In this month’s interview of experts, we once again feature @make-up-ibrahim#, our ultra-special make-up artist. We caught up with him when he was in a shoot, and the affable man that he is, he spent a generous amount of time to chat with us.
Here’s the information we gleaned from him about bridal make –up trends that were hot and happening in 2016:
Brides prefer a fresh look make up these days; they don’t want anything that is too shiny; they want something that is soft and dewy and gives them a clear and flawless look to the skin; the emphasis is on using skin corrections products that are plentiful and giving the skin a perfect look.
Sometimes, we go monochromatic; at other times, we try very subtle looks; We go for double eyelashes to give the eyes an enlarged look; we also avoid the shiny look for eyes and go for a matte finish with eye shadows and eye colors.
Brides usually wear shiny clothes for their reception with lots of glitter etc. and so we prefer to give the eyes a matte finish which makes the bride look pretty and gives a seductive look.
The overall idea is to contrast the make up with the bride’s clothes and use something that is opposite to the dress. Also, the finish should be very neat so that even if you enlarge the picture, you can see all the colors but it will not stand out awkwardly.
Giving the lips a bold look is in vogue too…we use red, purple, bright pink etc; if the eyes are subtle, we go for bolder lips and vice versa; for eg. if the eyes are black, jet black, purple or smoky, the lips should be nude; muted colors are trending these days.
The in thing as far as lipsticks go is to give an ombre look to the lips; darker lip liners(outlines) and fading out the colors as we color the lips inside (it seemed like he was describing a painting in progress; we ask him and he says, definitely, make-up is an art like any other)
Sometimes, brides can tense themselves as they get confused about what they want to wear, how they want to look etc; Ibrahim says, leave it to the experts; they will know better what looks good for you; he says, there are instances where a bride took over an hour to decide on which bindi to wear with her outfit and even then she probably wasn’t completely satisfied; you really don’t need to fuss over trivial details like a bindi, he says; what is more important is the overall look that is created.
Any area wise preferences, we ask. Laughingly, he says, girls from the Kongu belt(Coimbatore etc.) love the glossy, shiny finish; so the strobing technique works well there; still, they like traditional make-up and looks; skin in the Coimbatore area is usually dry and so they want make up that makes the skin look hydrated and glossy; with North Indian or even Muslim brides.
I can play with bright colors because of their skin colors; still, the colors need to blend with their natural skin tones; they simply love make up that gives them a chiseled look with stand out facial features; lip colors are definitely brighter; they love reds, fuschia pink, magenta and shades of orangish red are in; they also like high, piled up hair; they like their hair to be done up in trendy styles, enhanced lashes etc.
For outdoor weddings, we use pro-longwear products; many such products are available these days; the make-up done using these can last upto 5-6 hours; the base is thick, it gives more coverage, and it doesn’t wear off easily; you will need to wash your face atleast twice to remove the make- up…of course, the bride needs to keep dabbing a bit of powder etc since we cannot control their natural tendencies like excess sweating, oil etc.
Whatever make up I do, I want to enhance their personality; make up should never alter the individual’s personality; it should only add to it; at the end of it all, the bride should look like herself and not like someone else. Therefore, it’s important that the bride can carry whatever look the make –up creates; I also tell them to relax and smile naturally; that’s the biggest secret to a beautiful looking bride, he concludes.
Tips:
Here are a couple of super tips from Ibrahim, not just for brides, but for anyone who wants to look good:
1. Brides-to-be may spend a few sleepless nights either in excitement and anticipation or anxiety; either which ways, they may end up with droopy bags underneath the eyes; just drink some black coffee or green tea, and, voila, the puffiness will disappear immediately.
2. Drink lots of water, carrot and citrus juices etc from atleast a month before your wedding; this will give your skin a natural glow; one clean up facial before the wedding and doing your eyebrows will be more than enough.
3. Use loose powder if you don’t want your make up to look heavy; don’t use a compact over the foundation; use loose powder to give you a nice tinnage; using a compact will give a very whitish look to your skin in a photo shoot, especially when you take selfies using a flash.