Wedding Guide:
Wedding Make-Up Tips

Wanting to look like our most beautiful selves on our big day is something I believe every bride aims for. Some start months, some even more than a year in advance, others devote a few days or weeks to prepping their body’s largest organ. Whatever camp you fall into, I’ve devoted a whole other blogpost to the topic to give you an in-depth look at what I did. However, prepping your skin is only one part of looking and feeling your best. I also decided to invest in a few others things prior to our wedding, and on the day of, to ensure my wedding make-up could look its best.

Lashes

Some girls (and guys!) are blessed with long, voluminous lashes, while others need a little more help getting the fluttering eyelashes of their dreams. I’ve listed two different ways to go about getting a full set of lashes for your big day down below that aren’t false eyelashes. I personally opted for the one that would last me all throughout the honeymoon days, while still providing the amount of volume I wanted.

Lash extensions

What it is/How it works:

Lash extensions, as the name already suggests, extend the lashes, or more precisely, new ones are attached that add volume and length. Typically, there are three different kinds of lash extensions: synthetic, silk, and mink. I went to a studio in Munich that specializes in synthetic lash extensions, because I trust my make-up artist Nina with anything she recommends! Based on your preference you can get anywhere from 6mm to 17mm in length. Lashes are applied one at a time, and also one on one (meaning one additional lash for every natural lash) with a semi-permanent adhesive. This make the whole process fairly time-consuming considering each eye has around 100 eyelashes. Sessions can last anywhere from 1-2 hours, and are more expensive compared to the other methods.

Results:

While false eyelashes only last a day, lash extensions are semi-permanent, meaning they will last anywhere from 5-8 weeks, though usually refills are done every 3-5 weeks to maintain the best possible results.

Cost:

Starting from €100-250 (depending on which kind of extension you go for) for the initial extensions, and €60 for refills.

Lash lift

How it works:

If you want a subtle, yet still impactful change, the lash lift might be what you’re looking for.

With this procedure, the aesthetician will work on your own lashes without adding any additional ones. Essentially, it’s like a perm for your eyelashes. First, a silicone shield is applied to your eyelids, and an eye-friendly glue is added on which your lashes are combed up on. Later, a solution is applied to your lashes that acts as a softener, making it possible to shape your hair – ideally into a natural upward curl that opens up your eyes.

Results:

Immediately, your lash lift will make you look more awake, and if you’ve also opted for a lash tint, your lashes will look longer, and possibly fuller. With a lash lift you also don’t have to worry about mascara, since you only have your own natural eyelashes to care for and it won’t be detrimental to the lift effect. Results will last anywhere from 6-8 weeks, depending on how quickly your new (and unfortunately not as curled!) lashes grow in, and old ones fall out. I just recently had a lash lift done and tell you everything about my experience in this post.

Cost:

Starting from €60

Professional Bridal Make-Up

Why should you consider it?

For my wedding day I knew I wanted to have the most relaxed start possible, and so I made up my mind early on that I would enlist the help of a professional make-up artist to ensure a stress-free morning for my girls and myself, whilst also feeling a little pampered. I didn’t want to have to worry about messing up my make-up, or even having to make sure that I had everything with me on the day of. In addition to taking one (big!) thing off your plate, there are several other things that make the investment worthwhile: A make-up artist has a bigger arsenal of tools and products than you. (Unless, of course, you’re a major beauty junkie!). Even though I know what I like and am confident in the products I like for everyday use, my MUA always has the best and newest products, and knows exactly what works for different types, and – most importantly – what will last the whole day.

What I’d personally recommend is getting a trial make-up session beforehand, to make sure you’ll like the result on the day and to ensure you’ll be 100% comfortable around your make-up artist. Knowing you can trust that person fully with making you look like the best version of yourself plays a key role in staying calm and having a relaxing experience (which, ultimately, is what you really want on your wedding day!).

There are other things to consider, that I decided to not invest in, as I didn’t feel the need to, but this is one thing I’d highly recommend considering:

Brow shaping / tinting

What it is:

By now we’ve all heard that brows shape your entire face. It should come as no surprise then that having your brows shaped, and tinted is something most people not only consider for their big day, but as a must in their general beauty routine. There are different options to consider, including waxing, threading, and tweezing. In addition, your eyebrow hairs will be trimmed to ensure a neat look.

I’m super lucky in the brows department in that I naturally have full brows that need only little tweezing on my part (in big part thanks to my Mom who never let me over-tweeze my brows!). However, what I would consider is going to a place you trust or that has been recommended to you in order to try out whether you like the way they shape your brows. Brows are such a personal thing and can change the entire look on someone’s face. So make sure that when the time comes you know you’ll look your best and won’t have to worry about misshapen brows.

Results:

Having your brows shaped professionally will hopefully give you an aha-moment when it comes to what your brows can do for your face. Even just tinting and filling them in makes such a big difference, and for many shaping is the extra mile that’s worth going. Results will last anywhere from 1-3 weeks, depending on how quickly your hair regrows. Maintenance, however, is fairly easy as you only need to continue with what has already been done.

Cost:

Starting from €45

The final touch of the day was, of course, adding a spritz of my wedding perfume. I consider adding a scent as part of finishing off my make-up every day, and so it was only natural to include it here, even if it does not need it’s own category. I connect so many memories to specific scents, and love the fact that our special day has such a beautiful one attached to it, too.

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*photos shot on film by Melanie Nedelko