Wedding Makeup Looks to Turn Heads

With the global industry expected to reach a value of $863 billion by 2024, there are a staggering amount of makeup products available to use for your bridal makeup. Whether you regularly rock full-contour with a bold lip or prefer to go bare-faced from day to day, there are hundreds of wedding makeup looks to make you feel stunning.

From your first-look photo shoot to the early hours of the morning after dancing the night away, your makeup needs to look good through hours of dancing, hugging, happy-crying, and all the other activities that make wedding days so precious.

If you’re struggling for makeup inspiration, read on to see our favorite wedding makeup ideas that will turn heads on your special day.

Subtle Wedding Makeup Looks

When planning your wedding, bridal makeup can feel like the last thing on your list of priorities. If you're a bride who isn't comfortable with bold makeup or prefers to keep things subtle, these makeup looks are for you: 

1. Naturally Gorgeous

Subtle and understated makeup is one of the most popular bridal looks, and it isn't difficult to see why. 

Going bare-faced might seem like the easiest option here, but isn't ideal for wedding photography. A small amount of makeup can make a huge difference in the photographs of your happy day. 

Natural wedding makeup is all about enhancing your natural beauty. Our favorite elements are similar to "no makeup" makeup: using BB creams instead of thick foundation, soft, well-blended eyeshadow, and gentle pink or nude lips. 

2. Dewy and Fresh

Show off the glow of your recent professional facial with dewy and fresh makeup. This look brings a youthful glow to your cheeks and uses mostly cream products.

This look is all about the glow: glossy lips, dewy foundation, cream blush and bronzer, and a wet-looking eyeshadow. A well-trained wedding makeup artist will know how to work with these products so that you don't appear oily in your wedding photos. 

We recommend this look to brides with drier skin, as oily skin types can turn dewy into sweaty without a moment's notice.  

3. Delicate and Doe-Eyed

This style borders on bold, but still works for brides opting for a less done-up look. 

Doe-eyed makeup focuses on emphasizing the eyes without bringing in darker shades. Key elements include soft brown eyeshadow, brown eyeliner, and lash extensions with a good lengthening mascara.

Bold Wedding Makeup Looks

For some brides, their wedding makeup is the highlight of the getting ready process. These bold makeup looks were designed with the glamorous bride in mind.

If you enjoy wearing makeup on a day-to-day basis, love making a statement, or are feeling bold, here are our top ideas for you:

1. Dark Smokey Eye

If your eyes are your favorite feature – why not show them off? Nothing says glam like a classic smokey eye. 

Dark, well-blended eyeshadow and long, bold lashes are key to this look. Finish it off with a nude lip and you have a simple but dazzling makeup look.  

2. Bright Colors

This is a look for the fearless bride. Most bridal makeup plays it safe with neutrals, but there is no rule saying you have to do the same!
Don’t be afraid to go for bright and daring colors. Jewel tones, deep purples, bright oranges, the list goes on! Find a color that compliments your skin’s undertone to make the most of this fun and exciting makeup look.

3. Glamorous Definition

A glamorous bridal makeup look is created with minimalistic, crisp elements.
This is the makeup look where sharp-winged eyeliner is the star of the show and defined lip liner takes on a strong supporting role. The rest of the makeup is kept simple and clean.
We love pairing this old-school glamour makeup with smooth wedding hairstyles like a sleek ponytail or chignon bun.

4. Let the Lips Do the Talking

A bold lip is the stuff of dreams. This makeup look takes drama to new heights by emphasizing your lips. You could go for a classic red matte lipstick or experiment with something else.

Eye makeup is kept to a balanced minimum so as not to draw attention away from your best feature. You'll have subtle eyeshadow, gentle contouring, and a strong, bold lip color to finish the look off. 

Brides with deep skin tones look stunning with corals and oranges, and more fair-skinned brides turn heads with deep maroons or plums.    

Seasonal Wedding Makeup Looks

Are you planning a seasonal wedding? Here are our favorite ways to get inspired by nature and bring the seasons into your bridal makeup: 

1. Florals for Spring

Spring weddings have a signature charm about them. Rosy, fresh, and sun-kissed, this makeup look is all about warmth and life. It is created by combining natural wedding makeup with elements of a dewy makeup look.

We steer clear of any harsh colors for this look by replacing black eyeliner with brown, green, or navy. Rosy cheeks and berry-stained lips will have you looking every bit the blushing bride!

2. Summer Glow

For summer weddings, we tend to go light on the layers. This helps your makeup survive through the heat without a hundred trips to the powder room. 

Summer makeup is characterized by warm hues, tropical tones, and some sultry shimmer to add an ethereal glow to the look.

This is the perfect opportunity for coral lipstick. You can try anything from pale peachy-pink to luminous red-orange. And if coral isn’t your style – why not try a brown lip with gold or copper eyeshadow?

3. Fashionable Fall

For fall weddings, we are all about the monochromatic look. Draw your color inspiration from nature to create an effortless elegance. Our top color choices are:

• Taupe
• Bronze
• Rose gold
• Pink
• Peach
• Burnt orange
• Raspberry purple
• Deep browns

A monochrome look is understated but powerful: perfect for a gorgeous fall wedding.  

4. Winter Wonder

Winter weddings are magical. The perfect makeup look for this ceremony is made with bold brows, a deep lip, and minimal eyeshadow and contouring.

Makeup with a matte finish looks incredible for this combination of elements. Matte makeup has the added bonus of being long-wearing, so you won’t need to reapply lipstick throughout your day!

Get Ready

Whether makeup is extremely important to you or the last thing on your wedding to-do list, every bride deserves to feel beautiful on her wedding day.

Now that you know your potential wedding makeup looks, book a trial with us to see these ideas come to life!