Bridal Beauty Secrets: Middle Eastern Wedding Makeup Tips
Middle Eastern wedding makeup is marked by tradition and modern artistry, creating an elegant blend of both history and contemporary women. It has also influenced a lot of modern beauty trends that are popular across the globe.
From perfect skin to traditional colors, the details that go into Middle Eastern wedding makeup are what make it stand out from most current beauty trends.
Check out: Makeup Looks by Top Arab Makeup Artists
If you hope to delve into this artistry and captivate with your wedding day makeup look, you’re in luck. Here we’ve collected all the bridal beauty secrets you need to know. These Middle Eastern wedding makeup tips are all you need to create the perfect look for your wedding.
Understanding Middle Eastern Bridal Makeup
Makeup, especially wedding makeup, has a lot of cultural significance in the Middle East. The boldness of the makeup aims to celebrate the bride and her beauty and femininity.
It’s also essential to the whole wedding look. Middle Eastern wedding attire tends to be ornate. The bridal makeup should match the splendor of the wedding and enhance the bride’s natural looks.
As for the key elements of Middle Eastern makeup, bridal makeup tends to focus on the eyes, skin, and lips. More specifically:
- Defined Eyes: Dramatic eyeshadow, liner, and lashes are a must for a bold, defined eye look that draws attention to the bride’s face.
- Defined Lips: Lip makeup is both rich and bold, and sophisticated. It should compliment the eye makeup and wedding attire.
- Flawless Skin: However, the most important element has to be a flawless base. This is achieved through consistent skin care before the wedding and high-quality foundations and concealers.
For brides who are traveling or for makeup artists who travel for their clients, it's important to consider the logistics of travel makeup. Ensuring that products are suitable for different climates and that all necessary tools are packed can make a big difference in achieving the desired look on the big day.
Preparing the Skin
- Skincare Routine
Crafting a flawless base for your makeup is a must if you hope to capture the essence of the whole look.
Achieving this flawless base does not happen overnight. There is a lot of preparation that goes into the look, including weeks (even months) of consistent, high-quality skin care before the wedding day.
So, focus on consistent deep cleansing, exfoliating to remove dead skin cells, and intense hydration. Gentle skincare treatments at a dermatologist or spa can help treat the problem areas on your skin.
- Priming the Skin
To ensure a smooth finish and to take advantage of all the skincare you’ve put into your look, choose a high-quality makeup primer that matches your skin type. A mattifying primer is great for people with oily skin while dewy primers are good for dry patches.
Achieving the Perfect Base
- Foundation and Concealer
Next, choose the perfect foundation and concealer.
Your foundation should match your skin tone and have a luminous finish. Ideally, it will enhance your natural undertones and glow. Your concealer can be a shade or two lighter than your foundation. Use it to brighten the under eyes and blend away blemishes with a beauty blender or brush.
Another thing to consider is the foundation type. Remember to consider your skin type. Go for mattifying if you have oily skin and hydrating if you have dry skin.
- Contour and Highlight
Contour and highlight are there to bring out the natural dimensions of your face. Choose a contour that matches your undertone – warm, neutral, or cool – and apply it to the hollows of your cheeks. Also, apply contour under and around the jaw and alongside the nose to fully define your face.
Highlight is the opposite of contour and should be applied on all the high points of your face, like your cheekbones, brow bone, cupid’s bow, and nose bridge.
Emphasizing the Eyes
- Eye Makeup Basics
Choose opulent and vibrant colors for your eyes. Traditional favorites include gold, bronze, and brown. Middle Eastern bridal looks are especially smokey and dramatic. You can also modernize the look with softer, more neutral tones. Whichever you choose, seamless blending is a must.
- Eyeliner and Brows
Outlining the eyes with kohl or a liquid liner is a signature wedding staple. You can opt for either a smokey, blended look or sharp, dramatic lines.
Your brows should match your eye look. High, full, and arched brows are the most popular. It helps to frame the face and support the rest of the drama of the makeup.
- False Lashes and Mascara
False lashes are critical to complete the look. You can use a high-volume mascara if you already have naturally full lashes. If you’re not as blessed, use strip eyelashes on the day of the wedding or get eyelash extensions before the wedding.
Perfecting the Lips
- Lip Colors and Styles
Most brides prefer warm tones with deep pigments, like deep reds, berries, and plums. However, don’t shy away from modern interpretations that favor softer tones and nudes for a simpler bridal makeup look.
- Lip Liner and Gloss
Use lip liner to perfect your lip look and prevent feathering on your wedding day. You can go for a liner in a similar shade to your lipstick or go a touch darker. Add a touch of gloss if you need to spruce up the color during the wedding.
Finishing Touches
- Setting the Makeup
Set your makeup to make sure it doesn’t smudge or lose its luster during the wedding event. The best way to achieve this is by combining a strong setting powder and an intense setting spray to lock in your look.
- Jewellery and Accessories
Lastly, ensure your makeup look matches your jewelry and accessories. From the colors to the boldness, your accessories should work with your makeup to create a cohesive and harmonious look.
