Bridal Beauty: Balancing bold trends with timeless elegance

Bridal makeup is walking a fine line these days. Everyone wants a look that turns heads, but no one wants to look back at their wedding album and cringe. The trick? Statement choices paired with restraint, artistry layered over timeless technique.

Why it’s OK to get lippy

For hair and makeup artist Armita Merchant, bridal drama starts at the lips. “The most wearable statement look for brides is a bold lip,” she says. That might mean a classic red, a deeper berry, or even coral, depending on skin tone and outfit. The secret is balance. “I keep the skin fresh and glowing, enhance the eyes softly, and let the lip be the star.”

Pre-wedding events are the place for fun. Jewel-toned liners and metallic accents bring color and playfulness to mehndis and sangeets, but the wedding day itself calls for something that lingers in memory for all the right reasons.

She takes the same approach to contouring. Forget Instagram’s sharp lines and heavy shadowing. “For brides, it’s all about subtle sculpting that enhances,” she explains. Merchant uses a mix of cream and powder contour to gently lift cheekbones, define the jawline and add luminosity to high points on the face. The finish is diffused, polished, camera-ready.

“Blending and placement of product is everything,” she stresses. “The bride should look sculpted, lifted, and timeless without ever looking overdone.”

Glow without the grease

No bride wants her glow to slide away before the cake is cut. Merchant has a battle-tested recipe for skin that looks luminous yet endures hours of hugs, flash photography, and Gulf heat. It starts with prep: hydration where it’s needed, mattifying where it’s not. Then comes lightweight, long-wear foundation, applied in layers so it never cakes.

“I use liquid and cream highlighters pressed into the skin for a glow-from-within effect,” she explains. For longevity, she sets with fine translucent powders placed only where necessary and locks the look with a mist. The result, she says, is “luminous, glass-like skin that photographs beautifully and lasts from the vows to the final dance.”

But bridal makeup is also about artistry. Merchant loves the idea of embellishments, if they’re handled with care. “The key with embellishments is restraint,” she says. Metallic shadow, a pearl at the inner corner, or shimmer woven in sparingly can add dimension without tipping into costume. Her goal: “Weave in just enough artistry to create a modern statement while keeping the overall effect refined and elegant.”

Pastel shadows and graphic liners, fresh off runways, get the same treatment. She tempers pastels into soft veils of color that feel romantic, not experimental. Graphic liners become delicate flicks or coloured lines close to the lash. “My advice is to adapt the trend in a way that enhances your features and complements your look,”she says.

A UAE signature

Dubai brides, Merchant notes, have developed their own distinctive aesthetic by blending global beauty cues with cultural glam. “I often see brides embrace radiant skin and softly sculpted features while pairing them with statement elements like bold eyes, intricate jewellery, or richly toned lips that honour tradition.”

That balance of international influence with cultural identity is what excites her most. “It makes bridal beauty here so distinctive and unforgettable,” she says.