If you want to be yourself on your wedding, not a made up version of yourself, then today’s post is for you!  I, myself, am not a huge makeup person.  If I get a swipe of mascara on in the morning, it is a good day for me!  I remember being really scared for my wedding day makeup.  I knew that I needed to wear some makeup to look good in pictures, but I didn’t want to have so much makeup on that I didn’t look like myself, or that people noticed my makeup and not me.  Today, we have local wedding makeup artist Lori from Le Mariee’ to talk about how to get a natural makeup look on your wedding day. If you are going to DIY your makeup or seek the help of a pro, I’m sure that you’ll find Lori’s advice helpful. Take it away, Lori:

Photo Credit:  VisualSketch Photography courtesy of Le Mariee’

One of the most frequently asked questions that I get from brides is:  “How do I look natural on my wedding day, but still photograph well?”  It is a great and popular request to look natural, but to look natural, you must wear a good amount of makeup.

In the makeup world, we refer to this as “a clean look.”  Achieving flawless, even skin tone is the first step to this look and airbrush foundation is a fabulous way to do this.  The five benefits of airbrush foundation are:

1. Lightweight feel;
2. No cakeyness;
3. Longevity (Lasts up to 24 hours);
4. Photographs beautifully and HD friendly; and
5. Water/tear/sweat resistant!

If you are one who doesn’t like the look or feel of foundation, airbrush foundation is an excellent choice.

If you are going with traditional foundation, make sure to be light handed and use a liquid or cream foundation, as they can be well blended with a foundation brush or sponge.  Avoid using your fingers, as streaks may show up in photos

Another important fact is that although many brides love mineral foundations, I would stay away from this popular product as it has many refelctive properties and does not photograph well.  You may end up looking like a disco ball when the flash is involved!

Another important step in achieving a natural look is having well blended eye makeup, from the shadow to the liner.  Everything should be very well blended with no sharp corners or lines, so you get a defined, yet romantic and natural look.  The blush varies depending on your skin tone, but whatever is used, it should also be well blended with no harsh lines.  Your cheeks should look like they have just been pinched, or spent a little time in the sun.

Lipstick for a natural look works best.  Gloss is shiny and does not photograph quite as well or hold pigment for a long event.  Go for a lip shade that is pretty in person, but a pigment level up a notch, so that it shows up in photos.  (Might I suggest a shade like Laura Mercier‘s “Baby Lips”!)

One-third of makeup dissapears in photographs.  Be mindful of this so that after your honeymoon you can look forward to beautiful photogaphs of yourself!  If you want to look natural and aren’t sure how to achieve this, instead of leaving it to chance, consider finding a professional makeup artist.

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Thank you so much, Lori!  If you are getting marred in the Washington, DC area and are looking for a makeup artist for your wedding, be sure to check out Le Mariee’.