If you need to make changes to your wedding due to COVID-19, finances, or another reason, makeup is one aspect you can check off your list of stressors. Whether or not it was a part of your original plan, doing your own makeup for your virtual celebration or micro-wedding is the safest and most cost-efficient option nowadays.
But most of us aren’t award-winning makeup artists or celebrities surrounded by a glam team around the clock. For the outstanding majority, our everyday makeup is just about all we know. We’ve rounded up some DIY wedding makeup tips to help you prepare for turning it up a notch on your big day.
Before Your Wedding
Use brands you know work for you
Don’t get discouraged by the overwhelming amount of makeup brands and beauty products out there. Sticking to what you know is definitely the best call when you do your own wedding makeup. There’s a reason why you repurchase the same foundation and eyeliner every time you run out — it looks great on you! Use the products you already love as a starting point and don’t worry about breaking the bank on the highest of high-end.
Have plenty of trial runs
Practice makes perfect, and that goes for your makeup, too. Try out the handful of makeup looks you’ve saved on your Pinterest board for inspiration. Some looks may be too complicated for your taste, and others may not come out the way you want them to over video. Keep practicing with your favorite beauty products until you find the look the makes it hard to stop staring at yourself in the mirror.
Be sure to take photos of each outcome to see how you’ll look on camera and against different types of light. While you might have your heart set on old Hollywood glamour, you may find a natural look works best for you when there’s a big flash or sunset lighting.
YouTube tutorials are your friend
From Katerina Williams to Raven Elyse, YouTube has hundreds of amazing professional makeup artists and makeup enthusiasts who can show you what to do and how to do it to get your desired wedding day look. While tons of YouTubers can help with your application technique, make sure to find someone with a similar skin tone so you can see how things should turn out, how eyeshadow colors will look, and which highlight works best for you.
Avoid trying new facials
If you’re all about skincare, facials, and getting your face to feel as flawless as possible, make sure you do so with ingredients you know don’t irritate your skin. If you’ve never had a seaweed facial, a few days before your wedding may not be the best time to try it out. In a worst-case scenario, your face may have an unflattering reaction that could take days to return to normal. If you insist on doing a dramatically new skincare regime before your wedding, make sure it’s at least a month before your big day, just to be safe.
The Day of Your Wedding
Hair first, makeup second, dress last
Although it may seem obvious, your wedding dress goes on last! Begin applying your makeup after you’ve finished your hair to give it some time to set in its curlers. Spilling or splashing anything on your wedding dress is completely avoidable, so let’s not give ourselves a reason to panic. When your makeup is done and you’re ready to hop into your dress, make sure to cover your face if your dress is going overhead — you don’t want makeup inside there either. Remember this mantra: hair, makeup, dress.
Give yourself time
This is your wedding day, and there will be a wide range of emotions you’re feeling at once — with nerves likely being high on the list. Start your day early to allow yourself time to go over all the details, the Zoom links, and any mishaps with the flower arrangements. Then, go to a calm place to apply your makeup on one of the biggest days ever, with no distractions and rushing.
Top Tips, Tricks, and Techniques
Primer, primer, primer!
Primer, for your face, eyes, and lips, allows you to put on less makeup and prevents what you do put on from coming off quickly and easily. This may seem like overkill, but your lip liner will last much longer with a primer underneath. If you think that the fewer products to apply, the better, try to have a face moisturizer with a built-in primer. Glossier and BioClarity have great options for the two-in-one duo.
Blend well… everywhere
Unblended, harsh contouring is one thing, but what you don’t want is your face and neck being different colors when looking back at your wedding photos. Ensure you have the right shades for your complexion and are blending them well. If your neck and shoulders are showing, grab your favorite blending brush or sponge and blend down, and don’t be afraid to use a little body makeup to bring it all together.
The fake lash debate
False lashes can always help your eyes pop (yes, even virtually), but you don’t want them flying away with the wind mid-ceremony. As a pro tip, opt for individual false lashes instead. They look a tad more natural and last a bit longer than a full lash strip. Another option is going natural. Just be sure to double coat that mascara.
No dark circles allowed
No one wants dark circles or bags on their wedding day. Luckily, an easy yellow color correction concealer is your answer to this under-eye problem. Before applying your normal concealer, apply a small dab of this correcting magic to your index finger and gently apply it under your eyes. The difference will be so astounding, you’ll want to incorporate it into your everyday makeup routine. If you don’t know where to start your search, Naked and Lancôme are two reliable choices.
Limit the sparkle
Your favorite eyeshadow might be purple and sparkly, but it won’t go over well with your relative’s bad WiFi quality. To avoid a harsh shine, try to stick with subtle, matte tones for your eye makeup and lip color, specifically. The only thing that should shimmer on your face is your highlight; leave the rest to your dress.
Waterproof or bust
Waterproof mascara, and anything that is long-lasting, is a must-have for your wedding day. When settling on exactly which mascara, foundation, and bronzer you’ll wear, be sure you can see at least one of those terms on the label. Your wedding day will be long, and there will be plenty of tears, so being able to minimize touchups will go a long way. Your makeup should be one less thing to worry about, so wear products that can last through it all (or most of it anyway).
The don’t-forgets
With all the makeup tips in the world, it’s important to remember the basics, too. Wash and moisturize your skin before you do anything makeup-related, always wear SPF, know that black liner on your lash line makes your eyes look smaller (don’t do it!), and never forget your setting spray to finish a look. If you can handle these, your DIY wedding day makeup will be a breeze.
Remember, you can do this! Whatever wedding obstacles have been thrown your way, that’s not stopping you from marrying the love of your life. Don’t let your makeup get in the way either.
