Eye makeup tips for brides
Bridal eye makeup is more than just shadow and liner – it starts with a good foundation, just like the entire bridal look.
For longer-lasting makeup, a clear canvas, primer, or ideally eye makeup primer should be applied to the entire eyelid; this will give the shadows and liner something to cling to, and give it extra long-lasting power. Airbrushing an eye primer is another great way to get a flawless foundation; in fact, airbrushing the entire foundation for bridal makeup is highly recommended.
Bridal makeup is all about looking good in person and in photographs. For photographs, the makeup application should be heavier than normal, but this does not mean that it looks overdone. There are three main areas that need extra attention: the brow bone, the middle eyelid, and the inner corner of the eye. These are the areas that need to catch the light and, if done correctly, will make the eyes look defined, multi-dimensional and glowing in images, and of course in flesh and blood.
Front
Choose an accent color that is reflective, but not shimmery; a nice pearl white or cream is perfect (white for gray/back shadow, cream for browns/taupes). The highlighter doesn’t need to go all the way down the brow bone, it just needs to go in the area directly below the brow bone; this will draw light to that area, making the brows look more defined and giving the face dimension.
middle cap
After applying your eye makeup, take a bit of the same highlight color that was used on your brow bone and apply it to the center of your eyelid. This won’t be fully visible to the eye, but the reflective pearlescent particles will catch the light in a photo and make the eyes look bigger and brighter.
inside corner
Using the same highlight color again, apply it to the inner corner of the eye, above the tear duct. This can also be blended a bit along the lower lash line. This touch brings luminosity to the look, and gives a feeling of freshness to the look. In photographs, this will also counteract any tendency for the eyes to disappear in a dimensionless way, as dots of reflective material in the three key areas will catch the light and bring the eyes to life.
false eyelashes
Although a full set of lashes isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, having a little extra ‘oomph’ in the lash department is essential for a formal bridal eye makeup look. If you can’t do it in a full set, then a well-placed pair of individual lashes as the outer corner of the eye will flare out and give a more dramatic makeup look.
If these points are taken into account, then bridal eye makeup can truly be the centerpiece of the bridal look, creating not only a beautiful bride in person, but also a beautiful bride in the flash, and look as if you were looking at photographs for years to come, both are equally important.
