How To Do Your Own Bridal Makeup

How To Achieve Barely-There Beauty

Tapping into a minimal makeup look will allow your natural radiance and happiness to shine through on the day, and it’s super easy to achieve. First and foremost, you need a base that provides adequate coverage but doesn’t mask your skin.

Choosing a tinted moisturiser or foundation for your special day can be challenging as it needs to tick off certain criteria. Think about longevity, are you planning a sweet 2-hour wedding or a long-into-the-night party? If it’s the latter, a long wearing base which is kind to skin is essential.

It’s also important to choose a foundation without SPF, as sun protection can cause flashback in photographs. Laura Mercier Silk Crème – Moisturizing Photo Edition Foundation, £22.80 is perfect for weddings as it doesn’t have an SPF, is oil-free and has a long-lasting, glow-enhancing formula. We also like Chantecaille Future Skin Foundation, £80.00, it keeps skin looking perfect for hours. For a lighter touch, Becca Light Shifter Dewing Tint, N/A helps to blur imperfections and adds a subtle radiance to skin.

After applying your base, turn to Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Instant Eye Palette, £36.00 in Pretty Blushed Beauty. Use the 4-Face Bronze powder to lightly sculpt underneath cheekbones, before highlighting tops of cheekbones, centre of the nose and brow line with 5-Face Highlight. Add a touch of colour to the apples of the cheeks with 6-Cheek Pop. Next, brush up brows with the Hourglass Arch Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel, £29.00, which coats brows in colour and leaves them looking thicker and fuller. Finish with a light layer of IT Cosmetics Tightline Mascara Waterproof, £25.00 and a touch of Charlotte Tilbury Hyaluronic Happikiss, £27.00 for a lightly stained, hydrated pout. We’re convinced the latter is permanent as the colour lasts forever.

How To Create A Subtle Smoky Eye

Smoky eyes are a perennial makeup look but make it less Hollywood starlet and more bridal by swapping out deep blacks and silver greys for bronze, brown shades. Begin with another flash-photography-friendly base with buildable coverage, such as Nars Sheer Glow Foundation, £39.00, which feels lightweight and provides a soft matte finish with a hint of glow. Go over any problem areas with a little By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Concealer, £39.00, before dabbing on a soft liquid blush, such as Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush, £28.00.

Now onto the main feature: the eyes. Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Instant Eye Palette, £36.00 in Glowing Beauty contains three eye shades that are perfect for this look. Begin by brushing 1-Eye Brighten all over the eyelid and browbone to open up the eyes, next, brush 2-Eye Enhance with its shimmering bronze pigments across the eyelid, creating a cat-like shape. Finally, blend 3-Eye Smoke – a warm brown-mauve shade, into the crease to create depth. Finish with glossy black liner and lashings of mascara.

How To Go Bold With Your Lips

Fancy something a little bolder? This look is for brave brides who want to make an impact. The prominent feature here is your lips, so keep everything else on the face low-key. Kevyn Aucoin Stripped Nude Skin Tint, £36.00 provides a flawless, natural base, while Chantecaille Cheek Gelée, £45.00 is great for adding a subtle hint of colour to the cheeks. Add a little RMS Beauty Luminizer, £39.00 to the tops of cheekbones and on the brow bones to catch the light, then powder the T-zone and any areas of excess shine with a loose powder.

A red lip is a classic makeup choice that will never date, so in many ways is ideal for your wedding day. Every skin tone has a red that suits them; paler skin tones tend to suit orange-toned shades while those with olive and darker skin tones suit a classic, blue-toned red. We recommend trying RMS Beauty Wild With Desire Lipstick, N/A, a true deep red that seems to suit everyone. If you want a truly matte finish then look no further than in 514 Hyper Red, or for a super high shine gloss try By Terry Lip-Expert Shine, £29.00 in 15 Red Shot.