By Vanessa Grant, TheKit.ca.
My wedding -- although gorgeous and perfect for us -- wasn’t exactly the marriage of the century so when I announced that I would be doing my own makeup like the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton did for her wedding, it didn’t make headlines.
Of course some people were concerned. Wouldn’t I be stressed out enough already?
Considering I was having a beach wedding with only eight guests, I knew my stress level would be pretty low compared with the pressure the new Duchess definitely felt. I also knew that if I had a stranger doing my makeup, my stress level would certainly increase. I wanted to look like me, only more polished.
Would it look good enough for the photos we would cherish the rest of our lives?
Now this was a bit more of a concern for me -- and should be a concern for any bride. Even if you’re a pro at doing your own makeup daily, you just don’t know for sure how it will appear in professional photos with plenty of sunlight or strong flashes.
So to prepare for my DIY makeup adventure I went to the pros at M.A.C Cosmetics and was lucky enough to get a lesson with M.A.C Senior makeup artist Melissa Gibson. (She’s worked with celebs like Anna Paquin, Fergie and Cher!)
My real-life DIY wedding makeup results are above. Melissa’s expert tips on how to do your own wedding makeup are below.
The Basics
-- Get a lesson -- or two. Having a pro show you how to apply your makeup so it looks professional and lasts is key.
-- Practice! After your lesson, remove one side of your face’s makeup and try to match it yourself.
-- Take photos. Take photos before during and after your makeup trial.
-- Bring your maid of honour. Or your mom or sister. Bring someone who will be at the wedding so they can help you remember how your makeup was done. With everything going on you might forget a step or two.
-- Write down the steps. Have your maid of honour or makeup helper write down each step so you have a big day cheat sheet.
Beauty Tricks
-- False lashes are good for criers. Use fake lashes (be sure to get a lesson in applying) if you hate waterproof mascara. Waterproof is a must for a wedding day because you may be doing some crying but even more of a must if your ceremony or reception will be outside in the summer.
-- Keep your shadow in place. Use a primer, M.A.C Paint Pot or concealer as a base to help shadow stick and not budge.
-- Learn to contour. A small amount of contouring makes for good photos. Use a bronzer or darker blush under your cheek bones and brighter one like M.A.C Pinch O’ Peach on the apples of your cheeks.
- Blend and set! Blend your contouring using a finishing powder. M.A.C’s Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder is perfect for this—and since it’s totally colourless you can use it on your hubby between photos.
- Don’t forget to highlight. Highlight the tops of your cheekbones and your brow bones with something light and slightly shimmery (stay away from glitter). Melissa recommends M.A.C Eye Shadow in Shroom.
-- Be careful with lipcolour. Choose a lipcolour similar to your own. You will be kissing and eating and reapplying all night. Red lips or something bright can be tricky. Try to avoid gloss if there will be wind. Your hair will get stuck in it.
Finally, Keep It Simple
-- Focus on adding soft sweeps of colour.
-- Humidity may make you shiny so keep an eye on how much you are “glowing” (a.k.a. sweating) and keep blot papers close at hand.
-- Use primers, powders and products with staying power.
-- Bring a good cleanser for taking it off so you look and feel great the next morning. M.A.C Gently Off Eye & Lip Makeup Remover is a great product for removing waterproof or long wear products. It’s powerful but gentle and even moisturizing.
More From The Kit.ca:
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Grab some more style tips from Kate Middleton by flipping through the below slideshow.