Every bride wants to look their best on their wedding day, but planning a winter wedding can bring up a few more challenges. A combination of cold air and central heating can play havoc with your skin, and it can sometimes be hard to know how to apply the right make-up for you to avoid looking washed-out.
We spoke to Tina Brocklebank Make-up Artist, skincare expert and make-up pro, who specialises in creating beautiful, natural and long-lasting male-up looks for brides. Read on for her expertise, knowledge and killer products to help you prep and plan for your own winter wedding.
Advice from Tina Brocklebank Make-Up Artist
Winter weddings are becoming increasingly popular and can be so magical. Winter evokes images of rich and opulent shades such as silver, gold, crimson berry and green, especially if you are opting for a Christmas theme. You could even have a truly white wedding if it snows.
Winter Wedding Skin Care
In the months leading up to your wedding really focus on self care. Eat healthily, try and get as much rest as you can and drink lots of water to hydrate your skin. Use a gentle exfoliant daily, (I like Paula’s Choice 8% AHA lotion). This will encourage your skin to look more radiant and smooth.
Opt for a slightly richer moisturiser as it gets colder, or add a few drops of oil to your usual moisturiser (I like Sunday Riley Juno Essential face oil). Use an SPF no lower than 30. This will make all the difference for creating a beautiful canvas for your make-up on your wedding day. Avoid too much moisturiser or use one suitable for your skin type to ensure longevity and to prevent the foundation from creasing.
Flowers and styling by The Vintage House That Could & Make-up by Tina Brocklebank Make-Up Artist photographed by KMGS Photography
Winter wedding make-up can be a tricky one. Do you go natural or wear the same make-up you usually wear so you don’t feel too different? Maybe you should step out of your comfort zone or try a trend that you have seen and liked?
Remember you don’t wear a wedding dress or special outfit every day, so your wedding make-up should reflect that. Do try to step out of your comfort zone slightly. You will need to wear slightly more make-up than you usually do (for photos and if you are wearing a light colour dress). It should still look like you and be soft and pretty. If your signature is a winged liner, you may feel not like yourself if you was not to do that, so work with that. You still need to be in your comfort zone. On your wedding day, you should look like yourself but a more beautiful, polished version.
You want your make-up to look timeless and not dated in years to come. I always advise not to make your make-up too trendy for an occasion like this. You should not be able to pin point which era you got married in from looking back at your photos.
Avoid anything too shimmery, especially on your skin, as this can photograph as white patches. Don’t get carried away with Pinterest images – think about your own make-up style and work with that, not against it.
What should dictate your make-up for such a special occasion is your own colouring (hair, skin tone, eye colour) and then think about your wedding theme, flowers, bridesmaid dresses and time of the year.
Dress by Sanyukta Shrestha, flowers by Limewood Flowers & Make-Up by Tina Brocklebank Make-Up Artist photographed by Kev Elkins Photography
Wearing white or cream does change how your make-up looks so if you are someone who likes to look tanned, have a look at how you look wearing your wedding dress colour or wear the same shade for your make-up trial. Often you will find you will require more make-up than usual and different tones. A little more blush is often preferable as wearing a light or white dress can wash you out. Layer a cream blush with the same shade one in powder to ensure it lasts.
Bronzer is optional for a winter wedding, but if you prefer a bit more warmth in your skin choose a shade up from your natural skin tone. Be careful with this though, as it can look a bit much. I like Bobbi Brown Bronzers; they are not too orange and don’t have sparkle in them, so look more natural.
As with other seasons, try to focus on long-wear products but choose either a smokey eye with a nude lip or a berry lip and nude eye – you won’t go far wrong then. Pair these with a classic eyeliner and a matte lip. Finish with a swipe of soft, sparkly eyeshadow on the eyes and it will look amazing.
Green eyes suit gold and plum shades, blue eyes suit bronze-copper and grey shades. If you have brown eyes you can have the pick of the bunch! Golds, blues, purples, grey or silver are beautiful for this eye colour. Charlotte Tilbury do some beautiful eyeshadow palettes.
Photography by John Hope Photography
A pop of colour is a classic way to complement a winter wedding plus it looks amazing in photos and real-life. This can look particularly beautiful with a white dress and a snowy setting.
Always take photos of your make-up in natural light, so you can see how it will photograph. It is a good idea to have your make-up trial close to your wedding date and then you can see how it photographs outside. Winter light is different from summer; it can be bluish so stick to blue-toned lipsticks and blushers instead of orange toned shades, as the colour won’t change when you go outside and is more flattering in the winter.
Photography by John Hope Photography
Many people have redness in their skin that they want to conceal. Choose a foundation with a yellow undertone to counteract this and opt for a slightly heavier coverage but apply it with a damp beauty blender sponge so you can still see your skin through the foundation. This ensures your skin looks like skin, not just a flat, heavy layer of foundation. I love and trust Bobbi Brown Skin Long Wear Weightless Foundations.
Stronger shades will last longer than neutrals. Long-wear formulas, (eg, water resistant/ waterproof), are good for foundation, eyeshadow and lips. A combination of liquid and powder formulations is a good way of ensuring longevity, hydration and coverage.
Cold air and bitter winds (never mind the high emotions) on your wedding day will make you teary- eyed, so if you are worried about your make-up smudging use an eye primer (I like NARS Pro Prime SmudgeProof Eyeshadow Base). This can be used with either a powder or cream eyeshadow over (I like Bobbi Brown Cream Eyeshadow Sticks). A waterproof mascara is a must (I like Max Factor Divine Lashes). For long-lasting, waterproof eye definition, I love Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils.
Opt for a more defined eye if you don’t want a bold lip; both can look too much. For eyes, try a smoky eye using bronze, gold, grey or plum. Wing out the eyeshadow slightly to extend the eyes for added impact.
Make-Up by Tina Brocklebank, hair by Mon Amie Wedding Hair
A matte wine lip looks beautiful with nude, sparkly eyes of sheer silver or gold at this time of year, set off with some feathery, natural-looking, false eyelashes.
If you don’t want to wear a bold lip then opt for a natural colour and apply the darker shade for the evening.
For longevity use a lip pencil all over the lips then apply a matte lip colour over the top. I like Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Pencils and the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks. If your lips are dry, use a lip balm first then blot off before you apply the lip pencil (I like Glossier lip balms).
Don’t rule out having some natural, full-set, strip false eyelashes applied. These always look great and won’t damage your own lashes. I like Ardell Demi Wispies 110’s or Ardell Naked 423. If applied professionally and with the right glue (DUO adhesive in Dark), they won’t fall off in your champers!
If you are using a make-up artist it is essential you have a make-up trial to avoid any dramas on the wedding day. If you are doing your own make-up or are going away, having a bridal make-up lesson is very useful and you will learn a skill for life; it is a true investment. I now offer these in my make-up studio in Lincolnshire. I also offer online make-up lessons as well as group/joint lessons if you would like to visit with the mother of the bride or your bridesmaids. Fizz and nibbles are also provided to get you in wedding mode.
Tina Brocklebank Make-Up Brush Set
Find out more about Tina Brocklebank and her wedding make-up services here and for more tips from our suppliers on planning your perfect winter wedding, please take a look here.
