Indian Wedding Makeup

If you never think about how long that powder, foundation, eyeliner, and especially mascara, have been in your medicine cabinet or purse, perhaps you should. Those cosmetic products could be bacterial breeding grounds.

You’ve probably heard some of the rules about makeup and keeping it clean. One of the most common is to never share your makeup with other people, even your best girlfriend or your mother. However, you may be surprised to know that even if you keep your makeup collection to yourself, you could still be putting yourself at risk for infection and germs. Want to make sure your makeup arsenal is safe? All you’ll have to do is follow these simple tips and you’ll be good to go.

One of the first things you’ll have to accept is that as long as you use your makeup, you are potentially exposing yourself to germs and possible infections. Get around this gross dilemma by being diligent with cleaning your makeup items and tools - and that means more than once a month or a couple times a year. The more you use your makeup, the more frequently you should be cleaning the items in your kit. Sponges, powder puffs and brushes are the main breeding grounds for bacteria. To combat this, make sure you use fresh makeup sponges each time (if you have the type that can be reused, wash and rinse in hot water thoroughly after each use or follow the cleaning instructions on the package) and replace your powder puff with a new one after about one month of use.

For makeup brushes, use your favorite shampoo or purchase brush cleanser and wash in lukewarm water. Set it out to dry and your brushes will be good as new. This should be done every two weeks.

Did you know that bacteria love to gather in places where there is moisture, heat and humidity? Each time you leave your makeup kit in your backseat, trunk or out where there is direct sunlight, you are increasing your chances of developing bacteria inside your makeup. Icky, huh? The only way to prevent this from happening is to store your makeup products in a cool area at room temperature. If you have to take your makeup with you, make sure to put it in your purse and not inside your car or other areas where it can get hot easily. On a related note, when stashing makeup in your purse, push it to the bottom where it is darker and cooler. Leaving it near the top with your purse wide open and exposed to direct sunlight while driving in your car still makes it prone to attracting germs. It is also important to make sure you close up your makeup items tight after each use - that includes screwing on the caps tightly, making sure you hear that “click” when you snap close your compact, etc. Germs sneak into even the tiniest of openings so don’t give them that chance.

Another crucial factor to keeping yourself free from infection is to honor the shelf life of your makeup. As much as you love your items and don’t want to spend money, keeping age old makeup past its prime will not only put you at risk for bacteria and other types of germs, it will also negatively affect the way it looks on your skin. Keep it fresh and know when to replenish your supplies.

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On your big day, you want your makeup to last. Not only that, but you want to look stunning in your photographs. In order to insure that your makeup will last as long as possible, it may be best to hire a professional to take care of it. However, here is some advice to keep in mind even if you do hire a makeup artist. {mosgoogle}

Get rid of extra shine. A shiny face looks even worse in photographs, especially if the photographer uses a flash. After washing your face, apply an oil controlling product. After that absorbs, apply a thin layer of loose powder. Apply foundation and the rest of your makeup as usual. Follow up with another thin layer of loose powder. Carry some pressed powder with you so you can control any shine as the day progresses.

Use a makeup base. Several cosmetic companies offer products that go on under your eye makeup or lipstick that help your makeup last. Eye makeup base provides a layer that your eyeshadow and eyeliner can adhere to. This prevents creasing and helps the colour stay on longer. They offer similar products for lipstick. However, try to find a lipstick base that is also moisturizing. Some products contain ingredients that dry the lips out. You’ll need your lips to stay nice and moist so you can smile all day.

Lasting lipstick. One of the first things to fade is your lipstick. Follow these tips that will help your lipstick last. First, apply a moisturizing lip base. Then, apply lip liner in a shade that is a little darker than your lipstick. Use a soft pencil. Fill the lips in with the pencil. Apply one coat of lipstick and blot gently. Apply another coat of lipstick but this time do not blot. Press a thin layer of facial tissue gently to your lips. Using a large brush, apply a thin layer of pressed powder to the tissue. The tissue acts as a screen, letting in only a small amount of powder. The powder helps the lipstick set and keeps it on longer.

Pack a makeup bag. No matter how hard you try to create a lasting look, you still may need to do some minor touchups throughout the day. Pack pressed powder, lipstick, mascara, and eyeshadow just in case your colour needs a boost.

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The eyes are the window to your soul and you want them to look their best on your wedding day. Follow these tips for big, beautiful eyes that shine:

1. Hire a makeup artist

I don’t think there is anything wrong with doing your makeup yourself, but unless you’re knowledgeable about bridal makeup and how looks photograph, it’s best to hire a makeup artist for a wedding. That’s because bridal makeup is different from everyday makeup. On your big day, makeup needs to be waterproof and tear-proof so your face won’t look like a big mess if you shed a few tears. In addition, your makeup should look good both in the flesh and in pictures. A professional makeup artist knows how textures and product turn out in photos and will make sure you won’t look greasy, shiny or bad in them too.

2. Choose the right colors

There are a few things to consider when choosing what eyeshadow colors to wear on your big day. They have to suit your skintone, go well with your dress, bouquet and everything else you chose for your wedding. You also have to feel comfortable in it, but avoid trends or wearing too much makeup. Remember that you will have to look at your wedding pictures for the rest of your life so it doesn’t matter whether a certain look or color is in at the moment, you want to opt for something classy and timeless that will look beautiful in the years to come as well. Simple and natural looks would be best but if you love colorful makeup like me, you can always use some soft pink or gold on your eyes (or you can opt for a bright lipstick instead).

3. Use an eyeshadow primer

An eyeshadow primer is mandatory on your wedding day. You don’t want spend time to make your eyes look beautiful only to find out a few hours later that the eyeshadows have creased, the eyeliner smudged and everything is fading away. Your makeup needs to stay put and perfect for the entire day and a makeup primer will help you achieve just that.

4. Opt for matte instead than shimmer eyeshadows

Even though I adore shimmery eyeshadows and the way they make my eyes sparkles, they aren’t ideal to wear on your wedding. Shimmery eyeshadows, especially those that are very frosty, can look very greasy and shiny in photos. And you don’t want that, do you? Instead opt for matte shades as those are the ones that photograph best. But if you still insist on wearing some shimmer on your eyes, then apply a white or peach eyeshadow with only a hint of shimmer on your browbone to illuminate the eyes and use a matte shade on your crease as this will add more dimension and definition to your eyes. And remember to blend well as any harsh lines or mistakes will be visible in pictures.

5. Black, brown or no eyeliner at all?

If you are going for a very natural, barely-there makeup look, using eyeliner is not an absolute necessity. You’d still look great without and it’s one less thing to retouch if your lids are so oily or the weather’s so hot that even with a primer some fading could occur overtime. If instead you want to add some definition to your eyes or you’ve decided to wear false lashes and need help hiding the lash band, a precise line of black eyeliner will do the trick and, if you don’t go overboard, it can still look very natural. But if you think that’s too much, you can always opt for brown eyeliner, for a softer, more subtle look. But whatever you use, remember to test the eyeliner you’re gonna use on your big day beforehand so you’ll know how well it stands the test of time.

6. Make sure your mascara is waterproof

Start by curling your eyelashes and then apply two generous coats of mascara. Make sure that the mascara you are using is smudgeproof and waterproof so that it won’t travel everywhere on your face and ruin your makeup if you cry or the weather is too hot and humid. As with all the other products, test the mascara well in advance. It doesn’t matter if the mascara claims to be waterproof, that’s not guaranteed that it’ll withstand tears and humidity and you don’t wanna find out it doesn’t fulfill its promises on your wedding day, do you?

7. Don’t forget your eyebrows!

Often overlooked, eyebrows frame the face and make you look polished. Doesn’t matter how good the rest of your makeup is, neglecting your eyebrows will ruin the overall look. If you’ve never done anything to your brows before, I strongly suggest you to book an appointment to have them done professionally. An esthetician will be able to find the perfect shape for you and explain how to take care of them. If you decide to have them waxed or threaded, go at least a week before you wedding, which will give the redness time to subside and go away in time for your big day. If you have sparse brows, fill them in with an eyeshadow that matches their color exactly. You can also use an eyebrow pencil to do the job, but powders usually look more natural.

8. Don’t experiment with new makeup products

Whatever look you decide to wear, don’t use any new makeup (or skincare for that matter) product that you’ve never used before on your wedding day or even a few days before it. There is always the risk, albeit small, that a new product may cause an irritation and make your eyes all red and swollen. Trying new products a few weeks in advance will make sure that even if a bad reaction occurs, you’ll have plenty of time to treat it.

9. If you’re undecided, try several looks

Are you unsure about what makeup to wear on your big day? Try several looks in the months or weeks before your wedding so you can decide which one you like the most and better suits you and the overall theme of your wedding. If you’ve decided to hire a makeup artist, always do one or more test runs with her. That way you can tell her exactly what you want, or if you don’t she/he can offer some valuable advice. In addition, by doing test runs, you will also find out how long a look lasts on you, replace products that turn out to smudge or fade soon on you and see if any of the items used on your face causes an irritation or allergy.

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