Expert Beauty Tips

In this blog we're going to share advice on what to do in your bridal beauty routine in the countdown to your wedding day.

6 months before the wedding:

• start looking for a makeup artist if you want a professional do your makeup on the big day, and book the makeup artist you like. Good wedding makeup artists get very booked up in wedding ‘season’ so get some early recommendations from friends or look on the internet for reviews.
• start thinking about the type of look you’d like to create- tear out magazine pages you like, or create a Pinterest board

3 months before the wedding:

• get all of your professional appointments in the diary now: We recommend brides to have a facial once a month in the lead up to the wedding.
• have your hair trial around 3 months before the wedding; this way if you would like to have any extensions or colour put in, your stylist can discuss this with you.
• have your makeup trial at least 2 or 3 months before the wedding. Here are our tips for your trial:

1. Whether you have your trial or makeover in-store, wear a white top. This is because if you’ve chosen a white dress, this can make you look a little more washed out than usual by reflecting light up onto your face.
2. Wear your normal makeup and give as much info as possible to the artist, to help him/her understand what you are comfortable with and what you’d like to look and feel like on the big day.
3. After the trial or consultation, take a selfie of yourself in daylight, and then again indoors with a flash. Ensure you don’t have white ‘ski goggles’ caused by too much highlighter or iridescent under eye concealer. If you are doing your own make up this will also give you a good reference to practice with.
4. If you aren’t happy with your makeup trial, don’t take the makeup off, wait a while and go and show a friend for their opinion. If you still aren’t comfortable after a couple of hours, then call the makeup artist and explain; a good artist will want you to be 100% happy and will come back to see you to work through anything you don’t like.

1 month before the wedding:

• book all of your professional appointments in the right order; for example don’t book a relaxing massage after you’ve booked a faux tan.
• choose if you will be having gel nails or a traditional manicure. Gels will last longer (maybe right through your honeymoon) but you will need a specialist to remove it otherwise you risk damaging your nail. If you are going for a traditional polish be careful using darker shades before the wedding as these can stain the nail itself.
• If you are choosing to do your own make up then book 2 or 3 complimentary makeovers in your local department store over a couple of weeks. You’ll get some good advice and be able to purchase if you want to. The makeup artist may also be able to give you some samples to try, and they should write down all the products they have applied, along with the brushes used, on a consultation chart.
• If you have chosen new makeup such as new base or mascara, try it before you trust it! While it is nice to have shiny new products in your makeup bag, the last thing you want is itchy eyes or skin if your new products aren’t agreeing with you. Remember nothing new for the fortnight before in case of breakout.

48 hours before the wedding:

• have a radiance boosting facial. Make sure your therapist knows you are getting married though, so that she doesn’t try any manual extractions or anything that could upset the skin.
• keep skin hydrated as make up will only sit well on a good ‘canvas’, so choose a good moisturiser and serum and apply morning and night religiously. Also, keep a good hydrating face mask and a cooling eye mask to hand the night before the wedding; if you don’t sleep well these could make the difference between glowing and dull skin.