Brides opt to do their own makeup for a multitude of reasons. Maybe you want to save more money, maybe there’s a specific look you want or maybe you just enjoy doing makeup. Regardless of the reason, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared to take on this task.
Here are some tips to have you looking your best on your big day.
Keep your location, theme, wedding dress and weather in mind:
First things first, think logistics. If you’re going for a specific theme for your wedding, you don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb with your makeup. For example, a bold smokey eye might clash with a botanical-inspired wedding in a local garden. You also have to consider how the wedding might affect your face beat. If it’s going to be hot, you’ll want to use products that reduce oil and won’t melt too drastically in the heat.
Start with eyes first:
If you’re doing a specific eye look, its best to start there first before applying your face makeup. This way, you can clean up any fallout and avoid the dreaded mascara flecks on your under eyes.
Don’t go beyond your abilities:
Love a bold winged liner but whenever you try, it ends up looking like a chunky piece of liquorice on your eye? You’re not alone. Yes, there are so many trends and looks that are beautiful but if you can’t do it, you’ll end up frustrating yourself on what is meant to be a happy day. Stick to what you know and you won’t start your day cursing the heavens above for your wonky cut-crease.
Practice, practice, practice:
Ideally, you want your makeup application to be stress-free and easy. The best way to do this is to practice your final look a few times so that it becomes second nature. Before your wedding day, make sure to give your application three trial runs in which you time yourself to see how long it takes to complete your look. Make sure to also wear your look throughout the day to see how it wears, and take photos under a variety of lighting to see how your look will photograph. No one wants flashback on their big day!
Blend the day away:
Every part of your makeup will be made so much better if you remember the cardinal rule: blend! Want flawless skin? Blend. Perfectly diffused eyeshadow? Blend. Remember to blend your foundation down your neck, chest and even onto your ears to maintain an even finish.
Give yourself time:
Please, please do not leave doing your makeup to the last minute. You might end up feeling rushed and end up not doing as great a job as you would have liked. Ideally, you should set aside an hour and a half to do your makeup, and still have plenty of time afterwards for any final touches once you’ve got your full look on. Remember, this is your big day and you want to look your best!
Also read: How to find your best foundation fit
Feature image: Pexels
The stereotype may suggest that all women love shopping, but that’s not really the case. For some, shopping can be an annoying or stressful experience. These women usually…
We know what you’re thinking. Yes, ruffles can feel very childish, but they can also be incredibly whimsical and fresh. Ruffles add delicate yet lively detail to your wedding dress. Imagine the fun you can have playing with your skirt!
Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Pre-Fall 2019 collection for Valentino saw a resurgence of ruffles, followed by Dior, Comme de Garcons and Marc Jacobs. Ever since then the trend has permeated street style as fashion steers towards a more ‘frou-frou’ aesthetic.
Stay on trend yet classic with these fun and flouncy finishes.
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Feature image: Unsplash
Conventionally, men are the ones who pop the big question. But on leap day (February 29) which only comes once every four years, women take control. For those…
Renewing your vows may possibly be better (for you) than saying them for the first time. You’re likely to be a hundred times less nervous, which means your day will feel much smoother. You also may have started a little family to celebrate alongside you in the years after your vows were first uttered.
There are many more up-sides to having your vows renewed. One of these being that there are less expectations, norms and rules to follow for vow renewals. Your parents won’t require you to invite that one aunt you’ve never really clicked with, for instance.
Weddings are steeped in tradition and thus come with many do’s and don’ts. But with vow renewals, you can let your imagination run free.
If you’re worried about updating paper work, there’s no need! A vow renewal ceremony is not a legal one and thus requires no registered officiates or trips to Home Affairs. This ceremony is more about romance, celebration, commemoration and for some, spirituality.
Some couples renew their vows on a big anniversary, while others use it as a way to celebrate making it through a tough time together. But in all honesty, you don’t need a reason. Maybe you just lacked the funds for a big celebration the first time around and now have the means to throw a fancy party. That is reason enough to celebrate your love again.
So if you’re planning on a big day 2.0 here are some quick tips:
– Get creative
Since you have free reign you should go wild with your ideas. Choose a loved one to officiate, have your kids walk you down the aisle, pick that venue that you’re worried will be too much. Just go for it!
– Vows
Since it is a renewal, you’ll want to update your vows to be more relevant to your life together as it is now, not as it was back then.
– Wedding party and registry
These two things are usually left out of the renewal ceremony. But if you want to have them, you definitely can.
– Photographer
Be sure to book a photographer to capture all the memories! An occasion as special as this should always be documented.
Here are some real life vow renewals to inspire you:
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Image: Unsplash
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On your big day, you want to look like the best version of yourself. As the literal base of your makeup, foundation helps to create an even, flawless complexion on which you can build to achieve your perfect look. Foundation is not one-size-fits-all, and its important to find the one that works best for you (if you choose to wear foundation at all).
The type of foundation you choose will depend on the finish you desire, and it can be quite tricky to figure it out if you’re not a beauty guru. Fear not, we’ve got the breakdown. Finding the right foundation for your skin requires you to consider four different elements: coverage, type, finish and shade.
Coverage
Foundation comes in three main types depending on the amount of coverage you want: full, medium and sheer coverage. This is up to personal preference. Full coverage gives you the most even, flawless finish, while a sheer coverage or a tinted moisturiser will mostly give an overall skin-tint and slightly cover a few blemishes. Medium coverage falls somewhere between these two, offering up buildable coverage that evens out your tone while still allowing your skin to shine through.
Type
Once you’ve decided on the coverage you want, you can begin to look at foundation types. Foundation generally come in liquid form, in a stick, as a whipped mousse and as a powder.
Liquid foundation is the easiest and most accessible to use. Liquid glides on easily and blends the best for the most even finish, however it can exaggerate oil-prone skin. It can be applied using a brush, beauty sponge or even your fingers.
A stick foundation is creamier and thicker in consistency than a liquid foundation. However, there is quite a bit of buffing that is required with this foundation to make sure you get an even look. Stick foundations are perfect for contouring and highlighting, as it gives a great colour-payoff that can be blended more naturally into the skin than powder.
A whipped mousse foundation is a liquid foundation that has air incorporated into it, lightening up the texture. This light-weight foundation blends easily and works well for all skin tones.
Powder foundation is easy to apply as it generally requires less blending and comes in a convenient compact case. Powder foundation is perfect for someone who wants a lighter, more matte look. However, it can be quite drying and is generally not great for someone already predisposed to dryness.
Finish
Once you’ve locked down the coverage and type of foundation you want, your second-to-last step is to choose your finish. These are the main foundation finishes:
– Matte foundations eliminate sheen on your face, making it perfect for those with oily skin. Those with blemish or acne-prone skin will like this finish as it provides a poreless filter to the skin. Dry, more mature skin should steer clear of this finish as it can accentuate problem areas.
– Dewy finishes give the wearer a soft, glowing look to the skin and is perfect for dry skin and mature skin as it appears more youthful.
– A Satin finish falls between matte and dewy: close to full coverage but in a more natural way. This finish compliments all skin-types.
Shade match
Unfortunately, the last step is always the hardest. Shade matching your skin to a foundation can be incredibly difficult, especially in store where lighting is not exactly optimal. The key thing to take into account is your skins undertone.Warm undertones reflect traces of red and gold in their skin and typically tan very easily. Cool undertones have hints of ink and blue in their skin and are prone to burn more easily in the sun. A neutral undertone falls in the middle, with an equal mix of cool and warm tones.
When in doubt, many makeup artists create a foundation cocktail, mixing together two or three shades to get the closest match. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
Feature image: Unsplash