Wedding guest glam

As a wedding guest, you should look timeless and photo-ready. You wouldn’t want to look back on wedding photos, and wonder to yourself, “What on earth was I thinking?” There’s a time and place for bold, trendy and striking makeup; someone’s wedding is not that time or place. Of course, the bride will be the star of the show. Adorned from head to toe, she will be a vision: her dress, hair, nails, makeup, shoes, jewelry and the works. There is, however, an important rule that some people tend to forget: Wedding guests should never try to upstage the bride. So today, we will be learning to do a long-lasting and appropriate makeup look. I recommend aiming to be understated.

Try to enhance your features without going overboard. Focus on the skin looking good; Keep your look soft, simple and subdued. Avoid harsh contouring, bright colors and chunky glitter. Always start with a clean, moisturised face. Prime the skin to smooth away any texture and create a long-wear base for your makeup.

Consider your setting; if the wedding is during the day and outdoors, keep your makeup lightweight.

Heavy makeup will look more pronounced and cakey in natural day light. If the wedding is during the night or indoors, you can afford to wear heavier coverage. Dim indoor light is way more forgiving than harsh natural light.

For the most flawless finish, dampen a beauty sponge, and apply your foundation and concealer; use bouncing motions to blend. You can also powder your face using loose powder on your damp sponge. This technique is called baking, and it creates a smooth, matte, long-lasting finish.

Remember to sweep away the excess powder after a few minutes. Instead of heavy contouring, sculpt the face naturally using bronzer. Avoid actually contouring with the bronzer as it will look quite unnatural. Instead, use a large, fluffy brush to sweep bronzer over the higher points of your face: the temples, over the cheekbones, on the jaw line, over the nose and a little on the chin. It will create a sun-kissed and slenderized effect. Opt for a mineral or baked blush, as they tend to be naturally luminous. Sweep it over the apples of the cheeks and back towards the hairline for a sweet, rosy look.

I always say that if your skin looks good, you don’t have to do much more to your eyes or lips to look put together. Fill in any sparse areas of your eyebrows using an ash-brown pencil if needed, then comb through with an eyebrow brush to soften and blend the pencil. For the eyes, sweep a champagne shade across your eyelid. Blend a mid-toned brown into the crease with a fluffy brush. Highlight your inner corner and brow bone with a light color for a lifted, brightened effect.

Apply eyeliner and mascara. Since the eyes are so neutral and universal, you can opt for any lip color you like. Whether it’s a nude, pink, peach, red or plum. Pick a color that compliments your skin tone, eyes or dress.

Your last step should be setting spray. This will take away the powdered look and set your makeup.

Remember, your makeup doesn’t have to be boring.

It just needs to be appropriate. Your look can be jazzed up in unique ways to reflect your personal style. You can choose between a matte and glossy lip. Add a pair of false lashes to amp up your look a bit more. Add winged eyeliner to elongate and define your eyes. Use highlighter on your face to add more of a glow to your skin. Or add a pop of color to your eyes by using a colored eyeliner on your waterline or smudged on the lower lash line.