The most celebrated season, the wedding season is in full swing (which it actually is for most part of the year), which means that trends and style guides - especially for the bride - have to be updated to the current stage of flawless. Every bride wants to look picture perfect on her big day and whether that means working with a classic, timeless look or keeping up with the latest trends (yes, they do change), her look needs to be thought out meticulously.

For most brides choosing the ideal look can get a little daunting, mainly because there are endless trends that can be found online.

To offer some solutions to what can be mind-boggling decisions, Instep got in touch with Bina Khan, who has been working professionally for the past 23 years. According to the beautician, her greatest teacher wasn’t a video, but in fact it was the first book she got by American make-up artist Kevyn Aucoin, when she was 20 years old. Here Bina Khan shares all the bridal beauty inspo you need this festive season.

 

Glowing skin

"The quest for touchable skin is never ending and with better technology and understanding comes the ability to create skin that looks more and more like you just had a facial," Bina shares. "Understanding where, how and with what to highlight is an ever evolving process and how to make it non greasy in the summer is the real key. I often apply it with a mattifying spray to let it glow but not shine." According to her, in the summer season it is really important to take it easy with the highlighters and illuminating sprays.

The halo eye technique

"When I first started using glitter about ten years ago, I always thought of it as a mehndi look, because it’s so festive. However, girls started requesting for it to be used on their (main) wedding days as well. But all along I was working hard to use another technique that would hopefully capture people’s imagination, and it is the halo eye technique for a different kind of structure. It requires a lot of careful blending but bold application and just the right gradation of colours to create that 3D effect," Bina says, adding that she really enjoys getting countless requests for this look.

 

3D lips

The fact is that the right lip colour not only instantly brightens up your complexion but adding that pop of colour also lifts up your mood. As for choosing the best lip shade for a special occasion like a wedding, a makeup artist has to take into account many factors such as the colour of the outfit etc. Talking about lipstick shades that are perfect for brides, Bina reveales, "I’ve always been obsessed with mixing lipsticks but now I religiously not only mix a good few components to create each colour, I also use a minimum of 3 mixtures to create a delicate ombre. I love a 3D eye but I love a smiling, 3D lip too. The trick is to blend things seamlessly, a trick I learned from studying the work of the great master Kevyn Aucoin."

Super fluffy lashes

"I think varying your lashes to go with each look is super important. I often chop up lashes and use a variety of pieces from many sets to create a lash that complements the mood we are trying to create. I often stack them as well or use tiny pieces to create a fluffy look. Though I prefer to have control over the size of my pieces, I sometimes intersperse with readymade eyelashes too."

 

’70s inspired hairdos

As far as bridal hairdos are concerned, Bina says, "We have always recreated a ’70s style, desi hair. I think it was the softest, prettiest version of bridal hair. We actually copy the style my mother used to wear when she used to go out to a wedding. These days I have been glad to see that some desi celebrity weddings have influenced people in to simpler hair and away from the huge, messy styles that had become popular. I’m a fan of soft, romantic hair."