Which Bridal Makeup Style Fits You? From Barely-There to Soft Glam
If you’re here, you’re probably a minimal makeup wearing bride trying to figure out her ideal bridal makeup look.
And I get it- it’s hard. You know you don’t want a heavy look, you aren’t really into the heavy glam that’s trending on Instagram, and trying to use Pinterest to find makeup inspo is like swimming in a sea of overly perfected and impossible AI images.
Now you’re sitting here, searching on Google and Instagram ‘natural makeup’ vs ‘soft glam’ vs ‘natural glam’ and every other version of light makeup you can think of. And it’s still hard.
As a skin-focused bridal makeup artist and licensed esthetician, my clientele is primarily no-minimal makeup wearing brides who want clean skin, minimal coverage, and editorial vibes.
But this doesn’t mean that every bride wants the same exact ‘natural’ look, either…
soooooo let’s get into it!
The majority of my brides book me for 3 looks:
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Barely There Bridal- the most minimal of looks up to very soft & natural
GLowy & gListening Bridal - dewy, glowy, glistening makeup that can range from more natural to a little bolder
cLean girl GLam - skin focused, radiant makeup that combines the drama of glam & the minimal coverage of natural makeup
Here’s what you need to know about each look if you’ve been saving them on your Insta.
Barely There Bridal
This is for my brides who wear zero makeup on the regular & don’t want to wear more on their wedding day. The point of this bridal look is to add as little discernible makeup as possible while still giving a polished look & breathing life into the skin. Often these brides skip foundation or apply it like a tinted moisturizer, & typically opt for a few cluster lashes if they want lashes at all.
When a bride inquires for a barely there look, here are my questions for her:
Do you truly want a barely there look? Or have you been traumatized by artists doing a 'natural' style of makeup on you before, and now you're afraid if you say 'natural' it won't actually be natural enough? The best part about having your preview is we can start at the barest minimum & go up to determine just how much coverage + color you want!
But if you know you want a look like this…
“just cover dark circles, add the TINIEST bit of blush, no bronzer, maybe some neutral powders on the eyes, idk if I even want shimmer, can we do a really super thin line at my lashes but no falsies, I want to look pretty in person & in photos but I don't want my makeup to stand out in the pictures...”
then I think this look may be for you!
to achieve this look:
a solid skincare routine is vital! having your skin in optimal health means that we can make the most of the makeup we are applying.
if you're skipping falsies (& good for you, girlfriend!!) then you may want to consider a lash lift & tint. A lash lift uses a perm-like solution (like you'd associate with a hair-perm) to curl the lashes up, & a tint will darken them. I've had a bunch of brides get this done with great results!
Glowy & Glistening Bridal
If you love a dewy, glowy, shimmering look, this what I ask: do you enjoy that feeling of moisturized, hydrated skin? Or are you the kind of gal who wants to check in the mirror & powder away if you feel too 'shiny'?
If your response is no. 2, then I would reconsider an all-over dewy look & instead focus on strategic glow on the high points of the face only. But if you love a Korean glass skin, glistening mermaid, high fashion moment? this will look gorgeous.
to achieve this look:
you need a solid skincare routine including regular exfoliation & lots of hydration
depending on your skintone, if you want a bronzey-dewy look, you may benefit from a spray tan- even a light one!
Clean Girl Glam Bridal
This is makeup that’s perfect for brides who dislike the feel of product on their skin, but they still love the look of makeup. Think of the same skin-focused, ultra clean base we know and love, with a touch more drama, sparkle, and glam
If you want a clean glam look, my first questions are: do you love the overall aesthetic but prefer a full coverage, matte, or glam bridal skin? Because if so, I may not be the best for you. I don’t specialize in full or traditional glam, but if you prioritize keeping that radiant, editorial skin, we can tailor your ideal smokey, whimsical, and glam elements for a completely customized look.
If you love a real skin look with a magical makeup moment, this style is perfect for you 😍
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Putting It Together
Once you’ve gotten an idea of which aesthetic you like, you can deep dive into your dream look. We collaborate and design your look based on your comfort levels, ideal bridal vision, your beauty inspiration, wedding aesthetic, color story, and the season. Every bride’s skin type, her skin tone, her facial structure, & more is taken into consideration when choosing the perfect products & techniques for her bridal look.
The result?
Knowing you’ll feel 100% comfortable & confident in your look saying “wow I never thought I could look like that & still feel like myself!"
Ready to chat about your perfect bridal look?
DM me on Instagram or inquire through my contact page to connect
