12 Tips For Perfect Wedding-Day Makeup

iStockphoto

If you are anything like myself and the ladies in this office, your grooming throughout the day, after whatever you do in your bathroom to get ready in the morning, goes something like this: four swipes of shine-killing pressed powder, one extra mascara coat before heading out to a lunch meeting, multiple dabs at various straying colors, and approximately 512 applications of some sort of lip product.

You do not want to be doing any of that on your wedding day.

Today, HuffPo had a helpful piece on wedding-day makeup: tips on what kinds you should use (a primer! with silicone in it!), tips on things to be sure your makeup artist is doing, tips on what to avoid—and it’s definitely worth reading.

It also reminded us of some helpful tips local makeup artist Claudia Seyler—who we think does the makeup for approximately 512 brides each year—had for us a while back for those brides planning to do their wedding-day makeup. (And some brave, makeup-skilled brides actually do do this. Matter of a fact, our very own Diary of a Marriage blogger Emily Goulet did her own makeup on her wedding day, and I am here to tell you she looked pretty friggin’ fab.) So, we thought we’d repost below.

Any of you planning on doing your own wedding-day makeup? How come?

Question: My budget is tight, and I’m pretty good at doing makeup, so I’m going to do my own the day of my wedding. But I’m worried about it lasting—I’ll be getting ready around 11 a.m. and it needs to stay in place until 11 that night. What can I do to make it last?

Answer: Hair and makeup artist Claudia Seyler takes her hat off to any bride doing her own makeup, she says — and she’s got a list of helpful tips to make it all go smoothly.

For starters: Seyler suggests scheduling extra time for yourself, so you’re not rushed and anxious, and to be sure and set the mood. “Do it in a room by yourself, where no one else will be tempted to offer an option—unless you really want it,” she says. Play some music or do whatever else makes you feel happy and peaceful.

For your face: Apply moisturizer to a clean face (Seyler likes Cetaphil lotion). Have a sip of your mimosa while letting it dry, and then if you’ve got one, apply a base primer to your face with a sponge to set the foundation and help you use less of it. If your skin is oily, set foundation with a matte powder on top. If you’re using blush, she says, powder works best if you want it to last, so even if you use a cream blush, dust your face with setting powder with a brush afterwards.

For your eyes: Seyler suggests trying out a few eye-base primers before your wedding to find one you like (she prefers the one by MAC). When it comes to liners, use cream instead of liquid (then go over it with a slanted brush dipped in powder shadow to help it stay put); when it comes to shadows, use powder instead of cream (which tend to melt into the skin). Top off with waterproof mascara.

For your lips: Swipe your sponge right over your lips when you’re applying foundation, says Seyler, then dab your lips slightly with a little matte powder. Then simply apply your favorite lipstick, and top off with a little gloss.

For touch-ups: The less in your bag, the better, says Seyler, so keep it minimal. Even if you have nothing else in your purse, have concealer. Always dab, never spread. And keep that lipstick handy—both for your pout and your rosy complexion: “Just dab a tiny bit of lipstick on your cheeks to add a pop of color if your blush has left you.” And last, but not least, bring blotting papers to keep shine away.

Getting married? Start and end your wedding planning journey with Philadelphia Weddings' guide to the best wedding vendors in the city.