You’ve got the dress sorted, now it’s time to think about wedding beauty…
Looking for wedding make-up tips ahead of your own big day? Look no further, as we’ve put together 20 bridal make-up dos and dont’s, with a little help from the experts, to make sure you look flawless whatever your wedding budget.
And when you’re done here, wise up with our wedding planning guide and browse our wedding hairstyles inspiration to help with all other aspects of your big day.
Simply say ‘I do’ to the following bridal make-up rules and prepare to wow…
Do:
Take care of your skin
‘Having a thorough day and night skincare routine is so important at least 3-6 months before the wedding to ensure your skin is ready for the big day! It will help with how makeup looks and stays onto the skin throughout the day,’ urges Zara Findlay, Bobbi Brown Pro Artist.
Have your trial 3-5 weeks before your wedding
‘Make sure you have your trial at least three weeks, but no more than 5 weeks, before your wedding. If you plan on using fake tan for the big day, have a test run before your make-up trial so that your artist can see what colour your skin becomes with the tan,’ says M·A·C Senior Artist, Rebecca Butterworth.
‘Be your best self on trial day. Do feel your best self on your trial day. Make sure that your hair is done and you are wearing jewellery so that you can see how the total look will come together on the day,’ adds Zara.
Wear a t-shirt in a similar colour to your dress
‘… if you’re having your make-up test in a store, so that you can see how the make-up looks against it and take a picture of yourself in day light (with no flash) to see how it looks before you purchase anything,’ says celebrity make-up maestro Caroline Barnes.
Emphasise your eyes
‘Brighten any darkness under them with corrector and concealer,’ says Bobbi Brown.
‘It’s all about choosing the right tone to compliment your eye colour. You want the make sure the stand-out feature is your eyes and not the makeup. Another technique for making your eyes pop, is to keep the intensity and depth of the colour closest to your lash line,’ adds Zara.
Bring references to your trial
‘Start looking for images of make-up that you really like and bring them with you on the day. Try to identify what it is you like about the make-up in the image and take into account that if you have the skin colour of Dita Von Teese, then the make-up of Kim Kardashian won’t necessarily translate on to you,’ says Rebecca from M·A·C.
Consider colour
‘Remember that bridal make-up needs to have enough colour to compensate for the whiteness of the dress. There’s a big difference between everyday clothes and a wedding dress, so there should be difference in your make-up, too. Start by making sure your skin looks even and smooth, and then add colour to your cheeks and lips to give them a glow,’ says Bobbi Brown.
Use individual false lashes
‘They’re a brilliant way to make your eyes stand out and look far more subtle than a full strip. Go for differing lengths to create a really natural fluttery look and nestle them in between your natural lashes rather than fixing them on top,’ says Rebecca.
Don’t skip the basics
‘Focus on the most important elements of your look, such as beautifully natural-looking skin, softly groomed brows and feathery lashes. If you get these basic factors right the rest of your make-up will fall into place,’ says Caroline Barnes.
Research application methods
‘They might differ slightly from your everyday make-up routine. For example, if you prefer to line with a shadow, make it last longer by applying it with a slightly damp eyeliner brush,’ says Bobbi.
Go pro
‘The best wedding make-up should last as long as you do so I love M·A·C’s Prolongwear range which includes foundations, concealers, lip and eye products that provide superior wear that will see you through your wedding day and night,’ says Rebecca.
Highlight the brow bone
‘Finish your make-up off with a highlighter shade on the brow bone to make the eyes really pop. Go for a light matte shade, and pat onto the outer corner of the brow bone so subtly draw attention to this area of your face,’ says Bobbi.
Do bring a few products in your bag
‘Make sure you or a bridesmaid carries a powder, lipstick, concealer & small buffing brush or sponge in your bag. These are quick touch up products to ensure you are looking your most confident all day,’ says Zara.
Don’t:
Have your make-up test done anywhere with overhead fluorescent lighting
‘If you have a professional make-up artist coming to your home, arrange a time when it’s still daylight outside,’ says Caroline Barnes.
Let a make-up artist hijack your look
‘For a lot of people, their wedding is a time when they can really take pleasure in having someone else do their make-up, but I think there can be a temptation to just indulge in the experience and take on all sorts of suggestions from the make-up artist – someone who may not know you or how you like to look particularly well. I’d advise real caution here; you don’t want to surprise your intended at the altar by turning up looking like someone else. Whether you’re hiring a make-up artist or doing your own, I generally think that the best bridal make-up is simply the most exquisitely polished version of how the bride usually looks – after all, you want to look beautiful rather than your make-up,” says make-up artist and Lancôme UK Make-up Artist Ambassador, Alex Babsky.
Don’t wear an SPF
‘If you are having any flash photography, it is recommended not to wear an SPF as the flash will bounce off the skin making you look washed out. Be sure to test at your trial by taking a photo with your flash on.’
Trowel it on
‘It’s a total myth that your make-up has to be plastered on for the photographs. Lots of wedding photography is done in natural light, and if you choose a heavy base the make-up will look obvious. In terms of flash, you just need to ensure that your T-zone is matte, which can be achieved with fine translucent powders and blotting powders, not layers of make-up,’ says Caroline.
Go for anything too trend-led
‘It’s worth bearing in mind that you’ll have to live with photos from your wedding for the rest of your life, so it’s best to avoid statement looks and opt for something more classic; that glittery eyeliner you saw on a Parisian catwalk might look super pretty and modern now, but chances are it’ll look tired and dated in twenty years’ time. This isn’t to say that you’ll have to make yourself up in a symphony of beiges though if you’re used to a more punchy make-up – vintage wedding dresses in particular can look breathtaking with a classic old Hollywood lipstick colour,’ says Alex Babsky.
Be scared of going a bit brighter
‘Neutral, brown, and pale lip colours can look washed out in photographs, so choose a lipstick that’s one or two shades brighter than what you would normally wear. If you usually wear a neutral hue, it should be worn as a base, with a pink or rose colour on top. If you typically wear dark lipstick, use that as the base, and apply a brighter pink on top to give the colour a lift. Pinks, roses and plums are all great, classic choices for brides,’ says Bobbi.
Just apply make-up to your face
‘Instead, extend down your neck and over your shoulders if necessary, this will ensure you face is not a different colour or even texture to your body. Everything should look uniform to create the most natural look possible. An easy way to blend uneven skin tones together is to use a light fake tan. Do this the day before your wedding not the night and beware of darkening your skin tone too much as the effect it actually the deaden the look of your complexion,’ says Caroline.