Wedding season is well and truly back, and we couldn’t be happier.
If you’re a 2021 bride who is finally tying the knot after several cancellations, or you’re recently engaged and planning 2022 or 2023 nuptials, it’s time to start prepping every last detail. From the dress to the venue, curating your dream day is one of the most exciting times in a bride’s life.
Conjuring up your ideal beauty look is also a prerequisite for any bride-to-be and if you had to pick one moment for your makeup to well and truly play ball, your wedding day would likely be up there. Dewy, but not shiny, natural but not naked – and it has to be sweat-proof, camera-proof and waterproof for obvious reasons. It’s not surprising that many brides call upon an expert makeup artist for the job.
One of the best in the business is Hannah Martin, who is no stranger to sharing makeup tips. And given she’s painted the faces of the world’s most elite women (from supermodels to the royals), you can see why she’s asked to share her intel often.
@hannahmartinmakeup / Instagram
She’s the woman behind Princess Eugenie’s wedding day glow and she also worked behind the scenes at another high profile royal nuptial, lending the Duchess of Cambridge a helping hand with some makeup lessons ahead of the big day.
For all the brides out there, we’ve asked Hannah for her top 10 foolproof bridal beauty tips…
1. Be your own greatest inspiration
I always ask my brides to show me pictures of makeup looks that they like to help me understand better the kind of look they’re after on their wedding day. All too often I’m shown pictures of people with completely different colouring and features so I’ve learnt to ask my brides, alongside these inspiration images, to show me a picture of themselves that they really like so together we can identify what exactly made them feel most beautiful and incorporate that into their wedding day look.
2. Prioritise your skin
Most brides have a few months at least to plan their weddings (current circumstances have thrown this into question for some, I know) but self-care, especially skincare is particularly important. Some brides focus so much on the makeup that they neglect the canvas. It’s a great opportunity to help get your skin into condition so your makeup sits flawlessly on the big day. The greatest thing anyone can do for their skin is drink a lot of water. That’s right-you don’t have to spend hundreds of pounds on fancy treatments; drinking straight water does wonders for your skin. Then getting into good habits like exfoliating regularly and feeding your skin with serums (I love Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair) under your moisturiser will also help. Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base is the perfect makeup base for your big day.
3. Don’t do anything new in the days prior to the wedding
I’ve worked with lots of brides over the years who’ve treated themselves to a facial they’ve never had before in a bid to relax a few days before the wedding that’s brought them out rashes and blemishes. I’ve also worked with brides who’ve had fake tans for the first time a day or so beforehand and haven’t liked the shade. I even had a bride who used a hair removal cream all over her body that brought her skin out in lots of tiny hives…Just stick to skin routines and tans you’re used to, to avoid any mishaps.
4. Practice!
Whether you’re having a makeup artist on the day or doing your makeup yourself, make sure you practice the look enough times so you’re totally happy. If you loved the makeup look you had at your trial then photograph it so you have the look for reference and ask your makeup artist to email you everything she used so you know exactly what’s happening on the big day and you’ll also know for future reference.
5. Make a touch-up kit
It’s handy to have a few essentials somewhere accessible at your wedding venue so you can do a quick touch up if necessary. You won’t need your entire makeup bag, but I always recommend my brides have the following items: Powder to mattify any shine. Blotting papers are a great addition so you can blot away any oil before powdering or a great alternative for those not wanting to wear too much powder. Concealer to perfect under eyes/base. Blush as it’s brilliant at reinvigorating slightly tired looking makeup. Lip balm and your lip products and I say balm because it can feel really nasty to layer lipstick onto dry lips and trust me – excitement, nerves and champagne can all contribute to dry mouths so I suggest you have a balm so you can take your lipstick off, rehydrate then reapply so your lips look fresh and plump and gorgeous.
Other things that can be handy are mints (again, champagne and nerves can play havoc with your breath!), a hanky (tissues can disintegrate on the face and even worse, get in your eyes and cause them to stream but a little dab of a handkerchief prevents that), an atomiser with your favourite fragrance – it’s always nice to have a little fragrance spruce!
6. Avoid using a foundation with SPF
By all means wear your SPF under your makeup as usual but avoid SPF in your base makeup as unfortunately you’ll get what’s called ‘flash back’ in your photos which is when the titanium dioxide bounces the light in flash photography and your face will seem much paler than it really is.
7. Avoid eating too much salt the day before the wedding
This might sound mad but lots of salt can make some people retain a lot of water which for brides can mean they’re face feels a bit puffy the morning of the wedding.
8. Check your makeup with the photographer
When your makeup is finished do ask your photographer to take a headshot of you so you can see how the makeup is translating. This is something all makeup artists do. You’ll be able to see if you need any more blush (usually yes) or if your under-eye concealer needs to be brought down a bit, if your lower lash line needs to be softened a bit; these are the most common tweaks I make having looked at the monitor.
9. Don’t be afraid of colour
It’s amazing how bleaching wearing all white can be, it literally sucks colour from you so make sure you wear enough bronzer and blush to help you look your healthiest. And with lipstick, lots of my brides request neutrals which I love but I usually guide towards slightly deeper neutrals then very pale ones as again, a pale lip when wearing all white can sometimes makeup a bride look a little tired so a shade that’s not too dissimilar from your natural lip colour to even a touch warmer will look great. Bobbi Brown Lip Color in Sandwash Pink is perfect.
10. Define your feature naturally
It’s important to make sure your brows are filled in and your eyes are lined so your features pop but just be sure not to overdo it. Too bold a brow and they can become a little dominant and too much eyeliner can make the eyes look smaller, especially in photos, so I tend to suggest my brides have a very narrow black liner just at the root of the lashes then soften the look with a lighter shadow. I then usually use a softer powder to line the lower lash line so its defined but not harsh looking.
If you want more tips from Hannah, she regularly hosts bridal beauty masterclasses with Bobbi Brown so keep an eye out!
