Four Steps to Flawless Wedding Make Up

1) Wedding Make Up Secret: Layer Your Products

The wedding make up mantra for the modern bride? Fresh and radiant. Step away from the heavy foundation, please. "Often brides believe that a thick, heavy foundation will cover all imperfections and create "perfect skin'," explains bridal make up artist Sarah Brock. "The truth is, it appears very heavy, looks greasy after a few hours and come the evening will almost be sliding off your face."

Instead, layer your make-up. After moisturising, use a make up primer, such as Chanel Base Lumiere. "This will give your foundation better staying power and if you use a silicone based product, it will fill in fine lines and open pores too," says Sarah. Then, choose a foundation with a light texture, "and apply with a foundation brush for an airbrush finish," says Sarah.

Bridal beauty buys
Primed and ready for action: Chanel Base Lumiere.

Featherweight foundation: Diorskin Nude. "A hydrating foundation for a natural glow."

Foundation brush: Benefit Foundation Brush.

2) Wedding Make Up Secret: Use Concealer

Consider concealer your secret wedding make up weapon; the flaw fixer you can't do without. It will help hide dark circles under your eyes, and will help camouflage any blemishes. "Choose a concealer designed specially for under the eyes if you plan to use it there, and opt for a slightly thicker concealer for redness and blemishes," says Sarah. And if you suddenly wake up with a monstrous spot? Don't panic. "First, apply a light moisturiser so your concealer goes on smoothly. Use a thick concealer with a dry consistency that's not too greasy. After foundation, apply the concealer using a concealer brush and pat the product gently into the skin," says Sarah. "Repeat the process until you have the desired coverage and gently apply loose powder on top to set."

Bridal beauty buys
Covert concealers: Ruby & Millie Concealer Duo. "The perfect consistency to cover spots, with two shades so you mix your own perfect colour," says Sarah.

Dark circle dodgers: Myface Mycover Concealer, Lancôme Le Touche Pro Made-to-Measure Seamless Camoflague Concealer.

3) Wedding Make Up Secret: Dig Out Your Powder

Yes, really! Put aside your preconceptions and cakey-faced images. Formulations have improved - and so have application techniques! "Powder is essential to set your wedding make up base," says Sarah. "Some brides worry it will make their make up look heavy, but the trick is to apply a light dusting where you need it; the t-zone to stop any shine, and on the eyelids to provide the perfect base for your eyeshadow."

Bridal beauty buys
Perfecting powders: Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Skin Smoothing Loose Powder, Christian Dior Diorskin Extreme Fix Loose Powder.

4) Wedding Make Up Secret: Ditch the Shimmer

In 'real life', highlighters and luminisers are great skin allies, adding gleam to lacklustre skin, but if you're planning flash photography for your wedding, leave them at home. "It's best to avoid using highlighters and sparkly products; flash photography will highlight them and you don't want them to be the main thing you notice in your wedding photos!" warns Sarah. Her advice: "Rather than applying highlighters to the face, I've found that the best way to give a bride a radiant look to her skin is by giving her pretty, dewy cheeks."

Bridal beauty buys
Non-shimmer glow-giver: No7 Limited Edition Spring Collection Petal Blusher (available instore). "Apply a small amount to the apple of your cheeks and blend well," says Sarah.

Also try: Urban Decay Afterglow Powder Blush, Clinique Quick Blush.

Five great skin care products for radiant wedding day skin

Start your pre-wedding skin care routine early with these five great skin care buys and enjoy brighter, clearer-looking skin on your big day.

• For dull skin: Caudalie Vino Perfect Radiance Revealing Mask - rich in grapeseed oil, this brush-on mask promises to brighten dull skin and tighten.
  
• For dry skin: Neal's Yard Remedies Frankincense Nourishing Cream - the perfect indulgence for dry or mature skin, this nourishing pot is packed with antioxidants and organic jojoba and sunflower oils.
  
• For spotty skin. Blemish Complex Kit - a trio of blemish-fighting products to help create clear skin.
  
• For oily skin: Decleor Aroma Purete Matt Finish Skin Fluid - helps soak up the shine of oily skins, whilst essential oils balance and restore moisture.
  
• For redness-prone skin: Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream - helps soothe and cool persistently red skin on application, instantly calming flare ups.

And finally...

Don't forget the groom! If your man needs a little encouragement, point him towards our Men's Advice section. All the tips and tricks he needs for grooming perfection at the click of a mouse.

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Make–up