Your wedding day is the most exciting and highly anticipated day of your life and it stands to reason you want to look good in your photos. Careful planning of your makeup well before your wedding should make one less thing to worry about on your big day.
SKIN
To make sure you look good in photos as well as in natural daylight, 'Do your make-up in lots of different light to see what it will really looks like. Check what it looks like in daylight and in the venue as make up can change depending on where you put it on,' says make-up artist Linda Cantello. Before you think about putting on foundation it's worth putting the effort in and preparing the skin so your make-up lasts all day.
'Make sure the skin has been freshly exfoliated and nicely moisturised. Apply a small amount of primer such as the Daniel Sandler Retexturising Face Primer, (£13.50) all over the skin especially over slight lines,' explains Zena McCarthy one of Daniels personally trained regional artists. To find your nearest makeup artist call 01923 845 370.
Getting your foundation rightis key. Colour match your base to your skin tone with a host of new foundations that will give your skin a healthy glow. YSL's Perfect Touch foundation in No. 12 Caramel (£28, available nationwide) comes with a silky brush making application quick and easy and gives skin with a yellow based tone a soft focus effect. If you suffer from oily skin and are afraid of your face being an oil slick on your big day, try Prescriptives new Virtually Fresh Foundation (£22, available nationwide) which comes in 18 shades and contains willow bark which helps clean out pores and amino acids which help break up bacteria on the skin's surface. For a more velvet finish Lancome's Color Ideal Precise Match Skin-Perfecting Make-up SPF 15 comes in 14 shades and contains optical pearls to add radiance to the skin and opaque pigments to even out the skin tone. For those who don't want a heavy coverage and only want a hint of colour try Daniel Sandler's Wash of Colour, £8.50, which comes in 21 shades. If you want to keep your glow, lightly dust the middle of your face with Cover FX Setting FX Loose Translucent Setting Powder in Dark (£25, available from Harvey Nichols or call 020 7235 5000 for stockists). Throughout the day keep shine at bay with MAC's Blot film, (£10 for 30 sheets,www.maccosmetics.co.uk for stockists) which absorbs oil rather than adding more makeup to your look.
FACE
Create a sculptured look on the skin, which looks great on film and on videos by using a bronzer like Bronze Goddess Luminous Liquid Bronzer (£20, available nationwide) which is humidity and perspiration resistant so it won't melt off on the dance floor.
'Highlight the face along the cheek bone and brow bones to add interest to the skin so it doesn't look too flat and matte,' says make-up artist Laura Mercier. When it comes to the cheeks apply a blusher as it will lift the whole look and add a freshness to your face.'
'A pop of blush is one of the most important cosmetics a woman can wear,' confides make-up artist and legend Mr Shu Uemura. Sweep some pink toned blush like Bobbi Brown's Blush in Peony (£16, call 0870 034 2566 for stockists) on the apples of the cheeks and gently blend it out. However, avoid sweeping the blush too high, as the go faster racing strips look is very 80s and ageing. For a softer more neutral blusher try Shu Uemura Glow on P Brown 77 (£15, call 020 7240 7635 for stockists) to add a glow to the skin. For a more dramatic flash of colour try YSL's Touche Blush No. 5, (£24, available nationwide) for a cranberry glow.
EYES
'When it comes to the eyes don't shy away from using black eyeliner and mascara as this will add definition to your look in photos. Use a palette of chocolates, golds and coppers on your lids,' explains Paul Herrington, head of make-up artistry for Bobbi Brown.
Go for the highest quality eye-shadows with strong pigments that last. MAC eye-shadows are highly pigmented and colours like Bronze (£10) or Deep Shadow (£12) in the Paint range are wedding day picture perfect. To define the eyes line the top lash line and slightly wing it out to elongate it with Clinique's Kohl Shaper for Eyes in Black Amethyst (£12, available nationwide). Finish the look with Max Factor's Masterpiece MAX (£9.95) for an intense eye-opening look.
LIPS
'On your wedding day you never stop kissing relatives and everyone kisses you so make sure you go for a long lasting lip colour with a rich pigment that will stay put,' explains Ashley Ward. Nars lipstick in Hindu (£17, available from Space NK, call 020 8740 2085 for stockists) gives a sheer finish but is packed with pigment and Clinique's Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick in Perfect Plum (£12, available nationwide) has a soft buttery texture that melts onto the lips without the old fashion formulas of lipsticks in the past. However, if you love your lip gloss you don't have to compromise wearing it on your wedding day. Give your gloss to your maid of honour to hold and give her strict instructions to keep reminding you to re apply. For a neutral lip gloss try Este Lauder's High Gloss in Bronze (available nationwide).
NAILS
When it comes to nail shapes for your wedding keep it oval or round and medium or even a bit shorter. Colours should be soft and neutral. Think baby pinks, sheer creams, even soft opaque beiges and taupes. 'The last thing on my mind on my big day would be my manicure. Stress levels are at a high - even the evening before, so have your manicure a couple of days before in the evening at home when you can relax and give it time to dry,' says nail expert Andrea Fulerton, who has worked with Naomi Campbell. For neutral tones try Essie's Fed Up (£8.50 call 020 8906 9090 for stockists). Try a soft gold or bronze nail colour like OPI Nail Lacquer in Up Close and Personal (£9.50/15ml, call 01923 240010 for stockists) or Este Lauder's Limited edition Pure Color Nail Lacquer (£12), that looks subtly glamorous.
