How To Do Bridal Makeup Yourself

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Not every bride wants a makeup artist to paint her face up on her wedding twenty-four hours. No ane knows more than almost your contours, your skin texture, or how makeup tends to settle on your face like you lot do. That existence said, information technology'due south not absurd that you want to take control of how you look on your special day.

As with annihilation wedding-related, doing your ain makeup for your wedding just takes careful planning and a trivial do to ensure that everything runs every bit smoothly as possible on the large 24-hour interval. We called on makeup artists Cassandra Garcia and Kelsey Deenihan for their meridian tips on doing your own wedding makeup. Keep scrolling for everything you need to know about DIY wedding ceremony makeup, in the words of a pro.

Here are some expert tips yous should know earlier doing your ain wedding day makeup.

Meet the Expert

Cassandra Garcia is Bobbi Brown's editorial makeup artist. She has worked with celebrities including Kate Upton, Gabourey Sidibe, and Katrina Bowden.
Kelsey Deenihan is a celebrity makeup artist and LORAC's Artistry Advisor. Her clientele includes Cindy Crawford, Reese Witherspoon, and Millie Bobby Brown.

01 of 21

Do a Test Run

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"On the 24-hour interval of the event, cull lightweight, hydrating and illuminating skincare products that will create the perfect canvass but won't exist too slippery that your makeup won't stay put," Garcia says. Add a chip of Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick ($42) simply on the cheeks and temples for that coveted lit-from-within glow. "Avoid adding shine to the T-zone, middle of the forehead and cheeks, equally this volition look likewise shiny under a camera flash." Don't just practise one run-through, do two or 3.

02 of 21

Keep It Real

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Your nuptials day pictures are going to be with you forever, and trends come and go. So unless it'due south totally against your personality (in which case don't mind to us), stay away from trends and put your effort towards looking like the best version of yourself. Your focus should exist on emphasizing the things you similar nearly yourself with simple hymeneals makeup.

03 of 21

Wear the Right SPF

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"SPF tin affect how the photographs come up out, but if y'all're getting married in the height of summertime or on the beach, it will be a must," says Garcia. To avert using a SPF that volition create a white cast in your photos, exam out a few dissimilar sunscreens in the weeks leading upward to your wedding.

04 of 21

Consider the Weather

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Presumably, you planned what your wearing apparel or conform will expect like based on the conditions. Similarly, you should consider the weather in your program of how much makeup you're going to wear and what it volition be. If the anniversary is long and exterior in the dead of summer, you're not going to be able to get away with equally much makeup equally you would if you lot're doing it in winter indoors; information technology's going to melt off. Have a primer on hand either way.

05 of 21

Friction match Your Complexion

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"Alloy your bronzer really well, and make sure your face matches your neck and shoulders. If yous're going to wear a spray tan on the day, be certain to have tried the spray tan earlier, and use a foundation that matches the color of your tanned skin," Garcia advises.

06 of 21

Take Intendance of Your Skin

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Don't presume whatever and all imperfections tin exist covered up by makeup. In fact, go into this process as though you have no intention to clothing foundation at all. Get your skincare routine all set months before your hymeneals day and don't change it. A mask every so often is fine, but if you want your makeup to be consequent, the sail has to be as well. Equally for your nuptials mean solar day, Deenihan suggests using a moisturizer that volition assist keep excess smoothen at bay. "Use a moisturizer that has a matte end to gainsay shine throughout the day." She recommends the Embryolisse Hydra Mat Emulsion ($30). "Information technology has a lightweight, non-greasy formula that will hydrate your pare and keep you moving picture perfect all mean solar day."

07 of 21

Don't Overdo Blush

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If yous don't typically wear chroma because you don't experience you lot need it, don't change that for your wedding day. Otherwise, Garcia advises that yous, "Apply slightly more you remember y'all need—it tends to go washed out in photos." We'll re-emphasize that you should alloy well, as you don't want to look like a clown. "An piece of cake way to come across how much you lot demand is to get your photographer to take pictures as you're having your makeup done in the morning to check if you lot need more than added," Garcia suggests. "In fact, during your makeup trial, effort to take photos in dissimilar lights (indoors and outdoors) and also with and without flash to give yous an idea of how much makeup yous need to utilize."

To notice your perfect blush shade, await for one that matches your lips.

08 of 21

Colour-Correct Your Eyes

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"You should neutralize whatever uneven color on the eyelids," says Garcia. "Use a color corrector or concealer that's a little lighter to brighten. Your eye base of operations should double as a primer and make your eyeshadow waterproof and longer-lasting. Use a white shade for pale skins, a bone hue for medium complexions and a banana or taupe for dark skin tones. It'southward trial and fault, but the idea is to brighten and neutralize your eyelids." We're huge fans of MAC's Pro Longwear Pigment Pots ($23) for this purpose.

09 of 21

Keep Lipstick to a Minimum

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Don't go heavy on the lipstick. "Shiny or flossy lipsticks volition transfer onto your other one-half and your champagne flute. Take a red lipstick and utilize your finger to tap and vitrify the colour onto your lips for a longer-wearing stain," advises Garcia. "It also looks less done than a full-on lip." Employ a powder to fix the lipstick, and put on a primer like LimeCrime'due south Ghost Veil ($16) to ensure information technology sticks.

"If you actually want to get for a more glossy lipstick, split up a two-ply tissue and use one thin layer to absorb. Just remember that annihilation glossy won't be kiss-proof," she adds.

Worried about your colour fading throughout the festivities? Deenihan says to use lip liner to cover your entire lip every bit a first coat of lipstick, fifty-fifty if y'all're using a more natural shade. "Your lipstick might vesture off afterward the first kiss, sipping champagne, and eating block, merely you'll still have some colour from your liner," she says. "My go-to are the Kevyn Aucoin Unforgettable Lip Definer pencils ($30)."

ten of 21

Use Quality Products

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If in that location'south in one case you shouldn't go for the dupe versions of your makeup, it'due south your nuptials 24-hour interval. All eyes volition be on you, and there volition be a ton of pictures. If you lot really trust your drugstore buys, like Maybelline Great Lash Mascara ($vii), we get it, and go for it. Merely this isn't the time to pursue quantity over quality if you're unsure about the products. This is particularly important for lipstick (our Byrdie fav is MAC's Lustre Lipstick), foundation, and eyeshadow, the latter two are both items you want to blend seamlessly, and often cheaper dupes terminate up chalky. The last matter you want is uneven eyeshadow or foundation creases.

xi of 21

Keep Your Brows Simple

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"At Bobbi Brown, we recommend using either gel or pencil to fill in your brows—it really comes downwards to preference. A tinted gel will aid to shape and groom, while a pencil can add depth and shading for a more groomed forehead expect," says Garcia. How filled-in eyebrows should exist is a strong personal preference, so go with what you think looks best and will age well.

12 of 21

Use Your Curvation as a Guide

This especially applies when you've chosen to wear a smoky eye, or a bolder shade. Nevertheless, nearly brides volition probably find themselves using a neutral. Garcia suggests taupe for brides. "Taupe middle shadow suits everyone and is a peachy everyday shade," she says. "For brides who find liner to be too much on their wedding mean solar day, employ the Bobbi Brownish Long-Wearable Foam Shadow Stick ($xxx) in Taupe under your lower lash line instead. It will add a hint of depth without the full-on await of liner. A mahogany or brown liner pressed into your lash line will as well ascertain your optics but won't be equally heavy as blackness."

xiii of 21

Use an Eyelash Curler

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Always use an eyelash curler before applying mascara—never after. It's a really easy and quick way to pull out your eyelashes. "If you need more bend in one case your lashes are coated, then utilise your thumb to gently push button your lashes back and coax more of a bend," Garcia suggests equally an alternative.

14 of 21

Layer Your Mascara

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"For standout lashes, y'all should layer a foam (non-waterproof) mascara, which will give fullness and thicken the lashes," says Garcia. We love this pick from IT Cosmetics. "Before that first layer has ready, utilize a gel-based (waterproof) mascara over the tiptop to assistance them last."

Deenihan recommends finishing with a waterproof mascara even if you don't think y'all'll cry. "It's sweat-proof when you lot're dancing the night away!" She recommends Almay'southward Multi-Benefits Mascara ($ix) for "volume, length, and definition."

xv of 21

Examination Out Fake Lashes Beginning

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"Vesture them on a night out—maybe even your [bachelorette] party—if you haven't worn them earlier but are tempted to wear them on your big twenty-four hour period. In one case you know the mascara or fake lashes you lot desire to wear, I recommend you sentry a sad movie and appraise the harm," Garcia says. We're big fans of MoxieLash's magnetic eyelashes (such a game-changer). That said, some people don't want to vesture false lashes, and those people should absolutely still road test their mascara at the bachelorette party.

xvi of 21

Be Mindful When Wiping Your Tears

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When applying eye makeup, concur the mirror in front of your chin and so you are looking down into it. "Keep your eyes open up and so y'all can utilise your eye shadow and mascara onto an open centre and run across exactly how information technology will wait as you go," says Garcia. "Otherwise you'll get a tear line, which will travel downwards through your blusher and foundation, which is harder to blend abroad."

17 of 21

Apply Your Smoky Centre Showtime

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So, Garcia says you lot should take a large brush and "buff away whatever shadow that could have dropped before applying your corrector and concealer under your optics."

"I'm not a fan of using a nude or white eyeliner in the waterline to brighten the eyes," she adds. "Instead, I recommend using centre-brightening drops. If you lot want your optics to look bigger, line outside the waterline, and use shimmer on the outer corners to brighten the eye area."

eighteen of 21

Practice Your Makeup Before Getting Dressed

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This feels intuitive, like putting on your makeup earlier yous get dressed every day, but it's piece of cake to get caught up in the whole wedding day fuss and space on information technology. Unless you have no other pick, put your makeup on earlier you lot get into your clothes. Eyeshadow has fallout sometimes and lipstick might get on your hands! And, of course, don't permit your face touch on the clothes lest your makeup smudge or whatsoever color go on them.

19 of 21

Plan It Out

Garcia has a set, freakout-free plan for brides:

"Practice your wedding day look a few times, wear it on a night out (your bachelorette party is a proficient place), and have lots of pictures inside and outside with wink and no wink. On the twenty-four hour period, the bride should be the last person to cease her makeup. If you need to exist in your wearing apparel past, say, apex, then aim to have your makeup washed by 11:thirty a.m.

Cleanse, tone and moisturize as you lot normally would, and and then let your skin sit to permit the foam to fully sink in. Start with your middle makeup, so movement onto your complexion, followed by your lips at the cease.

Some people enjoy doing their own makeup; others find information technology stressful. Recollect about clearing the room so it'southward relatively at-home, and just having i person on hand, like your maid of award."

When shopping for foundation, go the shade color matched and practical in the shop. Before yous buy, take a photo of yourself in unlike lighting (inside, outside, etc.) and so that you can see how the foundation adapts and looks on photographic camera in different settings.

xx of 21

Ready Your Look

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To go along your makeup looking fresh, Deenihan suggests having a pulverisation on-hand. "Have a great pulverization you tin can reapply throughout the day, if necessary. I dearest the LORAC Blurring Translucent Pressed Powder. It's bang-up for all skin tones, keeps you looking fresh in photos, and never looks chalky."

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Have a Wedding ceremony-Twenty-four hours Makeup Pocketbook

"Take a foundation stick in your clutch handbag; it is perfect for touch-ups around the olfactory organ or if in that location are tears on the day. Pack blotting papers as well to have down any excess shine. Then popular your lipstick and blusher in at that place, too," Garcia says. Nosotros'd also propose you have a retractable kabuki brush, in case your makeup needs a bit of evening out.