Originally featured in The Style List Wedding Magazine
Celebrity make-up artist Arti Nayar spills the beans on bridal make-up. By Arushi Sakhuja
Bridal makeup can make or break your look. While many like to keep it ultra-glam for their wedding festivities, others prefer a natural, sun-kissed look. Arti Nayar has lent her magic to actors Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Alia Bhatt, and Katrina Kaif, among numerous other celebrities. And when it comes to bridal makeup trends, who better than Nayar to weigh in?
With 15 years of experience, the renowned makeup artist’s work portfolio spans crafting red-carpet glam to scene-stealing looks on Bollywood celebrities, Nailing the soft smoky eyes of dreams and achieving that flawless finish for many brides, she is one of the most sought-after makeup artists. In a fun tête-à-tête, Arti Nayar spills the ‘beauty beans'.
Q: Tell us about the key makeup trends for brides.
Brides are now opting for more minimalistic eye makeup, they are moving away from super strong smoky eyes and instead choosing a subtle smudged liner look while still retaining a bit of neutral shade on the eyelid. This kind of eye makeup looks more delicate, ethereal and dreamy.
Some brides prefer neutral lip shades, but for those who want to keep it bold, I always encourage my brides to opt for red lips because it instantly lifts your face.
Highlighting and contouring I think is very important for brides but yes there is a fine line between doing too much and too little. I think that when it comes to highlighting and contouring I love the technique of underpainting, I would always under paint the highlighter and the contour just to make it softer but also not lose that sharpness that I want from the contour.
In terms of hair trends, a lot of brides prefer to open tresses as opposed to traditional buns. Think glamorous big open curls which are very easy but also make it look stylish.
Q: Some do's and don'ts for a bride on their D-day?
I would say always stand your ground in terms of the kind of look that you want. Don’t compromise on the look and the feel of how you want to be presented on your wedding day. It’s a very important day for brides and they get (and achieve) the look that they want no matter what that is. Yes, keep in mind that your makeup artist should guide you in the right direction. But the priority should always be on what the bride wants and the way she wants to look while finalizing a bridal look.
Q: How do you make your brides feel comfortable?
To make a bride feel comfortable is essential. Thus, you must show up not just as a makeup artist but also as someone who can help the bride feel more comfortable.
Q: Some skincare tips for brides ahead of the big day?
Personally, if you ask me, I would say, just keep it simple. Do what you have been doing and what works for your skin – don’t suddenly change your skincare if not necessary. Refrain from experimenting with new products and do not do excessive skin treatments or anything that is harsh and that will harm your skin. Be consistent with your skincare, and drink a lot of water.
Q: When it comes to day makeup what are the hottest trends and how can you infuse colour into the look?
When it comes to day makeup always remember to keep everything neutral. For a day look, I always like to do it with cream-based products for highlighting, contouring and blush, and set it with setting powder so that it’s not too bold and harsh. During the day your makeup look just should have a very subtle lift to the skin so it almost looks like a no makeup-makeup look. I would always choose to use brown pencils on the eye, to make the eyes look lighter and softer, but yet achieve definition. Mascara is a must, and if you want to infuse a bit of a bold colour then I would say, choose to do that on the lip because you can always go with lovely oranges and peaches and reds for the day.
Q: How important is it to match makeup to your ensemble and how do you do it?
I don’t think it needs to match, I think one needs to compliment the other. I think it’s important to look at the outfit and decide and design a look that will only enhance the outfit and enhance the bride's features.