Kerala Bridal Makeup - 10 Things You Must Know

This is the perfect guide to get best look on your big day .When you think of a Kerala bride, your mind conjures up a beautiful collage of temple jewelry. Classic white silk kanchipuram sari. Braids with fresh flowers. The kerala bride emerges as a picture of grace and confidence, confidant in her strength to pursue the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. With culture and traditions varying across different southern states, we find unique elements being added to the rituals as well as the bridal look. So here are the ten most important things that are essential for Kerala Bridal makeup.

1. Hairdo

Image: Deepashree Sakharam Photography

The traditional Hindu Malayali bride prefers braiding her hair or pinning some hair and then leaving the rest to cascade. Generally, fresh strings of jasmine flowers (gajra) are used to adorn the hair and a gold tikka is used to decorate the hair partition. If it is a Christian Kerala bride, then she will be seen wearing a tiara and a pretty veil as hair adornments.

2. Necklaces

Image: Jaideep Chowdhary Photography

Gold plays a major role in a traditional Keralite wedding as it symbolizes status, power, riches and prominent position in the society. Here is a glimpse of the numerous necklaces worn by the traditional malayaleebride:

Palakka: It is an elegant gold necklace embedded with green and pink stones running in a pretty continuous pattern.

Kasu Mala – An age-old necklace pattern, it is made of gold shaped like coins and starts from the neck and ends at waist. This traditional necklace signifies status and riches and continues to be one of the primary pieces of jewellery worn by the Malayali brides.

3. Long Chains

Image Courtesy: Rocks and Beeds

The bride wears a set of long chains which ranges in sizing, shapes and patterns. Some of the traditional long chains are Poothali, Elakkathali, Thalikoottam, Kuzhiminni, Manonmani and Dhalamin. These can accentuate your overall look and are an integral part you must consider while going in for the Kerala bridal makeup.

[Read More: South Indian Bride Makeup]

4. Temple Jewellery

Image Courtesy: AD-Jewels

It is also extremely popular among brides and are generally made of idols of gods and goddesses. Decked with semi-precious stoned in red, green and white along with pearls, these pieces of jewellery are grand and exquisite with their elegant patterns.

5. Kasavu Saree

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While the Kanjeevarams and Benarasi sarees are popularly worn for weddings, the Kerala bride is supposed to wear the famous Kasavu saree. This gorgeous saree has an off-white or cream color shade with a lovely gold border which gives it an elegant appearance. A thick gold border on the Kasavu is considered to impart a royal and grand look to the saree. This saree is paired with a silk gold blouse on the wedding day to complete the bridal look.

6. Kerala Bridal Makeup

Image Courtesy: Deepasharee Sakharam Photography

Well, the Kerala bridal makeup is known for her simple yet glowing, which accentuates her best features and brings out the best in her. Starting with a good concealer and then applying compact should set the base for the rest of the light make-up. When it comes to eye make-up, glittery brown or bronze eyeshadow can be used. Apply a medium layered coat of eye liner and waterproof kajal. Add two generous coats of curling mascara to add some drama to the eyes. Lipstick shades could be on the lines of peach, mixture of pink or light reds. What completes the Kerala Bridal makeup. is a big red bindi which brings an instantaneous glow to the bride.

7. Bangles

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8. Minnukettu

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This is a Hindu custom adapted by Syrian Christians from Kerala. It is the Hindu equivalent of mangalsutra, which is shaped like a small leaf pendant made of gold with a cross on it made by beads. It is strung on a thread made from twenty one threads taken from the wedding saree called Manthrakodi. Post-seven days of marriage, this minnu is put in a gold chain and worn as a symbol of matrimony.

9. Kamarband

Image Courtesy: Dhanik Chokshi Photgraphy

Here’s a look at some grand cummerbund adorned with goddess which is mandatorily worn by the Kerala bride to accentuate her waist and add definition to the kasuvu saree.

10. Jhumkas

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The Kerala bride wears beautiful, chunky jhumkas which are either made of solid gold or embedded with red and green semi-precious stones.

Well that completes the overall look that is part of Kerala bridal makeup. Hope you enjoyed reading the article. Did we miss anything, let us know in the comments section below.