The hottest wedding trend in 2024 is natural bridal makeup. Celebrities and everyday brides are embracing the “relaxed” trend of the fresh blushing bride. What does natural bridal makeup entail? The key word is technique! Slabbing on a bunch of foundation on your face will create a look…just not a natural one. Just because you hear the word natural does not mean it will be cheap. Think of it like organic food, not cheap but it tastes so much better!
Brows: Fluffy, sleek, SLAY!
But first, brows! Brows are an essential part of bridal makeup. Your brows help shape your face. If your eyes are the windows to your soul, the brows are the window frames. Unless you are one of the few lucky people who have naturally perfect brows, please have them maintained by a professional. What does this mean? If your eyebrows are bushy and out of control then consider having them trimmed, threaded, or waxed. If you have very light brows, have them colored or tinted. If you have scarring and virtually no eyebrow hairs then having them micro-bladed is a must. When brows are shaped correctly, your makeup artist doesn’t have to spend extra time plucking hair the morning of your wedding. To keep your brows looking natural, I will use an eyebrow pen instead of a pomade. This way I can create small hair-like brush strokes to create a very natural yet dimensional brow look.
Photo by Kyle Carnes Photography
Glasses: Four eyes? Or better for Your Eyes?
Now this isn’t technically a trend but for some brides glasses are natural! They frame the face and if you have been wearing them for forever (I am one of these women). Then embracing the frames should be a part of your natural bridal makeup looks. A skilled makeup artist will know how to accentuate your eyes so your frames won’t take away from your bridal look. A question I get a lot is, “Can I wear false lashes with my glasses?” Yes, you can! Strip lashes or individual lashes have lengths that are suitable for glasses-wearing brides. I determine the length of lashes by how the glasses are worn. Are they really close to your eyelashes? Do they sit on top of your nose or further down and how thick are the lenses? The bride in the above photo wore the Ardell Demi Wispie lashes, which are some of my favorites!
Photo by @brookeyphotography
Eyes: Orange flowers, orange eyes
Warm colors in wedding décor such as flowers and napkins are a trend in wedding makeup. Brides ask me if there is a possibility to incorporate their wedding colors in the bridal makeup but still look “natural”. The answer is yes, there are many ways to do this. I love to focus the wedding theme colors on the bride’s eyes or lips. The bride above has a gorgeous autumn-colored bouquet, and I used a matte warm eye shadow palette to create her eye makeup look. The orange browns brought out her natural blue eye color. There’s a misconception that blue eyes need blue eye shadow. That’s actually false, blue eyes can wear warm or cool colors. Warm colors like oranges, golds, and browns. Cool colors like grey, purple, and silver shimmer. Though I will discuss this in another article, notice she is also rocking her natural hair texture for her bridal hairstyle.
Photo by: Sean Carr Photography
Naked: All Natural or No Makeup Ever!
These are the words I often hear from my brides. Because I specialize in natural bridal makeup, I attract brides who don’t wear makeup normally. When I ask them, “Tell me about your makeup routine”, they will shyly reply “I don’t have one”. If this is you, EXCELLENT! I can help guide you to the makeup colors that will look best on you. With social media, it’s normal to feel this pressure or to feel overwhelmed to wear makeup or know a lot about it. If you don’t know anything about makeup, that is ok! That is why I am here. The bride above wanted “clean natural looking bridal makeup”. I recommended beige/ brown eye shadows and airbrush makeup. Airbrush makeup is a form of foundation. A tool called an “airbrush gun” is used to spray the foundation onto the bride’s skin. It is lightweight and long-lasting; it was perfect for her wedding day.
Photo by: Marcela Pulido Photography
Freckles: To cover or not to cover?
Freckles come in all shapes and colors. They are small colored spots on the skin caused by sun damage or DNA. If you have freckles it is more than likely you are aware of them on your face and body. I like to ask my brides about their feelings toward their freckles. Are you attached to them? Or would you rather see them disappear? In return, I receive the question, “Is there any way to have a foundation but not completely cover them? I like my freckles; they are a part of me”. The answer is YES! I love using airbrush makeup to give you, the bride, beautiful coverage. Airbrush gives a natural skin-like finish without covering the freckles completely. Airbrush makeup is also super long-lasting, like over 12 hours! It’s also waterproof and sweat-resistant. Does your makeup artist offer airbrush makeup? They don’t? Hmmmm…
Photo by Coreene Collins
Lashes: Short or long?
The lashes are in! If you scroll through Instagram you are likely to come across hundreds of videos of brides or makeup lovers wearing thick black lashes. There is a common misconception that when in front of the camera your lashes need to be big. However, the effects you want can be achieved with smaller lashes applied in the right way. If you want a natural bridal look that accentuates your eyes, then lashes are a must! False lashes can add the look of length and volume to your natural lashes. The two most common types of lashes are strip lashes and individual lashes. Strip lashes come put together and are usually pretty quick to apply. Individual lashes are smaller pieces that when glued together create a custom lash look. Both types of lashes are long-lasting. However, my favorite are individual lashes. The bride in the photo above wanted a soft purple eyeshadow but I used individual lashes to make her eyes pop. You can see that her bridal makeup look is still soft and natural with a focus on her beautiful eyes.
Photo by Sightglass Photography
Lip color: Lipstick or Lipgloss?
Lipstick comes in many forms and is usually the last makeup item applied to your face. For photos, you absolutely need color on your lips. Whether that be an opaque color or a tinted lip gloss, your pucker will look luscious in photos. If you never wear lipstick, then the thought of something other than chapstick can be rather daunting. For brides who want to keep their look very natural; colors like creamy pink, rose or warm beige are great color choices. Pink lipstick colors are a big hit right now and come in a variety of shades or textures. Topping your lipstick with a gloss helps add volume and shine to your bridal look. If you want something lighter, I recommend a tinted chapstick. If you don’t like the sticky feel of a gloss then I recommend a hydrating matte liquid lipstick. A very popular lipstick shade and my favorite as a professional is “Pillow Talk” by Charlotte Tillbury.
Photo by Briana Morrison Photography
Cheeks: Blushing brides wear rouge.
Blush (also known as rouge) is a huge trend for 2023-2024 brides! Blush is a pigment in the form of a powder or cream that is used to add color to the face. This can give you the look of a “natural glow” or “youth” to the skin and face. Thanks to the Barbie movie, you will see pink blush in most bridal photos and Instagrams. Pink can be used on most skin tones and helps add a girly yet feminine brightness to your bridal makeup look. If you don’t fancy the color pink, then I would recommend a peach or rose blush color. My favorite brands of powder blushes are by Chanel or Scott Barnes cosmetics. Lately, I’ve fallen in love with cream blushes by a small brand called AWB Cosmetics. Pair your blush with a soft neutral highlighter (not too gold or silver) and Bam! Instant glow for your special day. Remember, a little bit goes a long way. You can wear blush and still look natural.
Photo by Andrea Zajonc Photography
Highlight: Glow Baby Glow!
The “blushing bride” has now evolved into the “glowy bride”. When you look up “natural bridal makeup” on Google, dozens of brides with glowing skin will pop up. This makeup trend gives the appearance of dew on the skin and the illusion that you are forever young. As a bridal makeup artist, I love this trend. However, as I play with different powders and shimmers to attain the desired glow, I find there is a problem. When having your picture taken, shimmer can “shine” back at the camera. If not done correctly, the highlight on the face can make your face look wider. A seasoned photographer will know how to correctly capture your glow without altering your appearance. Side note: Hire a good photographer! Brides if you want a glowy bridal look then please talk to your makeup artist. I am happy to do this for my brides as long as they are OK with not looking “wet”. The “wet” shimmery highlights are great for Instagram pictures. You want to look back at your photos and admire your wedding makeup. Not think to yourself, “why do I look like a hot sweaty mess”? The most popular highlight palette is the Backstage Highlight Palette by Dior.
Photo by Jos & Tree Studios
Eyes: They need a little something more…
I have brides that will ask for completely basic natural bridal makeup. When you sit in my chair, I will ask you, “would you like some shimmer or glitter added to your bridal look?” Most will say no to glitter but yes to shimmer. I am not talking about shimmer as in highlight. I am talking about a pretty shimmer for your eye makeup. Adding shimmer is an easy way to elevate your bridal makeup look without adding too much. Remember, we want to keep this “natural”. The shimmer should be applied to the ball of your eyelid or the inner corner of your eyelid. Common shimmer colors I like to use for bridal makeup are white, beige, gold or pink. My favorite brand to use are the Mac Cosmetics loose pigment shimmers. A little goes a long way! Adding glitter to your eyes is an easy way to go from “natural” to “glam” but that’s another article for another day.
Photo by Urban Bay Photography
How to Approach Natural Bridal Makeup
The most natural bridal makeup trend is a healthy you! Glowing skin comes from within. Take care of yourself, enjoy every moment of the wedding planning process. Invest in an experienced makeup artist who has a good portfolio. You need to see yourself in their photos. Can you look at their portfolio and say “I can see myself wearing that kind of look.” I’m talking about when you look at their style of makeup, can you see yourself wearing it? If yes, then they might be a good fit for you. For more information about finding the right makeup artist, check out my other blog post: “Find the Best Bridal Makeup Artist for your Wedding Day”.