Every bride wants perfect pictures. Thats a fact. This is the one day of your life when your face, hair and dress are on point and the pictures are there to prove it. Wedding photographs are your proof that you looked incredible. To look incredible isn't always as easy as it sounds (even though you are in THE SINGLE MOST BIGGEST BESTEST dress of your lifetime) and quite often our makeup needs a little maintenance throughout the big day.
Even the best makeup requires touching up, after all its makeup, (not cement), so even if you have been fortunate enough to have a professional makeup artist do your makeup for your wedding day, you will still need to 'check in' on how its wearing. Now lets be clear here - your eye makeup, brows and usually blush should not need to be reapplied but your skin and lips are the two most common touch up culprits! All that welcoming and kissing and hugging eventually have an effect on our perfectly applied makeup (I recall spending a lot of time air kissing on my wedding day)! Then along comes the photographer to capture that moment, when you have begun to sweat (you wanted a summer wedding right)?, the Aunt who is a friend of your parents that you have no idea who she actually is, has grabbed your face between her hands to kiss you, (that foundation was long-wearing right)?, and there you have it......a shiny, red, blotchy mess. All beautifully and digitally captured. Ahhhhh.... the joys of weddings!
So what do you need to stay looking gracefully cool? These industry favourite products will keep you looking your best:
1. Go get your powder on. If you have a combination skin then a powder compact is an essential. Ideally look for one that has a mirror, product, and application tool such as this one by MAC Studio Fix Powder. This product is a foundation so does two jobs in one - retouches foundation and removes oil.
If you want a more weightless, natural finish, try this Bare Minerals Perfecting Veil powder or for ultra luxury, the Armani Luminous Silk Compact
2. Blot that oil. If you are gifted with more oil (can I just say 'slick'), like myself then you may want a super matte finish. There is no shine here luv! A blot film or powder may be more your thing to keep that shine at bay. Try Urban Decay Mattifying Powder or Sephora Blotting Films
3. Tissue. Yes, simple tissues. I know this seems so basic but don't underestimate the power and versatility of tissue on a wedding day. Besides the obvious role of drying tears, let's talk about the need to blot those lips. Depending on the colour saturation and gloss intensity of your chosen lip product, lip stick can look just too freshly applied. Imagine vintage wedding themed makeup......you're gonna want the lips looking stained and velvety as opposed to "I got too lipstick happy."
Want to get real fancy? Try these bridal tissue packs
4. If you are one of those blessed women who have those big eyes that are never left unlined then you will need to pack that eyeliner. If wearing black kohl in your waterline is your signature makeup style then at some point you will need to reapply. The eye area is moist and as the day wears on that black eyeliner will need retouching. I recommend Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil for an inexpensive makeup must-have.
5. Lip Stick, Lip Gloss and Lip Liner. Even self proclaimed long wearing lip products can disappear, get dry and crack. Whatever product you used at the beginning of your day on your lips are the same you need with you in your clutch bag throughout your wedding day. So if that was a lipliner and a gloss, then that is what you will need in your clutch.
So now your touch up bridal bag is complete. Now all you need is to "smize" for those pictures and enjoy making some beautiful wedding memories.