An Elevated Natural Hair & Makeup Look For City Bride Richenda

When the backdrop for your big day is Asylum Chapel (a true hidden gem of a wedding venue in the heart of South East London) a breathtaking hair and makeup look is an absolute must! Lucki-ly for me, I was recently able to create such a look for London-based bride, Richenda as she and her partner Sam tied the knot at this incredible Grade II listed venue.

Feel Like You As You Say ‘I do’

As much as we all love smokey eyes, a bright red lip, and long fluttery false lashes, if you’ve never worn makeup like this before, your wedding day might not be the best time for a trial run! When that’s the case, I love to suggest a look like beautiful bride, Richenda, chose for her trip down the aisle. Elevated natural makeup that’ll have you feeling like yourself - but a much more special version!

So, for this glam yet understated makeup look, I wanted to make sure it would fully complement Richenda’s unforgettable wedding ensemble. A stunning floor-length gown with a fitted bodice, an open back, and intricate all-over beading paired with a show-stopping cathedral-length veil. That meant a barely-there base, a soft, romantic peach hue on the cheeks, and high-pigment neutrals on the lids to, as Richenda requested, make her eyes pop!

Creating A Beautiful Base

After priming Richenda’s skin, I used the Nars’ Radiant Longwear Foundation to create a flaw-less, dewy-looking base. Its super lightweight formula is perfect for brides who want to keep their skin looking fresh and natural. Plus, it’s fade-resistant and lasts all day and night without ever looking caked - a must for a day filled with happy tears and posing for photographs!

I also used a small amount of the Tarte Shape Tape concealer to gently lift and brighten certain areas of the skin. To get a seamless blend between the two products, I gently buffed this in with a fluffy concealer brush before moving onto Richenda’s eyes, cheeks, and lips.

Adding Colour To Your Complexion

For soft yet elevated makeup looks like this one, creating a hint of contour and naturally flushed-looking cheeks is essential! For Richenda, I first used the Nudestix Nudies All Over Face Colour in the shade, Bondi Bae to gently bronze and contour the cheekbones adding warmth and definition. As for the soft, romantic flush of her cheeks, I used a fluffy blush brush to apply a few gentle sweeps of Milani blush in the shade, Luminoso. Since its rich formula is so beautifully buildable and highly pigmented, a little goes a long way!

Defining Your Eyes

As Richenda requested her eyes be the main focus of her bridal makeup, I wanted to make them stand out without being too dramatic. The result? A cool, modern, yet sultry look with just a hint of red carpet glam to suit the grandeur of the venue!

To create this dreamy look, I started with the MAC Paintpot in the shade, Groundwork. This add-ed depth and definition to her lids and worked perfectly as a long-wearing base for the whole day. I then used a couple of lighter, more reflective, high-pigment shades from the Born This Way pal-ette by Too Faced. This gave Richenda’s eyes a subtle reflective quality with just the right amount of shimmer to contrast her liquid eyeliner and beautiful long black lashes!

Speaking of which, whilst many brides prefer the classic cat eye flick on their wedding day, for Richenda, we decided something more subtle felt in keeping with her bridal style. Instead, I cre-ated an ultra-fine sweep of liquid liner along the top lash line for definition, then curled her lashes and added two coats of lengthening mascara for a final flourish!

Perfecting Your Bridal Pout

Not usually one for lipstick? Adding a subtle hint of colour or balm to your lips for your wedding day is always a good idea if you feel comfortable. Just remember, it doesn’t mean you need to rock a super bold shade you’d never normally wear! For Richenda, we chose Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk lip liner and medium lipstick, both in soft pinky hues that closely matched her natural lip colour. Her lips looked plump, dewy, and elevated to match the rest of her makeup without feeling OTT or outside of her comfort zone!

Richenda was a dream bride to work on and I adored seeing how seamlessly this subtle glam makeup look tied in with her dress, the venue, and the relaxed, romantic vibe of the day overall. So much so that I just can’t resist sharing a few more snaps with you!