IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
Dating back to the times of Ancient Egypt and Cleopatra, eye makeup has been used for centuries to accentuate and enhance the eyes – the windows to the soul and our most powerful communication tool. Bethany Hayes sits down with owner and head makeup artist at Mesmeric Makeup, Kimberley Armstrong, and shares her insights on how to master the all-important eye makeup to captivate during your celebration of a lifetime.
No matter the size or scope of your wedding, you’ll be gazing into the eyes of those you love and admire, so it’s only natural to want to enhance and define your eyes, ensuring they remain a focal point to your look. With her journey in makeup beginning more than twelve years ago, helping brides achieve ultimate radiance is something Kimberley Armstrong is very familiar with. From meeting new faces and implementing new looks, the key – according to Armstrong, is to pick a makeup look you truly love, and seek guidance from a makeup artist who listens to your vision.
PRIMED AND READY
When working with the eyes, and indeed any makeup at all, it’s important to firstly understand the undertones of your skin, be it warm tones, cool or neutral, which is one of the first thing Armstrong considers for her clients. “I look into the undertone of their skin first – if they throw cool or warm plays a huge roll,” she affirms. Eye colour also comes into play, with certain colour shadows offsetting the colour of your iris’. “Eye colour does come into play, but I don’t like to limit looks to this,” Armstrong explains. “We all know golds and oranges are going to make a blue eye pop, but it also looks incredible with brown eyes.”
While you can certainly travel down the road of complementary eye shadows, chances are, you’ll have a look of your own in mind. A mood board is a great way to streamline and refine your vision, and also help to show your makeup artist tangible examples of the look you’re after – something Armstrong also recommends for her brides-to-be. “A few images of eye and lip combos are a great help to put together a look that aligns with their vision,” she notes. “Not everyone’s interpretation of a ‘smoky eye’ is the same.”
To prep the eyes before any eye makeup, you’re going to want a nice blank canvas for eye shadows and eyeliner to glide effortlessly on, and prepping the eyes with either a dedicated eye primer or some concealer is an excellent way to minimise any discolouration or veins around the eyes. “A good concealer and translucent powder will do the trick,” the makeup artist notes, “but if it’s on a very oil-prone skin, [try] a pressed powder on top for extra seal.”
LASHES OF LONGEVITY
Whether you prefer your eyelashes enamored with layers of lengthening mascara, or some stunning corner-placed individual lashes to make an impact, mastering your lashes to suit your liking to is one of the most critical aspects to framing and defining your eyes. For Armstrong, a waterproof mascara is a non-negotiable for a wedding, ensuring your eye makeup remains in place from the ceremony through to the dance floor. “I always use waterproof mascara – even if it’s super difficult to remove at the end of the night, but that’s the point!” Her weapon of choice is Nation’s waterproof mascara, combined with a disposable wand, ensuring safe hygiene practices. “It’s hard to get wands of different shapes, but the consistency of the Natio mascara is great,” Armstrong notes.
If you’ve got your heart – or eyes – set on wearing some beautiful false lashes, be sure to consider the overall look you’re aiming for, when making your choice.
“Personally, I love a natural, soft strip lash,” Armstrong says. “But for mature makeup, I will always use individuals – it’s always dependent on the look we’re trying to achieve as there are some great, dramatic strip lashes around for glam eyes.” Armstrong’s go-to eye look for a bride is a warm smoky eye, with natural individual lashes to define and frame the eyes, with warm tones a popular choice for their versatility and ability to suit almost all eye colours. “Warm shades will always win, they’re timeless and have been popular forever… but I find a nice matte grey to [also] be underrated.”
While warm shades are aptly, having their moment in the sun, the choice of what shades to wear is truly up to the bride, with the makeup artist confirming that she has worked with virtually every shade of the rainbow. “One mother-of-the-bride wanted emerald green to match her dress, and I always give my customers want they’re wanting, with guidance to ensure the look is successful,” she confirms.
ADJUST ACCORDINGLY
If you’re keen to hero your eyes in your bridal look, consider having the rest of your makeup on the softer side – gently framing your face, while the eyes make the bulk of the impact. “If the eyes are the bride’s request for ‘wow’ factor, then sticking with a neutral lip, and soft brow is best,” Armstrong notes. A nude lip and defined eye have long been a celebrated pair, but there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to makeup – whatever makes you feel like your most beautiful and authentic self.
If some Audrey Hepburn inspired eyeliner takes your fancy, Armstrong champions the use of gel liner thanks to incredible lasting power and ease of application. “Gel liner is great for longevity and dark [eye]shadows [are great] for fluffy, blended looks,” she notes. When it comes to the application of gel liner, Armstrong encourages the use of a brush for perfect gliding action. “I understand why people would want to just pop a little on the brush in case they make a mistake, but the more [the eyeliner] glides, the less it will catch on the skin,” she reveals.
Mostly savoured to bring light to the cheeks, highlighter is another great option to bring some focus to your eyes. Consider having some in the inner tear duct of the eye to brighten your eyes, or go for some under the brow bone. “Highlighter under the brow bone is a real winner – it’s not super obvious when looking directly ahead, but it catches the light when a bride turns her head,” Armstrong explains.
No matter how you envision your perfect wedding makeup, if it makes you feel like the best version of yourself, then you really can’t go wrong. “This is an opportunity to feel your absolute most beautiful inside and out,” the makeup artist affirms. “With guidance from the right makeup artists – someone who truly listens, together you will create something really special.”
Image courtesy of Mesmeric Makeup