With so many makeup brands and products out there, I thought I would share some of my current favourites for brides – how I use them and why they really do work for weddings!

1. Individual lashes

More often than not I use these nifty little lashes on my brides. They open up the eye and provide a gorgeous, natural and romantic look. I tend to use shorter ones if I’m doing a very natural look but also love medium ones to add more drama. The great thing about individual lashes is their staying power – each one is applied carefully with a small amount of glue to the base so they really do stay put all day. Strip lashes have the tendency to peel up at the corners which are not a good look! Individual lashes are temporary and can just be gently pulled off at the end of the evening. They don’t cause any damage to your existing lashes either!

2. Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray

Remember when you were younger how everyone sprayed their makeup with hairspray to make it stay put? Well, now the clever sausages at Urban Decay have created an AMAZING range of setting sprays actually designed to ensure your makeup stays put and doesn’t slide off – particularly good for weddings, especially summer weddings. My favourite in the range is the “All Nighter” which holds makeup in place for a whopping 16 hours! Also ideal if you’re having an early wedding makeup is applied first thing in the morning.

3. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish

This setting powder is the Rolls Royce of powders and by far the best I’ve used. Not a cake in sight! It glides on, gently mattifying without leaving a horrid chalky residue. Perfect for powdering a shiny T Zone, setting concealer under the eyes and on blemishes. I love it and recommend that all my brides purchase this (in their shade – it comes in 3) to keep in their handbag/bridesmaids bag for powder touch ups during the day. I apply it with the Real Techniques setting brush (which is smaller than most powder brushes) so I can get more control over the area which I powder. I rarely powder cheeks as I love these to glow with health.

4. L’Oréal Infallible 24HR Fresh Wear Foundation

I’m really into this foundation at the moment, it provides medium coverage and allows the skin to look naturally flawless. It blends seamlessly too – I like to apply a thin layer with a brush and then another thin layer using a beauty blender sponge which has been dampened with setting spray. It also lasts a dream and comes in a huge range of colours to suit loads of different skin tones.

5. Bobbi Brown’s Sandwash Pink Lipstick

This is an iconic lipstick for a reason! A gorgeous shade of pinky beige – it enhances lips and makes them look perfectly kissable without being “overdone.” It’s also moisturising and long-lasting. To make it last even longer, I apply a small layer of powder over the top of the lipstick, blot and then re-apply. Sometimes I do this a few times to make sure it doesn’t budge! I also provide all my brides with their lipstick in a small top up the pot with a mini disposable lip brush so they can re-apply throughout the day when needed. By Emily Dodds, owner and lead makeup artist at Willow and Rose Makeup.