Wedding season is officially upon us, folks, which means you’ll need to master your wedding guest makeup looks. While it’s undeniably the bride and groom’s big day, it’s safe to say that everyone wants to bring their A game to the occasion. Aside from your attire — which will ultimately depend on the vibe of the wedding — you want makeup that not only looks amazing but will last you all day and into the night through tears, dancing, sweat and any other elements that may come your way. Obviously, you want to go for products that are long-lasting and specifically designed to stay put, but how else can you ensure your wedding guest makeup game is on-point (and won’t budge)?
We tapped several professional makeup artists for their expert insight on the matter. Ahead, find their foolproof tips and top product recommendations.
Prep and prime your skin
Every great makeup look starts with skin care, so first and foremost, be sure to cleanse and exfoliate (if you need it) and then follow up with your favorite hydrating serum and moisturizer. Pro tip? Always stick to what you know works and don’t try anything new, as the last thing you want on the day of a wedding (even if it’s not your own!) is to have an adverse reaction.
“Skin preparation is super important with any makeup application, but the key for wedding makeup is to avoid anything too oily or heavy,” says makeup artist Chanel Temple. “Using a hydrating serum and [light moisturizer] is my favorite combination for all skin types.” She suggests applying a modest amount on the skin and allowing it to set for one to two minutes before going in with your other complexion products. “This method offers seriously unreal results in controlling shine throughout the day,” she says.
Makeup artist Jonet Williamson notes that you always want to keep in mind how long you’ll need your makeup to last, as well as what conditions you’ll be in throughout the day and to choose a primer formula accordingly.
Temple recommends starting with this award-winning serum for your skin prep. The hydrating formula helps to simultaneously soothe and protect skin from environmental aggressors while calming any existing redness and irritation. It features MVP ingredients like hyaluronic acid, squalane and marine algae extracts.
Temple recommends following the hydrating serum with this moisturizer. The immensely hydrating yet non-oily cream for face and body is light as air and absorbs quickly, yet still manages to keep skin moisturized all day long. It contains a blend of pansy, chamomile and calendula extracts to calm the skin, along with sunflower oil and cocoa seed butter for supreme nourishment.
“For occasions like a summer wedding or for individuals with very oily skin, I recommend opting for the Secure the Sweat Primer by One/Size,” Temple says. As the name implies, this viral primer is designed to hold up against sweat, as well as excess oil and water. It also visibly blurs pores, mattifies skin and keeps skin looking perfected for up to 12 hours. Additionally, it contains squalane to help prevent the skin from drying out.
This skin-nourishing primer comes in multiple forms — hydrating, blurring and illuminating — but they’re all designed to elongate the wear of your makeup and keep it in tip-top shape. The product is one of Williamson’s all-time favorite primers. Additionally, each formula contains a powerhouse blend of skin care ingredients to help soothe and condition your skin while keeping your makeup in place.
Layer your complexion products
Foundation is personal and most people have favorites depending on their unique skin type, but if you really want your other base products to last for the long haul, Williamson recommends a layering technique. “For longer wear, you want to lock your liquid and cream products in place with a powder version,” she says. “For example, use a cream blush followed by powder blush, and cream bronzer then powder bronzer, and so on.” The important thing is to always add your powder products on top of your liquid and cream formulas to set them in place.
Creamy and super easy to blend, this award-winning bronzer melts into the skin seamlessly to create the most realistic sun-kissed effect. It has an excellent shade range and delivers a stunning, sculpted effect with a skin-like finish so it’s especially ideal for daytime weddings.
For powder bronzer, makeup artist Elisa Flowers recommends Dior’s Forever Natural Bronzer because it’s lightweight, matte and, as the name suggests, super natural-looking. “Dust the bronzer all over the high points of the face, especially anywhere that would easily be tanned by the sun,” she says. “And be sure to avoid too heavy of an application because bronzer can easily look artificial if you go overboard.”
Use waterproof eye makeup
Weddings tend to be tearjerkers, so going with waterproof eye makeup is always going to be your best bet. It’ll also give you some smudge-proof coverage at a sweltering summer wedding. According to the makeup artists, waterproof mascara and eyeliner, along with long-wearing eye shadow will help resist sweat, oil and tears.
Flowers says this viral mascara is lengthening and also holds a curl. Along with dramatically lifting and volumizing, it won’t budge at all once it’s dried down. It’s a great pick if you’re after intensely thick, fluttery lashes. Plus, it doesn’t clump and works fabulously on the lower lash line too.
This drugstore gem, one of Williamson’s go-tos, delivers gorgeous volume without any clumping and contains lash-loving ingredients like pantenol and ceramides to help protect and hydrate fragile lash hairs. It’s also extremely smudge-proof and separates each and every lash, which creates a flirty fanned-out effect.
You simply can’t go wrong with these $5 cream shadows, which perform just like any high-end brand in the business. The three-in-one formula acts as a primer and doubles as both an eye shadow and eye liner, so there are multiple ways to put it to work. Plus, the crease-proof shadow can be easily applied with fingers or a brush, depending on how bold you want the pigment to be. The shade range is also A1 — we just wish there were more of ‘em.
This creamy, waterproof shadow stick also doubles as an eyeliner and comes in three different finishes: matte, shimmer and metallic. It blends out beautifully with fingers or a brush, and is very beginner-friendly, as all you need to do is swipe it on your lids and go. The pigment-packed formula is also designed to last without creasing, smudging or flaking hour after hour.
Despite being so creamy and blendable, this ophthalmologist-tested liner is completely smudge-proof and waterproof. The shade range — which includes a lovely array of wearable neutral hues like black, brown and dark gray — is also spot-on. Another bonus? It comes with a built-in sharpener and smudging tool.
Opt for false lashes
According to Williamson, adding some falsies is a surefire way to take just about any look to the next level. “Just adding a lash to something as simple as a winged liner look or monochromatic eye will elevate the look for a more glamorous feel,” she says. “If you’re new to wearing lashes I’d suggest trying a magnetic lash or press-on lashes which tend to be easier to apply.”
Flowers notes that you should always look for false lashes that have an invisible band. “These lashes tend to be the most natural- and delicate-looking,” she says. “And be sure to use a good glue to keep lashes in place.”
These easy-to-apply magnetic lashes last all day day and are extremely light and comfortable to wear — plus they come in a bunch of different styles ranging from super delicate and natural to bold and dramatic. This set comes with three bombshell styles, but they also come in short, medium and long lengths so you have myriad options to choose from.
Including three lash lengths, glue, applicator tweezers and a crystal finishing coat, this starter kit will set you up for success for trying out the now-popular lash-extension style of false lashes. Unlike traditional falsies, these are applied under your natural lashes for an even more seamless and long-lasting look.
Your false lashes are really only as good as the glue that holds them in place. Flowers recommends this one, which has an easy brush applicator and was formulated to be gentle on sensitive eyes while providing long-lasting hold.
Apply setting spay before powder
Do you usually apply setting spray after setting powder? Temple wants you to rethink this technique. “Why would you drench your face after you just applied a ton of powder? Flip the process and spritz the skin, let it dry down a tad and then go in with your setting powder,” she says. “This will prevent the skin from looking cakey and overall lasts much longer.”
Temple loves this wildly popular setting powder for its brightening effect. It's a hit for a reason: It comes in a slew of different shades; blurs the look of fine lines, pores and wrinkles; and locks makeup in for up to 10 hours. Additionally, it contains hero ingredients like vitamin E and oil-absorbing rice starch powder to help nourish skin while keeping shine at bay.
According to Temple, this product is ideal for anyone intimidated by powders. It’s impossible to go overboard with this famous formula, which is infused with what the brand calls “photoluminescent technology” to capture and diffuse light for a super-soft, refined finish. Available in six shades, each one is designed to deliver a different effect, whether it be a moonlit glow or a golden sun-kissed appearance.
Apply lip stain underneath lipstick
To boost the longevity of your lipstick, Flowers highly recommends applying a lip stain first. “This technique is especially handy when eating and drinking because even if your lipstick fades a little, you’ll still have the remaining pigment from the stain there,” she says.
This lip stain has a smooth, buttery application that sets and tints the lips for all-day wear. The versatile shades are perfect for priming the lips before lipstick or gloss.
“Clarins makes a bright range of colors that are comfortable to wear and look great alone or under your favorite bold lipstick,” Flowers says. The matte yet ultra-moisturizing formula contains hydrating ingredients like aloe vera, raspberry extract and glycerin to keep your pout comfortable and conditioned while you wear it. As for the shades, they’re vibrant and extremely buildable (they never get cakey), so the more coats you apply, the bolder the finish you get.
Set your lips with powder
If you’re a gloss type of gal, you can totally skip this step, but Temple highly recommends trying it out if you’re opting for lipstick and want to keep touch-ups to a minimum. “To secure the pigment and ensure longevity, apply your favorite lipstick first and then set it with the same powder you used to set your complexion. This will lock in the pigment and also smooth any fine lines.”
Merit’s lipsticks are available in satin and matte finishes, but the latter are best if you’re setting it with powder. The creamy formula doesn’t feel drying, thanks to moisturizing squalane and sunflower seed oil, and it has buildable color so you can go as pigmented as you want.
Between a lip tint and a liquid lipstick, these K-beauty lip colors are a favorite. The formula dries down to a soft matte finish, which is perfect for this technique. For the first coat, pat the color into the lips, add another layer on top to even out the pigment and then set it with translucent powder.
To set your lips with powder, use a fluffy makeup brush to gently tap the powder onto the lips, on top of your lipstick. An ultra-fine translucent powder like this one is best for an invisible finish. Pressing your lips together should get rid of any excess powder, but if there’s still some visible, gently blot it with a tissue.
This powder compact is made for the crease-prone under-eye area, helping to create a smooth, blurred finish. Thus, it’s also a great option for on the lips, setting lipstick in place and avoiding any feathering.