We talk to wedding MUA Suzie Gee to get her top tips & tricks
From the venue to the menu to the dress, there’s a lot of prep that comes before you say ‘I do.’ Of course, an important part of any bride’s look isn’t just their dress, but also their glam. We spoke to make-up artist Suzie Gee, who gave us her advice on the beauty questions brides-to-be ask her the most.
How can I prep my skin in the lead up to the wedding?
Your wedding day make-up doesn’t begin on the big day itself – instead, it starts with your skincare prep on the months or weeks leading up to it.
“Good skin equals good make-up, and the way that you take care of it will impact how make-up sits, looks and lasts throughout the day,” Suzie explains.
“The most important thing is having a good quality skincare regime that you stick to every night and evening. The type of products you choose will be dependent on the type of skin you have, but a good guide to follow is: cleanse, tone and hydrate, then for your morning skincare regime, apply SPF.”
“It’s also essential to work in a good exfoliating regime, too,” she says. “Using acids and some kind of exfoliator helps remove dead skin while allowing new cells and fresh glowing skin to break through.”
Looking for some exfoliator recs? Check out Suzie’s below:
Suzie also recommends some extra steps to your skincare regime, to help keep your skin its best on the build-up to your big day.
“Drink your water, at least two litres a day,” she says. “Trust me – it does make a difference. I can instantly tell if someone is dehydrated when they sit in my chair. Having a pretty water bottle might encourage you to drink a little more – I know that works for me!”
“Get facials. I recommend all my brides get HydraFacials. They’re a multi-step facial that cleanse, tone, remove blackheads, exfoliate, hydrate… Basically everything you need for a perfect bridal base. Adding in a dermaplaning treatment is a good idea too – this will remove your peach fuzz so that your make-up goes on like butter.”
“Red light therapy. If you really want to up your game, you could purchase a red-light therapy mask. I keep one in my bridal make-up kit to prep my brides before their make-up, and I have one that I use myself. They help to stimulate collagen and blood circulation (along with a long list of other amazing long-term benefits) which create a gorgeous glowy base.”
To tan or not to tan?
“When it comes to fake tan, you have to do what feels right for you,” Suzie tells us. “If you don’t normally wear a tan, then perhaps you might want to embrace your natural skin colour.”
If you’re looking for a golden glow, here are Suzie’s top tips:
“Don’t apply a mousse onto your face. Tan mousse – although it may say on the packaging is safe for the face – isn’t going to have your make-up artist jumping for joy. It can dry your skin out, clog up your pores and your make-up won’t last as long when placed over the top of it. Instead, opt for a face tan. I recommend my brides get the Tan-Luxe Medium The Face Self-Tanning Drops. You apply a few drops in your moisturiser and they work to give you a gradual tan day by day. The darker the tan you’d like, the more drops you apply.”
“If you plan to get a spray tan, ask for a bridal tan. This type of tan goes on clear and develops over time. Because the actual product is clear, it won’t transfer or stain your beautiful white dress!”
“If you’re feeling really brave and fancy fake tanning yourself, just make sure you are well practiced and find the right product for you.”
Suzie’s top picks for self-tan?
Best: for a richer tan
Try: St. Tropez Self Tan Dark Mousse
• Size: 200ml
• Tailors to your individual skin tone
“If you fancy a deeper, richer tan, the St Tropez Dark Mousse is an iconic firm favourite.”
What products should I buy to top up with throughout the day?
Make-up is bound to move throughout the day – especially during such a long and emotional (but exciting!) day like your wedding. Because of this, you might want to take extra steps to keep your make-up perfect from aisle to first dance.
“Have your lip combo handy,” says Suzie. “If you’re hiring a make-up artist, ask them which lip liner, lipstick and/or gloss they’ll use so that you can go out and purchase it for yourself. Ask your maid of honour to keep it in her bag and be on ‘lip topping-up’ duty all day!”
Next step? “Pick the right powder,” Suzie says. “The last thing you want when you get the wedding photos back is to be looking at a shiny or oily face, and this will only be magnified if your photographer is using flash. A way to avoid this is to have a powder with you to blot throughout the day.”
Suzie recommends that you look for “something fine-milled and lightweight to avoid any cakiness. The Fenty Beauty Invisimatte is perfect for this, and it even comes with a little blotting sponge for easy application throughout the day.”
“The areas you want to make sure are nice and matte are around the nose, between the eyebrows, the upper lip and the chin – these areas just tend to make you look sweaty. Everywhere else on the face is nice to have a healthy glow.”
Last but not least, “Have a hydrating setting spray. This applies especially if you have drier skin and want to keep your make-up fresh and free from cakiness. A quick mist of setting spray will help everything to melt back into your skin and give your make-up some life again. My favourite setting spray for this is the Too Faced Hangover Setting Spray which is super hydrating and refreshing.”
What should I do the night before the wedding?
Just like your skincare routine leading up to your wedding, your regime the night before the big day is super important to help you look and feel your best. (And who can say no to a pamper evening?)
The night before, Suzie advises that you, “Try and get an early night. I know it might seem impossible, but those few extra hours of beauty sleep will make all the difference. Have a relaxing bubble bath, and if you’re staying near a spa, try and slot in a late-night back massage for ultimate relaxation.”
Next, “Drink as much water as you can.” Suzie recommends two or three litres, “Just not too close to bedtime, or else it’ll disturb your important sleep!”
“Apply a sheet mask. The one that I recommend all of my brides get is the Dr Jart Hydra Solution Pro. It’s so deeply hydrating and just what your skin needs – you’ll wake up with the most gorgeous glow.”
“Exfoliate and hydrate your lips. The best way to make sure that your lip products will look amazing and last all day are to give them a little TLC the night before. Firstly, make sure you have removed all of the dead skin from your lips using a product like the Barry M Lip Scrub, and then apply a product that will treat them while you sleep. I love to use the Blistex Intensive Moisturiser for an intense overnight treatment. It goes on white and doesn’t look necessarily ‘pretty,’ but it works.”
“Avoid any alcohol. I know it’s tempting, but try and save any fizz until the big day,” Suzie says.
This isn’t just to avoid any unwelcome hangovers, though. “Alcohol can cause puffiness and dehydration,” she explains. “Trust me – you’ll thank yourself in the morning.”
“Steam your dresses. The last thing you want to be worrying about on the morning of your wedding is steaming your veil or your bridesmaid dresses. Steaming can also ruin your hair and make-up,” she says. “Have everything steamed, fresh and hung up so that you can wake up on the morning and relax knowing it’s all taken care of.”
What should I do the morning of the wedding?
Suzie lists her key things to do when you first wake up on the morning of your wedding:
- “Drink as much water as you can as soon as you open your eyes and all throughout the morning. Hydrated skin makes a beautiful make-up base.”
- “Do your normal skin care regime then follow with a sheet mask. Keep the sheet mask on for as long as you can – if you can leave it on until your make-up artist comes to do your make-up, even better!”
- “Exfoliate and moisturise your lips. Repeat the step you did the night before to give your make-up artist a beautiful fresh canvas for your lipstick.”
- “Light a candle in your favourite scent to have the room smelling fresh and relaxing to set the mood. The Champneys Calm Candle is beautiful with a luxurious and relaxing feel.”
- Finally, “Make sure you aren’t using any products that are brand new, only products that your skin knows and loves. The last thing you want is to be having a reaction on the morning of your wedding!”
How should I prepare for my make-up trial?
Normally, when you book a professional make-up artist for your wedding, you’ll have a trial session with them so you can decide on the look you’d like to go for. Your trial won’t have the same kind of time constraints as your wedding day, so you and your MUA can talk through inspo ideas and how to achieve a look you’ll love for years to come.
Suzie highly recommends that you arrange a trial, plus, she notes her tips to making the most out of your session:
- “Wear a colour similar to your wedding dress or outfit. For example, if you’re wearing a white wedding dress, wear white. This will help you to visualise what colours are going to compliment you best.”
- “If you plan on being tanned on your wedding day, apply a little fake tan the evening before your trial. This way, you’ll get an accurate representation of how your make-up is going to look on the day and that the colours you have chosen will work best with your desired tan.”
- “Beware of the overly edited make-up inspiration pictures. You wouldn’t believe the number of times a bride has shown me a make-up look that is completely unattainable because of airbrushed skin, edited features and overly saturated colours. Chances are, the make-up look that you are swooning after was just created on an app and not something your make-up artist will be able to replicate. I suggest getting make-up looks directly from your make-up artists portfolio or from red carpet looks that have not been altered or tampered with.”
- Lastly, she recommends that you, “Be super specific. When you’re explaining the type of look you desire to your make-up artist, I always appreciate when someone is very detailed and specific. This helps me to visualise and recreate the look that they want. Focus on the eyelashes, lip colours and type of skin you like. How do you normally wear make-up? Do you have photos from a time that you really liked how your make-up looked? The more information, the better.”
What style of make-up should I go for?
“Honestly? Do you!” Suzie says. Whether you love a natural look or to pump up the glam, try to stick to your normal make-up style. “The last thing you want is to be walking down the aisle with your friends and family thinking, ‘who’s that?’”
How do you do this, though? “Do your research with your make-up artist and pick someone who suits your style,” Suzie explains. “Don’t book a glam make-up artist if you don’t want to have that glam make-up look on your wedding day.”
Basically, your match made in heaven isn’t just the person you’re marrying – it’s also finding the perfect MUA for your personal make-up style.
Suzie’s style? “It’s somewhere between glam and natural, with an emphasis on soft and glowy skin, therefore the brides that I attract are ultimately after that kind of look.”
Now that you’ve learned about our MUA’s guide to wedding make-up, take your skincare prep to the next level with our guide on achieving the best skincare routine for you. Or, if you’re thinking about doing your own wedding make-up, read Suzie’s advice on how to achieve the perfect bridal look. Whether you’re booking a make-up artist or doing your own glam, we’ve got the tips, tricks and advice to help you walk down the aisle, feeling like the most fabulous version of you.
