Wedding Makeup 101

You've imagined it a million times... you and your new husband, arm in arm, faces glowing with excitement, flash bulbs flashing, hands clapping... your wedding day. You've spent so much time (and money) selecting the perfect wedding gown, the perfect bridesmaids' gowns, the perfect hair-do and veil, but have you given any thought to your wedding makeup? You'll want to be the most photogenic you've ever been in your life on your wedding day. Here are a few tips to help you get there.

First and foremost, don't spend the day before your wedding playing volleyball at the beach! Tan lines, sunburn, and peeling are a bride's worst nightmare! If you're feeling just a bit pasty, try a light self-tanner and, for your face, a tinted moisturizer to keep your skin looking fresh with a bronzing powder to warm your skin tone. When choosing a moisturizer and foundation, keep in mind that yellow undertones work best with flash photography.

Always keep that flashbulb in mind for every makeup choice you make! Avoid makeups, powders and colors designed for a shimmering, highlighing, or glittery effect. These items, as well as light-refractive foundations, can turn your beautiful face into a shiny mess on film! Matte finishs photograph better because they don't reflect the camera's flash. To set in your look, a light brush dusting with loose powder is the perfect touch; don't use pressed powder, sponges or pads as these may over powder or smear your face and can make you look chalky.

Keep your look fresh and natural....

For eyes... Avoid the "trendy" and choose natural contouring and highlighting colors with black, brown or navy eyeliner to give you a timeless look that will endure in your wedding photos for years to come. Smudge and blend your eyeliner for a softer, more natural look.

For lashes... First use an eyelash curler to lengthen and sweep those lashes up, then one or two coats of a lash-extending, waterproof mascara. Keep your lashes clump-free by making sure your first coat of mascara dries fully before applying a second and be sure to separate any lashes that stick together. Avoid too much mascara as this tends to make your eyes look smaller and can cast shadows over your cheeks.

For brows... Fill in gaps or "over-plucked" brows lightly with a good quality eyebrow pencil and apply a brow gel or powder to finish the look. DO try using the side of the eyebrow pencil and sweeping up to create a "feathered" look for fill-ins. DON'T use a heavy eye pencil or eye shadow to define your brows; these items are simply not designed for brows and can give you a heavy or unnatural look.

For cheeks... Pink, peach and rose tones are an excellent choice. Again, avoid highlighting or shimmering powders or creams as they may make your face look shiny in photos. DON'T forget to lightly dust your forehead, nose, chin and chest for that finished look. Powder blushes are great for oily to normal skin while cream blushes work well for drier skin types.

For lips... Choose a liner just a shade darker than your lip color. Always apply your lip liner along your lip's natural lip line. Make lips fuller with your color choice as opposed to extending your lip line beyond it's natural line; "surrounding" your lips with liner only gives you clown mouth! Avoid colors that are too neutral or frosted as they can leave you looking washed out in your photos.

And lastly, keep your face looking fresh throughout the day with a little touch-up here and there, especially before a major photo session. And don't be afraid to ask your photographer for a quick face-check prior to taking any major photos. There's nothing worse than a smear of mascara in the after-ceremony photos!

A clean, natural, "matte" look will create a wedding portrait that will bring you joy for many years to come.

Article by the Chicagoland Wedding Directory © 1998 - 2008. All rights reserved.