Hiring a makeup artist for your wedding day maybe is on top of your to-do list; and if it’s not, it should be to ensure you a bridal look that is everything you want it to be. So we asked bridal makeup expert Christian Abouhaidar, to share his most coveted beauty regimens and a step-by-step wedding beauty routine on how to create a long-lasting bridal look.
Simply say ‘I do’ to all the make-up tips and prepare to wow with a flawless look on your very special day and in photographs that you will cherish forever.
1. Prep your Skin
In the few weeks leading up to the big day, you’ll want to step up your skincare routine. Meaning, regular exfoliating as well as a twice-daily cleanse, tone and moisturize ritual. Invest in quality skincare to tackle trouble areas such as dry or oily skin and make an appointment with a facialist who will be able to recommend the right products for your skin type. On the day, make sure your skin is clean and free of flakes, using gentle formulas to prevent redness. Pixi Glow Tonic is a fantastic primer that offers gentle exfoliation and leaves your skin soft and smooth. Perfect for bridal beauty!
2. Apply a Mask
With the stress of getting ready, a face mask is the perfect excuse for a bit of chill time whilst also benefiting your skin. For your wedding day, you will want a mask that is nourishing with long-lasting effects and will keep your skin hydrated all throughout the day. Tulasara Wedding Masque by Aveda – is a luxury mask that tightens the skin, helps even the look of skin tone, and gives a wedding day glow with silky smooth touch.
3. Use a Quality Primer
Primer will be the extra ingredient that gives your makeup the staying power it needs to last throughout your big day, as well as provide a smooth basis for applying face products. A gel formula like Foundation Primer – Radiance by Laura Mercier, it creates a luminous complexion that gets you ready for your foundation. At this stage you can also apply a de-puffing eye serum or cream to help reduce any puffiness or redness that can happen after the sleepless nights of prepping and partying!
4. Cover Under Eye Circles
The perfect under eye concealer will make all the difference in your wedding pictures. You’ll want a light, non-drying formula that offers plenty of coverage, like one of my favorites Charlotte Tilbury The Retoucher – a great update and alternative to YSL’s famous Touche Éclat. Apply by creating inverted triangles that extend from underneath the eye to the base of the nose and blend well for an illuminated look.
5. Apply Foundation
Your foundation will need to look smooth and natural so make sure you get colour-matched in advance (especially if you intend to wear tanning products or spend time in the sun prior your wedding). Choose a matte, non-oily formula with buildable coverage and apply with a foundation brush, keep blending to a flawless finish. NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint offers a wonderful coverage whilst the matte formula will reflect better in photographs than dewy ones.
6. Cover Blemishes
If you find yourself with odd blemishes that needs extra coverage, choose a long-lasting concealer, and blend it with a small brush to avoid any harsh lines. Estée Lauder Double Wear Concealer is just perfect for providing strong, durable coverage. Make sure this magical stick is always found in your bag for touch ups on the go.
7. Highlight your Complexion
Brides should embrace that glowing, youthful look that can easily be achieved with the right blusher-highlighter combination. I would generally avoid heavy contouring for your wedding day, as the look can be harsh and artificial; so focus on highlighting your features instead for more effective results. The right formula to use depends on your skin type – brides with dry skin will benefit from creamy textures as powder is for oily skin. Bobbi Brown Powder Blush is a long-lasting powder which comes in various shades that suits all skin tones, whilst Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge is a good cream alternative with huge staying power. The highlighter should focus on your cheekbones, the tip of your nose and forehead for a look that is subtle yet incredibly pretty. Illamasqua Beyond Powder is my top choice for highlighting, it gives that beautiful bridal glow and looks wonderful in photos.
8. Apply your Eye Makeup
A classic bridal beauty will involve subtle, natural eye colours that will create a timeless look, rather than being trend-based. A neutral cream base like MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre is the ideal colour to start with and will allow you to apply pretty much any colour after. I personally think nudes and brown tones in matte finishes are more effective for weddings, creating a more youthful look than shimmery or glitter formulas which can be ageing and distracting. The Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette has a range of lovely shades for creating your dream eye look for your big day. Keep your eyeliner to a minimum, focusing on a soft application around the lashline and make sure you choose a waterproof formula. If you’re going to wear false lashes (which I love for creating a fluttery, doe-eyed eye look for brides), choose mink lashes, such as the latest Christian Abouhaidar 3D Fiber Lashes which will make you look natural; or go for individual lashes rather than a full set, focusing on the outer corners. Apply waterproof mascara to your own lashes first, using MAC Extended Play Lash which has a non-drying, flake-free formula that will last you through all your happy tears!
9. Keep Lips Hydrated
Unless you’re going for a retro, red-lip look, you should opt for a more natural lip shade such as a nude or muted pink, which will instantly enhance your natural bridal beauty. Keep a lip conditioner close by, like MAC Lip Conditioner and apply as needed throughout the day. Liquid matte formulas are becoming more popular for brides nowadays, as they are non-drying and offer long-lasting colour, and for the best range of shades I’d recommend Jouer Cosmetics Long Wear Lip Crème Liquid Lipstick, a must-have lip product that is just perfect for your wedding day and any other day.
10. Set your Makeup
Setting your makeup is that crucial final step for helping your makeup to last all night long. Use a setting powder such as MAKE UP FOREVER High Definition Powder to keep your face makeup in place and I also highly recommend Urban Decay’s All Nighter Setting Spray to lock your whole look in. Applying setting products will limit the need for touchups and to make sure your makeup lasts and looks fresh the whole night.
Christian Abouhaidar Makeup Studio
I DAY SPA – AISHTI 5th floor, Downtown – Beirut, Lebanon
Tel: +961 3 487 242
By Dana Mortada
