10 wedding make-up tips from a wedding make-up artist

Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day, so here are some tips to help get that glowing bride look.

1. Avoid using products that contain SPF

I wouldn’t normally advocate this, but products that contain SPF can photograph weird because of the zinc oxide found in many moisturizers and foundations. It causes that paled out face look that shows up in photographs, but not in person. So your best bet is to avoid products with SPF on your wedding day (but don’t forget to wear SPF on your honeymoon!).

2. Go light on the shimmer

A highlight on cheekbones or browbones is flattering, but too much shimmer doesn’t photograph well. Shimmer has light reflecting particles that the camera picks up as white streaks or shine. Try doing a complete run-through of your makeup before the wedding, and take pictures. If you see shiny or white streaks where you’ve applied a shimmer product, you know where to tone down.

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3. Wax three days before the wedding

Redness can be tough to cover, and some people stay slightly swollen for a couple days post-wax.

4. Skip lip gloss if you’re wearing a veil that comes down over your face

It’s a magnet for the fabric and will make the veil stick to your lips the second you put it on. The gloss and any lipstick you’re wearing will transfer to the veil, making for a messy situation.

5. Don’t stray too far from your usual look

I’ve had minimalist makeup girls request a red lip vintage look for their trials and had brides who normally wore a lot of eyeliner ask for a natural look, but they usually don’t feel right when it’s done. I’m all for playing around with makeup, but this isn’t the day to do it. If you want to try a smokey eye for the first time, save it for your bachelorette party!

6. Bring oil blotting sheets with you

I always include these in my bridal touchup kits. It’s a long day and most people get a little shine, but these papers keep it at bay. I prefer them to powder because powder tends to cake up after multiple applications.

7. Use a foundation and eye primer

The number one question brides ask me is “Will my makeup stay on all day?” With good primers, it will!

8. Consider using false lashes

For weddings, I prefer flares (individual bunches of 6-8 lashes) to full strip lashes. Because you can put on as few or as many as you want, you’re able to control how natural or dramatic your look is.

9. Use waterproof mascara

This may seem like a no-brainer, but brides have a million and one details to worry about, so this can get overlooked. It’s a big day, and if you get emotional, you want to make sure your mascara doesn’t show it.

10. Set your foundation with loose powder

Not only does the powder give the foundation a soft finish, but it takes shine out of the skin. Cameras pick up shine, but starting with powder and touching up with oil blotting sheets will keep you shine-free.