Keeping Bridal Make up Natural and Real

Keeping Bridal Make up Natural and Real

In the 8 years that we’ve been running French Wedding Style, bridal hair and make up has gone through many changes, and today our resident expert Carey Hawkins, is here to discuss keeping bridal make up natural and real on your big day.  You don’t want to miss this post!

The beauty industry has undergone a renaissance in the last 10 years mainly thanks to Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube videos of famous (and not so famous) faces putting make up on in their bedrooms.

We are in an image overloaded society and the search for the perfect hairstyle or make up for a wedding day becomes an obsession.

If we need permission to be a little ‘imperfect’ it is for the day of your wedding.  There are so many stresses in the build up to the big day, that just a small amount of leeway with your look, releases some of that tension.

Keeping Bridal Make up Natural and Real

Make Up I feel (and most of the photographers I work with) should be slightly imperfect.  You don’t want to look like plastic with over dark eyebrows, fully visible fake lashes, foundation that can be seen by the camera, fake orange tan and crazy overdrawn lips.  Even if this is your thing now, think how you will feel when you look back at your photos (or your kids do) and you do not recognise the woman looking back?

Change is coming.  The runways this summer were filled with transparent foundation, glowing natural blush and toffee hued eye, miles away from the current Instagram #makeupgoals.

Hair should also look amazing but like it exists.  Shiny, healthy and not too coiffed.  Encourage the flyaways and bits that fall out.  Being imperfect makes it cooler and unique to you.

Keeping Bridal Make up Natural and Real

Retouching of photos is also on the wane as proven by a global study of 26,000 women.  Only 4 out of 10 of these women felt beauty industry advertising represented relatable women whilst almost 9 out of 10 felt character is as much a part of beauty as external appearance.

Always remember that your wedding day make up (and hair) is for decoration, not for changing who we really are and pursuing a flawless look is exhausting and unnecessary.

There is nothing more beautiful than a Bride on her wedding day who just glows from within with happiness and love – with just a little help from a great make up artist.

Carey Hawkins is a Make Up Artist and Hairstylist living in France and has worked with brides since 2004 as well as working on a wide range of films and TV.  She is a regular contributor to FWS. For more information visit: www.careyhawkinsmakeup.com

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