60 Best Indian Bridal Makeup Tips And Ideas
Look like the Indian Goddess you know you are on your big day with some easy makeup tips.
Experience: 4 yearsJyotsana Rao is an engineering graduate from NIT, Nagpur, who discovered her love for writing during her undergraduate days. She is passionate about writing about everything related to beauty - makeup, fashion, hairstyles, skin care, or hair care and has 4 years of experience on writing in these genres.
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Be it your big day or your beloved sister’s, and it is always a good idea to have some Indian bridal makeup tips handy. That is why we share some hacks that will help you ensure a flawless look.
From booking the venues to sending out the invitations, there is a lot to think about. So, blend your makeup to perfection amidst all this fuss with the trusted tips and tricks we are about to share and remain picture-perfect throughout the day. Scroll down for the details!
In This Article
Handy Makeup Tips And Essentials For Wedding
Here are some handy makeup tips and essentials to achieve the best results on your D-day.
1. Cleansing The Face
Indian brides love to use bold and bright colors for their marriage ceremonies. In order to obtain a long-lasting look, you should start by cleansing your face well and then patting it dry to ensure that there are no traces of dirt or oil on the face.
2. Base Preparation Tips
Moisturize your face for a smooth appearance and an even skin tone.
Amidst working extensively on the face alone, do not forget to moisturize using your fingertips by rubbing well in a circular and gentle motion. You could even use a tinted moisturizer.
3. Face Fix Up Tips
a. Use a primer two minutes post moisturizing, and blend it well. This helps to keep your concealer and foundation in place, and keeps the makeup intact for long hours. Sephora and MAC are amongst the top brands for primers.
b. It is equally important to use a concealer to cover spots or blemishes. You can brighten up your skin tone by using a colored concealer like yellow or green to cover the reddish blemishes on the skin.
c. Apply a foundation without SPF and blend it well with a makeup brush or a sponge. Starting from the center of the face, apply the foundation on the other areas and blend it outwards. A foundation with a matte finish would be a good option as well. A foundation with SPF will give your face an undesirable ‘flash’ effect in photographs, so it’s better to avoid it. You won’t be spending much time in the sun on your wedding day anyway!
d. For a glowing look, use a highlighter on the higher planes of the face, such as the check bones, the bridge of the nose, the center of the forehead, and the Cupid’s bow. You can opt for highlighters from Colorbar, Sephora, or MAC.
4. Bronzer Tips
The bronzer is commonly used to heavily contour the face and make it look chiseled and sharp in the photographs.
Take a blush brush, preferably angular, and apply with strokes on to the sides of the chin, but not on the center. Do the same on the sides of the forehead, and on the two sides along the nose bone, but not on the top. Suck your cheeks in and use some bronzer on the top part of the contours, near to the ear, in light strokes. But make sure it is not along the entire length of the contour.
5. Blush Tips
Take some blush on a blush brush and pat the excess off. Hold a steady smile and apply it in a circular motion, blending it upwards, towards the ears.
6. Eyeshadow Tips
Indian brides love gold eye makeup since it goes well with their red, fuchsia, or green lehengas, ghagras, or heavy saris.
So, if you want to play it safe, this is the color to go with.
Paint your eyelids with a gold or peachy pink shade, and use some charcoal shadow on the exterior lid contours to give a subtle, smokey effect. You can achieve this by using a brown shade on the inner crease area. You can also use golden eyeshadow instead of silver for the brow bones.
Use an eyebrow pencil or an angular brush dipped in brow powder for the eyebrows.
7. Eyeliner Tips
Do not experiment with brown or blue liners on your wedding day. It’s better to use a plain and simple jet-black liner, preferably waterproof. Draw a thick line on the top and a heavy line with a strong kajal on the lower eyelid, smudging it till the outer corner for that extra oomph.
Don’t forget to use a volume-enhancing mascara. Mascaras with curled brushes work great for awesome, curly lashes.
Grab some false lashes to accentuate and open up your eyes, making them look brighter. Remember to have some trials before the wedding date just to ensure there is no room for trial and error on the wedding day.
8. Lipstick Tips
If you have thin lips, then line your lips along the natural line with a color that almost matches your normal skin tone. If you have plump lips, then line the natural lip line with a darker shade. Wear a lipstick that complements the whole look.
- Go for maroon or dark red for bigger and fuller lips, and peachy pink or light pink for thin lips.
- Thin-lipped people can apply a lip plumper instead of a lipgloss, whereas large-lipped people can use a simple lip-gloss, concentrating more on the center of the lip.
The bride-to-be should also follow some makeup rules and be prepared to wow the multitude. Here are the tips:
9. Moderation Is The Key
The main idea of a perfect bridal makeup look is to accentuate the best features, and at the same time, keep the overall look simple, yet gorgeous. As it is, Indian brides are loaded with jewelry and heavy dresses, hence it is best to keep the makeup natural.
10. Explain Your Needs To The Makeup Artist
If you are hiring a makeup artist, make sure you explain what you need clearly. Explaining things in advance will help you get the look you want. If the makeup artist is new, then it is always recommended to get a trial session before your wedding day.
11. Get Glowing Skin
Amongst all Indian bridal makeup tips, getting your skin to look healthy and glowing on the wedding day is very important. Simply taking care of it a week before the D-day will not suffice. Your skin needs time to take in nourishment and treatments. Overdoing the treatments may lead to further damage. Make time for yourself and indulge in the treatments two months or at least six weeks before the wedding day. Take regular pedicures and manicures. Also, go in for facials and skin treatments at least six weeks prior to the ceremony to give your skin time to work. Here is a detailed post on how to get glowing skin.
12. Exfoliate Your Skin
Exfoliate your skin to get rid of dead skin. But remember to exfoliate only twice or thrice a week. Over exfoliation may make your skin dry.
13. Protect Your Skin From Sun
Do not go out without a sunscreen and reapply every two to three hours to keep the skin damage free. This is a definite must in the list of bridal makeup tips.
14. Ward Off Stress Hormones
You need to relax and shun off all the stress. I know it’s difficult to practice but stress can take a toll on your skin, making it look worse.
Bridal Makeup Tips For Eyes
For the best Indian bridal eye makeup keep in mind the following tips:
15. Take Care Of Puffy Eyes
Have puffy eyes? Use chamomile tea bags over the eyes to make them appear less puffy. Using normal tea bags may stain your skin.
16. Get Enough Sleep
A good sleep is very essential. The more you sleep, the more time your body gets to repair itself. Sleep for at least seven hours every day to keep those under eye circles away.
17. Wear Contact Lenses Before Makeup
If you wear contacts, make sure to wear them before makeup application because there are favorable chances of your eyes watering. This can possibly ruin the effort you took to apply the right makeup.
Bridal Makeup Tips For Hair
18. Deep Condition Your Hair
Your hair is also an important part of the whole wedding look. To ensure your hair looks best throughout the wedding, go for a deep conditioning hair mask twice/ thrice in the month before the wedding. If you have dry hair, apply some homemade hair packs to make it glossy and healthy.
19. Use Good Hair Spray
Use good quality hair sprays so that your hair stays in place and doesn’t look frizzy.
Bridal Makeup Tips For Acne
20. Hide Your Blemishes
Do invest in a good concealer for the D-day. It will hide blemishes and spots, cover those under eye circles, and even out the discoloration.
21. Avoid Fried Food
Avoid fried foods and too many spices for a month before the wedding to avoid getting pimples at the last moment.
22. Blot Oily Areas
Keep some oil blotting paper handy on the day. Blot any oily areas to get rid of the shine. You don’t want to have a shiny forehead in the wedding pictures.
23. Take Care Of Acne
If you have oily skin that is prone to acne and pimples, look for a face cleanser with salicylic acid. It removes oil and keeps the skin oil-free for a longer time.
24. Take Care Of Last Minute Pimples
Spotted a pimple suddenly? Tensed how to hide it? Take some tea tree oil and apply it over the pimple as soon as possible. It will dry it up faster and make it less prominent on the wedding day.
25. Minimize Chances Of Pimples During Periods
Do you tend to get pimples and zits during periods? Apply anti-acne creams 10 days before your period is scheduled to start. This will minimize the chances of getting one.
Wedding Makeup Tips For Lips
26. Make Lips Appear Fuller
Are your lips thin? Here’s a way to make them appear fuller. Take a skin-colored lip liner and extend the natural lip line. But remember, less is more. So do not overdo it.
To make your lips look fuller, pat a little bit of shimmer at the center of the lower lip. This creates the illusion of a fuller lip.
27. Take Care Of Dry Lips
Use a lip balm each time you feel your lips are dry. Do not lick or bite your lips. This will dry the lips and cause them to become chapped and flaky.
For Bridal Makeup Looks
28. Apply Your Makeup The Usual Way
Apply the makeup using the right brushes or applicators. If you are comfortable with brushes, then use brushes; if you are comfortable with sponges, use them. Also, if you are comfortable with fingers, use them to apply makeup. It is not a time to experiment, so stick to the usual technique.
29. Match The Makeup With Your Attire
Take a look at your clothes and jewelry. Consult with your makeup artist beforehand about the looks which will go with the dress. Select the one which you want to do on the day. Do not go in for any last minute changes.
30. Choose The Right Foundation
Choosing the right foundation is very important as you don’t want to look pale or darker than usual. Go shopping with a friend or a relative and try different shades on yourself. The goal will be to choose a shade which matches your skin tone. Choosing a tone lighter than your skin tone can make it look grey after some time, especially in the photographs.
31. Use A Highlighter
Use a highlighter instead of shimmer or glitter. The main attempt should be to make the skin appear glowing and not shimmery. Highlight the bridge of the nose, the chin, the forehead and the higher planes of the face.
32. Practice Few Times Before The Wedding
Considering doing your own makeup? Practice doing it beforehand. This way, you will avoid creating a mess on the D-day. It is better to practice two to three times with the looks and try out variations, rather than doing them for the first time on the wedding day itself, which can be stressful.
33. How To Apply A Blush?
Using a blush? Keep at least two fingers distance from the nose and apply the blush.
34. Take Care Of Excess Makeup
Got too much eye makeup/ eyeliner? Take a blotting paper and remove any excess oil, excess makeup, or liner.
35. Mascara Application
Use a good waterproof mascara and make sure it is new or less than three months old. Old mascaras, which have been exposed to air, clot and become very flaky.
36. Buying Makeup
Going to buy makeup for the wedding day? Take a friend with you and make a list of what products you want to try and which items you need. Aimlessly buying products will result in nothing. So plan beforehand and keep the attire and wedding in mind.
37. Check The Weather
Have a wedding in summer/ spring? Choose sheer and light makeup as these will be most appropriate when the weather is hot and humid.
38. Daytime Wedding Or Night-Time Wedding
This is a very important factor to keep in mind when it comes to Indian wedding bridal makeup. If you have the ceremonies during the day, then keep the makeup minimal and opt for a more natural look. If you are going for a night-time wedding, keep the makeup heavy and add more colors. If you have a morning wedding, choose pastel shades for the eye makeup.
39. Choose The Right Lip Liner
Choosing a good lip liner is important. You will be best off with a lip liner matching with the lipstick.
40. Is The Makeup Complete?
Take a look at the makeup after it is complete and assess whether it is suitable. Ask for honest opinions from friends and relatives.
41. Choose The Right Lipstick
Choose a long wearing lipstick for the D-day. You don’t want to be applying it every hour.
42. Applying Foundation
Apply foundation
on other exposed parts of the body like the hands, neck, back, and ears. This way, your makeup will look a lot more natural.
43. Use Clean Brushes
Whether you are doing the makeup yourself or a makeup artist is doing it, always use clean brushes and other applicators. You don’t want to get infected by bacteria.
44. Heavy Makeup
Keep the makeup heavier than your usual parties but do keep in mind not to look like a made-up doll.
45. Plucking The Eyebrows
Pluck your brows at least a day before the wedding. Rub an ice cube around the brows to prevent redness or rashes.
46. Choosing The Right Blush
Having trouble choosing the right blush shade? See your face in the mirror right after you exercise. This is the natural color of your cheeks. Look for the color resembling it.
47. Fake Eye Lashes
Want some fake lashes? Use them only if you are comfortable wearing them. Also, use dark-colored lash glue so that it matches the skin tone.
48. Filling Up The Brows
Do not use black to fill in the brows. Use brown shade or taupe shade to fill up the brows. The best way to get a natural looking brow is to use eyeshadows and pencils.
49. Take Care Of Your Hands
Use a moisturizer and mix a bit of a highlighter powder to make your hands and feet look naturally glowing.
50. Use Gel Liners
If you are not an ardent follower of liquid liners, use gel liners instead of liquid ones. You will get better precision and a smooth finish.
51. When To Apply Cream
Use a moisturizer on your face and body just after a bath as it is the best time to apply lotions and creams.
52. Touch Up Your Makeup
Keep a compact and blotting paper handy as you can touch up your makeup.
53. Keep Eye Makeup In Place
To keep your eye makeup in place, sweep a bit of translucent powder over it and under the eyes. This prevents a meltdown and makes it crease-proof.
54. Don’t Let Your Lipstick Stain
To keep your lipstick/ lip color from staining your lips, put a finger in your mouth and close your lips. Pull out the finger; this will take out all excess lip color.
55. Make Lashes Appear Fuller
Need to make your lashes appear fuller? Apply some powder on the lashes with your eyes closed and then apply mascara, or else add an eyelash primer just before applying the mascara.
56. Applying Eyeliner
Apply the eyeliner while looking down into the mirror. It will give you a better grip and you will be able to draw straight lines.
57. Use Cream Blushes
Use a cream based blush if you want glowy, natural cheeks. Apply it with your fingers in a dabbing motion, and blend it.
58. Focus On One Feature
Focus on one feature at a time. If you are going bold on the lips, then keep the eye makeup subtle/nude (and vice-versa!).
59. Limit The Shimmer
Shimmer looks great but keep it limited to only one part of the face. You can use shimmer on the eyes or the cheeks.
60. Make Lipstick Stay Longer
Apply a lip liner and then a lipstick, or apply layers of lipstick to make it stay longer.
Yes, Indian bridal makeup can be tricky, but it is not unachievable. If you have gone through the mandatory checks, for example, the weather and the attire, you are good to go. With a couple of practice sessions before the D-day, you will be able to carry the look perfectly and get endless compliments. Always remember to clean your face before and after your makeup application. No matter what, it is extremely important to take good care of your skin. Also, stay hydrated to get that flawless look!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do my own Indian bridal makeup?
Yes, you can do your own bridal makeup if you have some previous experience in makeup techniques.
Why is bridal makeup so expensive in India?
Bridal makeup in India is an elaborate process with multiple steps. There is also a high demand for bridal makeup artists given that there are only a fixed number of auspicious marriage dates in India. These two factors contribute to high bridal makeup costs in India.
How long does Indian bridal makeup take?
An Indian bridal makeup session may take anywhere between 3 to 5 hours.
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