How To: DIY Makeup

With the cost of the average wedding creeping into the dozens upon dozens of thousands, many thrifty brides like to DIY as much of their wedding as possible, from centerpieces to invitations to favors. Brides with a few cosmetics skills and a willingness to invest in some high-quality products are also able to DIY their bridal makeup for the big day with fantastic results. If you find yourself bravely considering doing your own day-of makeup, remember these tips and tricks to make makeup the last worry on your mind.

Practice, practice, practice! The last thing that you want to do is wait until the week before your wedding to try your hand at bridal makeup for the first time. Watch Youtube tutorials to learn the makeup style you’re after and then go crazy. No one learns to contour on their first attempt.

Use varying lighting. Once you have your style down, make sure to try it out in different lighting. Your face changes appearances in every single varying form of light — direct sunlight, shade, fluorescent bulbs, etc. You’ll find you’ll look different throughout the day if you do your makeup in the car versus in your bathroom versus by your bedroom window. Create your look dependent upon your venue’s lighting. If you’re unsure what the lighting will be like at your venue, go take a look around.

Use a setting powder. Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder sets your makeup in place to prevent caking, creasing and running. This powder works for all skin tones and greatly improves your makeup’s appearance in photos.

Invest in high-quality brushes and other tools. If you’re using cheap, worn or dirty brushes, you’re doing yourself and your face an injustice. You can find brushes that are great for your skin at any department store cosmetics counter or specialty cosmetics store, usually for a relatively affordable price of less than $50.

Don’t shy away from false lashes. Even if you’ve never tried them before, that doesn’t mean you can’t now! Throw some false lashes into one of your trial runs to see how they look. Particularly if you’re going for a more dramatic and bold theme, falsies can only enhance your appearance.

Take care of your skin. This may be the most important thing to remember! You want your skin to look just as great without makeup as it does with makeup. In the months leading up to your wedding, be sure to drink plenty of water; stop touching your face with germy, oil-covered hands; don’t pick or scratch at just any annoying little zit; and be sure to keep up with your daily skin routine.