A few weeks ago I wrote a post about luxury makeup brands. I wanted to write a follow up post where I list some of my personal favourite makeup products and also include products I’m currently coveting. Whenever I work with other makeup artists, I always ask them what they are obsessed with in their kit. This is a brilliant way for me to expand my product knowledge and we can share and try each other’s makeup. It gives us an opportunity to test the products without the pressure of being in a makeup store and feeling overwhelmed by choice and eager shop assistants.
So, here goes….
Primers
Hourglass ‘Veil’. This is both smoothing and blurring. It creates a slightly ‘grippy’ base for foundations to stick to. It’s perfect for people who tend to be quite shiny as it has a matte finish. This is great to wear under a bridal makeup as it helps the makeup stay in place all day.
Laura Mercier ‘Pure Canvas Primer'. A more plumping formula. Useful for thinning out a base to create more sheer coverage. This is great for brides who would like a sheer and dewy finish.
Clarins ‘Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch’. Similar to Hourglass Veil but thicker in consistency. Brilliant for lines and open pores. A lovely product for mothers of the bride or more mature skins.
Base
Chanel ‘Vitalumiere’. It has a dewy, luminous finish, one step up from a tinted moisturiser. This range of makeup colours is perfect for neutralising pink undertones and has a very natural look.
Armani ‘Luminous Silk Foundation’. This has a gorgeous perfecting finish in a mid weight coverage base with a light weight feel.
Nars ‘Sheer Glow Foundation’. Full coverage foundations in a fantastic range of colours. No chalkiness or caking. It is a great long wear base for brides who want their makeup to last all day.
Eyebrows
Glossier ‘Boy Brow’. The best brow mascara in my opinion. It has a small brush which is brilliant for finer brows and the brown colour is a fantastic shade on lots of brides. It does not smudge or crumble and is also water resistant.
Mac ‘Shape and Shade Brow Tint’. My most used colours are Taupe and Lingering. Very difficult to overdo it with this product and brilliant for brides with sparse or fair eyebrows.
Eyeshadow
Charlotte Tilbury ‘Quads’ and ‘Eyes to mesmerise’. Perfect consistency and pigmentation as well as a very wearable colour range. There’s lots of shimmer which is great for brides who want a bit of sparkle on their wedding day.
Eyeliner
Charlotte Tilbury ‘Rock N Kohl’. This lovely eyeliner glides on beautifully without dragging the skin and doesn’t dry out. Lovely rich pigments for more glamorous eye makeup. Great longwear formula.
Clinique ‘Quick liner’. I love ‘Smokey Brown’, it’s brilliant for blondes and fair skin tones. It’s also perfect for brides who want a very soft, natural makeup look.
Blush
When working with brides, I always consider their skin type and the foundation I have applied before making a decision on blush. If I have used a base which I have set with powder I would always choose a powder blush. If not, I absolutely love a cream blush. This works well on brides who have really good flawless complexions.
Becca ‘Blush and Bronze’. I have a few Becca Pallets, which I absolutely love. The colours are great and slightly shimmery. They cover most skin requirements and include a bronze, champagne, pink and orange hues. I have another which covers pinks, bronze and a gorgeous highlighter shade, which can be used on cheeks or eyes. I always bring these with me to weddings as they are so versatile and give a lovely dewy finish to the skin.
Daniel Sandler ‘Watercolour liquid blush’. This is a blush that I don’t own yet. I met another makeup artist recently who loved it and introduced me to the product. I can agree with her, it’s absolutely gorgeous and I’m waiting for some space in my kit before I buy some of these shades.
Also on my wish list is Fentys cream blush. I haven’t tried it yet but I’ve heard good things. The shade ‘Petal Poppin’ would be gorgeous for a fresh and natural bridal makeup.
Lipstick
I actually don’t have a favourite lipstick brand, however, I do use Mac a lot. I like the cream sheen formulation as it’s lovely and moisturising. Mac have a very extensive colour range so it’s a great place to start when looking for your bridal lipstick.
At the makeup trial, I normally suggest a lipstick colour that the bride might like to buy, so that she can top throughout the wedding day.
Having been a huge fan of Tom Ford fragrances, I would love to try out his makeup range as well. He has some gorgeous looking lipsticks that I would love to get my hands on!
And finally….
CoverFX ‘Iluminating setting spray’. I really like this spray and I have had brides vouch for it too, saying that it has really helped their makeup stay put, which is especially important on the wedding day, especially if it’s a hot summers day. It has a fine mist and pump action (non aerosol). This spray has a subtle shimmering effect which is perfect for a dewy luminous finish.
Do feel free to get in contact with me if you would like any makeup tips and product recommendations. I absolutely love working with brides and clients and we can book you in for a bespoke one to one makeup lesson or talk about your bridal requirements.