Beauty and the bride

Bridal beauty takes centre stage when the big day is all about the woman in white. Photo / Thinkstock

Hair and makeup take centre stage for brides, but skincare and fragrance also make up the landscape. Following the runway show at Fashion Weekend, New Zealand Weddings Magazine will complete the picture with an exclusive beauty seminar at which four experts, interviewed below - Merse Saranjam, senior makeup artist at Bobbi Brown, hairstylist Iain Smith of Auckland's Me Salon, Clinique's Kristelle Thomsen and Jo Malone fragrance consultant Teresa Malin - will lead a discussion on makeup, hair, skincare and fragrance, sharing their best-kept bridal beauty secrets. Attendees will get an up-close-and-personal tutorial, plus the chance to try out the newest beauty must-haves.

MERSE SARANJAM

What are three things every bride should have in her beauty bag?
Lipstick or gloss, pressed powder or blotting papers, and mini sewing kit - just in case.

What are the biggest trend in bridal makeup?
Well-groomed, natural-looking brows; dewy skin; sheer, sparkly eyeshadows; and long lashes.

What's your advice for brides to be?
Have your brows professionally shaped a few days before the event.

IAIN SMITH

What are three things every bride should have in her beauty bag?
Lipstick, bobby or French pins and a mini bottle of hairspray or humidity blocker.

What's the biggest trend in bridal hair?
Hairstyles that aren't overly sculpted - they're softer, not slicked down or severe. There's a lot of freeness around the hairline too - flyaways with a purpose.

What's your advice for brides to be?
Keep in mind your venue and the time of year you're marrying, and work with it; wearing your hair down on the beach on a humid summer afternoon might not be the most practical, or pretty, option.

KRISTELLE THOMSEN

What's something every bride should do in the weeks leading up to her wedding to get her skin in top condition?
Having perfect skin requires preparation, commitment and a little discipline. Eat healthily, stay hydrated by drinking at least two litres of water a day and limiting your intake of alcohol and caffeine, and get enough sleep.

What's one must-have for every bride?
Sometimes the stress of planning your perfect day leads to a break-out. Clinique Spot Treatment Gel, $39, speeds up the healing of blemishes by reducing inflammation.

What's the biggest mistake brides make?
Some brides introduce too many new products to their skin at once, too close to their big day, resulting in breakouts, flakiness, excess oil and other issues. It pays to plan ahead - start a simple and effective skin regimen as far out from the big day as possible.

TERESA MALIN

What's new in the world of fragrance?
We're now able to create [scents] that used to be completely impossible to capture - think wild bluebell or nutmeg and ginger. This means there's greater variety and many more choices.

What's the biggest trend in bridal fragrance?
Brides are choosing a signature fragrance to incorporate into their day as their own perfume, that of their bridal party and groom, and even at the reception, with scented table [decorations] and flowers.

What is the biggest mistake brides make?
Choosing a fragrance in a hurry, particularly if it's very different to what they'd usually wear.

What's your advice for brides?
As with your husband, choose a fragrance that you fall in love with and can't imagine life without.

* Tickets: $12 (or $15 for a fashion show/beauty seminar combo pass) at iticket.co.nz, newzealandweddings.co.nz and nzfashionweek.com.