Every bride wants to look and feel their best on their wedding day, and choosing the perfect makeup can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. We’ve rounded up some beautiful wedding day makeup tips.
1. Practice, practice, practice
No matter how makeup-savvy you may be, you don’t want to wait to apply your wedding-day look for the first time on your big day. Make sure you have your trial at least three weeks, but no more than 5 weeks, before your wedding.
“Practice, practice, practice until you have the look that you want,” says Liz Fuller, owner of Boston-area Makeup Artistry Inc. “Then document what you used so that on the wedding day you can refer to your notes to remind you what products you used and how you used them.”
2. Look for products labeled “long-wear,” “long-lasting,” and “waterproof”
Brides typically start getting ready early in the morning and need to look camera-ready until the very end of the day. The key to keeping the majority of your makeup in place through the sweat, tears, and hugs is to use products that are designed to last.
3. Splurge on facials
Perfect skin is the best possible canvas for your makeup. And great skin for your wedding day is all in the preparation, says makeup artist Hillary Kline. “If the budget allows, start getting monthly facials — aim for at least three or four — before the big day,” she says. “Those will help firm and illuminate your complexion.”
4. Don’t reach for products that are high-definition, anti-aging, or contain SPF, which will give your face a white cast in photos
HD powders and anti-aging concealers are great when used minimally, but if you use even the slightest bit too much, the particles in the products will act as mirrors and reflect the camera’s flash, leaving you with a ghostly pale face.
If your wedding is outside, it’s a good idea to use products with SPF, but be careful that it doesn’t leave behind an ashy or bluish tone on your skin. If you can, skip foundation with SPF altogether just for your wedding to prevent the possibility of a face that’s too light for your body.
5. Allow yourself plenty of time to do your makeup on your big day
The last thing you want is to be rushed, so allow yourself much more time than usual. If you finish early, you can chill out and drink mimosas with your bridesmaids, and if your eyeliner takes you longer than planned (it always does), you won’t feel rushed to get everything else ready before photos.
6. Avoid sparkly products
Much like SPF and white powders, things that sparkle don’t shine — pun intended — in photos. “That means any eye shadows, face powders, highlighters with sparkles — they look absolutely terrible in flash photography,” says Kline. “Stick with neutral, subtle tones, and more matte eye shadows.”
7. Blend, blend, blend!
One of the biggest mistakes women make is not blending in their foundation past their jawlines and down onto their necks and chests. If your face is five shades lighter than your body, it will ruin your photos. Also, make sure there aren’t any harsh lines from foundation or contouring, or you’ll look overdone instead of ethereal.
