Wedding day make-up should be both natural and long-lasting - it's a tall order, writes Phyl Clarke
I do love a wedding, well, any excuse to buy new shoes really. I currently have my eye on a Jil Sander pair with a price tag that only a wedding invitation could justify. You can never or should never upstage a bride, so I'll gaze lovingly at my beige patent slingbacks in the church when I should be saying my prayers for the happy couple's long life and future happiness.
They say every bride is beautiful on her big day, but she doesn't just appear at the groom's side looking immaculate. Like so many things associated with weddings, pre-planning is all. In the whirl of invitations, table plans, flowers and honeymoons, it is easy to forget the beauty preparations and end up cutting it a tad fine.
Many brides make the mistake of going over the top with heavy make-up, which is such an old-fashioned approach. Yes, you need to up the ante as your dress will be formal, but keep your face natural. Most men hate the look of heavy make-up, and you don't want to give him a fright at the altar. You will be looking at your wedding photos for a long time (hopefully). Stay close to your natural look, with a bit more "oomph", and you won't go far wrong. The cardinal rule of highlighting either eyes or lips applies, and I would put my money on the eyes every time.
Make-up artist Lara Ford (www.larafordmakeup.com) gave me her top wedding make-up tips, and she started by stressing the importance of not having a facial within two weeks of your wedding day. This also goes for trying new products for the skin. You don't want any unexpected breakouts or lumps and bumps to deal with.
If you have good skin, show it off and keep to as natural a finish as possible. Ford favours going for a smoky eye look, using natural browns, with a natural lip and gloss. Eyeliner is key to defining the eye and it makes your lashes look longer and thicker. She is a fan of individual false lashes, which make a huge difference, but advises getting them professionally applied, unless you are very experienced with them. This also goes for your make-up application on the day. It's well worth getting your hair and make-up done professionally, providing you have two trial runs before the day. This will allow for any tweaking, or incompatibility with products to be handled.
Mascara is a most important make-up choice for the day. I've shed my fair share of tears, and would be happiest wearing YSL Aquaresistant Waterproof Mascara (€25.50), on top of having my eyelashes tinted.
Use a primer, it is going to be a long day. For a luminous youthful sheen to the skin, mix illuminator with your moisturiser or foundation, then set with powder. I love the new Virtually Fresh foundation (€36.50). It's comfortable to wear, evens out skin tone and looks completely natural. To top it off, as it has a SPF of 15, you won't go on honeymoon with a sunburned face. Be cautious with bronzer - go for a matte finish and highlight cheeks with a little shimmer.
You need lipliner and lipstick to stand out in photos. Don't make the mistake of confusing the natural lip look with no lipstick. Gloss alone is not enough for a full wedding-day look to take you from day to evening.
Bobbi Brown has a foolproof bridal palette selling for €55 which comprises complimentary eye, cheek and lip colours with a romantic pink twist. Remember, be yourself - and you'll be beautiful.