Bridal Beauty Blitz – Week 3

Posted: Monday 6 June 2011 12:00pm

Going for your wedding makeup trial is one of the most fun and exciting parts of the whole  planning process.

Not only can you sit back and be pampered by an industry expert, who will hopefully

transform you into the prettiest version of yourself, but it also means you will know exactly how you will look on the big day and, so, put your mind at ease.

I met with Lien Bui, an extremely experienced makeup artist and also known as “the brow

guru” for her expertise in shaping and even tattooing eyebrows. Lien has a fabulous reputation for making women see their own potential, so that they will both look and feel their best.

Lien made me realise how important it is to have a frank and open discussion with your makeup artist in order the get the best results. If she or he really understands your personality, your look, habits and your tastes, then it will be much easier for her to create the best possible look for your wedding day.

HAVE A MAKEUP TRIAL

It is incredibly important to do a trial with your makeup artist well before your wedding day. You want to ensure that they understand your vision and that they can create the makeup look that you are hoping for.

After a conversation with Lien she did my trial makeup and here are some things I learned:

Eyebrows are one of your most important features, as they frame and balance the face. If you don’t already have a regular eyebrow grooming routine, see a professional who can help groom them into a flattering shape for your face.

Lien started by brushing and defining my brows, to give a frame to the look she was about to create. She suggests filling in and defining your brows with powder rather than pencil. Pencil deposits too much product in the brows, which can appear chunky.

Use a matte brown powder with a stiff brush to define your brows – you don’t even need to get a specific brow powder, as any matte brown eyeshadow will do.

Always start with the eyes, she says, as any fallout from the eyeshadow can be wiped away afterwards, before you apply your foundation (why hadn’t I thought of that before?!).

For my face, warm brown eyeshadows from MAC Twinks (examples at left) were selected to give a soft, pretty look without overpowering my fair skin.

Lien really loves to blend, blend, blend that eyeshadow!That’s what gives it such a smoky eye look with no visible lines.

One of Lien’s trademarks is to apply eyeliner between the lashes, rather than on top of the lashes. On me, she used MAC pencil in Teddy (right, with a Shu Uemera eyelash curler).

It makes your lashes look luscious and fuller, without having an obvious line above the eye.

This is a great way to get a timeless look – unfortunately it’s a bit tricky to do yourself, so leave it in the hands of the professionals.

Curl the eyelashes several times to keep the curl locked in and provide great eye definition.

After finishing the eyes, wipe the face clean of any powder fall out, and then apply foundation with a brush.

Foundation should be applied lightly – for me it was Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk in 4.5 (left) – as the idea is to even out the skin tone rather than cover it up.

Any imperfections can be fixed with a concealer that matches the skin colour exactly.

Lien says that wedding makeup is all about creating a real glow, defining what is beautiful about you, and keeping everything else simple.

Set the whole look with a dusting of translucent powder, to reduce shine and make it last longer. The whole look comes together with the blush and bronzer; for me MAC powder blush in Style and MAC bronzer in Deep Dark (below).

Use a pink powder blush on the apples of the cheeks to give a fresh and healthy glow. Bronzer is used give a sunkissed look. Lien starts by applying bronzer at the hair line, and works her way down the contours of the face, applying wherever sun would naturally hit the face.

Lips are completed with a nude gloss (like MAC lipgloss in Big Baby, left) so they don’t compete with the eyes.
Individual false lashes are applied as a finishing touch.

START WITH A CONVERSATION

Before you even begin your makeup trial, Lien recommends a thorough discussion so that your makeup artist has an understanding of your personality and your vision for your big day. Topics to think about:

What is the theme and style of your wedding? Is it romantic, vintage, modern, sexy, natural, quirky or glamorous?

What is the style of your wedding dress? Is it classic, sexy, fitted, floaty, tea-length, princess, coloured or sumptuous? It can be very helpful to bring a picture of your wedding dress to provide a clear direction.

What are the bridesmaids and groomsmen wearing? Bring photos to convey the overall look of the wedding.

What is your personality type? Are you outgoing, introverted, sexy, friendly, confident, hate being the centre of attention or love being in the limelight?

Do you usually wear makeup? If so, what type and how much?

Do you usually wear matte or shimmer colours?

Do you usually wear bronzer?

Do you like to focus on your lips or your eyes?

Have you thought about what sort of hair and makeup look you’d like on your wedding day? It can be helpful to bring photos from magazines for inspiration.

SOME OTHER TIPS FROM LIEN

• If you are having a destination wedding, and won’t be able to find a trusted makeup artist, it’s a good idea to take some makeup classes and just do your makeup yourself. Hey, if Kate Middleton can do it, so can you!
• Lien offers makeup classes, but you could also go and get some tips from the cosmetic counters at Myer and David Jones.
• Makeup classes are also a great idea so you can touch up your face throughout the day.Your makeup artist may do a fabulous job, but if you start crying during the ceremony and wash away all your eye makeup, then who is going to fix it? At least if you’ve got some basic skills and tools, you can fill in what the tears washed away.

* To find out more about Lien Bui or to book an appointment with her, check out her website www.browsandmakeup.com and stay tuned to see Lien’s makeup tips for the Mother of the Bride in the next few weeks.

by Mia Carter

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