11 Ways to Look Gorgeous on Your Wedding Day
Model Hannah Davis in a bridal-Inspired look by Bobbi Brown. (Photo: Ondrea Barbe/Courtesy of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics)
On your wedding day, you want to look amazing, but you don’t want to have to think about your makeup. Here are my 11 best bridal makeup tips:
Do a test run: Whether you are doing makeup yourself or working with a makeup artist, make sure to do a practice run first. Take pictures in daylight and after dark, to see how the makeup looks on camera. If you love it in person and on film, recreate it on the day of.
Amp up your color: Because you are wearing white, you want to make sure your lips and cheek color is a little bit brighter and stronger than your everyday look. Neutral, beige, or pale lipstick can look faded against white, especially in photographs. Pink, rose, and plum tones are all beautiful lip colors against white.
Look like yourself: Your wedding day isn’t the day to try a totally new look. If your makeup is too high maintenance, or will require too many touchups, save it for another night. The goal with wedding day makeup is to feel pretty, confident, and comfortable.
Prep skin carefully: Avoid placing face oil, rich eye cream, or serum on your skin, because your foundation and concealer will fade faster. Instead, prep skin with a good, fast-absorbing moisturizer. Avoid one with SPF, just this one day, because some sunscreens can leave a whitish cast on skin. If you have an outdoor wedding, and want to avoid a sunburn look for foundation that contains SPF.
Set foundation and concealer with powder: A light dusting of sheer powder in a color that matches your skin tone is a must for setting foundation and concealer. Your makeup will last longer and the powder will help control shine. Note that you shouldn’t keep layering powder on all night, it will end up looking heavy, instead use blotting papers to calm down shine.
Choose long-wear makeup: Keep touchups to a minimum by investing in makeup that has staying power. Look for formulas labeled “all-day,” “long-wear,” “12-hour,” etc. You can find long-lasting versions of all your makeup from foundation and concealer to eye shadow and liner to lipstick. For eye shadow, look for cream versions that leave a dry finish and are easy to blend.
Waterproof mascara is a must: Getting teary-eyed on your wedding day is a big possibility, so avoid streaking mascara by going with a waterproof version.
Choose softer eye shadow colors: A very dark, smoky eye can often look too severe paired with a wedding dress. Instead, go for light to medium shades. You can still do a smoky eye, but with subtler shades like light browns or gray tones.
Liner is key: Black liner will help open up and define your eye. Especially for pictures, liner will help highlight your eyes.
Layer blush: To create a pretty glow that lasts, try layering your blush. Go with a natural shade of blush on cheekbones. Then add a pop of brighter color, either a powder or cream blush, on top. This will keep your cheeks flushed for longer than if you just went with one color.
Make your lipstick last: Kissing your new husband, kissing your guests, sipping champagne—your lipstick will get a lot of wear. Make it last longer by layering lipstick, followed by pencil in the exact shade as your lipcolor.
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