Photo courtesy of Barb Simkova
10 Makeup Tricks for Weddings That
Are Worth Stealing for Real Life
If ever there were a day you’d want to look like your most gorgeous self, it’s the day you get married. That said, most people would love to look that way—their all-time prettiest, their most natural, glowing—every day (and night) of the week. Wedding makeup also has to look good in photographs, which, in our TikTok/selfie/always-on society, makes sense for just about every day. And wedding makeup is (ideally) fairly smudge-proof—another way to put it might be emotion-proof—useful in many real-life situations, whether you tear up at the slightest provocation, adore hot yoga classes, suffer from allergies, etc.
Everyday (and Wedding-Appropriate) Essentials:
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Beautycounter
Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer
goop, $50SHOP NOW -
Kosas
The Big Clean Mascara
goop, $26SHOP NOW -
Ere Perez
Beetroot Cheek & Lip Tint
goop, $29SHOP NOW
1.
Do your makeup by a window or take a hand mirror and walk out to wherever there’s natural light to check how you look. Westman Atelier’s chic lip compact comes with a mirror, plus it delivers endless shade options that can be easily mixed.
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Westman Atelier
Lip Suede – Les Nudes
goop, $85SHOP NOW
2.
Look at pictures of makeup you love—pictures of yourself, people on Instagram, models—to nail down exactly what you’re going for. Getting clear on the look you want is incredibly helpful, whether you’re doing your makeup yourself, working with a makeup artist, or having a friend help you.
3.
Get your brows done. If you’ve never had them done before, do it a month or two in advance for the first time to make sure you like the brow artist’s work. Then have them done again a day or two before the wedding. The day of, fill in your brows with your preferred (and previously experimented with) pencil/shadow/brow gel for subtle, face-framing definition.
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Kristie Streicher
Essential Eyebrow Grooming Kit
goop, $225SHOP NOW -
Kosas
Brow Pop Dual-Action Defining Pencil
goop, $22SHOP NOW -
Kosas
Air Brow Tinted Volumizing Treatment Gel
goop, $22SHOP NOW -
Westman Atelier
Bonne Brow Pencil
goop, $38SHOP NOW
4.
Because real skin is so beautiful, treat your skin to a regular routine of exfoliating and moisturizing. Gwyneth’s morning routine is gentle enough for just about any skin type yet powerful enough to deliver incredible results.
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goop Beauty
Gwyneth’s Morning Routine: The Kit
goop, $246SHOP NOW
Prewedding or pre- any special event, kick that routine up a notch with extra exfoliation, regular nanocurrent treatments (ZIIP makes a special prewedding program you can access on its bestselling device), and, on the day of, a brilliant eye mask and vibrating gold-bar combination treatment.
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Jillian Dempsey
The Sculpt + Smooth Duo
goop, $245SHOP NOW -
goop Beauty
GOOPGLOW 15% Glycolic Acid Overnight Glow Peel
goop, $125/$112 with subscriptionSHOP NOW -
ZIIP
ZIIP OX + Crystal Gel Kit
goop, $480SHOP NOW
5.
With your skin in great shape, go easy on foundation. We love using Westman Atelier’s stick foundation with a brush because it can be used as concealer—which is how we like to think of it.
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Westman Atelier
Vital Skin Foundation Stick
goop, $68SHOP NOW -
Westman Atelier
Spot Check Brush
goop, $38SHOP NOW -
Westman Atelier
Foundation Brush
goop, $80SHOP NOW
6.
Faux lashes don’t smudge, and these ones look incredibly natural—best bet for a wedding for sure.
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For a narrower eye shape
LoveSeen
Iris Lashes
goop, $22SHOP NOW -
Most natural
LoveSeen
Cate Lashes
goop, $22SHOP NOW -
More drama
LoveSeen
Troi Lashes
goop, $22SHOP NOW
If you don’t choose false lashes, to define your eyes best, line them with liquid liner (just the top outer two thirds of your lash line), then wipe away excess with a Q-tip. The idea isn’t a lined look at all—it’s definition and drama that you’d normally only get from coats of mascara, which can be a heavier look. (Tip: If you don’t usually wear eyeliner, line your eyes heavily with pencil the night before—and then wipe it off. Using an exaggerated amount of liner really gets it into the base of the lashes, which leaves you with subtle definition the next day for the ultimate no-makeup eye makeup.)
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ILIA
Clean Liquid Liner
goop, $28SHOP NOW -
Jillian Dempsey
Khôl Eyeliner
goop, $20SHOP NOW
7.
Even if you don’t normally curl your lashes, do it—the residual liner plus the curled lashes are all but tear-proof and undetectable as makeup yet make a huge difference in how you look. Apply mascara; you may find you need less after you’ve lined and/or curled your lashes. This eyelash applicator from LoveSeen doubles as a brilliant lash curler.
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LoveSeen
Lash Applicator Tool
goop, $34SHOP NOW -
Inky black and glossy
Westman Atelier
Eye Love You Mascara
goop, $58SHOP NOW -
Waterproof and minimal
Ere Perez
Avocado Waterproof Mascara
goop, $28SHOP NOW
8.
Keep eye shadow light and natural. Apply less as you get closer to your nose and more toward the crease. If you want more intensity, go darker at the outer corners of the eyes. A dot of sheeny highlighter or even sparkle at the inner corners of your eyes can be pretty, too.
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Ami Colé
Light Catching Highlighter
goop, $22SHOP NOW -
19/99
Precision Pencil Duo
goop, $42SHOP NOW -
RÓEN
75° Warm Eyeshadow Palette
goop, $46SHOP NOW
9.
Cream blush—blended at the apples of your cheeks—keeps the skin looking fresh, and a cream is much easier to reapply if you need it.
Minimal powder, dusted just at the T-zone, keeps you from looking too shiny. Powder all over, on the other hand, deadens the skin, so be judicious. Carry the compact with you and reapply as needed.
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Saie
Dew Blush
goop, $24SHOP NOW -
Westman Atelier
Vital Pressed Skincare Powder
goop, $75SHOP NOW
10.
The prettiest lip look depends entirely on your taste. Don’t get caught up in how long a particular formula lasts, particularly for a wedding—given the typical amount of toasting and kissing, you’re going to be reapplying no matter what, so go with what you love and what flatters your skin the most.
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Kosas
Weightless Lip Color
goop, $28SHOP NOW -
Ami Colé
Lip Treatment Oil
goop, $20SHOP NOW -
RÓEN
Elixir Tinted Lip Oil Balm
goop, $32SHOP NOW
Related Reading
Ask Jean: Best Wedding Makeup for Hot Weather?
A Spring Refresh in Pink, Peach, and Gold with Makeup Artist Gucci Westman
Editors’ Picks: A Wedding Gift Guide
