Have you ever wondered how Instagram’s most aesthetically pleasing beauty and fashion content creators approach their big day? According to Sydney-based newlywed Mishti Rahman, it’s all about smart planning and paying attention to one’s true self. We asked her to break down all five of her stunning wedding beauty looks, from the unique, vampy lip she wore to her engagement party that would make The Phantom of the Opera‘s Christine Daaé hit a high note to the windswept, tousled curls that complemented her venue’s picturesque garden that looks as if it’s been plucked from a fairytale.
Below, read all the intimate details of Rahman’s take on wedding beauty, then shop her edit of the makeup and fragrances that helped bring her vision to life following a yearlong engagement in the land down under.
Wedding Beauty With Mishti Rahman
Taking a quick look at Pinterest, there’s endless inspiration for wedding beauty, and you happen to be on many of the boards I’ve come across. How did you begin piecing together your unique approach to it?
I wanted to feel like myself! As someone in the makeup industry, I’ve had a hard time finding what works for my features and skin tone, so I was a little scared during my makeup trials. I was struggling to find an artist that knew how to do what suited me well. I wanted to see myself in softer bridal tones but very much stuck to my signature look: a lip liner that helps me create the no-makeup look while also being able to be enhanced.
I’ve worked with Dior Beauty in an ambassadorship, so it was a no-brainer for them to be my bridal makeup. I was also afraid of wearing too many layers, so I keep my makeup soft, light, and comfortable. Our wedding was in the summer, and we had a garden ceremony, so I had to pay attention to the climate we were in. Everything was Dior Beauty up to my lips (using my makeup), which I love and wear all the time.
I’ve been following your wedding journey, from the proposal in Tokyo to a candle-lit engagement dinner, rehearsal dinner, and beyond. How did the ethereal-yet-modern style of your wedding influence your beauty looks?
My wedding designer was Paolo Sebastian, and his gowns are magical and very unique. I stepped into the world of Paolo Sebastian at his atelier and knew it was the best fit. He followed the journey from our engagement up until the wedding, which was such an honor. For the engagement party, my friends told me to wear white, so I ended up choosing a fairy, ethereal swan dress that I decided to vamp up with a plum lip. I wanted to look like a different type of bride!
I knew I was always going to go for a softer look since I would never go for a dark makeup look on my actual wedding day, so the engagement party was a chance for me to have a bit more fun. It all started with [Sebastian’s] dress, which was light, sheer, and sparkly with winglike details. I like that I did something a bit avant-garde with the darker tones in my eye shadow for gothic-style makeup.
I also did a cultural look for my nikah, which was really important to my mom. When it comes to Bengali-style wedding looks, the bride is usually dripping in makeup! When I went over to Bangladesh, I noticed the more traditional bridal makeup drastically changes your skin tone to nearly four shades lighter. It’s not something I’m a big advocate for, and I didn’t like it for my own makeup. I was told that I wouldn’t really look like a bride unless I wore way more makeup, but I was adamant to stick to my natural tones.
My nikah makeup look also changed with the sari and jewelry I wore. (The large necklace was a gift from my family.) Instead of wearing the matching earrings, I asked the jeweler to break them into little studs, and I decided to really cut down the amount of wedding jewelry I was expected to wear—I felt like there could only be a few divas! Since my necklace was the star, [it] also helped me determine what I wanted to do for the rest of my makeup.
I remember scrolling through your pictures and noticing how you still looked like yourself but even more elevated in all of your wedding looks!
I definitely wanted to, but culturally, it’s been a challenge for me. When I released my very nude, brown-toned lip color, I got feedback my inner circle in Bangladesh saying, “Girls love wearing fuchsia pink and really bright colors!” But I’ve been seeing a change in how we, in the Brown community, are thinking about makeup. We’re not trying to disguise who we are but [are] embracing our beauty. I love our skin tones! The melanin in us is beautiful.
For my wedding, I was really big on not wanting to change who I am but focus on enhancing my appearance. Brown is one of my favorite colors, especially when it comes to eye shadows, blush, lips, and eyeliners. I think working with and learning my natural color palette has helped me as a creator and someone who has built a makeup line. The best advice I ever got from Paolo Sebastian was that I shouldn’t try to be someone else on my wedding day. Be 100% yourself to feel like the best version of yourself.
I’ve talked to a few different brides, and many eventually come to a similar conclusion about the importance of feeling like themselves, especially when it comes to hair. What was that like for you?
If I’m going to be really honest, I felt like hair was the area I wish I put a little more thought into. At the time, I thought everything would just work out. I wasn’t so particular about it. I was focused so much more on the makeup and gowns that I let my hair do its thing! If I could change one thing, instead of bouncy, blowout curls, I think I should have done an updo or half-up style and played around more with my hair instead of keeping it so simple.
Did you take any extra steps in your beauty routine over the course of your yearlong engagement to prep for the wedding?
Healthy hair was important, so I didn’t experiment much with it other than letting it grow out a lot. My thing used to be curtain bangs, but they grew out, and it gave me a cleaner, more “’90s aesthetic” hairstyle when it was at one length with minimal layers. I really relied on a Korean hairstylist here in Sydney, who gave my hair the TLC it needed over the year to keep it glossy and treated.
I also did more regular facials in the months before my wedding, but I’m conscious of how expensive they can get. So I used to do a turmeric-honey mask, and I added Greek yogurt for glowy skin. I also like to combine oats with milk and honey to create a facial scrub that you can do for yourself. I don’t like harsh chemicals, and I’d rather go more natural on my skin.
With so much nail inspo available at the push of a button, how did you land on your dream manicure?
As someone who likes to wear natural nails, I paid attention to what nail shape best suited my hands, which was a short almond shape. I wanted something that made my hands look elongated. I trialed bridal nails to gauge what I would be happy with and found a very nice nude tone. I wanted the natural color of my nails but in a polish, and this one was vanilla bean with a hint of pink.
I wore it at the start of the year and told my technician I would do the same thing for my wedding. There was also no surprises! As a bride, I’m worried about so many things going wrong since there are a lot of moving parts, and I wanted to stay consistent and grounded. I’m already someone who doesn’t want to take chances, so I stuck to what would make me comfortable.
How many wedding looks were there in total? I couldn’t get enough of them on Instagram!
There were five looks. A few celebrations leading up to the wedding paid homage to my culture, where I wore the traditional sari that was handed down to me from my grandmother, and we had an Islamic sheikh there. On another day, we did a Greek Orthodox ceremony to honor my husband’s culture in a garden, where we wore wedding crowns bound together by a ribbon. (I wore a high-neck gown by KWH Bridal.)
The Paolo Sebastian gown was the dress of my dreams with lace teardrop sleeves and a minimal design with a 1920s veil, and I wore it twice. My evening gown was a Michael Lo Sordo silk, Hollywood-style dress. We also had a civil ceremony and went down to the town hall with our two close friends, and I wore a Dior-esque dress from a Thailand-based designer.
Shop Mishti Rahman’s Wedding Beauty Edit
Dior
Backstage Eyeshadow Palette in Warm Essentials
This all-in-one eye shadow and primer palette is offered in four universal shade ranges and two finishes for an array of customizable eye looks.
Dior
Dior Forever Skin Correct Concealer
Dior’s transfer-proof, full-coverage concealer camouflages imperfections with an iris-, wild pansy–, and nasturtium extract–infused formula.
Dior
Dior Forever Skin Glow Foundation
Here’s a radiant, hydrating medium- to full-coverage foundation powered by skin-loving ingredients to visibly improve skin over time.
Dior
Rouge Blush in The Nude Look
Use this to enhance your cheeks with a long-wearing, healthy glow. It’s available in four finishes and 22 versatile shades.
Dior
Backstage Rosy Glow Blush in Pink
For naturally rosy cheeks, use this high-tech blush that reacts to the skin’s moisture level upon application.
Dior
Rouge Dior Lipstick in Rose Blues
Getting the “just bitten” lip look has never been easier with the help of Rouge Dior Lipstick in Rose Blues.
Dior
Jasmin de Anges Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: fruity gourmand
Key Notes: bergamot, jasmine, apricot nectar, osmanthus, peach, white musk, vanilla
Dior’s solar, gourmand scent strikes the perfect balance between timeless elegance and modernity.
Penhaligon’s
Highgrove Bouquet Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: floral woods
Key Notes: geranium, lavender, hyacinth, silver lime blossom, mimosa, tuberose, cedarwood, orris fusion, musks
Weddings are made even more magical with this Penhaligon’s fragrance hanging in the air.
Penhaligon’s
The Favourite Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: floral woods
Key Notes: mandarin essence, violet, jasmine, mimosa, iris concentrate, sandalwood essence, musk, ambroxan
A must-have floral scent for anyone with an affinity for citrus and sandalwood.
