Essex based make-up artist Kelly Hollands explains her secrets for top wedding day make-up.
 Bridal Make-up
The key to wedding day make-up is in the application and once this has been mastered, your look should last all day long and through into the night with as little touch-ups as possible. This does not necessarily mean wearing heavier make-up. It is more to do with picking the right shades and applying the colours correctly so that it will last and look great under several kinds of lighting, including your photographer's flash!
Look after your skin
In the months leading up to your big day you need to invest some time treating and looking after your skin. This includes cleansing, toning and moisturising morning and night. One of the worst things you can do is leave your day make-up on at night. This means your skin won't have the time to renew itself and spots and blackheads will start to appear. Once you have a skincare routine in place, stick to it!
Preparation is key
My key tips for long-lasting, flawless make-up would be to always start your wedding day with applying a moisturiser to your face. Once you've let this soak into your skin, apply a good quality primer over the top. Smashbox PhotoFinish and Yves Saint Laurent Matt Touch are excellent primer's and will help your foundation go on more easily and make it last longer.
Concealer
Concealer can improve your skin dramatically, but only if it's invisible! The best way to use concealer is by applying with a brush and using varying shades and textures, depending on what you are concealing. Everyone applies their concealer at different stages in the make-up process. Personally, I always apply it after the primer and before the foundation, but I take great care in blending the two together so as not to remove the concealer.
Concealer is fantastic at hiding those dark circles, undereye puffiness, blemishes, broken capillaries or veins, scars and rosacea.
Foundation
To find the correct shade of foundation for your skin, test along your jaw line. The correct shade should fade into your skin and not leave any unsightly marks. I tend to always use either a brush to apply foundation, especially if a liquid. However, I always blend afterwards with a sponge to make sure the foundation is smooth and flawless.
Highlighter
Every bride wants to look truly radiant on their wedding day and one way of achieving this is to use a highlighter. These can be applied underneath or immediately after your foundation has been applied. My favourite highlighters at the moment are Laura Mercier Secret Brightener and Pout Love Glow. However, a fantastic and less expensive version is Benefit's Moon Beam. Your chosen highlighter will catch the light and give you a beautiful glow when applied to your cheekbones, browbone and bow of lip.
Powder
Always set your foundation with a loose powder. This will help your foundation last longer and give your skin a smooth, even appearance. Personally, I love M.A.C. Cosmetic loose powder as it is very fine and gives a matt appearance to the skin, which is very important for photographs.
 Blusher
To give your cheeks a gorgeous radiant look, I prefer cream blushers. Depending on skin tone, my favourite cream blusher at the moment and one which I often use on brides is by M.A.C. Cosmetics Blushcreme in shade Posey. A cream blush can be applied using fingertips or a brush and I usually recommend you blend with a sponge as well. A good tip when applying any blusher is to smile and then dot the product on the apples of your cheeks. Make sure you then blend the product along your cheekbones.
Eyes
I always recommend curling your eyelashes using an eyelash curler. You can do this using a standard metal eyelash curler or a heated one. Strip lashes are fantastic for anyone whose natural lashes are sparse. They give an instant wide-eyed look. I also recommend individual lashes to anyone who wants to add extra thickness and volume to their own natural lashes. Remember, well defined, beautiful eyes always photograph fabulously!
Lips
There will be plenty of people to kiss on your wedding day including your new Husband! So make sure you keep your lips looking luscious by exfoliating them once a week in the run up to your big day and keep a lip balm to hand to stop your lips from becoming chapped in cold, windy weather.
 As a make-up artist, my job is to make you feel and look beautiful and confident on one of the most special days of your life. It is also about giving out advice and tips on make-up application and technique. If I am unavailable on your wedding date, why not book a personal make-up lesson with me well in advance of your big day. That way you will have plenty of time to practice and will have your look perfected on your wedding day.
For further information, or to discuss your wedding day make-up, please contact Kelly Hollands by email or visit her website at Kelly Hollands make up artist
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