Tips for the best natural makeup look for weddings

Whether you’re a guest, a bridesmaid, or the bride herself, everyone wants to get the best natural makeup look for a wedding. As it’s a special day for all involved, it’s important to have a makeup look that will last all day – and most importantly, make you feel beautiful. Here we explain the steps for how to achieve the perfect natural makeup look for weddings.

 

Prep your skin: Preparing your skin is key for achieving a natural wedding makeup look that will last all day. Start by exfoliating your skin the day prior. This will remove any dead skin cells and create a smooth base to allow your foundation and concealer to go on evenly. It also helps products blend better into the skin so they don’t flake or move around throughout the day. After exfoliating, make sure to moisturise your face as makeup will sit better on hydrated skin and it will prevent makeup from settling into any lines or wrinkles on the face.

 

Primer: Primers are essential when trying to create a natural wedding makeup look that lasts all day long. They act as an invisible barrier between your skin and foundation, helping to smooth out any imperfections while locking in moisture. Primers also create a clean, even base to keep foundation from sliding off during the day. If you’re looking for a primer to try, TikTok loves these three: Fenty Pro Filt’r Hydrating Primer, Maybelline Master Prime Blur + Smooth Primer and the ELF Putty Primer – all at very affordable price points. All three of these primers are lightweight, hydrating and will help you achieve a natural makeup look that lasts.

 

Foundation: Choosing a good foundation is essential for creating a natural makeup look for weddings. If you want light coverage that still looks natural, go for a lightweight foundation formula such as a BB cream, however, these tend not to last all day so you may need to touch up. For those who want medium coverage with a more natural finish, try a demi-matte or satin finish foundation formula as this will provide just enough coverage without looking cakey or heavy on the skin. Full coverage foundations typically have more of a matte finish and have better staying power, but require precise application and blending so that the look is seamless. Long-wear foundations often contain ingredients like silicone which help them stay put on your face throughout the day – so they’re great for weddings.

 

Application: Precise application of your foundation for a natural makeup look for weddings is key. You can use either your fingers, a beauty blender or a brush. Using your fingers is great if you want light coverage as it helps to blend products into the skin more easily and it helps to warm the product for more viscosity. A beauty blender is best for medium coverage foundations as it gives an airbrushed effect to the skin that looks very natural. For full coverage foundations, using a brush (a flat foundation brush is perfect for this) will help achieve an even finish that looks more polished and lasts longer throughout the day.

 

Concealer: Concealer is essential for achieving the perfect natural looking wedding-day makeup look – especially if you are covering up any blemishes or dark circles under your eyes. When applying concealer less is more, only apply where needed and blend it out with either your finger or a beauty blender so as not to create obvious lines on your face. Always apply concealer after your foundation as that will allow you to see where it’s most needed. Some of the most viral concealers right now that are perfect for achieving this natural makeup look include Kosas’s Revealer Concealer, Maybelline’s Fit Me! Concealer and Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer. All three of these concealers provide great coverage without looking cakey or heavy.

 

Eyes: To create a natural makeup look for weddings, you want to keep your eyeshadow neutral and light. Using too much eyeshadow can make the look appear too heavy and unnatural and this especially doesn’t work for day. Investing in an eyeshadow palette is perfect for this as you can choose your colours and experiment with the perfect neutrals for you. Two of the most popular eyeshadow palettes right now that are perfect for achieving this natural look are the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette and the Too Faced Natural Eye Neutral Shadow Palette. Both of these palettes contain a range of beautiful warm toned neutrals that will help you achieve your desired look without looking overdone. When applying your eyeshadow, use an eyeshadow brush and blend together different shades for a more natural effect – start with a lighter shade on the lid and then layer it with darker shades in the crease of your eye for some extra dimension.

 

Mascara: Mascara is essential for any wedding day makeup look as it helps open up the eyes and make them pop in photos. Tubular mascaras are great for achieving a long-lasting natural looking makeup look as they don’t smudge or flake throughout the day like other types of mascara formulas can do. When applying tubular mascara, start at the base of your lashes and work your way up to the tips. Wiggle the wand as you go for extra volume and length, and add a second coat if needed.

 

Blush and highlighter: Blush and highlighter are both if you want your natural makeup look to look great in photos. You can choose either a powder or cream formulation, however powders do have a reputation for being longer lasting. Apply to the apples of the cheek for a natural flush, or if you’re wanting a “lifted” look, apply on the cheekbone and blend out to the ear. Highlighters or illuminators are to be applied after blush on the high points of your face – brow bone, cheekbone – anywhere the light would naturally hit.

 

Set the look: The final step to achieving the perfect natural makeup look for weddings is setting your makeup with a setting spray. Setting sprays help keep your makeup in place throughout the day so it doesn’t move around or wear off – especially if there is any dancing involved! One of the most iconic setting sprays is Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Spray. This setting spray is lightweight and hydrating yet still provides long-lasting hold – perfect for wedding makeup.

 

Now you’re wedding ready! With these tips, you can create the perfect natural makeup look that will last all day no matter what kind of event you’re attending. Whether you’re a guest, bridesmaid or bride, your natural look will make you feel beautiful and confident, and have you looking great in photos – which is exactly what you want.

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Beauty journalists and ex-marie claire beauty directors, Sarah Tarca & Sherine Youssef, have decades of experience between them and have written for some of your favourite print and digital publications, including Gritty Pretty, Broadsheet, Doré and Primer.

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