Get festival-wedding ready with help of Bucks beauty expert

With a host of glorious locations in the area from the Cotswolds to the Chilterns, a festival-style big day makes perfect sense if you're planning summer nuptials. With that in mind, the wonderful make-up artist Shell Sullivan has given Your Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wedding her expert advice on outdoor wedding make-up and skincare tips...

I just love this new wave of outdoor festival-themed weddings; informal celebrations that focus on fun, food and flower crowns… with blissed out summer vibes, they're simply heaven. You will be wanting to create a relaxed ceremony with hay bales, wild flowers and musicians to serenade you as you walk down the aisle. With this in mind, your hair and makeup should reflect this understated elegance.

Start with good skincare and opt for a protection range. Murad offer a beautiful range of products that protect and perfect the skin. I would recommend Murad, Essential-C day Moisture SPF 30 to preserve hydration all day long and to protect the skin from UVA/UVB rays and sun damage, but whatever you choose, use a skin cream with an added SPF to protect the skin on a daily basis. Team this with the Advance Active Radiance Serum for beautifully glowing radiant skin, this little wonder protects skin from environmental damage, renewing skin for a smoother, more youthful complexion.

For festival-themed make-up styles, some brides prefer a more laid back, glossy, less-is-more feel where others opt for that pop of colour. What I would say is book a trial with a good make-up artist as both these looks can be tricky to achieve without the right guidance. Some artists offer a bridal make-up lesson which is a great alternative for those on a tighter budget.

If you would like to experiment and create your own festival-themed look, then start by choosing a good waterproof base. Mac Face & Body is a classic go-to offering a sheer long-lasting base. Opt for a really good concealer to apply over the base, on any areas that need that little extra, for instance, under the eyes, round the nose or mouth and of course any of those pesky blemishes. I have just converted to the YSL All Hours Concealer; this full coverage, richly pigmented little dream, camouflages imperfections and banishes those under eye dramas just perfectly. It's a handy on-the-go touch up too.

If you are a fan on the contour craze then do this softly, as the natural light will show every detail of your make-up. A subtle well-blended cream contour will do just nicely. Don't forget to add a dash of blush – a pop of colour to the apples of your cheeks will really awaken your skin tone. My favourite is a cream waterproof blush by Daniel Sandler. This can be applied with a specific cream blush brush or just your hands.

Set your make-up with a loose powder. For this I recommend Becca Hydra-Mist Set & Refresh Powder. Not only does this setting powder fix make-up into place for extended wear, it's so revitalising that it feels like a mist on the skin. Made up of 50% water and glycerine, this can be applied throughout the day to keep looking fresh.

Highlight with a gorgeously glowing cream: MAC strobe cream is a perfect way to start. You can always add a swirl of Becca Highlight in Opal over the top for an added strobe effect. For your eyes you can opt for something nude and understated; there's lots of creamy waterproof eye shadows on the market. You could even try an eye gloss, which can look stunning. Try Kevin Aucoin, Exotique Diamond Eye Gloss.

You may prefer a little pop of colour to the eyes, I would suggest a one wash sweep of colour, team with a lined eye with waterproof black liner, and my recommendation here would be the Kat Von D Tattoo liner or Tarte Tartiest Liner. Finish with a beautiful set of lashes. I always offer strip lashes to my clients as they finish the look off perfectly. Apply these with duo glue – use a waterproof long lasting formula.

Spritz with a cooling setting spray and you are festival wedding ready! It might be nice to keep this handy as a little refresher throughout the day.

To find out more about Shell Sullivan, visit www.mymakeupartist.biz, and for more expert advice on beauty, fashion and much more, check out the latest issue of Your Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wedding magazine – on sale now.