Make Up
For Karina’s Bridal cover look, my focus was on creating luminous, flawless skin paired with soft sculpting and romantic eyes — a look that feels timeless, elegant and radiant.
I began by prepping the skin with Bobbi Brown Face Base, one of my go-to products for creating a hydrated, smooth canvas. It allows makeup to blend seamlessly into the skin while giving the complexion a healthy, natural glow.
For the base, I combined Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter with NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation. I love this combination because it creates that lit-from-within radiance while still providing the flawless coverage needed for photo-ready skin. To brighten and perfect the centre of the face, I used Huda Beauty Faux Filter Concealer in Yogurt Drops, which helps lift the base while keeping the skin looking fresh and luminous.
To softly sculpt the face, I applied Bellamianta Sculpting Balm, gently defining the cheekbones and jawline to add warmth and structure. I then used the Make Up For Ever HD Face Essentials Palette in Harmony 2 to introduce soft blush tones, enhancing dimension while maintaining a natural, skin-like finish.
To set the base without losing the glow, I used Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Powder in Pound Cake. I added sun-kissed warmth with MAC Cosmetics Mineralize Skinfinish in Give Me Sun, while Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Blush and the Dior Backstage Glow Highlight Palette provided a fresh bridal flush and a radiant highlight.
For the eyes, I created a delicate, romantic look using the Natasha Denona Texture & Tone Palette in Soft, keeping the tones neutral and softly blended for a timeless finish. Ardell Demi Wispies lashes added a subtle flutter, while Hildun Beauty Silk to Set Eyepencil in Chocolate brought gentle depth to the lash line. The brows were shaped using the Senna Cosmetics Brow Book to create natural structure and frame the face beautifully.
For the lips, I defined the shape with MAC Cosmetics Soar Lipliner and paired it with Charlotte Tilbury Wedding Belles Lipstick for the perfect soft bridal pink. A final layer of Maybelline Lifter Gloss in Gummy Bear added a touch of shine and fullness.
To finish the look, I set everything with One/Size Beauty Powder Melt Setting Spray, ensuring the makeup remained flawless, radiant and completely camera-ready throughout the shoot.
Makeup: Stephanie Burns Makeup, Lisburn, tel: 079 1214 9827
Hair
Here is a rewritten, cleaner and more concise version while keeping the key information and professional tone:
One of my favourite bridal looks to create — a soft, modern and romantic bridal ponytail.
To prep the hair, I started on dry hair by applying Color Wow Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer at the roots and blow-drying it in using a GHD 45mm ceramic round brush to achieve soft volume and glossy lift.
For extra long-lasting height and frizz control, I lightly crimped the roots with Lala’s styling prep tool.
To create the tousled, effortless curls, I used a 26mm wand. Each section was prepped with L’Oréal Flex Pli Thermo Modelling Shape Memory Spray and finished with Silhouette Pump Spray to ensure the curls stayed fresh and held beautifully throughout the wedding day.
A few rows of hair extensions were added to give the ponytail extra fullness and movement. I left some soft curls around the face for a romantic finish, and added Osis Soft Dust at the fringe and crown for additional volume.
To complete the look, I smoothed any frizz and defined the curls using Color Wow One-Minute Transformation Styling Cream. Bed Head Masterpiece hairspray provided hold and shine, while Bed Head Shine Spray added a final glossy finish.
Hair: Margaret Mallon Hairstyling, Lisburn, tel: 079 3374 9080
Photographer
Although we’re best known for our wedding and portrait photography, fashion—especially bridal fashion—has always been something we genuinely love to shoot. Working on the cover and editorial photoshoot for GMINI is always a highlight for me. It’s a bit like photographing a stunning bride, but with the luxury of having an entire day dedicated to crafting just eight to ten truly beautiful images.
For this issue’s front cover, we photographed our model, Karina, using a pose and lighting setup that we incorporate into almost every wedding we shoot. It’s a strong, flattering pose, paired with beautifully soft, elegant lighting that enhances natural beauty and creates a timeless feel.
It’s a look we trust and return to again and again—because it works. Every single time.
Photographer: Ciaran O’Neill Photograhy, Lurgan, tel: 077 3330 5089
Dresses: Perfect Day, Lurgan, tel: 028 3832 1607, visit: www.perfectdayni.com
Venue: Gilford Castle Estate, Gilford, visit: www.gilfordcastleestate.com or e-mail: Info@gilfordcastleestate.com
Models: Karina Kustova
