Achieving a radiant and healthy look on the day of the wedding may take weeks of preparation. While some brides may naturally exude an effulgent quality, others will need to work a little harder. Don't be discouraged about where you factor in on the scale – with a little effort you'll get there in no time!

First things first: If you can't afford to meet with a professional aesthetician for a couple facial treatments, make sure that you're exfoliating at home at least twice a week. This will help to remove all of the dead skin cells on the surface and give your skin a smooth look and allow the make-up to glide on smoother.

Before applying your make-up on the big day, remove all traces of oil and dirt. The more pristine your face is, the better it will be to work with. When washing, use a mild cleanser so that your skin looks healthy and moisturized. For ultimate hydration try to find a face lotion that is water-based. Check out Clinique's Moisture Surge Extra Thirsty Skin Relief (found at most department stores and Sephora).

Natural Bride
For the outdoor bride who rarely wears make-up, you'll probably be more comfortable with a more natural look. You can easily amplify your best features with subtle and simple products. Rather than cake on liquid or powder foundation, apply a light film of tinted moisturizer. On your lips, avoid bold shades of lipstick and go with something sheer – a lip-gloss with a pink or rosy hue would do nicely. Line the inside corners of your eyes with a white, gold or coral (whatever looks best with your eye color and skin tone). Put a few light coats of mascara on your eyelashes. This will look striking against your otherwise ethereal glow.

Sophisticated Bride
Modern and sophisticated women are interested in ways in which they can amp up the volume on their wedding make-up without going overboard. These girls typically know what compliments their features best - which is a good start! To begin, apply a layer of foundation, followed by a light veil of powder concealer. The powder will help to soften your look. Charge up your eye area with a dusky color; green is a good choice as it works wells with most skin tones and eye color. Highlight your cheeks and lips with tones of rose. A good lipstick used by many celebrities: DuWop Lip Venom – a pink-tinted lip-plumper which enhances your lip's natural hue.

Glamorous Bride
If you're a true glamor goddess who loves fake eyelashes and flashy colors, something a little more brilliantly dramatic would be right up your alley. The best place to add drama is to your eyes. Frame your eyelashes with bold shades of gray, black, and silver. Add on some of M.A.C.'s fake lashes and brush them with DiorShow Waterproof Mascara in black. For lipstick you would look fabulous in a metallic red. At the end you'll look both contemporary and elegant.


Other Beauty Tips:

  • If you're doing your own wedding make-up, ask the lady at the cosmetic counter to make a note of everything she recommends. Have them give you a free make-up lesson and write down the steps in which they applied everything. This way you'll know exactly what to do the day of!
  • Just because it's your wedding day, don't reject drugstore make-up. These could be just as good as the more expensive products!
  • If you don't like wearing foundation but don't want to look shiny, opt for a mineral-based concealer. There are many brands which carry light-weight foundations which even out skin discoloration while still looking natural.
  • For the perfect glow, apply a creamy pink on the top of your cheeks. Take a sheer foundation and dust this over in order to lock in the color.
  • Schedule a make-up consultation prior to the wedding day so that you can make any adjustments needed.