BARELY-THERE BEAUTY
Youthful, dewy skin is still topping the charts as one of the most desired looks for brides-to-be. Tijan Biner speaks to the owner of High Endz Hair & Makeup, Nirosha Samaranayaka about how you can achieve a naturally radiant complexion that’ll make your skin glow from within.
The coveted ‘barely there’ look has been gracing the faces of brides since the beginning of time – it’s effortless, incredibly gorgeous and enhances your inner bridal beauty.
“Dewy makeup looks feminine and natural, [and] your skin will also look extremely plump and hydrated, which is a sign of youth that all brides wish for,” says Samaranayaka.
IMAGE CREDIT: Jerry Ghionis Photographer
SKIN
A luminous glow always starts with well-prepared skin. One of the best ways you can achieve clean, flawless skin is to exfoliate. Not only does this make it a lot easier for moisturisers and serums to do their job, but it prevents your skin from looking tired. If you have dry skin, stay away from harsh exfoliating products that may cause aggravation. Try a hydrating mask or facial oil to ensure your skin reaps all the nutrients- and moisture-rich benefits before your big day.
“Go for regular facials and drink plenty of water, [because] when you don’t have dead skin cells on your face, it feels [incredibly] smooth [and is easier to work with],” says Samaranayaka.
She advises brides to choose a medium-coverage foundation that’s not too heavy on the skin. A great way to add some extra glow to your foundation is to add a touch of moisturiser or liquid illuminator. This will give your skin an all-over glow, while preventing the product from being applied too heavily, which can dull your skin’s natural radiance. You can play around with the two products until you find a consistency that works with your skin’s texture, its level of dryness/oiliness and the amount of coverage you actually need.
Add lustre with a pigmented illuminator, which will catch the light beautifully and help your complexion gleam. The best areas to apply your highlighter are the places where your skin catches the natural light – your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, your temples and your cupid’s bow. Since these areas tend to be less oily than the rest of your face, the highlighter should last for hours.
EYES
A mistake that brides often make when trying to achieve a natural, glowing look is skipping the eyes – do not forget them, they’re the windows to the soul! If you’re aiming to look fresh-faced and youthful on your wedding day, your eyes should look bright and un-puffy. Leading up to the big day, massage your favourite eye cream or serum under your eyes and over the orbital bone with your pinky or ring finger to make sure they’re in tip-top shape.
“Your eyes should be the center of attention, so keep the rest of your makeup softer to enhance the eyes,” says Samaranayaka.
She recommends using shadows in gold, soft pink and light brown on the eyelids, which will add a pop of colour and brighten your eyes. Adding a touch of pearl or champagne shimmer in the inner corners of the eyes will immediately make them appear larger, so you’ll look bright-eyed and youthful in no time!
Leave the extremely long lashes for a night out with your girls, and choose a more natural look for your big day. Samaranayaka suggests using Russian Volume eyelash extensions – they’ll look extremely natural, while still giving your lashes some extra volume.
“Super thick, extra-long lashes are not [on-trend] anymore – they create a shadow under the eye area, and most of the time the eyes look tired,” she adds.
Samaranayaka also advises brides not to be afraid of a thicker brow. Properly groomed eyebrows will frame your face and bring your entire look together.
BLUSH
A good rule of thumb when choosing a shade of blush is to consider its warmth. If it’s warmer in colour, the blush will look far more natural. Choose a shimmering cream blush for a beautiful glow – it’ll slightly highlight the apples of your cheeks and last longer than a powdered blush, so you’ll look flawless all day and night.
“Use a soft-coloured peach or pink blush to add youthfulness and freshness to your face,” says Samaranayaka.
Colour correcting is quickly paving its way through the beauty world as it’s an extremely natural way to tackle uneven skin tones. Green, purple, peach, red and yellow creams promise to cancel out redness, brighten under-eye circles and hide veins. Since a flawless completion is always the end goal, you can add warmth to your face with a hint of shimmering bronzer, which will complement the glow from your foundation.
LIPS
Once again, preparation is the key to soft and supple lips. Moisturise your lips the night before your big day and lightly exfoliate them before applying lipstick. You may be tempted to choose a nude shade when trying to achieve a natural look, but this may wash you out in photos. As a guide, choose a shade that complements the colour of your blush. Samaranayaka recommends choosing a light pink or coral lipstick, followed by a subtle pink gloss, which will bring a pretty pop of colour to your finished look.
Samaranayaka’s biggest tip for brides-to-be is to choose a makeup look that perfectly suits you and complements your natural beauty.
“You need to be and feel like yourself – think about the timelessness of your hair and makeup, [and how this will look] in your photos,” she says.
Just remember that beauty is not one-size-fits-all. Whether you follow our tips to the letter or not, only you know the look you’re after for your wedding day, so have fun with it!