So, you decided to do your own makeup for your wedding?! It doesn't have to be as stressful as it seems. Typically with any artist you hire you only do one wedding makeup trial. With yourself, you have everyday to play around with your makeup to find the perfect look, if you so desired. And who knows your face/makeup preferences better than you, NO ONE! Like every Bride, I wanted to look perfect on my wedding day. I tried to find the perfect balance between "camera ready" and "natural" as I did not want to look too made up in person, but I wanted my makeup to still show up in photographs. Here is a list of products I finally decided on for my own wedding day as well as several tips and tricks I think are essential for every bride choosing to do their own makeup. You can also use these tips and tricks for anytime you want to look your absolute best.
First of all, I think the best look to go for for your wedding day is natural, yet defined. Brides who typically don't wear a lot of makeup in their daily life shouldn't be wearing a dramatic smokey eye and red lip on their wedding day. Also, doing something trendy is not good as well. Timeless is always best. You want to look back on your wedding day photos years from now and still like the makeup choices you made.
List of Products
FACE:
Origins VitaZing Moisturizer SPF15
Make Up For Ever HD Primer
Make Up For Ever HD #127
Cargo Blu_Ray Pressed Powder #30
Chanel Soliel De Tan Bronze Universel
NARS Laguna Bronzer
MAC Lillicent Blush Creme
MAC Pink Swoon Blush
MAC Shell CCB
MAC Silver Dusk
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
BROWS:
Make Up For Ever Waterproof Brow Corrector #3
EYES:
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
MAC Blanc Type e/s
MAC Wedge e/s
MAC Espresso e/s
MAC Carbon e/s
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion Waterproof
MAC #36 Lashes snipped in half
LIPS:
Mac High Tea l/s
Doing a few touch-ups in my Bridal Suite
My biggest debate was whether or not to wear false lashes. In all honesty, lashes make a BIG difference in photos. You could have the fullest, longest lashes, and only add a couple individuals or a half strip and it will make a HUGE difference. Individual lashes are the most natural, but I hate fussing with them. I decided to use MAC #36 lashes (which I have used in the past and loved) and snipped them in half for a more natural look. One of my bridesmaids went to the MAC counter and asked for eyelashes that they would recommend for a wedding and they suggested the #36 so we both ended up wearing the same lashes that day, only mine were snipped in half and she wore the whole strip. My husband does not like false lashes, so I compromised by wearing only a half set and he couldn't even tell.
Tips and Tricks
- Layer: Probably the most important step for long lasting makeup. When applying makeup, apply it like you normally would, let it sit on the skin, and then go back and touch it up. This is especially good for blush and eyeshadow. Blush tends to be the first thing to disappear from the face so apply it heavy at first, blend, blend, blend, then go back and add a little bit more to the apples of the cheek. For eyeshadow, I like to apply my lid colour, crease colour, outer corner, and then go back, touch up the lid and highlight, add a little more crease, and then blend the crease and the highlight together with a CLEAN blending brush (i.e., MAC 224). By layering, if/when your makeup begins to fade, you will still have a good base underneath. Secondly, use bases/primers. Eyeshadow primer (i.e., Too Faced Shadow Insurance or Urban Decay Primer Potion) and foundation primer (i.e., Make Up For Ever HD or SMASHBOX Photo Finish) are your best friends. A good primer, especially an HD one, will help your makeup last longer as well as make your skin look flawless in photographs. Thirdly, set cremes with powders for long lasting blush, bronzer, and highlighter. The right kind of creme products make really good bases for your powder products. For instance, when I used my Chanel Bronze Universel (creme/mousse), I applied NARS Laguna Bronzer (powder) on it. I also did this for my blush, Lillicent (creme)/Pink Swoon (powder, and highlight, Shell (cream colour base)/Silver Dusk (powder). Lastly, use a lip stain under your lipstick. I dislike long-wearing lip products because they tend to wear off horribly, but a good alternative is using a lip stain, and carrying your lipstick with your for touch ups.
- Yellow Based Foundation/Powder: Yellow based foundations and powders cancel out redness and any pink undertones. These are a good choice on your wedding day because flash photography brings out pink undertones. I chose Make Up For Ever #127 foundation for medium skin with yellow undertones. I also purchased CARGO Blu_Ray pressed powder in #30 because of its strong yellow undertone (you can see my review by clicking here). Use a little bit of your foundation on your ears because they can get red easily from being overwhelmed by heat or being flushed. Also, bring the foundation down your neck for a perfect match. You do not want anyone, especially the camera, capturing what looks like a mask on your face.
- High Definition: When possible, choose HD. I opted for my trusty Make Up For Ever HD foundation in #127. I've gone through countless bottles of MUFE HD so I knew I could trust it for the rigors of my wedding day. I also ended up picking up CARGO Blu_Ray Pressed Powder #30 a week or so before my wedding day. I heard really good things about this powder, especially how much brides love it, so I figured I'd give it a try. CARGO Blu_Ray is now my HG Powder! High Definition makeup blends seamlessly into the skin and the combination of both MUFE HD and CARGO made my skin look naturally flawless, even in flash photography.
- Waterproof Mascara: I don't care if you are an ice queen, wear waterproof mascara. I didn't think I was going to be a nervous bride and who knew I would be shaking my way down the aisle! LOL You never know what will set you off into tears. I choked up giving my bridesmaids their gifts, walking down the aisle, saying my vows, but didn't cry until later in the evening when I had my father daughter dance. I thought I was going to be fine because I fended off the tears that long, but boy was I glad I had waterproof mascara!
- Setting Spray: Your makeup is finished and you spent a good deal of time layering, blending and making everything perfect. SET YOUR MAKEUP! Setting your makeup not only allows your makeup to last longer, but it basically melts everything on your skin together to give you a radiant, airbrushed, perfect finished. I really love my Urban Decay All Nighter Spray. My makeup virtually did not move ALL day, even in 40 degree humidity.
Say NO To:
- MSF: Particularly MAC MSF does not photograph well. This is a very popular product, but stick to it for everyday, not your wedding day.
- Illuminating/Light Reflecting properties: These can make you look shiny and oily if not used sparingly. Matte eyeshadows photograph best because you never know how the flash is going to catch on shimmery eyeshadows. I used a little bit of MAC Silver Dusk Irridescent Powder on my cheekbones and it showed up beautifully in photographs.
- Products with high SPF: These can give a "white cast" to your face and make you look paler than you actually are, like a ghost. I stuck with my Origins VitaZing Moisturizer even though it had an SPF of 15. I felt as though I needed a little bit of coverage from the sun as I was going to be out in the sun for 2 hours doing my wedding photos with family and friends.
Tools Used
In order to do your makeup flawlessly, you need a good set of brushes. Sigma makeup has brush sets that are good quality for affordable prices. I own the Complete, Professional, and Synthetic Face Kits and use these in combination with some of my favourite MAC brushes.
Brushes Used:
FACE:
Sigma F80 - Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki
MAC 182 - Buffer Brush
Sigma F84 - Angled Top Kabuki
Sigma F40 - Large Angled Contour
MAC 130 - Short Duo Fibre Brush
Sigma F10 - Powder/Blush
Sigma F15 - Duo Fibre Powder/Blush
EYES:
Make Up For Ever Eyebrow Brush
Sigma E50 - Large Fluff
MAC 226 - Small Tapered Blending
Sigma E10 - Small Eye Liner
MAC 266 - Small Angled
MAC 219 - Pencil
Now you are Picture Perfect!
If you have yet to see my wedding photos, be sure to check them out on my Facebook page!
