Get The Glow-Down: Christina Cooling's Tips

 

Makeup by Christina Cooling, Photography by Vera Change Photography & James Molloy

We interviewed professional makeup artist, Christina Cooling, on her biggest tips for flawless bridal beauty to make sure your big day goes as smoothly as your skin!

What is the best way to prepare the skin before the big day?

To prepare your skin for your wedding, you need to adopt good skincare habits at least six months in advance and work on achieving your bridal glow from the inside out. You are what you eat and so is your skin, so it is imperative you make positive changes to feel and look the best you can. The most effective steps are to start drinking the recommended daily amount of water, increasing your consumption of super foods, get more sleep, cut out too much alcohol and quit smoking if appropriate.

Good skincare doesn’t need to cost thousands of pounds, but I would recommend scheduling a few professional facials to reveal your best complexion. A word of caution: do not get a deep-cleansing facial within a week of your wedding as breakouts are likely. Simple but important things you can do at home are: exfoliate weekly, invest in a good cleanser, use skin specific moisturisers, invest in an eye cream and practice a safe suncare regime.

I would recommend buying the award-winning book “Skincare” by Caroline Hirons. It is the go-to book for people of all ages and skin types who want to feel and look fantastic.

Photography by True to You Photography 

What colour eye makeup usually works best for brides?

I believe there should be no rules to eye makeup colours as every bride and wedding is unique, however there are useful guidelines to follow depending on your desired outcome. For example, if you really want your eye colour to ‘pop’, using the colour wheel can help when choosing the complementary colours; if you have green eyes, rose golds, bronzes, burgundy and purple tones can look stunning. The best eyeshadow to choose is one that enhances the natural sparkle of your eye colour and I would recommend a palette that has a selection of at least four shades to add depth and definition: a natural shade, a transitional shade, a contour shade and a highlighting shade.

Photography by Andrew David Photography

How do you create the perfect, long lasting lip?

Creating a long-lasting, smudge-proof lip is so important on your wedding as you don’t want to spend all day topping up your lipstick or worrying that half of it has transferred on to your teeth or half-way down your chin. They say failing to prepare is preparing to fail, so follow these five steps to create the perfect, lasting lip.

• Before you even think about applying any lipstick, you need to exfoliate and hydrate your lips to get rid of any excess dry, flaky skin. Simply use a lip-scrub or toothbrush and lip primer to give you the smoothest possible pout and ensure you have an even, flawless base to work with.

• Next, apply concealer to create the perfect neutral canvas; not only will it cancel your own lips natural hue but also provide beautiful and accurate colour payoff and prevent any product bleeding.

• Lip Liner is your new best friend; you can use it to accentuate the shape of your lips and the secret is to apply liner all over your lips, not just the outline as the slightly drier formula gives creamy lipsticks something to cling on to and acts as a barrier to prevent transfer.

• A simple, yet effective trick is to gently blot your lips with a clean tissue after applying your first coat. Blotting your lips is key for longevity as it helps to prevent shifting the formula by getting rid of any excess product or oils that may otherwise slide.

• Think powder is just for your face? Think again. After your second coat, follow with a light dusting of translucent powder to ensure all excess product is removed. The main reason lipstick transfers or feathers is due to excess moisture and applying a powder formula on top reduces this obstacle and helps your lipstick to stay in place all day.

Photography by Tony Wilson

What would you recommend to brides creating their own makeup look?

Don’t lose your sense of self by getting caught up in beauty trends, marketing hype and feeling pressured to follow the latest craze; do your research and ensure you are choosing the correct products that suit your complexion, colouring and chosen look. Your wedding is one of the most-photographed days of your life and your focus should be on enhancing your natural beauty.

To create your own makeup look on your wedding day, you need to feel calm, in control and confident of your application method, so practice, practice, practice and don’t go in unprepared; I would recommend writing a step-by-step plan to ensure you don’t miss any steps out. Try to create a calm station with all of your products and brushes and allow ample time, so if any mistakes are made, they can be corrected. I would invest time in watching online tutorials to boost your confidence or even better, book in for a one-to-one masterclass with a professional Makeup Artist, like myself, to develop your skills and techniques.

Photography by Tony Wilson

Is there anything to avoid, makeup-wise on a wedding day?

If there is a chance of flash photography, the main thing to avoid on your wedding day is sun cream because the zinc and titanium oxides that are often found in SPF formulas can cause an unflattering ghostly glow on your face.

You also want to avoid any products that can’t withstand true emotion, most importantly mascara; always choose and fully embrace waterproof formulas.

Also, avoid using too much foundation. It is crucial to find the balance between makeup that looks beautiful in photographs and provides longevity and makeup that feels natural and lightweight in person. I like to use the less is more approach and be able to see the skin glowing underneath. My top tip is to use a light to medium coverage foundation and just spot conceal where you may need any extra coverage.

Christina Cooling is a Professional Makeup Artist based in Monmouthshire, South Wales. Christina has always had a desire to help people and make a difference; her philosophy is to empower her clients by celebrating individuality and embracing diversity. Christina enjoys exploring the dialogue between emotion and artistic expression and truly believes makeup is more than just the application of luxury products but is a journey to increase confidence and enhance the beauty within. FIND OUT MORE: christinacooling.co.uk @christinacoolingmua