International beauty expert Ms Shahnaz Husain a pioneer in herbal has given Summer Friendly Bridal Beauty Makeup Tips for brides to include natural ingredients in their beauty to check sliding right off during a steamy, outdoor summer wedding on marriage day.
Answers from Shahnaz Husain
1–How is the wedding make up of bride/bridegroom adversely affected on sweating during summers heat particularly during peak hours.
—–Make-up poses a real problem during our Indian summers. It never seems to last and the art is to keep it to a minimum. In summer, sweat and oil secretions also increase. These are deposited on the skin, making it look greasy and also attracting dirt and pollutants. The skin loses its glow and looks dull. Water-based and powder make-up items are better during summer. This is more so during the day. The golden rule for summer make-up is “soft, delicate and very sparing.” Water-based and waterproof make up items can be used. Powder make-up is also more suitable than creamy ones. In summer, sweat and oil secretions also increase. These are deposited on the skin, making it look greasy and also attracting dirt and pollutants. The skin loses its glow and looks dull.
2-What precautions should be taken by beauty experts while undertaking the make up of bride and bridegrooms from sliding right off during a steamy, outdoor summer wedding on marriage day.
—- Daytime make-up has to be light, subtle and carefully done. This is because daylight is harsh and shows up make-up flaws. Mix astringent lotion with rose water in equal quantities and keep in the fridge. After cleansing, use the chilled lotion to tone the skin, using cotton wool pads. This is not only refreshing, but helps to close the pores. Wrap an ice cube in a clean cloth and wipe the face with it, just for a few seconds. This helps to close the pores. When you apply powder, press the powder all over the face and neck, with a slightly damp sponge. This helps it to set and last longer. Compact powder, rather than loose powder lasts longer and provides a smooth finish. Blot the make-up with tissue. Applying foundation on the lips before, helps lipstick last longer. waterproof mascaras and eye liners will prevent eye make up from running during the hot and humid season. Waterproof or water resistant lip colours and lip liners are also available. Or, go for matte lipstick and add just a dab of gloss in the centre for a delicious pout.
Line your eyelids with brown or gray eye shadow. This gives a softer effect for the day. Then, apply mascara, which helps to make the eyes look darker and brighter, but prevents the “heavily made-up” look. For lipstick, use light pastel colours like mauve, browns or pink, provided it complements your skin colour. If you have a sallow (yellowish) complexion, avoid shades of orange and go for pinks. The colours should not be too intense. If you like, you can wear only lip gloss. To add glamour and shimmer to day make-up, apply a light colour shadow like mauve, or light brown over the entire area. Then use dull gold or silver shadow on the upper lid closer to the lashes and also to highlight under the brows.
4-what natural ingredients should be used during summer season for make up of bride and bridegrooms which could enhance the looks of bride and bridegrooms and what ingredients are mainly responsible for melt down of make up in warm heat conditions and what are the best alternative for these ingredients.
—-Among the natural ingredients that can be used during the summer season are rose water and rose based skin tonics. Rose is a natural coolant. Products containing cucumber, papaya, lemon juice, vetiver (khus) can be used in products, to protect yourself from the summer heat. Humectants, like Honey and cucumber and should be re-applied when summer is approaching.
5-how make up for bride and bride grooms should be planned in summers months so as the make up can be retained during wedding hours .
—Good make-up is the outcome of trail and error. The make-up should be tried about three weeks before the big day. Have a look at different make-up in magazines and try the ones you think would suit you. If you have a day wedding, have a look at your make-up outside during the trial and error. Aim for a sheer, matte look for your foundation. Use concealer to camouglage dark circles. For the night, intense colours are needed, because bright colours make you look washed out and pale. Play up your plus points. As already mentioned try out waterproof make-up, as well as powdery shadows and blusher.
7-What beauty tools will help weather the elements during a summer wedding? What products should a bride keep in her survival makeup kit?
—– The bride should have wet tissues to cool, and refresh the skin. Compact powder is light and very useful. Rose water or rose skin tonic would also help to cool and refresh the skin. Cold compress can be given with chilled rose water, using cotton wool pads. A Honey – Apricot Peel off pack would be ideal. Water based foundations would help.
8—Any professional advice for brides when testing wedding makeup looks for her big day?
—-Make-up is all about choosing the right shades of colour cosmetics. Learning to select them according to skin colour and tone is as essential as mastering the techniques of application. In fact, it can make all the difference. Whether you have fair, wheatish, dusky, or dark skin, choosing the right colours is so important. Learning the art of make-up is also about trial and error. The best effect is achieved with a little experimentation, by mixing colours till you find the shade which is just right for you. The natural skin tone is most important while selecting foundations. Ideally, it should enhance your natural colour, or even tone it down. Try to buy one that is closest to your skin colour as possible. Face powder may be translucent, or of the same shade as the foundation. Make up for the night should be more intense, but avoid dark colours like maroon and brown for the lips.
9-Please give tips for Bridal makeup tips for the summer bride.
While choosing foundation for a very fair ivory skin, go for beige with a rosy tint. If the complexion is fair, but sallow (yellowish), avoid pink tones and go for beige or biscuit. For reddish complexion, a softer beige will help. Olive complexions look better with brownish beige, while for brown and dark skins, try out foundation colours in natural brown tones.
Go for the smoky eyes look. After applying eye shadow, apply eye liner close to the lashes on upper eyelid. Then smudge it with a cotton bud. Then apply a dark shadow over it and blend it outwards and slightly upwards. Apply liner just below lower lashes, smudge it and then apply eye shadow. Use gold or silver highlight under the brow bone, depending on our outfit and make-up.
Where lips are concerned, a dark complexion looks good in vibrant colours. Avoid very pale colours. If the skin is fair, avoid very dark colours. For normal Indian complexion, go for warm earthy colours, like coral, wine, plum, strawberry, red and shades of red. A dark pink or rose-red would look good too. Even brick-red may suit. One can also mix two colours to create the desirable effect.
10. How brides can do their own bridal make up when they do not have facilities of professionals in their towns or do not wants to spend big money on bridal make due to other reasons.
—–During weddings, there are bright lights at night. So, for your make-up, you will need bright colours, otherwise your face will look pale. First, cleanse the skin. For oily skin, apply an astringent lotion with cotton wool and moisturising lotion for dry skin. Wait for a few minutes. Then, cover blemishes with a concealer, before applying foundation. Or, use a lighter colour foundation on dark blemishes and then apply normal foundation on the entire face. If you wish to cover a pimple or spot, it should be done before applying foundation or powder. Concealing sticks are available for this. Using a thin brush, paint over the spot with a little concealer, or lighter shade of foundation. Then, apply a little powder. Dot foundation on the face and blend with a damp sponge or with finger tips. Don’t forget the neck. Apply loose powder, or try compact powder to set the foundation. Use foundation with beige tones, rather than pink. I feel beige suits Indian skin colour better. Or go for gold foundation for this special occasion. Dot the face with it and blend with a moist sponge, to give the skin a golden glow. When you apply make-up, remember not to smear too much or rub it. Whether it is foundation or blusher, it is best to dot it with a light touch, using a finger tip, or an applicator. It can also be applied lightly and evenly with a damp sponge.
Try tinted powders, like warm yellow tones of powder. Powder with a golden tint will also suit. It should be lightly applied. A hint of blusher should be used on the cheeks. A powder blusher is easier to apply. Use it after you have applied powder. Apply on the cheeks and blend it outwards and slightly upwards. Then, apply light coloured highlighter on the cheekbones. Blend well. Blusher colours for the night need not match lip colour exactly, but it should be in the same colour tone. For example, if you have worn an orange lipstick, avoid pink blush on. For eyes, apply lighter brown shadow on the upper eye lid and dark brown eye shadow in the crease, to add depth. Outline the eyes with dark eye pencil or eyeliner. For a smudged effect, a dark eye shadow also works well on the upper lid, close to the lashes. Extend it a little beyond the outer corner of the eyes, slightly upwards. Smudging can be done with a sponge tipped applicator. Eye liner or dark eye shadow may be applied on the lower lid and then smudged.
For bridal make-up, you may want to try gold, silver or bronze shadow to line the eyes over your eyeliner on the upper lid. Highlight under the brows with gold, ivory or a light coloured eye shadow. Then apply mascara. Roll-on mascara is easy to apply. While applying mascara on the upper lashes, look downwards. Apply it both above and below the upper lashes, for a thicker look. Apply on lower lashes too. Wait for a while and apply a second coat. Then brush out the lashes, with a small eyelash brush. To make lashes appear thicker, apply powder between two coats of mascara.
Use a lip liner the same colour as your lipstick. Apply lip gloss in the centre, after applying lipstick. Match your lipstick with the colour of your dress. Pink for lips is in vogue. Red and shades of red may be applied. For normal Indian complexion, go for warm earthy colours, like coral, wine, plum, strawberry, red and shades of red in lipstick. A dark pink or rose-red would look good too. Even brick-red may suit. One can also mix two colours to create the desirable effect.
A Bindi is an integral part of make-up for weddings. Look for a decorative bindi, to match the colour of your dress. A bindi, studded with small sparkling stones, combined with a bright colour would be most attractive.
