The Ultimate Makeup Guide Every Bride from South India Needs to Bookmark!
Confused about how to achieve that dewy look for early morning ceremonies? Here's a makeup guide curated for brides from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh.
South Indian brides are dressed up like goddesses in stunning wedding silk sarees, extravagant gold jewellery and fresh flowers. Yet, the look never becomes flashy because the South Indian bridal makeup brings an overall balance to it. The bridal hairstyle is always of tied-up hair in almost all the South Indian regions, so it is the makeup that essentially defines the look. A dewy glow will look good during the wedding ceremonies, as they usually start early in the morning. Here's a comprehensive guide on how brides from each Southern Indian state adorn themselves for their wedding day, including a detailed breakdown of their attire, bridal jewellery, and makeup. We also have a gallery of South Indian bridal makeup HD images to inspire and help you finalise your own South Indian bridal makeup look.
Table of Content:
- Tamil Nadu: The Kanjeevaram Queen Look
- Kerala: The Serene Malayali Bride
- Karnataka: The Vibrant Kannada Bride
- Telangana: The Gorgeous Pattu Telugu Princess
- Andhra Pradesh: The Pristine Andhra Bride
- South Indian Bridal Makeup Questions: Answers by Experts
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Tamil Nadu: The Kanjeevaram Queen Look
A Tamil Manappen dreams of adorning a traditional Kanjeevaram saree with gold jewellery, floral-decorated hairstyle and a complementary makeup style with Nazar ka teeka for her Saptapadi ceremony. Here's a breakdown of the south indian bridal makeup look for a Tamil bride.
Face Base
Depending on the bride's preference and the weather, Tamil brides often opt between a radiant matte or dewy makeup look. With the right touch of an illuminating strobe cream or primer before the foundation, the face illuminates naturally.
- Contour: The cheekbones, jawline and nose are naturally contoured for a more chiselled look.
- Defined Eyes: To match the gold jewellery, the use of gold is often seen for the eye makeup, followed by the application of eyeliner and kohl, to make the eyes look bigger.
- Bold Lips: Tamil brides love opting for bold, darker shades of red like Maroon or dark pink hues to go with their red Kanjeevaram saree.
Hairstyle
Tamil brides prefer a big lower bun, or a mix of a bun followed by a long braid and a mid-front parting. Side curled strands of hair on either side of the face are also added to enhance the overall look.
Ornamentation: The traditional hair accessorisation is a mix of gold jewellery and flowers. This includes Jaganagam jewellery for the braid, Rakkadi to hold the bun, Vagpu Chutti for the mid-parting and Suryapirai and Chandrapirai motifs placed on either side of the parting.
Jewellery
Brides who wish to keep up with the tradition go for pure gold temple jewellery bridal set, which includes Lakshmi Naga Malai and Kasumalai (coin) necklaces, Jhumkas with Mattal, Ottiyanam waist belt, Netti Chutti maang tikka, Kolusu anklets and Vanki armlet.
Kerala: The Serene Malayali Bride
Malayalee brides look magical in a pristine white and gold Kasavu saree, which is the traditional bridal ensemble of Kerala. The six-yard drape is matched with a heavily embellished bridal blouse. To match the serenity of the white trousseau, brides often opt for a subtle bridal makeup look. You will find numerous traditional South Indian bridal makeup images of Kerala makeup artists, showcasing such looks.
The Makeup Breakdown
- Face Base: The preference is more towards naturally glowing, dewy makeup that simply enhances the facial features.
- Contour: Very delicate contouring to lightly define the face sculpt. Makeup artists add blush delicately as a highlight.
- Neutral Eyes: Neutral eyeshadow palettes are used for the eye makeup, along with well-defined eyelines with the help of a liner and voluminous lashes.
- Elegant Lips: Instead of bold red lips, more neutral or hues of brown are used to match the bridal jewellery and saree look.
Hairstyle
Keeping it absolutely sleek, brides love going for a simple mid-parted lower bun. For additional drama, a long braid is added to complete the look.
Ornamentation: Malayali brides decorate their hair with jasmine flowers and gold motif jewellery.
Bridal Jewellery
Kerala brides love layering multiple gold necklaces for their wedding look. The traditional Pathaka, Kasu Mala, Manga Mala and Palakka Mala, among many other style necklaces, are paired with dangling gold earrings, stacks of bangles, a gold waist belt and much more.
Karnataka: The Vibrant Kannada Bride
Kannada brides look vibrantly stunning in a Nauvari saree style in bold hues of red. The nine-yard saree is often accompanied by an embellished blouse and heavy golden jewellery. To match the striking hues of the ensemble, the brides often go for a balance of subtle makeup look with bold lips. Here's a breakdown:
The Base
With undertones of illuminating serum, a radiating base makeup goes well with the vibrant hues of the wedding saree.
Contour
Rosy cheeks, soft contoured nose and jawline give the bride a pookie look.
Eye Makeup
Matching the rosy cheeks, hues of red and orange are often used in deeper tones than the saree, finished with shimmering shadow on top. Very subtle eyeliner and eyelashes are added to the look.
Red Lips
Yes, a warm red that matches the skin tone of the bride perfectly.
Hairstyle
Kannada brides adore lower buns decorated with motif jewellery and flower embellishments.
Telangana: The Gorgeous Pattu Telugu Princess
Telangana brides choose between a Kanchipuram and Dharmavaram rich silk saree as their bridal trousseau. They match it up with a heavy work zari blouse design and tiers of diamond jewellery. And to balance all the glitter and shine, they go for a simple South Indian bridal makeup look. Take a look!
The Base
Telugu brides prefer keeping their makeup base matte to keep up with the hot and humid weather around town. The foundation used can be a shade or two lighter to give a more glowing, vibrant base makeup look.
Contour
The cheeks are highlighted with blush and the bake method to match the colourful silk saree drape.
Eye Makeup
Glistening eyes in shades of gold, rose pink, and copper with an edgy eyeliner and lashes are considered to complement the shine of the silk saree.
Lips
Not so dark and not so light, a medium-hued red or pink lipstick is matched with the look.
Jewellery
With the modernisation, Telugu brides can now be seen opting for diamond jewellery on a silver base over traditional temple jewellery for their wedding look.
Andhra Pradesh: The Pristine Andhra Bride
Andhra brides love adorning Kanjivaram sarees woven in hues of reds and golds. Adding on to the bling factor is all the temple and traditional jewellery that goes with it, and they don't compromise on keeping their makeup look bold too! Take a look.
Base Make
Matte, absolutely vibrant. Well-baked base makeup with full-coverage foundation is the key.
Contour
Very subtle, almost invisible. But the usage of light blush is included to highlight the cheekbones.
Eye Makeup
Well-blended semi-smokey eye makeup with lots of golden glitter on the eyelids and kohl to make the eyes appear bigger.
Lips
Nothing but bold shades of red lipsticks to match an Andhra bride's attire.
Jewellery
While some brides prefer the traditional temple jewellery, many also include layers of diamond jewellery and Jadau Nizami style jewellery for their bridal look.
South Indian Bridal Makeup Questions: Answers by an Expert
These state-special South Indian bridal makeup looks will surely inspire you to find your trousseau calling. We know that you still might have some questions to ask or seek tips that will come in handy. We spoke to famous makeup artist, Sujani Suresh, who hustles between Mumbai and Kerala, transforming girls into beautiful brides, to answer some of the most asked questions. Here’s what she has to say!
Q. How do I match my bridal makeup to my silk saree and jewellery?
A: Usually, South Indian brides’ main highlight is their saree and jewellery. So when you go heavy on the jewels with a brighter silk sari, I would say to keep the makeup minimal. Avoid glowy makeup, since all the South Indian weddings happen during the day, the brides tend to sweat a lot. So keep the makeup semi-matte, highlighted eyes and a neutral lip shade.
Q. What are the best makeup looks for daytime South Indian weddings?
A: Suresh suggests semi-matte, semi-dewy HD looks and airbrush looks, as they suit the South Indian brides best. They give a more natural and no-makeup finish and don't melt away upon long wear.
Q. What’s the best makeup look for a Kannada bride wearing a Mysore silk?
A: HD and airbrush makeup are a reliable choice for a Kannada bride. She recommends not going for a glass skin look, as the Kannada brides sit in front of the Havan for long hours. A breathable medium coverage look would suit them best.
Q. How can I make my bridal makeup last through a long temple wedding?
A: Proper skin prepping is important for the makeup to last. Prep the skin according to the skin type and do not skip the primer. And more importantly, blending is the key. I always ask my bride to remove the facial hairs so that the makeup can be well blended and long-lasting. Keep a blotting paper and a blending puff handy to touch up in between.
Q. Is airbrush or HD makeup better for South Indian brides?
A: HD makeup, any day! The bride or we can do her quick touch-up in between, whereas in airbrush makeup, it is not possible for the bride to do it herself.
Q. How far in advance should I book my South Indian bridal MUA?
A: As per Sujani, it is preferable to book your MUA as soon as the wedding date is fixed. Most of the MUAs’ booking slots open a year in advance.
Q. What questions should I ask my MUA before the wedding?
Sujani shares these key questions to ask your MUA before finalising them for your wedding makeup.
- Date availability
- Have you ever worked with any South Indian brides? If yes, then ask them to share the pictures/portfolio for reference.
- Types of brands/products they use.
- Please raise the concern if you are allergic to any of the products.
- Ask whether they offer trial makeup or not.
- Terms and conditions to block the date
- How long does the makeup application take
- Things to arrange from the Bride’s side
- Do they travel to your location
- Discuss the budget
Read More: Essential Questions to Ask Your Bridal Makeup Artist
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