8 Makeup Tips to Achieve a Perfect Wedding Look

For most brides, your wedding-day makeup will differ from your regular makeup in a couple of ways: You’re being constantly photographed, and you’ll probably cry, potentially smudging your makeup, and everyone's attention will be focused on you. Here are some tips to help you look your best on the big day.

Even if you have a full hair and makeup team, it’s not a bad idea to prepare yourself with a few wedding makeup ideas and know-how.

1. 1. Whether you’re working with a professional makeup artist or going the DIY route, make sure you know what you want: Make a folder of bridal makeup looks so you can keep all your inspiration in one place.
2. 2. Do a full makeup trial before the wedding, and make sure your foundation and concealer still match your skin tone.
3. 3. Beauty starts from the inside out: Get plenty of sleep, drink water, and maintain a regular skincare routine.
4. 4. This is the time to use waterproof or water-resistant eyeliner and mascara. It may be more difficult to remove, but the last thing you want is streaks of eye makeup running down your face on your big day. (Speaking of mascara, use an eyelash curler on your natural lashes before applying the first coat.) If you’re going to wear false lashes, practice beforehand, to make sure they’ll stay on.
5. 5. Use a little highlighter or light-colored eyeshadow on your brow bone to emphasize your eyes, but recommends sticking to matte eyeshadows to avoid reflecting too much light in photos.
6. 6. The most gorgeous wedding makeup will be the makeup you feel most comfortable in—if you’ve never tried contouring before, this probably isn’t the time to try it out.
7. 7. Whether you’re going for a natural makeup look or something more glam, like a smoky eye, cat eye, or bold lip, your wedding look depends on a number of factors. Keep your personal style, hair color and hairstyle, wedding dress, and the vibe of the wedding itself in mind when planning your wedding makeup.
8. 8. Remember the weather too: A summer wedding might call for different makeup than a winter wedding, for example. Are you going to sweat and need waterproof makeup? Is the wedding outside and you need SPF?

Whether you already know a blush brush from a bronzer brush or are simply looking for tips on bringing glamour into your daily routine, navigating the beauty industry takes knowledge, skill, and practical experience. No one knows their way around a makeup bag better than Bobbi Brown, the makeup artist who built a career and a multi-million dollar brand with one simple philosophy: Be who you are. In Bobbi Brown’s MasterClass on Makeup and Beauty, learn how to do the perfect smoky eye, find the best makeup routine for the workplace, and hear Bobbi’s advice for aspiring makeup artists.

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