Your Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wedding - December 2020/January 2021 (Issue 86)

EXPERT ADVICE 63 SPRING BRIDE Meet the expert: Melissa Clare is a professional bridal, fashion and editorial make-up and hair artist based in Berkshire. Please can you give me some ideas for my spring wedding make-up and lashes? Melissa says: Ombré eyeshadow is a beautiful choice for a spring wedding. This is where you transition the colours on your eyelids across a few gradients creating a beautiful blend of tones, allowing you to add in a popping shade with some more natural ones to enhance your eye colour. Popping shades of purple blended with hazel browns look beautiful on green eyes. Mix orange and pink tones with bronze for blue eyes and try burgundy and golden shades for brown eyes. To keep your skin looking fresh, start by spring cleaning your products and investing in a new beauty regime. Whilst it’s important not to dramatically change your skincare too close to your wedding date, it’s important to adapt to how you treat your skin with each season. As winter tends to wreak havoc, it’s important to keep it looking hydrated. Pay close attention to moisturising dry areas around your nose and forehead, and keep your complexion glowing with a regular enzyme peel and exfoliator. If you’re on a budget, instead of throwing out your winter foundation, try mixing it with a small drop of face oil which will tone down a heavier foundation and add a sheen, perfect for a glowing spring wedding. When it comes to blusher, think fresh and rosy pinks and use a soft pink highlighter on your cheekbones. Choose creme products if you want your skin to look radiant, or use a powder if you have oily skin. Melissa Clare | 07736 318 857 | www.melissaclare.com ALL THAT SPARKLES Meet the expert: Alison Cooper is the owner of bespoke jewellery brand Alicia J Diamonds based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, offering a personal jewellery design service, creating pieces for life’s special moments that will be cherished for a lifetime. We are newly engaged since the lockdown period so can you give us some tips on buying an engagement ring together? Alison says: This is an exciting time and a great thing to do together. Firstly, gather online inspiration. We recommend that clients make a mood board of rings that they love. It’s such a personal choice – some customers want the classic round brilliant diamond while others find that a rectangular emerald-cut stone is for them. We use this inspiration to discuss your options, advise on price and talk about diamond characteristics and design tips. Secondly, remember that diamonds are about more than carat (the weight of the diamond). Customers often think that the carat is the main marker of a diamond’s worth but there are four important elements - cut, clarity, carat and colour. The value, beauty and rarity of a diamond is about getting the right balance of all of these. An engagement ring is intended to be worn every day for life so it’s important to put the wearer’s style first. If you’re choosing together, then this is much easier. If you’re choosing for your partner for a surprise engagement then start by looking at her current jewellery. Is it mostly gold or silver? Ideally, the metal should match what the wearer already wears. Is the style simple or bold, chunky or delicate? If you’re choosing one together, choose something that suits your usual taste. For something a bit different, a gemstone engagement ring rather than a diamond could be an option. Lifestyle is important, too. If you’re very active, then choose a durable metal such as platinum. Remember that the personal service of buying a bespoke engagement ring adds to the magic of it so choose a trustworthy jeweller who will guide you through the process. This is important when designing a bespoke engagement ring to ensure that you get the best possible ring for your budget. Finally, think about the finishing touches. You can add personal touches that hold meaning to both of you, for example engraving a special date, name or symbol into the ring, or adding a birthstone or gemstone which holds meaning. You can even incorporate the metal or stone from your parents or grandparents’ ring into your new design. Top tip: We always recommend asking to see a GIA report before purchasing a diamond. As an independent third party, the GIA issues trustworthy and accurate reports so that buyers know they are getting great quality and a fair deal. At Alicia J, we only deal with GIA (Gemological Institute of America) certified diamonds. Alicia J Diamonds | 0333 987 4985 | www.aliciajdiamonds.com | www.instagram.com/aliciajdiamonds