Let me preface this by saying I had a very small wedding, but just like every bride, I wanted to look my best on my special day, and I knew that meant doing my wedding makeup. While I know that might sound daunting to some, sitting in a chair while someone else applied my makeup sounded much more stressful. I love beauty–I was previously a beauty editor–so applying makeup is something I enjoy.
It makes me feel relaxed and happy, exactly how I want to feel before walking down the aisle. Don’t get me wrong; just because I love to apply makeup doesn’t mean I’m an expert. But thanks to my interest in beauty and a good amount of research, I was able to bring my look to life on the big day.
If you’re considering doing your makeup on your wedding day, scroll down for some of my tips.
Tips And Tricks For Wedding Makeup
What to do before starting makeup?
1. Do your research
Once you decide to do your Wedding Makeup, scroll through Pinterest, watch YouTube, and pick the look you want; remember to be realistic with your makeup skills. When you have the look in mind, try achieving it with your wedding hair and makeup.
You might be surprised that you already have most of what it takes to achieve your wedding day look in your makeup bag. I only had to purchase foundation and setting powder to bring my look to life.
2. Plan and prepare
If you plan to get any treatment, try it three to four months before your big day. This way, you can understand any issues well in advance. I didn’t do any treatments per se. I did get a very light spray tan a couple of days before my wedding, and I was thrilled with the results because I went to someone I’d previously seen.
3. Know your skincare
Stick with what you know your skin loves, and use the same skincare products the month of your wedding. Adding in new masks or creams might agitate the skin or worse, cause a reaction. Make sure you’re using an exfoliant the month of your wedding (I love Vitamin C because it’s gentle), as this will make the skin smooth and easy for natural wedding makeup application.
I also recommend having a great moisturizer and lip balm because there’s nothing better than applying wedding makeup to hydrated skin. My favorite moisturizer under bridal makeup is Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Cream or Cerave PM, and I love Kosas Lip Fuel.
While my bridal hair and makeup didn’t change much before my wedding day, I used my face sculpting tools more consistently. My trusty gua sha and NuFace became a part of my daily routine a few weeks before I walked down the aisle. I also swapped my old eye cream for a more luxurious formula by Skinceuticals to address my dark circles and fragile under-eye area.
Let’s talk about makeup
You have your look, but now you need the tools to achieve it. When you select Wedding Makeup, you must think about what looks good in person and on camera. Here are a few of my tips, on what to use and how to use while doing makeup, as well as the products I used to get my look.
1. Foundation
I opted for a dewy, buildable foundation, Chantecaille’s Future Skin Gel Foundation, in the shade of porcelain. It is made of 60% water. It went on silky smooth and lasted all night. This foundation is amazing, I still use it for special occasions when I know I will be photographed!
Features and Benefits
- Oil free Gel
- Eases the appearance of flaws
- Rich in antioxidants
How To Use
- Apply with fingertips
- If someone is having red or uneven skin, apply with additional layer
- Can be worn alone or mixed with a drop of Liquid Lumière
2. Concealer
Like your foundation, your concealer should not be light-reflective or contain SPF. I wore my favorite concealer, the famous Shape Tape by Tarte, and as usual, it lasted from day to night.
Features and Benefits
- Smooths & brightens for an instant eye lift
- Improves the appearance of lines & wrinkles
- Vegan & cruelty-free
- Can be easily applied with smoother
How To Use
- Put concealer under eyes by applying dots
- Blend upward with sponge
- Swipe on redness and uneven areas
- For final blending use the large end of the sponge
3. Powder
I was worried that the powder would look cakey or blotchy in photos. So, before my wedding, I did a ton of research and decided on this mini-setting powder from Laura Mercier. Following instructions from this article, I applied said powder with a buff (not a brush) under my eyes and on my T-zone. It went on smooth, kept my Wedding Makeup in place, and made my skin appear nearly flawless.
Features and Benefits
- Oil Free
- Non-caking
- Sets the makeup without adding weight
- Modern Matte Finish
- Flawless look
How To Use
- Folding and pressing the two halves together to work the powder into a puff
- In order to set makeup, roll puff onto the skin
- Combine with Laura Mercier Foundation and your preferred Pure Canvas Primer for iconic No Makeup look
4. Bronzer
I love a shimmer bronzer for that lit-from-within-glow. My favorite is Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in ‘Luminous Bronze Light.
Features and Benefits
- Gives radiant finish
- Provides seamless blending and color transition
- Creates depth and dimension
- Ideal for light complexions
How To Use
- To get a sun-kissed effect, lightly apply to the entire face
- Apply Ambient® Lighting Bronzer with the Ambient® Lighting Brush to create a delicate contour along the temples
- To create the ideal light, explore the Ambient® Lighting Collection
5. Blush
A few years ago, on set, a Wedding Makeup artist told me that blush, specifically cream blush, is an absolute MUST on camera because it naturally brings the skin to life. I now exclusively use cream blush. On my wedding day, I used the shade ‘Reverence,’ a cool-toned petal pink cream blush from Kjaer Weiss, but I also love Tower 28’s cream blush.
Features and Benefits
- Blends seamlessly
- Illuminating & Sculpting
- Multitasking
How To Apply
- Apply with warm fingers or use brush
- Layers upon layers create a more dramatic, sculptural appearance; a little applies a sheer, flushed veil of color
- Blend by swiping, tapping along the way
6. Highlighter
Like blush, look for a liquid or cream formula with long-lasting results. My favorite highlighter for special occasions and everyday use is ILIA’s Multi-Stick Highlighter in ‘Polka Dots and Moonbeams’. A great thing to apply for wedding makeup.
Features and Benefits
- Easy to apply
- Can be used to create customized look
- Can be used for both natural and luminous finishing looks
How To Apply
- Directly from the tube, apply on lips and cheeks. Use a brush or your fingertips to blend into the skin
- Using our Perfecting Buff Brush, remove color from the tube and carefully apply it to your cheeks for a flawless application
- Set with a thin layer of Soft Focus Finishing Powder for wear that lasts longer
7. Eye Makeup
I kept my brows simple, filling them in and brushing them into place with IT Cosmetics’ Brow Pencil in the shade ‘Taupe’ (it’s the perfect shade for blondes). I stuck to my everyday liner for my eyelids but opted to play with my shadow. I chose NARS’ Eyeshadow Duo in ‘Alhambra,’ which I got to know when I was exploring the beauty blogs of Route shopping because the golden hues complimented my eye color and matched my inspiration images.
Features and Benefits
- Mixes readily to produce a uniform, smooth color
- Can be applied wet or dry and used as a liner or eyeshadow
- Four finishes: soft matte, satin, metallic, and glitter
How To Use
- Apply shadow directly on top
- This versatile composition works well as both a wet and dry eyeshadow and liner
- Matte or satin shadows can be applied to the entire lid using the #40 Eyeshadow Brush, and color can be diffused using the #42 Blending Eyeshadow Brush
- Apply all-over sheer shimmer using #41 Diffusing Brush
- Apply brighter tones to certain areas using the #44 Precision Contour Brush and pack on rich flashes of color with the #41 Diffusing Brush
- #49 Wet/Dry Eyeshadow Dampening Apply a brushstroke or pat technique on the lid to enhance the metallic hues. Using #46 Push Eyeliner Brush, double the shade as a liner and press into the lashline.
8. Mascara
Wedding Makeup without Mascara is incomplete. I curled my lashes with my Kevyn Aucoin lash curler, and since I wasn’t using falsies, I applied Dior’s Lash Primer to my eyelashes for extra volume. To finish the look, I applied Pacifica’s waterproof mascara – I like it because it’s easy to use, stays put, and is under $20.
Features and Benefits
- Lash lengthening brush
- Water-resistant wear
- Deep intensity color
- Formulated without carmine, phthalates, petrolatum, and silicone
How To Use
- For a natural-looking lash appearance, use one coat; for greater intensity, layer
- For bottom lashes, use the brush’s tip
9. Lips
Like blush, pigmented lipstick can bring your look to life. On my lips, I wore my favorite Charlotte Tilbury Superstar Lip in ‘Pillow Talk.’ It’s a couple of shades darker than my natural lip color and is a classic shade that looks good on me in photos. One caveat: I had to reapply this lipstick throughout the night. If I could do it again, I would opt for Chanel’s long-lasting, low-maintenance lip color, Rouge Duo, in the shade ‘Light Rose.’
10. Setting Spray
I didn’t use a primer because I didn’t want to buy a beauty product I wouldn’t use again (I don’t wear a full face of Wedding Makeup often). So, instead, I prepped my skin and set my makeup with Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir. I already owned this spray and knew it would keep my makeup fresh. I love the smell!
Features and Benefits
- Antioxidant
- Has skin toning and refreshing properties
- Helps reduce skin redness
How To Use
- Shake before use
- After which mist your face
- avoid the eyes with the décolleté
What To Avoid While Doing Wedding Makeup?
Doing certain mistakes while doing wedding makeup will ruin your hard work, even though you have followed the above guidelines. Makeup artist should also know what to avoid while doing makeup on brides. 5 common mistakes that makeup artists should avoid doing are mentioned below.
1. Applying Dramatic Makeup
Some artists considers that applying everything with excessive amount would be good. But in real, It looks very dramatic and clearly seems that the bride has done overdo. The makeup artist should also know what to apply on what type of skin, is the thing I am applying, is it really worth it or not. In general keep the makeup simple and sweet.
2. Not Using Finishing Powder
Finishing is the key to success for wedding makeup or bridal makeup. Without it your makeup can fade quickly, and there be lights on stage so the makeup will also look inappropriate.
3. Experimenting New Products
Your makeup artist should not use those products or new products, which you are not aware or you generally not use. Because some products are not for every type of skin, and it can cause redness or rashes on your skin, If it doesn’t fit on your skin.
4. Applying Too Much Foundation
In past, the camera quality wasn’t that good, so brides and makeup artists used to apply large amount of foundation, but now as the camera quality has been improved so, It is not recommended to apply too much foundation, as it will look crazy in pictures.
5. Applying False Lashes
False lashes will be uncomfortable for the bride and can be irritating during wedding as well. Instead of this brides should apply extensions or killer mascara on it.
Final words
You will look great at the end of the day because it’s your wedding day. If you’re happy, smiling, and in love, that will show in all of your photos. The wedding day glow is real, not just because of highlighter, although I recommend it. Get Discounts on top beauty products by visiting Clicky vouchers.