Wedding Day make up for the bride who doesn't know how to do make up

[whattoWHO]

Can you please help me?

I'm getting married in 6 week. Low key wedding on a fairly limited budget.

I wear make up most days, but purely on an 'amateurish' level. I use Clinique CC Cream as a base, a bit of blusher, some mascara and a lipstick.

Any tips on how I can make myself up to look a bit 'special' and with staying power?

I'm happy to buy new products, but don't know where to start. I don't really want to go down the route of booking a make up artist for the day as I want to look natural and just a bit more 'zhoozzed up' from my everyday look.

I've booked to have temporary eyelash extensions in a few days before, but my salon knows that I want them to look very natural. I have my eyebrows waxed and tinted regularly and appart from that I am pretty much au naturel (fair skinned).

Where to start?!

[treaclesoda]

I have a couple of suggestions. Firstly, look up tutorials online. Lisa Eldridge is very good.

Secondly, what about booking a makeup lesson in the next couple of weeks in a salon? If you explain what you want, they should be able to show you how.

There are always the makeup counters too - tell them you are looking for wedding makeup and they will be falling over themselves to demonstrate it to you and try to sell it to you, you could try a couple of different ones on different days to see what they come up with.

[Trooperslane]

Mac - £25 and free product to the same value.

Congrats

[Atbeckandcall]

Don't completely rule out a make up artist. They are experts at making people look their best, their best being how that individual interprets that.

I tried a few and found they didn't use enough, so I just did my own. However I know of many people that wanted a full on look but didn't know how to do it and there are others who have never worn and didn't really want to be worrying about it on their wedding day so they booked someone.

BTW for all day weather proof foundation, try Dior Forever - AMAZING!!!!

[LadyVetinari]

Lisa Eldridge has done a video tutorial specifically about wedding make-up: here. That might be a good starting point, but you would also benefit from watching her videos about applying foundation, blusher, eyeliner etc to get a better idea of which look you actually want and how to achieve it. She also recommends specific products in the videos, which is helpful.

For foundation and concealer, please do go to a counter and get matched up - it makes a huge difference! Before buying, get the assistant to put some on your face so you can go outside with your compact mirror and check the match in daylight.

Brushes are the secret to getting a good, long-lasting finish, IMO. Real Techniques (available in Boots and Asda, amongst other places) are very reasonably priced and as good as any of the really expensive brushes I've tried. I particularly recommend the Expert Face Brush for foundation, and their powder brush.

In terms of actual products, here are some of the things I really like: No7 Lash Adapt mascara is brilliant (long-lasting and water-resistant but washes off easily, easy to layer and not at all clumpy); L'oreal Superliner is very easy to use and gives a very nice finish (it's a liquid with a special applicator that even I can't mess up with); Avene Skin Recovery Cream makes a great base for foundation and would be good as a preparatory treatment for the weeks leading up to your big day; No7 Creme Touch setting powder in Translucent is good for making your foundation last longer without changing the colour of making you look powdery. If you have any blemishes or scars, the following concealers are fantastic (IME best applied before foundation, and then touched up again after foundation if necessary): Boi-ing by Benefit; Studio Finish by MAC; Dermablend by Vichy. I also sometimes use the full-coverage foundation by La Roche Posay as a concealer, and it works wonders! Also, I'd recommend avoiding any products containing SPF as they can give your face a ghostly look if you're photographed with flash.

Good luck, and I hope you have a lovely wedding day!

[Arriettyborrower]

I recently got married, wear v little make up. I didn't book with Mac, just asked on the off chance if they could advise me and they did whole face there and then - I did buy whole load of stuff but was under no obligation to do so. I have used them daily since.

I did use a friend who is a beautician on the day, she did an amazing job and put subtle lashes on too. I would recommend using someone as it's one less thing to do/worry about.

Good luck!

[Puddles1234]

A good makeup artist can achieve the 'Natural Look'

I have no idea why on their wedding day a bride wants to do their own makeup? You want your makeup to be flawless and look stunning in photographs.

Book a few makeup artists and have a trial with each of them then pick the best. I use a makeup artist on a weekly basis whenever I go out socially or have a function to attend I couldn't imagine doing my own hair or makeup for these things let alone my wedding day. Trust me you will be thankful you booked a makeup artist.

[whattoWHO]

Some great tips, thanks.
Will look at the online tutorials and visit MAC.
And I get what you say about using a makeup artist - I've spent plenty on the rest of my outfit, why not make sure my makeup is right? Hmm, lots to think about.

[BeginnerSAHM]

Hi whattoWHO and congratulations!! Try going to your local SpaceNK - they are often part-time sales assistants and part-time professional make-up artists and they will do a really good job. I had the manager of the Brighton store do my make-up for my wedding (in 2007) and he was fantastic. They often do wedding make-up. It was a v v natural but flawless 'look'. Bit of eyeliner, fantastically applied, some neutral light eyeshadow, lovely blushers (two colours mixed from nars), Laura mercier tinted moisturiser (what I normally wear) and By Terry foundation (airbrushed look - v flattering) mixed and pretty v subtle bronzer. I was so happy with it. Could never have done it myself but I looked like I hardly had any make-up on.

[eurochick]

I did my own make up because I had a trial with a make up artist and she made me up like a hooker, despite me emphasising that I wanted the natural look (I doubt many brides want to look like they are about to go on stage in an "exotic" club so this should not have been a shock). I have no idea what she was thinking.

I went round dept store make up counters and got lessons and bought products and brushes. I spent more than the make up artist would have cost but was still using the products months later, so I felt that was ok, plus I was happy with the result, which is what really counts. Some were more helpful than others but generally as soon as you mention that you are getting married soon and doing your own make up they are very eager to help.

The one mistake I made was to use my usual moisturiser with SPF - it reflected a bit when flash was used and made me look too pale. I only found out about this afterwards. Generally, I loved the way I looked in the photos.

[winniethepoohpooh]

Same thing as eurochick. I had a make up trial. Wanted an English rose look and ended up with dark brown eye shadow!!! Wouldn't mind, but the woman's website was lovely with lots of English roses!

I booked a make up trial with a colour me beautiful consultant. Not sure I would recommend that exactly but it gave me the confidence to do it myself and Dh kept complimenting me on my make up. He knows the right thing to say!

[BeginnerSAHM]

Just to add, I NEVER like the make-up I get at departments stores (yes, including Bobbi Brown, Laura mercier etc!) as I always feel it's too much. SpaceNK are the only place where they have given me genuinely 'natural' looking make-up (at a few branches). I think it's worth asking and they'll do basic makeovers in store for free so you can see if you like their style (and they are on your wavelength).

Hope it goes well, whatever you decide!