Organising Phuket beach weddings involves a lot more thought and planning than just taking every feature of a normal western church wedding and replacing a draughty old ecclesiastical building with a beautiful Thailand shore. The new setting creates a lot of new opportunities, but also presents a lot of new challenges. One oft-overlooked challenge is related to makeup. Here are a few expert tips for beach brides.
Lighten up
Caking on makeup is generally not the best idea for a bride, but that advice is doubly true if you’re getting married on a beach. Spending all day in a tropical climate while wearing thick foundation will inevitably end up with lots of very disappointing photos of you looking like your face is melting. Instead, start with a lightweight primer and follow-up with matte, lightweight foundation. Apply them as sparingly as possible, while keeping it seamless.
Use a coral blush
Dropping the tone of your blush down a few stages from bright pink to coral will give you a more summery look, which is better suited to the summery setting of your Phuket beach wedding. Steer clear of the apples of your cheeks and instead apply it to where the sun will naturally be highlighting, such as the top of your cheekbones.
Waterproof your lashes
A wedding is an emotional day and, let’s face it, tears are fairly likely. Of course, the beach setting also adds the increased risk of sweat, making waterproof eye makeup a must. You could go with a waterproof mascara, but it could be better to go with whatever mascara you’re used to and confident in, then add a waterproofing topcoat to protect it. Just remember to have a makeup remover which will work on waterproof makeup, or you’ll be in for a very uncomfortable night.
Wear sunscreen
A good sunblock is not a normal part of a bride’s makeup kit, but it’s essential for Phuket beach weddings. The alternative is spending your first night of wedded bliss unable to have anything in contact with your skin, least of all your new husband. Unless you’re using a long-lasting sunscreen, remember to bring some along with you to apply throughout to the day so that it remains effective.
Hide the sunburn
What happens if you’ve already caught some sun, or your skin is flushed by suddenly being exposed to temperatures your body isn’t used to (and the stress, of course)? Use a repair mask to soothe some of the redness. Follow that up the next day with some redness-relief soothing cream, ideally one with sun protection included. Some of these have a green tint to tone down the redness and also work well as a primer.
