WEDDING | Tips for a Classic Bridal Beauty Look

Classic Bridal Beauty Look by Toronto Make-up Artist Rhia Amio

The Classic bridal beauty look is for the Bride who loves Old Hollywood glamour…and who of course, wants to say “I do” with a good red lip!  Here’s how to get the look:

i).  a good red lipstick
The lips are clearly the focal point of this bridal beauty look.  There are soooo many good reds out there, but how do you choose the one that’s right for you?  Generally, a blue-based red looks great on cool-toned beauties, and also suits a wider range of skin tones as it makes teeth look whiter and brightens the skin, i.e. MAC Ruby Woo.  An orange-based red looks great on those with warm undertones, i.e. NARS Jungle Red.  For deeper skin tones, brown-based reds or cranberry reds look stunning.  If you’re set on wearing red lips for your wedding day, the key is to experiment with different red lipsticks to find the right shade, tone and texture for you.

Speaking of texture, now that you’ve figured out the colour, what about finish?  I prefer a satin or creme texture, as it’s less drying to the lips and easier for a bride to touch up on her own later.  If you want just a hint of red, try a red in gloss, sheer or stain.  For the most modern take on this classic look, skip the gloss and stick to a matte or semi-matte finish for the lips.  You can work with the red lipstick you already have and add an instant matte finish to it by dusting a light layer of translucent powder over the lips (See this post here for more how-to).

You’ll know you’ve found the right red when you’re comfortable and confident wearing it.  (Otherwise, one of the other Bridal Beauty looks may be for you!).

ii).  a matching red lipliner
Red lips can get messy fast; keep your colour in check by using a matching lipliner.  A lipliner is a must, especially if you plan to draw outside of your natural lipline.  Use the liner to also fill the rest of your lips and it doubles as a base for your lipstick, making it last longer and helping to prevent feathering around the lips (a must for those photo close-ups!)

c.  understated eyes
It’s a general rule of thumb and really dependent on the person, but to keep this look bridal and ‘fresh’, balance out a red lip look by keeping your eye make-up to a minimum so the lips and the eyes aren’t competing with each other for attention.  You can see the difference in Rihanna’s two looks below, with her lighter eye + red lip combo in the left photo versus her smoky eye + red lip combo on the right:

rihanna_red

It’s worth noting that a dramatic eye and red lip combo will look less intense on women with deeper skin tones.  If you’re a bride with a wedding dress that is colourful/cultural (i.e. Asian bridal wear), the double drama make-up combo will also appear less intense (versus when wearing a white gown).

Aneta’s look below is also more dramatic eyes + red lips:
Bridal Beauty by Toronto Make-up Artist Rhia Amio

Overall, the look you decide on is really dependent on the statement you want to make.  I love both looks equally, but I’m a make-up artist so I love being able to do both natural and  dramatic looks! ;)

For a minimal eye make-up look (like artistrhi bride Samantha below), accentuate the eyes with a thin line of liquid liner, and flick the ends for a slight cat-eye.  I love Stila’s Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner because it lives up to its name and does just that.  And on a day like you’re wedding day, waterproof and long-lasting = one less thing to worry about and that’s tops in my books!  If you’re new to liquid liner, fear not!  It’s not as daunting as may seem.  Use your pencil eyeliner first and draw a thin line along the top lashline, and then simply trace over it with your liquid liner for a pro-quality like finish.

Bridal Beauty Samantha by Rhia Amio Toronto Make-up Artist

Bridal Beauty Samantha by Toronto Make-up Artist Rhia Amio

I know we’re talking minimal eye make-up here, but don’t forget the brows!  Never forget the brows.  Good brows are an essential for any professional and polished bridal make-up look…and when done right, they’re another key component of that make-up that you can’t see that I’m such a huge fan of.

Fill in your brows where necessary using Maybelline’s Define-A-Brow Brow Pencil, a twist-up pencil that is super user-friendly.  The tiny nib of Define-A-Brow gives you more control, so you don’t draw on brows that are too strong (i.e. the look here is defined, not drag).  Use a light-hand to draw feathery strokes in the direction of brow hair growth and say hello to well-defined arches!

d.  bronzer is your friend
Red lips (or any saturated, high voltage colour!) tend to draw the ‘colour’ out of your face, making you look and feel paler than usual.  To balance this out, add some bronzer, blending well and concentrating on the cheekbones and temples.  Bronzer can double as a contour – just stay away from anything with too much shimmer.  NARS Laguna, a beautiful true bronze shade with a hint of gold shimmer, is the perfect option to warm up your skin.

So that’s literally quite a mouthful about how to get the red lip Classic bridal beauty look!  Now tell me, will you be saying yes to this look? :)

Welcome to my journal and journey as a make-up and hair artist with all the beautiful people and products I encounter along the way.

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