Bryony Blake: How to do summer bridal makeup

May 14th 2018 / Ayesha Muttucumaru / 0 comment

Celebrity makeup artist Bryony Blake shows us how to create a classic, elegant and fresh bridal beauty look using some of the best wedding day products around

The wedding of the year’s just round the corner and so to celebrate, we’ve joined forces with celebrity makeup artist Bryony Blake to create the ultimate bridal makeup masterclass. From her secrets to flawless skin (using a foundation favourite of Meghan Markle’s) to the best flash-friendly makeup for getting photo-ready, it’s the ultimate how-to for looking your best on your big day.

Watch the video above for the bridal tutorial and check out the step-by-step and products used below to copy the look...

Step 1: Primer

Top tip: Use a different primer for different parts of your face

This can be especially handy if you, like me, have a combination skin type. On areas of dryness, Byrony used Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base, £44, and on my shine-prone T-zone, Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector, £28. To ensure my eye makeup stayed put throughout the day too, Bryony also applied Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, £17.50, to my eyelids.

Step 2: Foundation

Top tip: Don’t be afraid to mix your foundation shades

If your skin tone differs on your face, neck and chest, using a mixture of two shades of your favourite foundation can help create a more seamless and natural finish. Plus, it’ll also allow for any changes in skin tone that happen throughout the year come summer or winter, wedding or honeymoon.

To get my skin big day-ready, Bryony chose Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in shades 8.5 and 9, £42, applied with the silky-bristled Giorgio Armani Blender Brush, £60. A favourite of bride-to-be, Meghan Markle’s, it provides glowy, easy-to-build medium coverage and because it doesn’t contain an SPF, it doesn’t carry the risk of flashback from flash photography. As a further bonus, its adaptive Micro-fil tech ensures that it doesn’t feel cakey - even if you top it up throughout the day.

Step 3: Brows

Top tip: Bring out your natural brow shape

‘Brows are sisters, not twins,’ and so rather than aiming for brow perfection on your wedding day, shun symmetry and look to enhance what you have instead with the help of a good brow pencil and brow gel. Use a pencil like The Brow Gal Eyebrow Pencil, £18, to lightly sketch in hair-like strands, followed by a long-wear tinted brow gel like Delilah Brow Shape, £18, to fill in the gaps and set.

Step 4: Eyeshadow

Top tip: Do your eyes before your concealer to make it easier to clean up any drop-off

For a smokey, sophisticated and ‘naturally contoured’ eye look that enhanced my natural eye shape, Bryony used Giorgio Armani Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow in 11, £30, followed by a mixture of colours and finishes from Huda Beauty’s Smokey Obsessions palette, £25. Her choice of shadows ranged from mattes to shimmers - the latter resulting in a few sprinkles of glitter to cascade down my cheek. These were easily mopped up using a makeup wipe, but had she applied my concealer first, this would have meant reapplying it again from scratch. A handy time-saver.

Step 5: Eyeliner

Top tip: Use pencil instead of liquid for a more foolproof finish

If you’re worried about your line going wonky on first attempt, use a pencil instead of a liquid liner as it’ll be easier to blend out if it goes wrong. Giorgio Armani’s Smooth Silk Eye Pencil, £20, is particularly great in this regard as it comes with an in-built smudger on one end for helping mask any errors.

Step 6: Eyelashes

Top tip: An eyelash curler is a must

It’s your secret weapon for wider awake eyes - much needed in the sleep-deprived lead-up to your big day. Bryony’s curler of choice was from Kevyn Aucoin, £17, paired with a couple of coats of Giorgio Armani’s Black Ecstasy Mascara, £30, (really wiggle the wand to get into the roots) which gave my lashes a noticeable boost.

Step 7: Concealer

Top tip: Use a colour corrector first

If you have dark or red under-eye circles like I do, concealer alone won’t cover them up completely. Use with a peachy darkness-sapping colour corrector (such as Bobbi Brown’s in Dark Peach, £19.50), to brighten and ensure the finished look doesn’t look flat.

Step 8: Blusher

Top tip: Don’t be afraid of it

As Bryony points out, many people fear looking like a clown on their wedding day to such a degree, that they often apply such a small amount of blush that it’s barely perceptible. The trick lies in layering it slowly and using a product that has a lightweight buildable texture such as Giorgio Armani’s new Neo Nude A-Blush, £30. It sits smoothly on top of makeup, gives a healthy flush and doesn’t feel heavy on skin either - the perfect balance.

Step 9: Highlighter

Top tip: Opt for a glow rather than a shimmer

Go for a lightweight highlight that looks glowy rather than shimmering to avoid drawing too much attention away from your eye makeup. The second-skin feel and fresh finish of Giorgio Armani’s new Neo Nude A-Highlights, £27, fit the bill perfectly.

Step 10: Contour

Top tip: Use it to enhance, not mask

Contouring shouldn’t change your features, only enhance them. To ensure mine still stood out against the intensity of my eye makeup, Bryony applied a few strokes of Giorgio Armani’s A-Contour, £27, along cheekbones, the top of my forehead and sides of my nose.

Step 11: Lipstick

Top tip: A rosey nude will go with anything

Whether you’re going bold or subtle with your eye makeup, a rosey nude will go beautifully with either. Opt for hydrating formulas and satin finishes rather than super mattes for a more comfortable feel and natural finish. Bryony used Giorgio Armani Rouge D’Armani Lipstick in 501, £28, on me coupled with MAC Lip Liner in Spice, £14, to make it even more wedding toast-proof.

Step 12: Set

Top tip: Use a blot powder with a setting spray

Team textures to make your makeup all the more shine and sweatproof. To keep my look on lockdown, Bryony used MAC Blot powder in Medium/Dark, £22.50, with a spritz of MAC Prep + Prime Fix, £19, to keep my makeup on lockdown from early morning to late evening.