Wedding make up for someone who doesn't wear any!

[PenelopePlant]

Please help, I don't want to waste money on rubbish.

I am getting married and want to do my own make up, I don't wear any usually and can't remember the last time I wore anything.. I want a neat, barely there look but don't want to look like I usually do

I'm mid thirties with ok skin, but I don't have an even skin tone. Slightly greasy I'd say

I want maybe a slight shimmer to my eye..
Fresh looking skin, with a bit or a rosy cheek

My eye brows are tattoed and will be tidied up

No idea what to put on my lips..!

Any help much appreciated. Thank you!

I think you have pretty good skin so you don't need a lot.

I would take yourself down to a proper make up counter and get some advice. Often they'll do a sort of demo for free if you buy some product. At the very least, get advice on colours for things like foundation.

Personally, I'd look for a sheer foundation - make sure you get exactly the right colour (hence going to a counter!). Bobbi Brown or Mac are my favourites. NARS is always popular too. There are plenty of good, cheaper versions out there but ifyou'r'e a make up newbie I would suggest getting ing a brand where you can get a wide range of colours and a bit of help is a better option.

If you wear foundation, you'll most likely need at least a little blush. I'd suggest a cream blush in a sort of dark pink. Revolution usually has good options. I thinnk Elf is good too.

Re eyes, get on YouTube/instagram and google eye make tips. Try to fine-tune your search eg "slightly shimmery eye make up for a wedding" and watch a few until you find a look you like AND that seems doable. Then use that as a tool for buying the correct palletes.

Lipstick - assuming you want something fairly neutral as you'd feel weird wearing a bold red, I'd buy this with the foundation and get the beauty expert at the counter to help you pick.

I used to like Bobbi Brown but now prefer Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser and one of their gel blushers - go to a counter /s and try out

I hadn't thought about a beauty counter, thank you! My nearest is an hour away unfortunately and I have a toddler so hopefully I can figure something out. Foundation sounds a bit scary, I don't want to feel like I'm wearing anything. I wonder if there is a sort of non coloured blurry cream or something 😅

Glossier skin tint would work

I don't normally wear make up.
I went for a wedding make up trial and hated the results.
I wore a bit of tinted foundation, touch of blusher, mascara and lipstick, which I did myself. That felt more than enough for me, and I looked like me. I look fine in the photos!

You Tube has some amazing tutorials. I really like this girl's channel.

Or Lisa Eldridge.

Did she say soap in her brows? What have I missed!

Does anyone know of a site I can offer some samples? As don't want to order a full size without trying some shades. As I said above I'm quite far from anywhere with a make up counter

I think for samples, you'd need to visit a counter.

Honestly, I don't wear make up and if I were in your shoes, I'd not use anything on my skin but powder to stop me shining like a glitter ball.

Eyes, I'd use one shadow with a tiny bit of sheen, in a neutral colour close to my skin tone, followed by grey eye liner (black is too harsh for me) and mascara.

Lips, I'd use lip balm. And that's it. I'd want to look like myself.

I did non-makeup Dad's for her wedding. She sorted out foundation, I had some unused pink Dior eye shadows and I used them to do a pastel pink smoky eye type of shadow and a neutral pink lip.

Yo do need some makeup for flash photography will make you very pale

Do you have a friend who looks good and enjoys make up? I asked a friend to do mine and I was so happy with the way she looked after me. We did a trial with wine where she got me to wear false eyelashes and I found out that they were not for me - there was no pressure at all. It was lovely having a good friend there on the day: so much less pressure than a make up artist with their own style; so much more competent than me!

Nanoblur - it's a miracle in a tube 😊

Or you could decide not to wear any at all, if it's beginning to feel like a chore? I would imagine most potential grooms don't think about wearing foundation just in case they look pale in the wedding photos.

You could end up spending a fortune and not getting it right. My DIL doesn't wear make up but had a natural enhancing make up done for her wedding and looked amazing.It looks great for photos too. Ask for recommendations on your local FB groups.

Trinny London has a match2me program which I found gave good matches. They give samples when you buy something. The makeup is very light and very pretty on. It’s all cream, apply with fingers or brush, one swipe you’re done.

Some make up online does a colour sampling online. But I am not sure that's great for foundation. I have had success using them for eye shadow sticks and lipstick (Clarins and Bobbi Brown specifically).

When is the wedding? I think taking a day to travel to find a counter and spend some time working on this is not a waste.

I agree with those suggesting yoi visit a counter.

you should also practice and take photos in various locations (outside, inside, bright light etc) right after you apply it but also during the course of the day (two hours after application, 5 hours application, after having eaten etc).

For my wedding I did a wedding make up tutorial in person at Charlotte Tilbury. You have you pay but you then get to spend the money on products you like. I found it so usefull!

Have you got a friend or sister who does wear makeup? maybe you can borrow some of hers, and she can help you do it if you're not used to it

My friend did my wedding makeup for me - she'd had lessons for her wedding so we put them to good use

I went to Space NK with a budget told them what I wanted and they helped me to get the look right. I like Space NK because they stock lots of different brands and usually have good product knowledge. If you let them know you are putting together the look for the wedding they sometimes have make up artists working there who could show you what to do.

If there is a branch near enough I’d say this would be worth it. The disadvantage is it gave me a SpaceNK habit I’ve not kicked ten years later(!)

I don’t work for them(!) I do think they are generally good though.

Gosh OP
MYou have lovely skin, great lips and brows. Definitely you don't want to cover all that!

I'm almost 50 and always felt too much make up (including my wedding) just felt "off" on me and I'm the same now. If anything by the end of a day I always looked more knackered the more I had on IYSWIM?

Now a very occasional full face for me consists of -

Origins Ginzing tinted moisturiser. Love this as it's basically tinted skincare and SPF 50. Adapts to your skin tone so fool proof.

No7 concealer, just a little on under eye dark circles

Mascara. I have crappy short lashes however use a curler then a Boots Natural Collection mascara. DD 15 actually complimented me on my eyes when I wore it yesterday

No7 cream blush. If nothing else I always wear this bad boy. Lovely and buildable

Dior Lipglow (the universal pink one)

I get my brows tinted (but would kill for yours!) so a quick brush through and I feel like Cindy Crawford. Almost

All amazing advice! Thank you for the input everyone, I'll get to googling tonight ❤️❤️

For the price you will pay for all the stuff and then not use again I would look for a make up artist.

A good MUA will be able to do the look you want. Not all of them slap it on. I don't ware make up and had MUA for my wedding and loved how I looked. Really natural but nice and it stayed all day.