Every special occasion requires a unique look and that’s exactly what I’ve been seeking in time for my friend’s destination wedding in Cyprus. So, the chance to get some pointers from a make-up expert was exactly what I needed.
I’ve been scouring Instagram for weeks searching for inspiration. As a bridesmaid, I’ve been leaning towards something that’s a bit glamorous (for the wedding photos, of course) but not too over the top (you don’t want to outshine the bride on her big day!). So, when my make-up artist, Rosie, asked if I had a big night out or if I wanted something particular, I told her about the wedding and showed her some of my favourite looks. I was also meeting my fellow bridesmaids that evening, so the timing couldn’t have been better to see what they thought of it.
Rosie wrapped my hair to expose my face fully and set to work giving me a thorough cleanse and gently removing my make-up. After a quick but effective massage to get the circulation going, she applied primer to prep my face creating a blank canvas to work on. Next, she chose a light-coverage foundation to suit my skin tone and blended it perfectly giving me a wedding-ready, dewy complexion.
We’d established that my eyes would be the highlight, and Rosie suggested a gorgeous smoky brown-bronze to emphasise my eye colour. She explained that it was one of the best palettes for an understated look that would transition seamlessly from day to evening meaning I can feel confident throughout the event with just a minor touch-up. With my eyes closed, I couldn’t see what she was doing but could feel her layering the different shades, and I felt quietly confident in the movements of her expert hands.
She chose a black liner for my waterline and upper lid meticulously applying the product in the kind of steady, smooth line we all wish for and giving a slight winged effect for a touch of glam. Then came a set of disposable fake eyelashes and thoughts of wonky lashes stuck to my cheeks (that’s a whole different article) crossed my mind. But I needn’t have worried, I was in great hands. Deftly applying the lashes to my lids, Rosie swiped on a few strokes of mascara and I was miraculously in doe-eyed, full Bambi mode.
For my cheeks, a hint of peachy-pink blusher was dabbed on for a naturally flushed look, then Rosie used that professional’s trick of adding highlighter on my cheek bones, the bridge of my nose and chin to define my face and brighten the look – this is something that can easily be replicated at home, but we don’t all take the time and it is so worth it. The final touch came with the lipstick, and since it was for an evening look, we chose a pinky-purple hue, as opposed to a day shade of lighter pink.
Having religiously followed all of Rosie’s instructions of “close your eyes, look at me, look down, up, sideways, smile slightly” et cetera, I had exhausted my patience and couldn’t wait to see the results. When I finally got to look at myself, I was stunned at the transformation. It took a while to get used to the eyes as I don’t usually go for the smoky look, but once I had gotten accustomed to it, I couldn’t stop fluttering my perfect lashes. But the real affirmation came when I saw my girlfriends and they screamed in unison, “OMG, your make-up looks amazing!”
And the icing on the cake – all your favourite Dessange make-up products are available for purchase at the salon.
Call 17 713-999.
