FEATURE // THE RETRO BRIDE

I can’t believe how quickly this week has gone…I swear, it seems like just yesterday I was setting out the last post!  This week’s look is the most dramatic and bold look I’m going to discuss and it really has become quite popular with brides recently.

It’s based on a vintage style and can be very flattering if done correctly. It’s also something which can be worn daily or used with different colours…very versatile!

As usual, the basis of your makeup would be the same as mentioned previously, so I am going to focus on the eye and lip makeup as this is what defines the look and it’s also what most people have the most trouble with. Unfortunately, some people get it very wrong, but with the right tips and practice, you can perfect it and rock it out!

Winged eyeliner

You can use a pencil (sharp!), liquid eyeliner or cream eyeliner to create this look…personally, I would recommend cream eyeliner as most are waterproof, they are easier to work with and take a little longer to dry so you can fix any mistakes.

Using a small, angled brush (like the MAC 208) start by getting the liner into the roots of your lashes. Depending on how thick you want your line, don’t worry about being a little messy at this stage. Once you have a baseline along your top lashes, you can start working on where the flick should be. This is the difficult part…but there are some little tricks to make it easier, like using sticky tape.

If your liner isn’t waterproof or you want to increase the intensity of the colour, using the same brush pat a little eye shadow in a matching colour on top of your line. Remember to curl your lashes and apply a fair amount of mascara to complete the look.

Red lips

Who doesn’t love a red lip? Some people are scared of them and don’t think they can pull them off, but all you need to do is find the right shade for your skin tone and perfect the application.

I usually start with a lip stain…these are awesome because they last and they build up the colour of the lip (remember thin layers). It’s also a good way to get the outline of your lips done properly. I then apply a highlight to the middle of the bottom lip and the bow of the top lip (depending on the shape of the lips) as this creates the illusion of lip gloss, without the sticky, drooling look.

Using the same brush you used for your eyeliner (properly cleaned obviously), start applying your lipstick to the lips. Outline the lips using the angled brush and then use a normal lip brush to full it in.  Here’s a great illustration of the process:

I apply the highlight in between layers of lipstick to achieve the full gloss illusion. If you make any mistakes or get the shape of your lips wrong, just use a cotton bud dipped in makeup remover and gently wipe the line away.

Again this is an application which takes patience, time and practise but once perfected, is flawless!

Q & A with Candice