Spark

When it comes to special occasions weddings typically top the list. Whether you’re the mother of the bride or groom, a guest, or even the bride or groom, make sure you are photo-ready with makeup that will last and reflect your personality. Not sure where to start? Cynthia from MAC St. Vital Centre shares three wedding looks that you can achieve on your own with some simple tips to make you look glowing from day to night.

The first thing you’ll need to decide on is your style of makeup. Are you aiming for a bold look or something more natural? Our three models showcase different makeup styles that will inspire you for that special day.

Face:
Let’s start with prepping and priming the face. No matter what style you’re going for you’ll want to have a base that will make your makeup last all day long. For these looks, Cynthia used MAC’s Fix+ Magic Radiance which also makes your skin feel hydrated. If you plan to do your makeup yourself and want to stick to what you know best apply your typical routine. This can be as simple as just a powder, or include more products such as concealer, foundation, bronzer, highlighter - you name it. If you want to try something new we have a library of tutorials on Spark to guide you through techniques like baking on your concealer, contouring, and strobing. We recommend locking in face makeup with the new breathable MAC Studio Fix Pro Set + Blur setting powder. With a silky texture, it’s their lightest powder ever and ultra-refined to set makeup all day and instantly absorb oil with a photo-friendly, dimensional matte finish.

Eyes:
Now it’s time to have some fun! When considering what style you want to go for the eyes are the biggest differentiator. They set the tone and can elevate your look (pun intended  👀). Just like with your face makeup, you’ll want to use an eyelid primer first, then move on to your colours. Once you’ve applied the base colour(s) it’s time to define the specific style you want to achieve.

Smokey eye - For our bride style, Aundra’s makeup exemplifies classic elegance. The key to a smokey eye is a matte colour palette. Start by applying a liner along the lash line then add in a crease colour. Use a blending brush (we used MAC 217) to lightly layer a darker shade of eye shadow over the liner and into the lid shadow, leading to the outer crease. Continue to blend the colour and to get a smokey texture add more product to achieve your style (tip: you can use your finger to smudge it too). By blending the product in layers it creates an ombre effect that’s not too aggressive - no raccoon eyes here! Make sure to keep the darkest part of the shadow near the lash line, so it draws attention to your eyes. Depending on your colour palette you can deepen the tones for a more moody feel, or add some shimmer to create a metallic look.

Pop of colour - This style can be as bold or subtle as you’d like. Our model Brian has layered additional tones to the base of his eye shadow to create a gradient along the outer corner of his eye. Using Brian’s outfit as inspiration for a fun pop of colour, Cynthia added yellow to the corner of his eyelid that wraps to the inner crease. This style still looks classic while making a bold statement. You can take it even further with a coloured cat eye for added drama.

Soft glam - Our mother-of-the-bride or groom look, modelled by the lovely Jocelyne, features mostly soft and subtle monochromatic tones achieved by using matte eye shadow colours. For the eyes, this means contouring your lid to add depth. This can be done by taking a transition shade of colour from the outer corner of your eye and creating a half-moon just above the lid crease. Blending a darker shade along the crease to create a gradient will open up the eyes and extend it to the outer corner again to add more dimension. If you’re looking for a detailed, step-by-step process on how to achieve a soft glam style check out our full tutorial.

Lips:
Smile like you mean it with long-lasting lipstick to take you from day to night. Whether you’re part of the wedding party getting ready early or a guest looking to touch up their lipstick after dinner, you want to keep your lips hydrated. Once again you’ll want to prep your lips with a moisturizing lip balm or primer, so your smile stays fresh. In terms of impact, the rest is up to you.

Whether you’re busy taking photos or just chatting the night away you’ll want a long-stay product such as MAC’s Locked Kiss Ink which Aundra is wearing. It is a kissproof and waterproof liquid lipstick with 24 hours of weightless wear. To add fullness and prevent your lip colour from bleeding you can line your lips with a lip pencil before applying lipstick. Lucky for you we have a lip liner 101 video with Brian to walk you through his tips and tricks for various styles.

If you’re looking for more of a tinted balm that’s easy to reapply, Brian is wearing the nourishing, Glow Play Lip Balm from MAC that gives off an effortless shine without worrying about smudging the product. If you really want to add more vibrance to your look check out our pop of colour tutorial.

Lastly, for more of a sheer shimmer go with Jocelyne’s look, where Cynthia used MAC’s Lustre Lipstick to create a timeless soft glam style. Not only does it moisturize your lips, but it’s long-lasting and easy to build up for more coverage.

Products

All products used on our models are from MAC Cosmetics. However, if your makeup inventory is more conservative, consider investing in a multi-use palette to get more bang for your buck! Keep it simple and avoid overpacking by using one product in three (or more) ways, while adding more dimension and glow. For any questions about the products or styles featured in this post visit the MAC store in St. Vital Centre.

Still need to complete your look? From casual to formal attire and accessories, find everything you need to get wedding-ready at retailers throughout the Centre.

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