The Perfect Winter Bridal Makeup.

Perfect Winter Bridal Makeup By Miss Rose Gold.

Any makeup artist worth their salt will tell you how important skin prep is to the overall look of your makeup. In fact, (and I may be being a touch dramatic here) the thought of applying my makeup on anything less than squeaky clean and well-moisturised skin fills me with dread, particularly at this time of year. Although our beautiful brides shouldn't fear - I'm going to walk you through my ultimate guide to magnificent skin in the winter!

The windy environment and cold temperatures that we are exposed to in the winter accelerate water loss in the skin, which cause it to dry out. So just like the saying goes “summer bodies are made in the winter” winter skin is best prepared not in the morning, but the night before.

Winter Bridal Makeup and Hair

Gel cleansers, as a general rule, are better at retaining moisture so they’re great for taking your makeup off at the end of a frosty winter’s day. Then once your skin is clean, apply a facial oil or serum under your evening moisturiser. There are now countless oils and serums on the market, each offering their own type of aid, so it’s important to do your research before you invest. My favourites include Estee Lauder's cult classic Advance Night Repair, The Body Shop's Vitamin E Moisture serum and, for a total splurge, Sunday Riley’s JUNO (which is like a trip to a spa in a bottle). *Some serums however, like those that contain a lot of alcohol, should be avoided if you have very dry skin. So do have a good Google prior to purchasing.

Whilst you sleep, your body and your skin rest and repair, so all that goodness you’ve applied to your face will double up the healing process & leave your skin feeling and looking great come morning. In the winter, I tend to avoid morning cleansing; your skin should still be clean from the night before so there’s no need to strip away any more moisture. Instead, apply a day cream high in SPF (20 at least). Kiehls have a wonderful day cream called Ultra Light Daily Defence which is SPF 50 and a great base for makeup. If your skin is dry, add a drop or two of your facial oil to your moisturiser and work into the skin as one. Whilst your products soak in now is a good time to give your lips some attention. Even if they don’t look dry, try an intensive lip balm like that from Eucerin and massage thoroughly into the lips.
If your lips are flaky, take a clean mascara wand and use this to gently exfoliate. If the flaking continues, repeat these steps daily and keep lips moisturised throughout the day.

Your skin should be looking and feeling great now, so we can now start to apply our makeup. Now as a makeup artist, I feel like the festive season is the perfect opportunity to experiment with new colours and add a little sparkle. A lot of my clients often request bolder looks this time of year, like a berry-toned ombre lip or jewel-blend eye shadow. Of course, that’s not to say that you can’t experiment in the warmer months, oh no, but the Christmas merriment certainly gives us an excuse to try on a red glitter lip without feeling like a reindeer at a pool party.

For fresh winter skin that will withstand the elements, I recommend a silicon based foundation because it is light but still provides a smooth & even coverage. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is fantastic for combination or dry, wintery skin. Afterwards, try a creamy concealer like Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer to blend in with the foundation and cover up any stubborn imperfections.

I still like my skin to look glowing in the winter so I apply a cream-based highlighter straight after my base, so it melts into the skin. For this, I turn to RMS Beauty Living Luminizer. I can’t rate this product highly enough; it looks natural, blends easily and catches the light in all the right places without any over the top glitter. It gets a 10 every time. Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfector will do a similar job & comes in a range of colours, so you can mix them in with your foundation for an all over glow.

Finishing off the Perfect Winter Bridal Makeup

Moving on to your features, you may find that one of hardest parts of applying festive makeup is deciding whether to do an eye or a lip. Much like when you’re choosing whether to flaunt leg or cleavage at the Christmas party, both at once can have a tendency to look overdone and ageing. So if you usually play up your eyes, why not experiment with a bold lip & vice versa? If you opt for a bold lip, I recommend doing this before your eyes - that way you’ll know what frame you have to work with and this will stop you from looking overdone. Chanel’s Rouge Coco Shine lipstick in Temeraire is a beautiful deep red which will look great on all skin tones. To intensify the look for a celebration or event, take the end of a makeup brush and dip it into Makeup Forevers Red Glitter. Place a tissue under your mouth & press tightly against your skin, then roll the coated brush end across your lips until your mouth sparkles like ruby slippers – a sure-fire party hit.

Have some fun with your Winter Bridal Makeup

If you usually play up your eyes and are tempted to stay safe with a smokey eye, you could up the ante by switching your usual black or grey to a metallic blue like Mac’s Deep Truth and smoke out with a fluffy brush. Or if you feel more comfortable with a classic smoky eye, try adding a slick of metallic liner, like Lancome’s Artliner 24H in Chrome, to the top lash line. For a really playful take on party makeup, you could even choose a colour to match your outfit!

If you’re feeling super brave, you could try stencilling a star or festive shape on to your cheeks. Try mixing a coloured pigment of your choice with a clear gloss and paint on with a fine brush. The possibilities are endless when it comes to party makeup, so I encourage you to step outside your comfort zone and show off your personality with your makeup. Just make sure your skin is well prepared….

Winter Bridal Makeup and Hair with the Gemma Sutton Pro Team