The TTKS team bravely tried out a bolder, more glam makeup look for their imaginary weddings. Did they love it… or regret it?
This article contains some affiliate links
On your wedding day, all eyes are on you (and your partner). On top of that, you’ll be getting a lot of photos taken, so you want to look your best. But does that mean sticking to your go-to makeup look or trying to something new?
To put it to the test, we brought in several makeup artists to transform the Tie the Knot Scotland team into brides for the day. We put our trust in them and tested out makeup that was completely differently from our usual styles.
Amy ditched the red lip for a nude number
Nic Denham of Honey & Violet Weddings joined us to work her magic on Amy, giving her a soft glam bridal look. Nic chose warmer shades for her skin and a more neutral lip than Amy usually wears, which got a mixed reaction from our Assistant Editor!
Explaining her normal style, Amy said: “I’ve been wearing bold, colourful lipstick since I emerged from the womb. On the very rare occasion when my lips have not been red or pink, people have asked if I’m not well or if there’s something wrong. So, it did make me wonder – if I was getting married, would I stick to what I know or go for something more neutral?
“Nic proved that I don’t need to wear bright colours to make an impact. In the experienced MUA’s kit were a stunning array of products, and I was definitely #influenced to buy a few after our session. I loved the Made By Mitchell Colour Case paint palette – it is so versatile, and really helped warm up my face. And now that I’ve discovered the Doll Beauty highlighter (essential for that glam bridal glow), I’ve been converted to glowy skin.”
As for the lips, Amy admitted: “I was looking enviously at Nicole’s lovely red lipstick. I know it would be important to feel like myself on a day when all eyes are on me, so if I just subbed the brown lippy for my scarlet safety net, this is a look I’d be delighted to strut down the aisle in.”
Beth was sold on the bold lip
Our Editor Beth went the other way, swapping her normally neutral lips for a daring red. To balance out the change, Megan Doherty of MD Makeup Design recreated Beth’s go-to eyeliner look as part of her classic glam makeup.
Revealing her motivation to try a bold lip, Beth said: “A red lip to me is a bit like War and Peace – one of those ‘classics’ that I’ve always been a bit scared of. I’m a flicked-eyeliner gal through and through, so when I’m going out, I’ll usually swipe it on, beef up my spindly lashes with mascara and dot on some nude or pink lippy.
“I was heartened to see that Megan kicked off with a couple of my favourite products – Weleda’s Skin Food Light moisturiser and Vieve’s Skin Nova primer. It was reassuring to think I was doing something right!”
The makeup was a winner, with Beth commenting: “Megan artfully gave me the winged eye look I love, but in a much more refined way, by using Vieve’s Eye Wands in Sand and Hazelnut, and individual Tatti lashes applied at the outer corners of my eyes.
“She then used a neutral Illamasqua liner on my lips, before applying Bobbi Brown’s Flame, a warm-toned, dark orange-red lipstick. I thought there was no way it would suit me, but the liner underneath seemed to transform it into a much more palatable version of the shade. It was bold without being overbearing.”
Beth was won over by the look, and concluded: “I received so many compliments that day that I’ll definitely be switching up my makeup going forward, easing off the eyeliner and playing with different lip colours.”
Nicole switched up the clean girl aesthetic
Makeup artist Danielle Dickson joined us at the TTKS offices for Nicole’s makeover. Agreeing to a full 180° on her preferred makeup, Nicole got to try out different eyeliner and lipstick colours.
“Waving goodbye to the matte skin, ‘on fleek’ eyebrows and cut-crease eyeshadow of my teens, I am now a fully fledged member of the ‘clean girl aesthetics’ club: dewy skin, fluffy brows and subtle pouts have my heart,” Nicole explained. “I wear a ton of makeup, but the key is to look like you’re not wearing much at all – a fundamental of bridal glam.
“We decided to change things up and go full Hollywood starlet glam. The base wasn’t too far out of my comfort zone, with Danielle using a range of Charlotte Tilbury products for lit-from-within skin (I especially loved the Light Wand she used as rouge, which felt like I had highlighter mixed into my blusher).
“For a little twist, we ditched my usual brown eyeliner, opting for black flicks, and paired it with a scarlet pout. I thought I’d find these changes too harsh, but I loved how my eyes popped and my smile was more defined.”
The lipstick of choice had pros and cons for Nicole. “Feeling like the best version of yourself is the ultimate goal on your w-day, and although I loved my overall look and could get on board with darker liner, I don’t think red lippy will be joining me down the aisle if I do tie the knot. The staying power of Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint really surprised me, though, so I’d be arming myself with a nude version to see me through kisses, cocktails and carousing.”
Hazel turned up the glam
Makeup by Leigh Blaney was on hand to transform Hazel’s look from natural everyday to showstopping glam.
This was quite a change of pace for her, as she explained: “I keep my everyday makeup very basic (I usually apply it in a matter of minutes before I rush out the door). So, when the opportunity to get made up by Leigh arrived, I knew I had to go all out.
“I never wear heavy face makeup, instead reaching for a tinted moisturiser or just a touch of concealer. But if I was getting married, I’d want my skin to look its best for photos, so I decided to try something different.”
Leigh used a mix of two Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation shades to get the right match for Hazel’s skin tone. “It didn’t feel cakey or wet on my face the way a lot of foundations I’ve tried have, but as a bride I think I’d prefer to have more of a no-makeup look.
“As for lips, I always keep them somewhere on the red-pink scale, but in the spirit of trying something new I went for nude. Leigh applied Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G in the shade Bitch Perfect, and it fit the look (and my colouring) really well.”
The foundation and lips might have been outside of her comfort zone, but there was plenty to love about the look. Hazel added: “It was the eyes (framed by Perfect Fit falsies from Tatti Lashes’ wedding collection) and the bronzer/blusher combo (topped by Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Glow Glide Face Architect Highlighter) that stole the show for me. I would definitely want to recreate that bronzy glow for my wedding day!”
We loved trying out something a little bit different and getting advice from the pros. For all of us, the right look was a balance between our comfort zone and something different that made our features pop.
If you’re getting your makeup done for your wedding, it’s a good idea to do a makeup trial with your makeup artist. This gives you the opportunity to try something new and figure out exactly how you want your makeup to look. You’ll also be able to test how the makeup wears and looks in photos so you can make any changes to the look before the big day!