a mattifying primer over a moisturiser, follow with a mattifying foundation. Now with a small powder brush focusing on the t-zone stroke a little translucent powder over your foundation to set the makeup.
A heavily powdered face can be really dull looking so don’t be overzealous with powder instead keep oil absorbing sheets in your purse for shine touch ups.
6. If you line your eyes swap your inkwell or kohl pencil eyeliner for a long-lasting gel liner. Bobbi Brown does a cult gel liner which comes in a huge variety of colours and is totally smudge free and waterproof.
Top tip: If you always opt for black save your pennies and try out Maybeline’s Lasting Drama gel liner- They have just brought out an extremely similar product but have only brought out the 1 shade and are selling it at almost half the price!
7. Create a lip stain. Many girls usually use a lip gloss but this may not do the trick on your wedding day. Lip gloss is not very long-lasting, you will spend most of the day kissing family members you vaguely remember as well as your oldest friends and if that doesn’t remove your gloss the ”I do” moment will see your lip gloss go from your face to all over yours and your grooms faces! I find long stay lip duos cause drying and cracking and can look really shrivelled.
I often create a lip stain by outlining and filling in my brides lips with a flattering lip pencil colour, then I apply a soft lipstick and blot with a tissue. Repeat this metod. This will leave a stain on your lips and the lipstick will stay on longer.
8. Dont harden your look with penciled on brows.
Use an eyebrow powder to softly enhance the shape of brows. This is also a smudge free method.
9. highlight.
A pro trick is highlighting to sculpt the face.
Apply dewy shine to the highest point of the cheek bones. An ivory highlighter under the brows really compliments and ivory dress. Dust a subtle powder highlighter along the cupids bow of the lips.
As well as enhancing the lips this will help to stop lip colours “bleeding” around the lip line.
10. Finish the make up with a fixing spay. This freshens the make up instantly, eradicates any powdery finish and really sets the make up for a long-lasting hold.
TK MAXX, brilliant beauty discounts and Stila cosmetics for £2!
It never use to occur to me to shop at TK MAXX for beauty bargains but think again! When I discovered their beauty section I never looked back.
Just like the clothes in TK MAXX the beauty section is a bit of a jumble sale in style of organisation!
I was shopping in TK MAXX yesterday and there was some great bargains in there including dun… dun… dunnnn….. Stila!
I used to love Stila and bought it up from Space NK but it has become increasingly hard to get Stila so when I bought £11 eyeshadows for £2 and their spf30 tinted moisturizer £22 for only £4 I was elated 
The staff have continuously ensured me that all products are in date and some are even current season but personally I would -
- squeeze out a little product to check the consistency making sure it hasn’t dried up or separated!
- Smell the product-the easiest way to tell if the product is perished
- If you are still unsure patch test and keep in your personal make up bag.
I bought 6 pairs of lashes. You can get better deals on lashes when you surf the web but if you have to get them on the high street this is a great place to buy them. I bought up brands like Eyelure, Girls With Attitude and Flutter eyes. They where all around half the price of buying at Boots/Superdrug etc.
I would use a great lash glue like Duo Gluei in preference to the glue that accompanies these lashes.
I haven’t used CK make up yet but they also had really cheap CK sets that would make expensive looking Christmas sets- Think ahead!
The hair section is vast they have electrical styling equipment, shampoos, conditioners, brushes, styling products they even had a couple of faux hair pieces.
They also have great on line deals here are just a few-
£16.99 rRRP £32.50
£29.99 RRP £148.00
£12.99 RRP £24.95
1 easy step to Valentines date glamour- Amazing lashes!… from the high street!
For instant feel good, sexiness add a pair of sultry lashes and instantly update your valentines outfit.
Go understated with a little added length and thickness, glamour puss with full thickness and fluttering length or even add a bit of sparkle.
As amazing as coloured, bobble ended, feathery or extreme lashes are keep them for clubbing and avoid them for dates!!
Here are my pick of great buy high street lashes for valentines-
Girls Aloud for Eyelure available from Boots £4.89 (Boots do some good 3 for 2 and buy 1 get 1 half price deals so a great time to stock up)
I hate the concept of celebrity endorsed products but I must admit these are briliant; my favourite strip lashes are the “Nicola lashes” they are great! They blend in well the spine is soft and doesn’t lift. the flared corners extend small eyes and give a cat like lift.
The ”Cheryl Lashes” are the worst of the range in my opinion. Quite heavy and they have an unrealistic spiky cut.
Great value/great product I use these on clients regularly. 
False Eyelashes Mini Diamante by Shu Uemura at Space NK
Shu Uemura is more expensive than most ashes but very well made, you can get several wears out of these strips if you gently washe and take care of them. Easy to apply corner lashes with diamonte detail £15
False Eyelashes Dazling Diamante by Shu Uemura at Space NK £15
Full lashes with a gorgeous diamonte strip. Ideal for adding real glamour to a night out
Black Widow lashes by Eyelure available at Boots around £5 (Boots do some good 3 for 2 and buy 1 get 1 half price deals so a great time to stock up)
Add a little bit of Femme fatale Made from spiky black lashes overlaid with black lace
Mister Mascara Bedazzled Lash Duo £10 at Boots
Day or evening set or layer the adorned lashes over the more natural set to create super length and thickness.
QVS individul lashes at Asda
If you are a natural chick these are the most natural individuals I have ever tried and great value at only £4.98
For application check out my how-to applying individual lashes
How-to applying individual eyelashes
This is an exert from my previous how-to day evening glamour forEvery Model Magazine.
I thought this would be great for this time of year, I have seen salons charge £20 for this treatment but individual eyelashes is a treatment you can do at home, read on to find out how.
Individual eyelashes Eyelure (£4.80) are a make up artist’s favourite beauty secret. They can be customised to every model to simply add exceptionally natural thickness to lashes or even to create long-lasting fluttering glamour puss lashes. They can last up to 4 weeks and need little or no mascara eradicating the possibility of smudges or chips so perfect for evening beauty
Application
Before you start make sure your lashes are completely clean and oil free.
Select the lashes that will work best on you and thing about the finish you want, natural, glam, flared at the corner….
Choose how long you want the lashes to last, if only for1-2 days Duo lash glue (£8.50) is an outstanding glue for easy application and removal. Or for more of a semi permanent lash (up to 4 weeks) use Eyelure’s individual eyelash glue and remover which is included with the lashes.
Keep the eye you are working on closed throughout application.
With the glue applicator or a fine disposable brush apply the glue from the stem of the lash and spread up the lash a little so the lash has lots of surface area to adhere to your own lashes, be careful not to drown the lash in glue.
Give the lash a few seconds to go tacky.
Start from the corner of the lashes and work towards the middle
Hold the individual eyelash carefully with clean fingers tips in place pressing as close as possible to your lash root.
Open your eye when the glue is dry; do not panic if the eye corners stick at all when you open your eye. Carefully use your nails to pick any pulling glue off. Do be extremely careful through out the application, if any glue goes into the eye follow manufacturers guidelines.
Once the lashes are totally dry you can apply the rest of your make up but be extra careful not to pull or rub the lashes out of place.
My how-to. Evening make up recently published in Every model magazine
I recently wrote a seasonal how-to which I thought everyone would enjoy coming close to Christmas. I also did the make up for this editorial with amazing photographer and good friend Dave Wise.
Evening make up
It’s that time of year again when grudgingly we watch our tans quickly fade, pile on the woolly layers and wave good bye to the last days of summer but thankfully we have a glitz filled party season to cheer us up. I have created professional step by step evening looks so you can turn heads this autumn.
Effortless glamour
This look is long lasting understated and elegant; the alluring lashes add instant femininity.
Individual eyelashes Eyelure (£4.80) are a make up artist’s favourite beauty secret. They can be customised to every model to simply add exceptionally natural thickness to lashes or even to create long-lasting fluttering glamour puss lashes. They can last up to 4 weeks and need little or no mascara eradicating the possibility of smudges or chips so perfect for evening beauty
Application
Before you start make sure your lashes are completely clean and oil free.
Select the lashes that will work best on you and thing about the finish you want, natural, glam, flared at the corner….
Choose how long you want the lashes to last, if only for1-2 days Duo lash glue (£8.50) is an outstanding glue for easy application and removal. Or for more of a semi permanent lash (up to 4 weeks) use Eyelure’s individual eyelash glue and remover which is included with the lashes.
Keep the eye you are working on closed throughout application.
With the glue applicator or a fine disposable brush apply the glue from the stem of the lash and spread up the lash a little so the lash has lots of surface area to adhere to your own lashes, be careful not to drown the lash in glue.
Give the lash a few seconds to go tacky.
Start from the corner of the lashes and work towards the middle
Hold the individual eyelash carefully with clean fingers tips in place pressing as close as possible to your lash root.
Open your eye when the glue is dry; do not panic if the eye corners stick at all when you open your eye. Carefully use your nails to pick any pulling glue off. Do be extremely careful through out the application, if any glue goes into the eye follow manufacturers guidelines.
Once the lashes are totally dry you can apply the rest of your make up but be extra careful not to pull or rub the lashes out of place.
A flawless base is key when working a naturally gorgeous look and vitally important for every model to be able to achieve in their working lives.
Determine your skin type and ensure you select your skin care according to this. Banish any overly perfumed or abrasive products from your bath room cabinet; don’t over load your skin. (For advice try a Dermalogica skin mapping consultation 0800 591 818 ).
Now your skin is perfectly clean and moisturised a primer is a fantastic product to get a prolonged smooth finish from your foundation. Smooth Laura Mercier’s moisturising primer £26.43 in with finger tips to get a deliciously dewy glow to dry/normal skins or apply L’Oreal studio secrets anti shine mattifying primer (£9.99) This competitively priced primer holds its own to the big dogs and gives a beautifully smooth velvety finish which controls shine for oily skins and keeps your foundation fresh for hours.
Start your make up with your eyes this way any drop from the eye shadow can be wiped away before your foundation is applied.
Lightly sweep Bobbi Brown Bone eye shadow £14 all over the eye from lid to brow as a base, follow with Mac Woodwinked £11 blending over the lid area and blend a lighter shadow to highlight into the inner corner of the eye and to highlight just below the brow area, Mac Shroom £11.
Wipe away any drop and line the eyes tracing neatly around the lash line and blend with a fine eyeliner brush. Chanel long lasting waterproof eyeliner in Espresso.
Wipe away any powder drop with a face wipe and then apply Bobbi Brown Skin foundation (£27.00) with a foundation brush for long wearing buildable coverage that looks like perfect skin. Cover up any visible imperfections with Bobbi Brown touch up stick (£17.00).
Lightly press a little Rimmel Stay Matt Powder over the t-zone to set and bronze outwards from the forehead spread out from the tops of cheeks and dab a tiny small amount on the bridge of the nose. Bronzer gives more believable depth to the face and eradicates any unnatural blankness from the foundation Guerlain Bronzer (£30.00).
To give an instant healthy glow to the apples of the cheeks dust Illamasqua’s powder blush in Chased (£16.00)
Finish with a glossy long lasting lipstick Bobbi Browns Creamy lip Colour in Crystal Pink (£15)
Smokey eyes and pale lips (Annalise)
Again start with the eyes. You will get a lot of noticeable powder drop from a dark smokey look so start with a cream to give extra drama and a good base for shadows to adhere to.
For the eye look I have used Dior 5 Couleurs Designer palette in Smokey design 08. An all in one palette with 4 textured blendable shades and a cream liner with a matt velvety texture which in this case I also used as a base for my shadows.
I spread the cream over the whole of the lid and blended the darkest shadow over the lid and the medium shimmering shade over the centre of the lids and into the corners and traced it around the lower lash line.
Macs smoulder eye kohl pencil (£12.00) was densely penciled into the upper and lower water lines and blended into the lash line using a fine brush to add fierce intensity.
A matt brown powder was blended in to the eye socket area and Bobbi Brown’s Bone Powder (as before) was used to high light under the eyebrows.
I applied 2 coats of mascara combing through from roots to tips as the finishing touch to the eyes Make up Forever’s Smokey Lash Mascara (£14.00)
After combing through the eyebrows I used Laura Mercier’s double ended brow brush (£27.00) and swept through Laura Mercier’s brow defining wax in a light feathering motion where ever the brows looked sparse. As the eyes are so striking do not over do the eyebrows, keep them natural to avoid the look becoming hard.
I applied Iman’s Luminous foundation to Annalise’s skin using a sponge, the oil free formulas and vast selections of colours are perfect for darker skin tones. Cover up any visible imperfections with Bobbi Brown touch up stick (£17.00).
Once the foundation has settled lightly press a little Rimmel Stay Matt Powder over the t-zone with a powder brush to set. Bobbi Brown’s blusher in Tawny (£16.00) was subtly brushed on to the apples of the cheeks to give a healthy flash of warmth.
To create a long lasting pale lip a pencil liner slightly lighter than Annalise’s lips was applied all over the lip area to tone down the lips MAC Naked Rose Cream stick Liner (£10.50). Nars Supervixen Lipgloss (£17.00) was painted neatly over the lips to finish this look.
Article from Every Model Magazine, written by Lauren Baker, Models Annaliese and Roksana @ Oxygen models
