3 MUST-HAVES FOR FLAWLESS BRIDAL MAKEUP

It can be a daunting task to figure out how you want your makeup to look on your wedding day. Especially if your idea of “glam” is some mascara and lip balm.

Without fail, I hear some version of the following statement from brides, “I don’t want to wear a ton of makeup. I want to look like me. But better.” No doubt we’ve all had our makeup done, either by a friend or at a makeup counter. And left looking like a real housewife at the launch party for their new line of moscato. So, you search Pinterest for “bridal looks” but have no idea how to re-create the look of flawless skin and eternal love.

That is why I love these simple and easy tips for brides. I hope that they prevent frightening hours in Sephora trying to decide if your skin is cool or warm-toned. Or whether you should use a pencil, powder, or sharpie pen to fill in your eyebrows. The following 3 tips are not only easy but are the most important for beautiful bridal makeup.

1) Skincare

It doesn’t matter how amazing your makeup artist is, if your skin isn’t doing well- no amount of makeup will save it. The number one thing every bride must have is a solid skincare routine. Now, this does not mean running out and buying the entire skincare line from La Mer. There are a few things that you can do to improve your skin, I call them the three W’s- Wash, Wear, and Water.

Wash refers to how important it is to wash your face. Every. Single. Night. Sleeping with your makeup on is akin to expecting a plant to grow in a basement. Read, “Beauty: The Most Important Thing You Can do Before Going to Bed” for more. Second, Wear refers to wearing and SPF every day to prevent dryness and damage. There are tons of options for daily moisturizers that include an SPF.

And the last W is Water. Our skin is 64% water- so drink up! Dehydrated skin is not a good look. Hydrated skin is less likely to crack and let in particles that cause irritations and blemishes. So drink as much water as you can every day, especially the week of your wedding.

2) Foundation

Although I know I promised these tips would not include hours at Sephora - one thing you should invest in is a good foundation. Unless your makeup artist happens to use a good one! I use the Bobbi Brown BBU Palette that contains all Bobbi’s Skin Foundation Stick shades. I recommend this foundation because it has all the wedding-day foundation must haves!

First, it doesn’t have any SPF. While it is important to were SPF on every other day of your life to protect your skin- your wedding day is not a day to wear it. SPF reflects UV sun beams and will reflect the light of the camera’s flash- causing flashback AKA ghost face. Second, it is buildable. This foundation can be light-weight or full-coverage depending on how you apply it. It also has award-winning technology that color corrects. And, Smart Technology that gives your skin moisture or oil control- whatever your skin needs!

Other great options that are around the same price are Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation, Born This Way Two-Faced Foundation, and Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup.

Shop the post:

Some more affordable options are L’oreal Infallible Pro-Matte 24 HR Foundaiton, NYX HD Foundation , e.l.f. HD Mattifying Cream Foundation, or Revlon ColorStay Whipped Cream Makeup.

Shop the post:

3) Lashes

Finally, some long and thick eyelashes can transform a look from average to stunning. And, they photograph beautifully. While the current trend is to get lash extensions, I prefer either wearing a good set of falsies or using a great mascara. It takes over 2 hours to get the lash extensions on first visit and you have to constantly maintain them. And, we can’t all be the Kardashians. Most people don't wear a full face of makeup every day. So, to me, a bare face with thick black eyelashes never looks quite right.

If you choose to wear falseies, there are lots of affordable options. If you aren’t someone who wears false eyelashes, it’s important to buy them before the wedding (some people find them uncomfortable). Some of my favorites that look fantastic and aren't too dramatic are Eylure #20 Naturals, Eylure #155 Lengthening, Kiss Lashes in Daisy, Ardell Natural 110, or the Ardell Demi-Wispies. Get the multipack, try them out a couple of times, and make sure you love them for your wedding day! Check out this article for even more helpful information on false lashes.

Shop the post:

https://www.target.com/p/eylure-naturalites-natural-volume-eyelashes/-/A-16601366

A tough thing about doing bridal makeup is that I love is a good mascara- it might be my favorite makeup item ever. And part of what makes one mascara better than another is the brush. But, to be a sanitary makeup artist I use disposable mascara applicators. So it might be a good idea to bring your own favorite mascara to get the best looking lashes without falsies.

I always have at least one L’Oreal Carbon Black Volumonous mascara in my kit at all times. It is a great mascara to use with false lashes because it is so black and will match your false lashes. A couple other drugstore options are Maybelline Great Lash and Maybelline Big Shot. Some amazing "high-end" options are Chanel Le Volume De Chanel, Urban Decay Perversion, Trish McEvoy High Volume, and Diorshow Iconic.

Shop the post:

These are the top 3 things that I have found have the biggest impact on making bridal makeup look beautiful. Every bride is different; some like bright red lipstick and others prefer lipgloss. But rest assured these three are the basics for a flawless look!