Ten Steps to Perfect Wedding Make Up

Bridal beauty - You can save money and still look your gorgeous best. Laura Mayers shares her professional secrets..

Lets be honest, weddings are expensive. One thing that brides often splash out on is having their hair and make up done; after all every bride wants to look her very most beautiful on the most special day of her life.

But, if money is tight and you are looking to save, these Top 10 professional steps to achieving perfect wedding make up by yourself, could be one way to save, and still look fabulous.

Laura Mayers, who runs the highly successful Bridal Make-Up Team is a leading Hair and Make-Up Artists within the wedding industry. With over 1,000 Bridal, TV and Photographic credits to her name, Laura shares her professional secrets.

Step 1

Look for foundations with a semi matt finish, to avoid shine on photos and give a flawless result. TIP: Exfoliated and hydrated skin makes foundation go on smoothly, look even and radiant.

Step 2

Build up your foundation in layers, concentrating on areas in need of more coverage. TIP: Don’t be tempted to over apply foundation to already beautiful skin.

Step 3

Use a good concealer, but don’t over apply as this can create a chalky appearance round the eye which could show on your photos due to its light reflective qualities. TIP: Try placing a little on and above the inner corner of the eye next to the nose, which can be a dark area. This will make your eyes look lighter and more refreshed.

Step 4

Dust all over with a fine loose powder. TIP: Remember to carry a compact in your bag for touch ups.

Step 5

Decide where you’d like the emphasis to be – either on your eyes or your lips. If you go for a smokey eye, it is often best to keep the lipstick quite neutral. Take care not to use too much iridescent make up on the browbone, to prevent flare on your photos. TIP: try a matt highlighter for this area, and keep the stronger, more iridescent colours for the lower lid.

Step 6

If you have decided on a very natural, yet polished look, don’t forget that you’ll need the little extra for the camera. Using a thin line of eye shadow along your lash line is perfect for defining your eyes but creates a much softer look that liquid liner or pencil. TIP: waterproof mascara is an essential and a great investment for your honeymoon if you’re likely to be in water.

Step 7

For a natural look, brush a small amount of eye shadow through your eyebrows to softly darken them of use a pencil for a more dramatic look. TIP: Use an old mascara want that just has a small amount of mascara left on it.

Step 8

For longer lasting lip colour, prime your lips with a little concealer. Cover the whole of your lip with a fine layer of lip pencil and apply the lipstick on top. Finding the right lipstick colour can be timely and expensive, so shop around and experiement to find what is perfect for you and your look. TIP: If buying over the counter, take a little fabric with you to colour match.

Step 9

Once you have chosen your lipstick, you can then choose the colour of your blusher. Brides often have a natural blush to try applying a little colour to your cheekbones rather than to the apple of your cheeks. Think Kate Middleton! TIP: Always put blusher on after lipstick so you know how much colour your face needs.

Step 10

If you do decide to do your own make up, practice at least a couple of time beforehand. This will avoid any unnecessary stress on the big day, and you can always use your practice runs for the hen do! TIP: when you do practice, wear a top that is a similar colour to your wedding dress, to recreate your makeup accurately.

To find out more about Laura and the Bridal Make Up Team visit www.thebridalmake-upteam.co.uk