Should You Do Your Own Wedding Makeup

Stocksy / Design past Zackary Angeline

Not every bride wants a makeup artist to pigment her face on her wedding twenty-four hour period. No one knows more about your contours, your skin texture, or how makeup tends to settle on your face up like you do. That beingness said, it's not absurd that you want to have control of how you await on your special day.

As with anything wedding ceremony-related, doing your ain makeup for your wedding but takes careful planning and a fiddling practice to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible on the large day. We called on makeup artists Cassandra Garcia and Kelsey Deenihan for their top tips on doing your own wedding makeup. Keep scrolling for everything you need to know about DIY hymeneals makeup, in the words of a pro.

Here are some expert tips y'all should know before doing your own 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 creative person and LORAC's Artistry Advisor. Her clientele includes Cindy Crawford, Reese Witherspoon, and Millie Bobby Brown.

01 of 21

Practice a Exam Run

Nina Manandhar / Getty Images

"On the twenty-four hour period of the event, choose lightweight, hydrating and illuminating skincare products that will create the perfect canvas simply won't be besides slippery that your makeup won't stay put," Garcia says. Add a bit of Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick ($42) just on the cheeks and temples for that coveted lit-from-within glow. "Avert calculation polish to the T-zone, centre of the brow and cheeks, as this volition expect likewise shiny nether a photographic camera wink." Don't just do one run-through, practice two or three.

02 of 21

Proceed Information technology Existent

Lara Callahan / Refinery29 for Getty Images / Getty Images

Your nuptials 24-hour interval pictures are going to exist with you lot forever, and trends come and go. So unless it'southward totally against your personality (in which instance don't mind to united states of america), stay abroad from trends and put your endeavor towards looking similar the best version of yourself. Your focus should be on emphasizing the things you similar about yourself with simple wedding makeup.

03 of 21

Habiliment the Right SPF

Westend61 / Getty Images

"SPF can touch on how the photographs come up out, but if yous're getting married in the tiptop of summer or on the beach, information technology will be a must," says Garcia. To avert using a SPF that will create a white cast in your photos, test out a few different sunscreens in the weeks leading up to your wedding.

04 of 21

Consider the Weather

Olga Efimova / EyeEm / Getty Images

Presumably, yous planned what your dress or suit will look similar based on the weather. Similarly, y'all should consider the weather in your plan of how much makeup you're going to wear and what it will be. If the ceremony is long and outside in the expressionless of summer, you're not going to exist able to get away with as much makeup equally you would if yous're doing it in winter indoors; it's going to cook off. Take a primer on manus either manner.

05 of 21

Friction match Your Complexion

Delmaine Donson / Getty Images

"Blend your bronzer really well, and make sure your face up matches your neck and shoulders. If y'all're going to wear a spray tan on the day, exist sure to have tried the spray tan before, and use a foundation that matches the color of your tanned skin," Garcia advises.

06 of 21

Take Care of Your Pare

Rochelle Brock / Refinery29 for Getty Images / Getty Images

Don't presume whatsoever and all imperfections tin be covered upwards by makeup. In fact, go into this process every bit though you accept no intention to wear foundation at all. Get your skincare routine all set months before your wedding day and don't alter information technology. A mask every so often is fine, but if you want your makeup to be consequent, the canvas has to be as well. As for your wedding ceremony day, Deenihan suggests using a moisturizer that volition help keep excess shine at bay. "Use a moisturizer that has a matte end to combat shine throughout the day." She recommends the Embryolisse Hydra Mat Emulsion ($thirty). "It has a lightweight, not-greasy formula that will hydrate your pare and keep yous film perfect all mean solar day."

07 of 21

Don't Overdo Blush

Westend61 / Getty Images

If you don't typically wear blush because yous don't feel you need it, don't change that for your wedding ceremony day. Otherwise, Garcia advises that you lot, "Apply slightly more than you lot recall you need—it tends to go washed out in photos." We'll re-emphasize that y'all should alloy well, as you don't desire to expect like a clown. "An easy way to see how much you need is to get your photographer to take pictures as you lot're having your makeup washed in the morning time to cheque if yous need more added," Garcia suggests. "In fact, during your makeup trial, try to take photos in different lights (indoors and outdoors) and also with and without flash to give yous an thought of how much makeup you need to utilise."

To find your perfect blush shade, look for one that matches your lips.

08 of 21

Color-Correct Your Eyes

Jamie Grill / Getty Images

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

09 of 21

Proceed Lipstick to a Minimum

Michael Stewart/Corbis/VCG / Getty Images

Don't go heavy on the lipstick. "Shiny or creamy lipsticks will transfer onto your other half and your champagne flute. Have a red lipstick and utilize your finger to tap and buff the color onto your lips for a longer-wearing stain," advises Garcia. "Information technology also looks less done than a full-on lip." Use a powder to set the lipstick, and put on a primer similar LimeCrime's Ghost Veil ($16) to ensure information technology sticks.

"If you really want to go for a more sleeky lipstick, split a two-ply tissue and use one thin layer to blot. Simply call up that annihilation glossy won't be kiss-proof," she adds.

Worried well-nigh your color fading throughout the festivities? Deenihan says to use lip liner to comprehend your unabridged lip every bit a first coat of lipstick, even if you're using a more than natural shade. "Your lipstick might article of clothing off after the first kiss, sipping champagne, and eating block, only you lot'll nonetheless have some color from your liner," she says. "My become-to are the Kevyn Aucoin Unforgettable Lip Definer pencils ($30)."

10 of 21

Use Quality Products

Anna Efetova / Getty Images

If there'south once you shouldn't become for the dupe versions of your makeup, information technology's your wedding day. All optics will be on y'all, and there will be a ton of pictures. If you really trust your drugstore buys, like Maybelline Great Lash Mascara ($7), we get it, and go for it. Simply this isn't the time to pursue quantity over quality if yous're unsure well-nigh the products. This is particularly important for lipstick (our Byrdie fav is MAC'southward Lustre Lipstick), foundation, and eyeshadow, the latter two are both items you want to alloy seamlessly, and frequently cheaper dupes terminate up chalky. The concluding thing yous want is uneven eyeshadow or foundation creases.

11 of 21

Continue Your Brows Elementary

honey_and_milk / Getty Images

"At Bobbi Brown, we recommend using either gel or pencil to make full in your brows—it actually comes down to preference. A tinted gel will help to shape and groom, while a pencil can add depth and shading for a more clean-cut brow look," says Garcia. How filled-in eyebrows should be is a strong personal preference, so become with what y'all call back looks best and will age well.

12 of 21

Use Your Curvation as a Guide

This especially applies when y'all've called to wearable a smoky centre, or a bolder shade. Nevertheless, well-nigh brides volition probably notice themselves using a neutral. Garcia suggests taupe for brides. "Taupe center shadow suits anybody and is a nifty everyday shade," she says. "For brides who notice liner to be likewise much on their wedding day, use the Bobbi Brown Long-Article of clothing Cream Shadow Stick ($xxx) in Taupe nether your lower lash line instead. It will add a hint of depth without the full-on look of liner. A mahogany or brown liner pressed into your lash line will too ascertain your optics but won't exist equally heavy as blackness."

13 of 21

Utilise an Eyelash Curler

Liliya Rodnikova / Stocksy

E'er utilize an eyelash curler earlier applying mascara—never after. It'south a actually easy and quick way to pull out your eyelashes. "If you demand more bend once your lashes are coated, then use your thumb to gently push your lashes back and coax more of a curve," Garcia suggests as an culling.

14 of 21

Layer Your Mascara

Peathegee Inc / Getty Images

"For standout lashes, you should layer a cream (non-waterproof) mascara, which will give fullness and thicken the lashes," says Garcia. Nosotros beloved this pick from It Cosmetics. "Before that get-go layer has ready, utilise a gel-based (waterproof) mascara over the height to help them last."

Deenihan recommends finishing with a waterproof mascara fifty-fifty if you don't call back y'all'll cry. "It's sweat-proof when you're dancing the dark away!" She recommends Almay'due south Multi-Benefits Mascara ($9) for "volume, length, and definition."

15 of 21

Test Out Imitation Lashes Showtime

MoxieLash Wifey Lash $40.00

Shop

"Wear them on a dark out—perhaps even your [bachelorette] party—if you oasis't worn them before but are tempted to wear them on your big day. One time you know the mascara or fake lashes yous desire to wear, I recommend yous sentinel a sad moving-picture show and assess the damage," Garcia says. We're large fans of MoxieLash's magnetic eyelashes (such a game-changer). That said, some people don't want to wear imitation lashes, and those people should absolutely even so road exam their mascara at the bachelorette political party.

sixteen of 21

Be Mindful When Wiping Your Tears

digitalskillet / Getty Images

When applying eye makeup, hold the mirror in front of your mentum so you are looking downwardly into it. "Keep your eyes open then you can apply your middle shadow and mascara onto an open eye and see exactly how it will look as you lot go," says Garcia. "Otherwise you'll get a tear line, which will travel down through your blusher and foundation, which is harder to blend away."

17 of 21

Utilize Your Smoky Eye First

Emma Innocenti / Getty Images

And then, Garcia says you should take a big castor and "buff away whatever shadow that could have dropped before applying your corrector and concealer under your eyes."

"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 eye-brightening drops. If you want your optics to expect bigger, line outside the waterline, and use shimmer on the outer corners to burnish the centre area."

18 of 21

Do Your Makeup Before Getting Dressed

Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images

This feels intuitive, like putting on your makeup before you get dressed every day, but information technology'southward easy to get caught upward in the whole wedding day fuss and space on it. Unless y'all take no other selection, put your makeup on before you go into your clothes. Eyeshadow has fallout sometimes and lipstick might get on your hands! And, of course, don't let your face touch on the apparel lest your makeup smudge or whatever color get on them.

19 of 21

Plan It Out

Garcia has a set, freakout-costless programme for brides:

"Practise your wedding ceremony day look a few times, wear information technology on a night out (your bachelorette political party is a adept place), and take lots of pictures inside and exterior with wink and no wink. On the day, the bride should exist the last person to terminate her makeup. If you demand to exist in your clothes by, say, apex, then aim to take your makeup washed by xi:30 a.k.

Cleanse, tone and moisturize equally you normally would, and then permit your skin sit to allow the cream to fully sink in. Start with your eye makeup, and and then move onto your complexion, followed past your lips at the end.

Some people enjoy doing their ain makeup; others find it stressful. Think about clearing the room so it'south relatively calm, and just having one person on manus, like your maid of laurels."

When shopping for foundation, get the shade color matched and applied in the store. Before you buy, take a photograph of yourself in unlike lighting (inside, outside, etc.) and so that you can see how the foundation adapts and looks on camera in different settings.

20 of 21

Prepare Your Look

LORAC PRO Blurring Translucent Pressed Powder $32.00

Shop

To keep your makeup looking fresh, Deenihan suggests having a powder on-manus. "Have a great powder you tin can reapply throughout the day, if necessary. I love the LORAC Blurring Translucent Pressed Powder. It'south slap-up for all skin tones, keeps you looking fresh in photos, and never looks chalky."

21 of 21

Take a Wedding ceremony-Day Makeup Bag

"Take a foundation stick in your clutch bag; it is perfect for touch-ups around the nose or if there are tears on the day. Pack blotting papers as well to have down any excess shine. Then pop your lipstick and blusher in there, as well," Garcia says. We'd besides suggest you take a retractable kabuki brush, in example your makeup needs a flake of evening out.