Dior Co's bridal makeup magic

Have you ever wondered why bridal makeup is such a big deal, or why the rates are so much higher compared to a regular service? Dior Co, a professional makeup artist specializing in bridal makeup, graciously answers our questions and shares her expert advice for looking your best on your big day.

Dior graduated from De La Salle University with degree in Marketing Management. She worked with many cosmetics brands before deciding to pursue makeup artistry full-time. She took a Masters Program for Makeup Artistry in Hollywood, Los Angeles and also took an airbrushing makeup course. Currently a hair and makeup artist, a professor teaching basic and advanced makeup courses, and a beauty blogger, Dior works her magic on brides (as well as their moms and entourage!) to help ensure that they stay picture-perfect down the aisle and back.

Why did you decide to focus on wedding makeup?

Coming back to Manila after talking my Masters Degree in Professional Makeup Artistry (yes, there's such a thing!) in LA, I wasn't really sure which industry to focusing on. The idea back then was to just keep on accepting work that requires makeup and hairstyling. So I worked on ad shoots, commercials, and a lot of other projects until after a year, I noticed that a bulk of the work I did was for weddings. That's when I decided to focus on bridal makeup.

What do you do differently in wedding makeup that makes it different from normal event makeup?

People always ask why the rate of bridal makeup is pricier than when you have your makeup artist do your makeup on ordinary events. Well, there's more care given to the bride! Our team arrives five hours before bride gets into her bridal gown, just to set her hair longer (to make her hairstyle last throughout the day) and prep her skin for airbrush makeup. This includes a quick facial and cleansing routine.

After which, we start doing her makeup, usually airbrush makeup that would last at least 16 hours without any smudging, while being filmed by her videographers and photographers. The bride will also be shot during her preps so our team is on standby for any retouches the bride might need.

What are your tips in making your look as photogenic as possible?

Do not overdo base makeup and powder! Most people still think that to be 'made-up', their faces need to be fully covered and matte. The secret is to have some skin still be visible to the camera so you'd still look like yourself. Also, most camera removes 25% of details that the naked eye sees. So don't be afraid to go a bit darker when applying color makeup.

What do you use to conceal eye bags? You do them so well!

I mix an orange corrector with my concealer to neutralize any bluish or purplish tint on the eye area. After which, I do the 'baking' technique, which is leaving a pile of translucent loose powder on the lower eye area while I do makeup on the eyelids of my client.

(Note: If you want to try Dior's technique, check out our corrector recommendations and video tutorial on baking!)

What do you use for eyebrows?

It depends. For sparse eyebrows, I use Make Up For Ever Aqua brows to fill in and define the brows. For already full brows, I just brush them with Benefit Gimme Brows to put them in place. Either way, I finish off with K-Palette Brow Tint to make brows one shade lighter than the hair color.

How do you determine the perfect lip color for your clients?

I always ask first what their flower bouquet color is. I match the lip color with the shade of their bouquet. You don't need to match it exactly though, just as long as you follow the cool + cool and warm + warm rule. When the lips and the flowers are in the same color family, it balances the entire look of the bride.

What do you do to ensure that the makeup stays on no matter what happens during a bride's special day?

I suggest having airbrush makeup rather than traditional makeup on your wedding day. Not only does the silicone formula stick better to skin (it won't move no matter how many besos you do!), it also lasts for 16 hours. For brides who still prefer traditional makeup, I spritz on Model In A Bottle Spray to keep the makeup intact. It's what Oprah swears by!

Dior Co's professional portfolio and beauty blog can be found on diorcomakeup.com

Before and after client photos provided by Dior Co