Top makeup tips for African brides to be

by HelenSeptember 6, 2011 0

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We’re really please to welcome Abi and Kemi of Brides of Culture to Zankyou. This month, they’ll be providing brides from ethnic backgrounds with a range of handy hints for planning a wedding. We start with make-up…

Every bride-to-be, no matter what ethnicity, wants to look her best on her wedding day and have flawless makeup. The key to this is wearing the right makeup.

Choosing the right makeup is not as difficult as you may think. The best way to do this as at a makeup trial prior to your wedding day. This usually takes place anything up to a week before. You meet up with your makeup artist and try a variety of different looks which will enable you to decide on the one to use for your wedding day.

©Faces of Bodin

Brides who are having a cultural element to their wedding usually have at least one change into traditional wear. The makeup used for your traditional wear and your wedding dress is likely to be vastly different, so at your trial you will be testing for at least two completely different looks.

Although depending on your individual style, the makeup worn when you are in your wedding dress, usually mirrors what a wedding dress should be – demure, subtle and not too distracting. Whereas, if you are changing into traditional wear, the makeup tends to be a lot more colourful and somewhat flamboyant to go with your colourful cultural attire.

©Faces of Bodin

For example, your eyeshadow should compliment the colour of your apparel. In the case of West African brides, this is usually the colour of the gele (traditional head piece). If you don’t like the idea of your makeup being too bright, explain this to your makeup artist, so that you will feel uncomfortable on the day.

©Faces of Bodin

When choosing a makeup artist, it is always a good idea to choose one that also knows how to tie a gele, as it is a bit of an artform that not just anyone can do. It is all well and good if your makeup looks fantastic, but if you are left without anyone to tie your head piece, your outfit will be incomplete.

But no matter what colours or style you choose for your makeup, it should only emphasis your beauty and your features, not obscure it. You don’t want to look like a completely different person when you come face to face with your husband to be!

BoC’s top 3 makeup tips

* Make sure you go for a trial session before the wedding, so that you can see exactly how your face will look on the day. You don’t want any surprises! [Top Tip! – If you are wearing a gele or any other hair piece, it is a good idea to have a dress rehearsal and take pictures, so that you can be sure that the combination and colours of both your makeup and gele actually work together, and also so that you have a point of reference to remind your makeup artist of the look you decided on]

* Make sure your makeup artist knows how to tie a gele and ensure that this service is included in the package that you have paid for.

* Waterproof mascara is a must. Becoming emotional on your wedding adds to the sentiment at the day, which is lovely, but not if it means having a black line rolling down your cheek! Believe it or not, not all makeup artists use waterproof, so make sure you specify!

Brides of Culture are holding a free bridal exhibition in London in October 2011, so check out the information asap!

Images courtesy of Faces of Bodin: www.facesofbodin.com