Let’s face it: your wedding-day makeup is arguably just as important to your overall look as your wedding dress is. If you’re planning to do your own makeup on the big day, there are a few key considerations to take into account — aside from making sure to take part in a few practice-runs ahead of time. Not only should your look be reflective of your personal taste, but it should also feel comfortable on your skin, pass the mandatory flash-photography test with a solid A+, and of course, it should be long-lasting and transfer-proof.
Summer weddings tend to come hand in hand with plenty of beauty’s biggest adversaries: tears, relentless heat and humidity, plenty of dancing, champagne toasts (and maybe even an open bar), and of the post “I do” smooch. With that being said, it’s absolutely crucial that your makeup lineup can hold up against the elements and the emotions. Absolutely no one wants to look back at their wedding photos only to find melted face complete with a raccoon eyes, a smudged lip, or foundation transfer on the groom’s tux. So, we consulted with a few wedding makeup artists to pick their brains about their favorite long-wearing makeup products that they use on their clients to keep them looking fresh through the ceremony to the reception, and even the after party. Here’s a roundup of pro-approved picks.
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Ashley Rebecca
After 17 years of experience in wedding makeup (she also has impressive portfolio of editorial work, to boot), Ashley Rebecca clearly knows a thing or two about budge-proof beauty. “I always tell my brides, don’t rub your eyes, simply pat them if you feel the tears coming, and those tricks have worked for the past 17 years of doing weddings!” she says. When it comes to product, it’s important to opt for long-wearing formulas that still look natural –not cakey or mask-like. “It’s really important for me to have products that wear well and for a long time. I use a lot of cream blushes, eyeshadow creams and tints, and natural looking bronzer on brides because almost every bride wants to look like herself, natural but enhanced. Some of my favorite products are Giorgio Armani Eye Tints, Cle de Peau Cream blush and bronzer, and Benefit Cosmetics High Beam highlighter,” she says.
Giorgio Armani.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
“I use Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation and Cle de Peau Radiant Fluid foundation. But of those products look and feel natural, yet hold up under high heat.”
Ardell.
Ardell Individual Lash Extensions
“I never use waterproof mascara on brides, because when smudged it can tend to stick to skin and become hard to get off. I apply mascara and then finish with Ardell individual lash extensions to create length and volume.”
Cle de Peau.
Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer
“I also don’t go anywhere without my Clé de Peau concealer.”
Nina Soriano
Nina Soriano’s approach to bridal beauty emphasizes richly pigmented products with lasting color payoff and transfer-resistant formulas that stay in place. “A really beautiful color palette [is] one of my personal go-tos for any bride,” she says. She loves to lock client’s final look in place with a hydrating setting spray so that makeup stays put without leaving the skin looking dry and feeling tight. Her top pick? Clarins Makeup Fix Spray. “I recently discovered this product and I love it. It’s both hydrating and holds makeup into place.”
Clarins.
Clarins Fix Makeup Spray
“Once I’ve designed my look, I spray this over the skin setting the make up into place.”
Jill Stuart.
Jill Stuart Lip Blossom Velvet
“I love this product! I love using it as a lip stain and it perfectly adds a wash of color over the lip and the color stays for hours.”
Geo Hennings
Celebrity makeup artist, hair stylist, and co-host of the beauty podcast, Hairapy Geo Hennings loves to create versatile, sun-kissed looks on brides to be. Hennings also pays close attentions to how products perform with flash photographing, opting for light-diffusing and blurring options that catch light rather than cause flashback. “When the flash hits my brides, they look dewy and red carpet ready. Even when you [apply] powder over,” he says. Proof that flash photography doesn’t have to be the enemy — you just have to know what works and what doesn’t.
Nanacoco.
Nanacoco Contour & Strobing Palette
“I use the medium shade palette because it’s most universal color and you can contour and strobe while also giving you skin a soft bronze contour look. You will look like you just came from a sunny vacation for your wedding.”
Tom Ford.
Tom Ford Illuminating Primer
“Primers can be tricky as they can easily make you look over made up. But this primer honey, will give you that inner J.Lo glow which is to die for. ”
Mai Quynh
For celebrity makeup artist Mai Quynh (whose client roster includes Chloe Grace Moretz and Alison Brie), the key to making your bridal beauty look last is by layering products strategically to extend their wear time. “Whether it’s for the eyes, face or cheeks. I love using a cream shadow before powder shadows, same for blushes and foundation too,” she says. Another hack? She also uses a darker shade of powder foundation to create a more natural contour.
Jill Stuart Beauty.
Jill Stuart Eye Jelly in Rose
“Apply this first to the entire eyelid followed by Jill Stuart Modeling Lucent Eyes Shadow Palette in 02. Using a cream shadow first also adds dimension to the eyes as well as staying power. ”
La Prairie.
La Prairie Caviar Concealer + Foundation
“Apply this liquid foundation and concealer all over, and set with a translucent powder.”
Jill Stuart.
Jill Stuart Modeling Lucent Eyes Palette
Before applying a powder shadow, “using a cream shadow first, also adds dimension to the eyes as well as staying power,” she advises.
Gia Rodriguez
IL Makiage makeup artist Gia Rodriguez has been practicing her craft for over a decade and names wedding day beauty as her specialty. For Gia, skin prep is equally as important as a flawless end result as the makeup applied. “With any foundation skincare is always key, followed by prepping of the skin. I recommend using 1-2 pumps of our No Filter Smoothing Primer prior to application to smooth any fine lines, pores, and even texture as well as allow the foundation to wear all day without separating,” she says.
IL Makiage.
IL Makiage ‘Woke Up Like This’ Foundation
“I always bring in my makeup kit for brides.”
Il Makiage.
IL Makiage Foundation Blending Brush #100
“My favorite brush to blend the ‘Woke Up Like This‘ is our #100 Foundation Brush; it literally does the work for you making blending super easy. I like to stipple the product on to the face and then buff it out for an airbrush finish.”
A version of this story was originally published in 2019.
