by Bridal beauty looks are a highly personal proposition, but there are some hallmarks of success that carry the perfect wedding day make-up – from how it photographs to its longevity during such an emotional event.
No one knows this like Kelly Dawn, an international make-up artist who specializes in bridal services – so much so that she’s curated a collection of experts under the agency Dawn Artists, helping brides from far and wide look and feel amazing on their big days.
Of course, for her own wedding party, Dawn demanded the same – confirming her personal glam team through the bridal beauty agency and doing her own make-up for the occasion. Here she shares her bridal beauty process and the products she requested, given her vast experience in weddings and make-up.
On the beauty preparation she did in the period before her wedding
“The first bookings I made for my wedding were my glam team (apart from my amazing wedding planner, Natalie Hewitt); confirming my hair, nails, tan and facials. As a busy working mum, I have very little time for myself, so before our party most of the beauty treatments I prioritized were things I could do for myself, keep a consistent routine to help my skin and hair to be at its best. .
“With little time for multiple hour-long facials, it was great to have a tool I could use when I wanted immediate results and long-term benefits. The Halo ZIIP Facial Toning Device uses microcurrent to stimulate your muscles to contract and relax, giving you a facial workout to define and lift your features – so I used this as often as possible.
“The skin treatment I scheduled was a bucolic facial massage by Charlotte Meriner, a renowned osteopath who developed her own bridal facial therapeutic technique that blends osteopathic techniques with skin sculpting, lymphatic drainage, and interoral massage . De-puffs and sculpts the face, neck and jawline completely; I have never seen such a clear difference from a face before.
“Since I have a lot of blonde facial fuzz, I love the detangling effect that removes all facial hair and creates a smooth surface for your make-up. This is something you need to experiment with a lot in advance as the skin reacts differently to it, but the derma blade tool from Tweezerman worked well for me.
“I grew my hair as long as I could before the wedding because I knew I wanted to wear it, using the Hair By Sam McKnight products beforehand and keeping heat styling as as low as possible (preparing with Save The Do heat protection spray when I used hot tools). I also used Typebea G1 Overnight Boosting Peptide Serum to encourage healthy hair growth.
“In terms of supplements, I took Vida Glow Natural Marine Collagen every day; I love the mango flavor which is easily added to your morning water and supports collagen production for healthy hair, skin and nails – I couldn’t believe how strong my brittle nails have become. I added Artah Cellular Hydration electrolytes to my water at least once a day to help feel deeply hydrated and energized. This is great to do during your wedding week, especially if you plan to have a few alcoholic drinks as it’s also a real hangover reliever!
“My nails were done by Claudine Cooke, we used Gel X in the shade OPI Bubble Bath which is a nude pink shade with a cool base for a clean and fresh look that flattered my skin tone. I considered doing the same shade for both the hand and foot but decided to keep my toenails in my signature Ferrari-red.
“Finally, I invested in a spray tan after being very hesitant about them before since I’ve seen so many disasters throughout my career. I had two trials with the wonderful Fran from Dawn Artists Agency so we could get the perfect shade and intensity. She also looked after some of my guests offering spray juices on the spot from the country house where our wedding was held. My wife, mum and aunts – and even one of my uncles – loved this treat.”
On her skin pre-make-up prep the day of the wedding
“To prep my lips, I used a warm face cloth to remove any dead skin the night before followed by a nice layer of La Mer lip balm.
In the morning – to tighten pores, reduce puffiness and wake up the skin – I dipped my face in a bowl of ice water. I then did the four-minute lifting treatment with my ZIIP Halo to sculpt my jawline, cheekbones and lift my brows, and used the MZ Skin Hydra-Bright Golden Eye Treatment Masks kept in the fridge for a cooling effect.
“I stayed consistent with my normal skincare routine, applying a light hyaluronic acid serum and an oil-free moisturizer – both from Vichy’s Mineral 89 range which are also staples in my bridal make-up kit.”
On her wedding makeup (and the products that suit all brides)
“Having tried and tested almost everything on the market, I have a great selection of products that are the best in every category and that I know work well for wives. I’m a big believer that your wedding day hair and make-up should make you look and feel the most beautiful and confident version of yourself, often a heightened version of your ‘everyday make-up’ – and it is that’s what i did.
“Most of the products I’ve used are not only staples in my professional kit but also staples in my personal make-up bag.”
Complex:
“For my complexion I used the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk range; it’s the most beautiful formula with a radiant satin finish that lasts all day. The Foundation and Concealer coverage is buildable and I use my signature custom coverage technique – using products only in areas where they are needed (as opposed to painting it in one even layer which can look heavy). For example, my forehead is quite clear so I apply almost no make-up there, but there is some redness and acne scarring on my cheeks and jawline when I lift up the lid for a more flawless finish. I used shade 4 in the Foundation and Concealer and the Bold Pink shade 53 in the corresponding Blush.
“To contour and bronze I used the Makeup By Mario Softsculpt Bronzing & Shaping Serum which blends beautifully with a healthy holiday glow, followed by Armani Luminous Silk Bronzer Summer Glow and for touch-ups during the day.
“To set the complexion, I used Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder applied under the eyes and through the T-Zone. I also used Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Finish Airbrush to redo and remove where and when need it.”
Eyes and eyebrows:
“On my eyes I used the Nars Afterglow Irresistible Eyeshadow Palette a beautiful rose gold with a warm base that brings out the green in my eyes. For eyeliner I applied the black Diorshow waterproof liner between my lashes to define the eyes and my favorite bronze liner, the Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal Liner in Bronze applied in a soft wing shape to lift and lengthen .
“I put Lashify lashes on myself before the wedding for my reception parties. I had planned to apply a fresh set on the morning of the wedding but I woke up and they still looked great and I kept the same set for the whole four days. Lashify lashes are applied under your lash line so they look very natural and lift the eyes. I used the A10 length over my entire eye and some of the A12s towards the outer corner of my eyes to add definition.
“For my brows I used the Kosas Brow pencil in Medium Brown and my new favorite brow gel, Browlacq by Isamaya, which kept my brows in place all day.”
lips:
“To define my lips I used Sweed Beauty Lip liners in the colors Chloe and Barley There. Then I used my latest bridal lip obsession – the Loveshine Range by YSL – in shade 201 Rosewood Blush. These tinted lipsticks are incredibly hydrating and have the most beautiful range of brow shades.”
Throughout the day:
“To stay looking fresh I relied on my talented main make-up assistant Leandra Kiss. You want to look your best in person and in photos, so there will always be a need to touch up the skin throughout the day. I always carry a great setting powder to unclog the T-zone and of course lips need to be plumped up depending on how much you’re eating, drinking and kissing! Also, hair and make-up can look very different in different lighting so it’s nice to adjust your look when you go from daylight to candlelight, for example – adding a little more green across the eye. Wanting to get back on the dance floor as quickly as possible, I did a quick hair and make-up update as I slipped into my second party outfit.”
On her wedding hairstyle
“I had the amazing Luke Pluckrose do my wedding hair using Hair By Sam McKnight. I had such a talented stylist I knew I could make any look I dreamed of, but I decided to wear it down and wavy because that’s how I always feel the most beautiful.
“Luke used professional Beauty Works hair extensions to add length and volume – as well as extend the longevity of the style. He applied some Hair By Sam McKnight Cool Girl Spray to add texture and volume to my soft and natural bridal waves.
“In the evening, he changed my hair into a party pony so I could dance the night away.”
On what she learned about wedding beauty as a bride herself
“I have been working at weddings for over 17 years as a bridal make-up artist but now that I am a bride myself, I feel that I truly understand my customers on a deeper emotional level. I wouldn’t say that I learned anything new in terms of beauty but I definitely have a deeper understanding of the feelings and emotions that can come into play on the morning of the wedding and I’m sure that they will only help me make stronger connections to create with my clients.
“My biggest regret from my civil ceremony two years ago was hiring a videographer, and this time we hired a great team from Lumos who I have worked with for many years in the wedding industry. I also wanted to be fully present on my wedding day so I left my phone at home and hired luxury content creator Olivia from Olivia & Living Events to capture behind the scenes footage the scenes through the lens of a more informative style. Even if you don’t use social media, this kind of content provides great clips to look back on – and I highly recommend turning it off completely for your wedding day.”
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