10 Wedding Makeup Mistakes You’ll Definitely Want to Avoid

Busy planning for your big day? Choosing your dress can be one of the hardest, albeit also most fun, parts of that. But your wedding ‘look’ doesn’t start and end with the dress alone. You also need to think about your makeup!

Wedding makeup looks range from simple and natural, through to brides who want it to be the most glam they’ve ever looked. Whatever your beauty preference, you can learn from the brides who’ve walked the aisle before you – and avoid potential disaster!

Today we’re sharing 10 of the most common wedding makeup mistakes, to help you avoid them and feel nothing less than beautiful on your special day:

Doing your own wedding makeup

If you wear makeup regularly and know exactly how you want to look, it may be tempting to DIY it. But there’s more to doing wedding makeup looks than the routine you do every day. A wedding makeup artist doesn’t just know how to make you look stunning, they also know how to apply products so that they’ll last all night, and so that they’ll photograph perfectly. 

Even if you happen to be a makeup artist yourself, your wedding day is your time to be pampered! You will already have so much to think about, why add putting your face on to the mix? Sit back and get beautified with your bridesmaids and a glass of champagne instead.

Skipping the wedding makeup trial

Here’s our number one piece of advice to brides-to-be: don’t skip the makeup trial! We know, it’s yet another cost to add to the mix. But it will be well worth it. You don’t want to find out an hour before you’re getting married that actually, the wedding makeup look that suited that Pinterest model looks less great on you.

Schedule your wedding makeup trial three months out, so there’s time to find another option if needed. Wear white, to get a better idea of the overall effect, and take inspiration pictures of wedding makeup looks with you, just like when visiting the hairdresser. They’ll be more helpful to a wedding makeup artist than a verbal description. And if you have any photos of yourself where you particularly like (or dislike) your makeup, bring those along as well. Afterwards, take photos in various lightings to check you like them all.

Remember, you can save money while experimenting by getting a free makeover at Sephora or department stories. There are plenty such events happening year round; take advantage of their generosity!

Going too natural or too dramatic 

Sometimes, what looks good in person doesn’t really come across on camera. Ultra-natural wedding makeup looks tend to be one of those things. Wanting a natural look is of course fine, but if you literally use minimal makeup, you may be disappointed with the photos come back.

Try faux natural instead – think nude-toned lipstick, flawlessly-filled brows, and a pair of our Au Naturel lashes for subtle enhancement. Or just tell your wedding makeup artist that you want faux natural, they’ll know what that means!

Conversely, some brides think they need to do something dramatically different for their wedding day, which can lead to photos where you don’t look ‘yourself’. This isn’t the time to experiment with red lipstick or smoky eyes for the first time ever. Pick a makeup style you feel comfortable in, then get your makeup artist to do a more refined, defined version of that.

You also don’t need to be obviously coated in makeup to bring some drama. Our Premier lashes have been designed for intense length and fluffy volume, but they’re still made from fine silk fibers so that the effect is elegant rather than cartoon-ish.

Waxing too close to the wedding day

Book all of your waxing appointments at least one week prior to your wedding to avoid any chances skin irritation for the day of your wedding. 

This applies to your brows too! Your eyebrows frame your eyes and can truly change the entire look of your face. If you’re considering waxing them, you'll want to get it professionally done, and allow enough time for the skin here to ‘calm down’ afterwards. Your wedding makeup artist can cover redness, but if you break out in a bumpy rash, they can’t work miracles!

Self-tanning right before marrying

Another thing you should avoid doing too close to the wedding is self-tanning or the tanning salon – that’s just asking for disaster! Especially if you’ve never faux-tanned before. Plus, after 24 hours your tan may not be completely ‘set’, causing smudges on your shows-everything white dress.

The second day after the tan is typically the best in terms of color and setting. We’d also suggest you splurge on an airbrush tan, because your technician will be able to contour and compliment your shape. If you choose to use a mono-tan, such as a tanning booth or tanning beds, start the process a few weeks beforehand. You'll want to gradually build up to your ideal tan. 

Watch out for tan lines too! If you’re marrying in the fall, this means taking care in the summer sun. Strong tan lines can stick around for quite some time.

Overdoing the tan

While we’re on the topic of tanning, many brides try to get some extra sun in the week before the wedding. They might sunbathe more than usual, or ask for an extra coat at their tanning session. But remember, you’ll be wearing white! The contrast makes it look more dramatic than most people realize.

Trying to get a natural tan also means running the risk of burning, which definitely won’t be a good look. Your wedding makeup artist may need to charge extra for the time spent covering that up, if they can even do it.

Forgetting touch-ups throughout the day

With everything that’s going on, it’s easy to forget about your makeup. But you want to look as beautiful in the late-night photos as you did in the morning ones!

As your maid of honor to be on touch-up duty. They can subtly let you know when your wedding makeup starts looking tired, or just remind you to touch it up at set intervals. Some wedding makeup artists will even be happy to stay for the entire event, for an extra fee and a dinner meal. That’s the very best way to ensure you stay picture perfect!

Not having an emergency wedding makeup kit

Unless your wedding makeup artist will be staying with you, you need to make sure you have the products required to do those touch-ups. Make this one of the maids of honor responsibilities.

Don’t just pop lipstick in a clutch and be done with it. Be ready for all possible situations, including potentially redoing your makeup from scratch! Luckily for you, we have already created the ultimate makeup kit for you to create yourself. 

Not wearing waterproof wedding makeup

Choose waterproof everything. You're going to shed some tears on your wedding day, so you want to give your makeup the best chance of staying put. A primer will help with this, and a makeup setting spray will add to the waterproofing. 

For your lashes, we suggest using waterproof eyelash glue to ensure they stay on your lids. For your face, there are waterproof foundations available. For eyeshadow and cheeks, use a layering technique of cream and powder to keep your makeup where it should be. We've created a list of the top 10 tips for long-lasting makeup here.

Changing up your skincare routine

It’s natural to want to look your best on your wedding day, and that can lead brides to experiment with fancy new skincare products. Especially if you are prone to breakouts, you may decide to add more anti-acne products, but we suggest you don't. You have no idea how your skin will react, and the last thing you need is skin irritation.

A few days before your wedding is not the time to experiment with skin treatments, peels, or products you are unfamiliar with. This also goes for getting facials – if you don't typically get them, they will encourage skin impurities to surface. Sometimes your skin gets worse after a facial before it gets better.

Instead, stick to your routine and just focus on really hydrating your skin in the morning and at night. If you really want to try out a new skincare regime, start it 3-4 months in advance so that your skin is clear and glowing for your wedding day.

Can you think of any other common (or less common) wedding makeup mistakes? Or any tips to help things run more smoothly, beauty-wise?