elcome to another installment of Wedding Tips Wednesday! (You can see last week’s post about every bride’s survival kit here.)

This week we’re diving into wedding makeup! I really love makeup and it’s not just because I was a licensed esthetician at one point in my life. I think makeup is so fun. But more than that, makeup can be used to enhance a person’s natural beauty in a way that shows up absolutely stunningly (did I just make up a word?) in photos!

I am welcoming a professional makeup artist, Nichole of 100% Pure Pro, to the blog to help answer some questions and give advice to brides planning their wedding day look.

Let’s first talk about the difference between airbrushed and hand-applied makeup. Airbrush make-up is on the rise and becoming extremely popular. First off, let’s go over how airbrush is different. Airbrush make-up gives you a flawless appearance without the feel of heavy make-up due to it being virtually weightless. It is also a more sanitary way to apply make-up because the artist or technician does not need to touch the face and no brushes are used.  Airbrush make-up is also camera friendly! (I agree!)

There are a few things brides need to keep in mind when choosing an artist to apply airbrush make-up and it has to do with the formula. Airbrush make-up has better longevity and durability than hand applied make-up ONLY if the correct formula is being used.

There are two types of formulas that can be used: silicone and water-based. Silicone-based is meant to give a sheer to light coverage and is best for DRY skin types. If you use silicone-based on oily skin or under warm conditions you should be prepared for the makeup to slide. Water-based is a medium to full coverage formula and is best for normal to oily skin types. This formula has a 22-hour staying power. 

Is there anything a person needs to do beforehand to “prep” the skin? Airbrush make-up is best when applied directly to a clean face. No moisturizer, no primers, etc. There are products that are specifically formulated to work with airbrush make-up. For example, if we have a dry client, we would not put a moisturizer on before we spray the makeup on. We have an “airbrush moisturizer” that is sprayed directly over the foundation to add hydration. Some regular products can negatively affect the longevity and wearability of the formula being used.

Do you recommend a trial application before the wedding day? In my business, we require a trial run for our brides and, yes, I would highly recommend this. A trial run ensures that the bride is completely satisfied with the end result and it is best to get all the kinks out before the big day.

How long will it take on a wedding day for makeup to be done? I can’t speak for other artists, but my team is really fast with make-up. I actually train my team to complete an application in 30 minutes. We always plan a little extra (just in case) but 30 minutes is very practical for airbrushing or hand applying.

I know a big concern for makeup is that brides want to look like themselves, but also look glamorous. What’s your advice for making sure this can be achieved? We require a photo of the bride up front as well as a detailed consultation form. We then prepare a “story board” for the bride which includes examples of different looks that we would think compliment her best. The artist should focus on enhancing not changing what the bride looks like.  The groom should be able to recognize his bride! The trial is the best way to ensure that the bride still feels like herself.

Going along with that, what’s the best way for a bride to communicate what look she wants? The best way to communicate what the bride wants is again a very detailed consultation and trial run, but even more importantly for the bride to be completely honest.  In most cases, the artist has no idea what a bride looks like on a day to day basis so it is extremely important to give honest feedback as to what she does or does not like. 

Lastly, what are some tips for keeping makeup from smearing/running throughout the day? And, if something does happen, what’s the easiest way to fix it? To ensure that the make-up is incredibly durable, be sure the artist is using waterproof eyeliner and mascara and we also recommend a lip stain. If the foundation starts to slide throughout the day, powdering will help. Be sure to ask your artist if they offer a touch-up kit just in case!