If the pandemic plays fair, I’ll be off to Europe quite a lot this year for a few elopement weddings. My favourite style is and probably always will be glowing skin and just because you’re in a hot country, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice. Read on to get glowing skin for your destination wedding.
Skin prep
Preparing your skin properly is key for any makeup applications. On your wedding day in France, Italy or Greece for example, this shouldn’t be any different. I believe in a less is more approach to skin care and I don’t like to bog the skin down with unnecessary products.
The first key step is a good cleanser. This should be non-foaming and gentle. For myself, I actually use a cleansing soap bar as it seems to work for my skin. I know other clients and artists who swear by Liz Earle also. Whatever works for you, stick to it.
A light serum comes next. This helps to hydrate your skin to begin to build that glow that we are aiming for. I use this one most of the time.
Wait for this to soak in for a few moments and then apply a moisturiser. I really love Skin Food light. It gives a really nice glow, sinks into the skin beautifully and honestly smells great. Sometimes, this step will be all you’ll need out of all of the skincare. I don’t recommend this for your wedding day, but on a day to day basis for a nice glow, this is perfect followed by a good SPF.
Which leads me on to a really important step – SPF. If you are having a destination wedding in a hotter climate, it is so important to not skip this step. In fact, SPF should be the most important part of your skincare routine. Apart from the obvious benefit of not getting burnt, a good sunscreen will block out harmful rays to protect against cancer and sun related wrinkles. I use this one every single day. A word of warning, some SPF’s can cause a ‘flashback’ on the camera (making you look white and dusty!) so be sure to buy one without Silica in it and test it beforehand. You can do this by waiting until the evening and taking a photo using your phone, using the flash – it will be unflattering but it will show you how it photographs.
Makeup
A good glow needs a good primer in hotter climates. I don’t believe that primers are the best thing ever – I actually think that a lot of them are just smoke and mirrors. But for a destination wedding it can be a good idea to invest. I use this one, which is perfect for hot climates. Make sure that your skincare has fully absorbed before applying this and make sure that the primer has fully absorbed before applying foundation.
There are so many foundations to choose from nowadays that it can be a bit of a minefield. Opt for light coverage foundations such as this Charlotte Tilbury one and then use a concealer to cover any blemishes or dark circles. Adding a few drops of this body shop bronzer is my go to secret for glowing skin. It adds just enough to give a good bronze feel but without being too heavy. You can also apply this without foundation to your shoulders and chest area.
I have different highlighters depending on the vibe I am going for. Sometimes I use this one as it’s fairly subtle. Or I use this slightly heavier one or sometimes I use this oil/serum from Glossier as a highlighter. it’s my go-to product on beauty shoots as clients want the models to look healthy, with minimal makeup usually.
Try to avoid using too much powder. Apply only to the areas that look a little shiny or have a tendency to look sweaty, such as forehead, top lip and under eyes. The rest of your skin should look natural. As with SPF, make sure to buy a powder without silica.
Hopefully I will get to join you on your destination wedding to a warmer climate, but if I don’t, then hopefully this guide will help you get glowing skin for any occasion. Check out some of my destination weddings over on my blog
Evie x
