Wedding Make Up Q and A Sarah Brock Bridal Make up Artist

She's won awards for her wedding make up looks, works on countless big days each year and frequently lends her magical wedding make up touch to beauty shoots for glossy magazines like Brides, so we feel Sarah Brock (also Director of Make-up Artistry for Daniel Sandler) is perfectly qualified to answer those 'most-asked' bridal beauty questions.

Q. I'm worried I'll cry on my wedding day and ruin my eye make up. How can I ensure it goes the distance?

A. First of all, I recommend using an eye primer before you apply your eye make up, this will give your eye shadow a perfect base and will prevent it from creasing (we like Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion). Rather than using a wax based eyeliner pencil (which can bleed throughout the day), I prefer to use a long lasting shadow liner or a gel liner, as these have more staying power. After curling your lashes, apply a few coats of black waterproof mascara and, should you have any wedding day tears, keep a tissue to hand. Don't rub your eyes, gently dab the tears away, to avoid smudging your eye make up.

We love: Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion. Clinique Brush-On Cream liner - "This glides on easily and dries to a perfect finish," says Sarah. Yves Saint Laurent Waterproof Mascara in black. "My choice for stunning lashes that will not smudge."

Q. I've read my eyes need to be more defined than usual for my wedding photos, is this true?

A. It depends on the style of wedding make up you've chosen. If you're planning a vintage bridal make up look, which is more of a darker lip colour, I would then keep the eye make up softer and less defined, as dark eyes and lips can look too much. Personally, most of my wedding make up is all about the eyes and more of a natural lip colour. I like to keep the eyeshadow from the lash line to brows soft, pretty and light and then add the 'drama' with a shadow/ gel liner so the eyes look stunning in photographs, without appearing too heavy.

We love: No7 Metallic Eye Pencil. Mister Mascara eyelash curlers. Mister Mascara Full Lashes Kit.

Q. I'm not sure what to do with my eye make up - should it be like my usual day eye make up, or more like my evening eye make up? Help!

A. When I meet a bride for a make-up rehearsal, I will always ask her how she wears her eye make up during the day and for an evening out. It's important not to create a look which is too different - she needs to look beautiful, but still look like herself! It is also important when choosing your eye make up to take into account the style of your dress and hair, as it is essential that the make up complements the whole look. If you want a smoky eye look for your wedding day, remember there is a fine line between a 'party' smoky eye and a bridal smoky eye! Apply a soft sheer grey eyeshadow to the lid, a light colour on the brow bone and then line the eyes with a charcoal liner - a great look if you have a fitted, glamorous wedding dress.

We love: Too Faced Smoky Eye Kit - perfect for a day style smoky eye, this kit includes light cream/bone shades, classic charcoal and black shades and a step-by-step smoky eye tutorial. Myface Eyetouch Eyeshadow in Solar Sisters. Ruby & Millie Eye Liner Pencil in Grey.

Q. Are there any rules for wedding day lip colour or lipstick vs gloss? Are there any colours that don't photograph well?

A. Lip colour depends on the bride's chosen make up style and skin tone. However, generally the most flattering shade is a colour that is one tone darker than your natural lip colour. I would recommend trying a few colours to see what suits you best. Be careful with darker colours, as they can appear very dark in wedding photographs, especially against a light-coloured wedding dress. Lip gloss looks pretty in photographs, but doesn't have great staying power, so for a perfect pout on your wedding day apply lip liner all over the lip area, then apply 2/3 coats of lipstick with a lip brush (blot in between coats) and then apply a small amount of gloss in the centre of the lips.

We love: Ruby & Millie Complete Lips Kit, with Lip Exfoliator, Non Bleed Lip Pencil, Lip Primer Pencil and Plumping Lip Gloss. Boots Retractable Lip Brush. YSL Rouge Pur Lipsticks - long lasting and moisturising.

Read more like this:
Wedding Make Up: Four Steps to Flawless Skin
Heaven Scent: 5 New Wedding Day Perfume Ideas

Related categories:
Make–up