Ace Your Night Makeup with These Essential Tips for the Wedding Season

With the advent of YouTube makeup videos and increased accessibility to fast fashion, women are now paying far more attention to the way they present themselves than before. While makeup was once the stuff stored for special occasions, we now have our own daily essentials and party favourites that go far beyond a simple swipe of Kajal and lip gloss. So, with that in mind, let us figure out how to create the perfect night makeup look with easy tips you can use at home!

1. Start by figuring out the look you want to create!

This might seem a bit basic, but everything from the foundation you pick to the lipstick you wear rests on the vibe you want to exude. Do you want a natural oh-l-always-look-this-great look or a glamorous one? Do you want your makeup to scream drama or make you look like you just stepped out of an ethereal world? Find out what you want for the night, and then start from there.

2. Picking the right foundation

The hunt for the right foundation does not end when you find the right colour for your skin tone. You must also ensure that your foundation is suited to your skin. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Oily Skin

If you have oily skin, you can use a mattefying foundation like one from L’Oreal’s Infallible collection.

Dry Skin

If you have dry skin, a foundation with a slightly dewy finish can look great. However, remember not to overdo the dew because you’ll experience some major flashback when you take pictures.

Combination Skin

If you have combination skin, err on the side of being matte. If you want a bit of glow, you can always rely on a great highlighter for the same. But if you end up with an overly oily base, then you’re going to spend the rest of the night dabbing – and not in a fun way!

3. Nailing the eye makeup

Did you know that our minds are programmed to notice eyes before any other feature on the face? Your night makeup relies quite a bit on your eyes because there’s just so much you can do with them. Even though cat-eyed wings have been around for ages now, they’re still a go-to for many women as they accentuate the shape of the eyes and make them more alluring. While you may be a pro at winging out the liner, you still need to pay attention to the eyeshadow. Here are a few tips:

1. Always pop the lightest shade in the centre of the eyelid. This brings more attention to your iris by letting more light hit the spot on the lid right above your pupils.
2. You don’t always need to smoke out every eye look. Create a gradient of shades that match your outfit for a slightly more subtle but equally stunning effect.
3. Use one of the medium shades from the lid to line right below your lash line. Doing so makes your eye-look a bit more cohesive.
4. Pop a highlight on your tear duct to open up your eyes more.
5. Play with colour! There’s no rule that says that every eye-look needs to be bronze-y with a hint of gold! There’s also no rule that says you need to use more than one shade on the lid, and if you’re sticking to just one colour, be sure to use a transition shade in the crease to make it neater. If you master this, you can create a sort of template you can follow when you’re getting late and don’t have time for tons of blending. Speaking of which…
6. Blend it out! Not blending your eye makeup is a rookie mistake that will leave each shade looking patchy.

Cobalt blueliner is trending at the moment so keep that in mind when you plan your next look!

4. Snatching up your cheekbones!

If there’s one thing the Kardashians gave us apart from severe body dysmorphia, it’s the art of contouring. Of course, this makeup trick has been around for ages and was predominantly used in drag makeup. But now, it’s a beauty essential for many people. To contour, you need to pick a shade lighter than your skin tone and a shade darker. This will help you make light and shadows appear, taking away the flat look that can come with foundation. Here are a few contouring tips:

1. Contour under your cheekbones to make them pop.
2. If you are unsure about your blending skills, apply the contour before foundation. The final result may not be as dramatic, but it will certainly do the trick and look natural while it’s at it.
3. Create a V under the tip of your nose if you have a round nose and want a sharper one.
4. Add your dark contour shade under your lower lip to make it look fuller.

Finding the right shades can take practice, which is why it’s just easier to use a dual stick that has a highlight and shadow shade at each end. Wet n Wild has a dual-ended contour stick that’s pretty easy to use.

5. Pouting that pout!

Finally, it’s time to ensure you’ve got the perfect pout. Now, the lipstick you choose must be aligned with the rest of your makeup, otherwise, the whole effect can be a bit confusing or even garish. Here are some tips for choosing the right lipsticks:

Liquid Lips

If you’re someone who eats their lipstick (I mean, don’t we all?), then a liquid lipstick might be the right formula for you. It will settle on your lips and not budge until you want it to. Most liquid lipsticks are matte, though there are shimmer variants available too.

Vampy Lips

We live in a world where black lips aren’t Goth anymore – they’re just regular everyday fashion now. So, go all out. Forget about the old rule that says don’t smoke your eyes if you’re wearing a bold lip. You can rock both, as long as your lips are dark and matte.

Gloss

Adding a bit of gloss only on the centre of your lower lip can help you create a much fuller pout.

6. Creating great looks on a budget

The average makeup video uses over ten different products and these are generally a mix of drug store and high-end brands. Let’s face it, not everyone has that much money or time! So, how do you create a great look on a budget? Use one product for multiple things:

1. You can use the highlighter as an eyeshadow if you just want a simple, shimmery look. Makeup Revolution’s Shimmer Brick comes with 5 different shades and can create the illusion of a carefully created eye look.
2. You can use mild lipstick as blush, as long as you don’t go overboard! Just dab the pigment on your cheeks lightly.
3. Use the lightest shade in your eyeshadow palette as your highlighter instead of going out and buying one.

So many steps and techniques to keep in mind can get a bit overwhelming, and it’s the last thing you want to burden yourself with if you’re getting married!

Get in touch with expert makeup artists to create the perfect look on your wedding day!