Bridal Beauty on a Budget

You’ve chosen the wedding dress, the invitations, the wedding favours and bridesmaid’s outfits.  There’s something else you have to remember to do – plan your make up!

Even if you don’t normally wear make up, your wedding day is the time to make an effort.  Just a few basics like concealer, powder and mascara will make a huge difference in your wedding photographs.  

What if you don’t have a big budget for a make up artist?  A good one will cost you at least £100 for the day.  The answer is to visit the local make up counters!

But don’t be fooled – not all cosmetic counters are capable of giving you the best bridal looks; some staff are trained to sell as opposed to application.  Some brands however, will only employ staff who have completed formal cosmetic courses; these are the ones you want to visit. 

Top brands to visit are Nars (available in Space NK and Selfridges), Shu Uemura (available in London and Harvey Nichols in Manchester and Leeds) and Bobbi Brown (At John Lewis and Selfridges nationwide).

Here are some tips on making the most out of your cosmetic counter consultation!

1. Firstly have a good idea of what you want but be open minded.  A good make up artist will do what you want then show you what they think looks good.  Take a camera, take a snap of both looks and compare at home.

2. Don’t be pressured to buy anything you don’t want.  It is usually polite to buy one item, such as a lipstick after a make up, especially if the make over was free of charge, but obviously if the make over is terrible, you don’t have to!

3. Some places will charge a fee which is then redeemable on a purchase.  Powder and mascara are always good items to go for if you have to use up your fee but don’t like any of the colour products.

4. Go outdoors and check that it looks right in broad daylight – indoor lights make the skin look warmer then it actually is.

5. Hire the artist!  If you love the make up artist, most of the ones who work on counters will work freelance too and for a small fee may visit you on the day to do make up for you.  If not, take notes, even film the session on your camera so you know how to recreate the look.

 

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