Considering that your wedding is one of the biggest days of your life, you naturally want to look and feel your best. Having a group of experts on hand to perfect your skin, hair and make-up is a non-negotiable but finding the right make-up artist and hairstylist can be tricky. Here, we round up expert tips to help you find the perfect bridal beauty team.
Whether you’re a metrosexual, moustachioed man or a couldn’t-be-bothered bearded bro, our ultimate grooming guide will have you looking dapper on your big day.
BACK TO BASICS
If you haven’t started investing in a solid skincare regime yet, the day you get engaged is the perfect time to start. Begin by washing your face correctly with a good-quality cleanser, add a biweekly exfoliation into your routine, and nourish your skin with a moisturiser that suits your skin type and contains an SPF for daily sun protection. Speaking of hydration, up your water intake to eight glasses a day for a clearer, more radiant complexion come the big day.
We recommend:
Dermalogica Daily Defense Block SPF15
Clinique For Men Oil Control Exfoliating Tonic
Nivea Men Active Energy Face Wash Gel
CLOSE SHAVE
The only way you’re going to find your stubble sweet spot is by testing it out before the wedding. Shave a few times and take note of how long it takes for your beard to grow to a length you’re happy with for the ceremony. An unruly, scruffy beard is never a good look, so trim it slightly more than you usually would for a clean look (and to keep your bride smiling) on the day.
We recommend:
Philips Series 7000 Wet And Dry Shaver
GO PRO
If you’re wary of trimming and styling your own stubble, why not gather your groomsmen and treat yourself to a hot-towel shave ahead of your wedding? Chat to your trusty barber about both your hair and fuzz options, including how close to the wedding you should have your final haircut and shave – all depending on your typical growth and proneness to irritation.
EYES ON THE PRIZE
Maybe you hit the bar a bit heavy at the bachelor party and your peepers are far from sparkling. Sit for a few minutes with ice packs on your eyes (cold cucumber slices work too, in a pinch), and then follow with redness-reducing eye drops and a soothing under-eye gel.
We recommend:
Clarins Men Anti-Fatigue Eye Serum
TOP TO TOE
Don’t forget about your hands and feet – they deserve a good pampering too. Book a men’s mani-pedi at a salon a few days before the wedding. Your bride will be impressed at your attention to detail, and we bet you’ll love the feel of well-kept fingertips and soft skin. Use a dollop of hand cream on the day to prep your mitts to ensure plenty of hand-holding.
We recommend:
The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector
GRIN AND BARE IT
Consider getting your teeth cleaned and whitened a few weeks before the wedding, especially if you are a big coffee drinker, red-wine lover or smoker. For a cheaper alternative, add a dentist-approved whitening toothpaste to your brushing routine a few months before the day.
SCENT AND SENSIBILITY
There are few things worse than a groom who reeks of cheap cologne, so be sure to choose your fragrance wisely and apply sparingly. Already have a signature scent? Go with that, or shop around a few weeks before the day to find something special. We recommend a lighter scent (one with ‘green’ notes of herbs and zesty citrus) as opposed to an overly masculine one with strong woody notes.
We recommend:
Chanel Allure Homme Sport EDT
BROW NOW
Tame those caterpillars by plucking any errant hairs a few days before your wedding. Focus only on removing the rogue hairs between your eyes. Leave the ones above your brows and inside the inner or outer-eye lines alone – plucking these is overkill.
We recommend:
Studio Basics Slant Tip Tweezer
Blush is a wonder product as it can instantly brighten up the face and it’s definitely the one make-up item I’d like to have with me if I was stranded on a desert island. However, picking the most flattering shade of blusher and applying it correctly can be quite a challenge. Read on for our tips for getting it right and get ready to get cheeky.
1 Go for au naturel
Navigating through hundreds of blusher shades is easy if you bear in mind that your best shade will be similar to the colour you naturally blush. If you are fair, try a soft pink or rosy nude, such as the Revlon Powder Blush in Naughty Nude (R209). Medium or olive skin tones suit corals and bronze hues, such as the Smashbox L.A. Lights Blendable Lip & Cheek Color in Venice Beach Bronze and Silver Lake Sunset (R320) while darker complexions look gorgeous with a pop of bright pink or a rich plummy red, such as Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Plum Wine (R99.95).
2 Create a C-shape
The most natural-looking way to apply blush is by sweeping it over the apples of your cheeks and up towards your eyebrows in a ‘C’ motion. Use a large, soft and fluffy brush to apply powder formulas – our choice is the Real Techniques Blush Brush (R169.95). Your fingers work best for cream or stick variants as your body warmth helps to melt and blend in the creamy texture.
Pro tip ‘When you are applying blush, don’t smile, because once you stop, the apples of your cheeks will lower, and suddenly your blush will be hovering right over your mouth instead of the tops of your cheeks,’ advises British make-up artist Wayne Goss.
3 Carve out cheekbones
Did you know that blusher can double up as a contour product? By applying blush onto the apples of the cheeks (as you normally would) and then using your fingertips to blend it up and out towards your ears with patting motions, you’ll define your cheekbones. Finish off with a touch of highlighter along the tops of your cheekbones for a brightening effect. We adore the MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Powder in Soft & Gentle (R370).
4 Layer it up
Try this clever formula when you need your blusher to stay put on your big day: first use a cream blush and then apply a powder version in a similar colour over it. You can even tailor-make your own shade by layering a peach and pink blush onto your cheeks. Be sure to blend very well so that there are no visible lines and avoid blushers containing large shimmer particles as these will ruin the illusion of that lit-from-within glow. Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush in Ambre D’or (R134.95) is just the right amount of delicate shimmer and pretty colour.
Pro tip A backstage make-up secret is to rub a little bit of blush on the earlobes of the models to make them look more fresh and awake.
Photography Maybelline, courtesy images