The Minimal Makeup Look

Usually when we talk about makeup here at APW, it’s part of a greater conversation about feminism, aesthetics, and the expectations of the wedding industry (obviously a mash-up of all our favorite conversations). Inevitably, when we discuss this, there is a group of you who are on the fence about wearing makeup on your wedding day. Maybe you don’t normally wear makeup in your everyday life, and maybe you’re having just a bit of a hard time dealing with the feminist implications of wanting to wear makeup on your wedding day. If that’s true, but you still want to do something to feel a little fancier, even if it’s only for the sake of getting an even skin tone in photos, this tutorial is for you. Because when you’re normally a Lip-Balm-And-Go kind of woman, even last week’s more natural foundation look can be a bit too much. So, today’s tutorial (thanks again P&G!) is essentially the no-makeup makeup look, meaning that there is just enough makeup involved to feel like you’ve dressed up for the occasion, but not so much that you won’t recognize yourself when you look in the mirror.

The Info—Stylist: Shana Astrachan of Fox & Doll Hair and Makeup/ Photography: Hart & Sol West / Venue: The Box SF / Flowers: Green Snapdragon Floral Design /Dress: Little Borrowed Dress / Jewelry: BrideBlu Vintage + Handmade Jewelry

Here are a few tips from Shana on perfecting this look:

For Face: Since this look doesn’t feature a dramatic eye or a bold lip, it’s really all about contouring and evening out your skin tone. One of the tricks for doing this is using a light shimmer powder as a highlighter to add dimension to your face without adding a lot of color. But make sure you choose one that’s shimmery, not glittery. Glitter will reflect light in all kinds of weird ways that are only appropriate for cheerleading competitions and drag shows. (If one of those two things is taking place at your wedding, our hats are off to you, we hope you send pictures, and we revoke the no-Glitter rule.)

For Eyes: You’ll note that this look doesn’t feature any eyeliner. For a lot of folks who don’t wear makeup, eyeliner is often the tipping point towards Dear God, what have I gotten myself into, especially if you’re not comfortable with the physical application of it (some people don’t mind. Others feel like they are getting their eyeballs stabbed out). So instead of taking a gamble on which camp you might fall into, create definition with some carefully placed highlighter in the corner of your eyes, and pair that with a longwear mascara instead. Covergirl’s LashBlast 24 Hour Mascara in Black Brown will help define your eyes without going too dark, and the white shadow in the inner corners of your eyes will make them look even more open and bright.

For Lips: Now, I know that with a fairly nude makeup look like this, there is going to be the temptation to go with a nude color for your lipstick. Don’t. Do. It. Most of the time nude color will just wash you out, so instead, opt for a light pink that matches the natural color of your lips. (Matches your lips, NOT your face. That is natural looking. Remember that.) We used CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Lip Color in Faint Hue, which comes with a glossy topcoat that I swear feels like lip balm and maybe even smells a little like cotton candy. However, if you prefer a matte look, Shana suggests applying powder first and then lip color. If you’re using a regular lipstick (instead of an all-day formula like Outlast) then apply powder, then lip color, then blot and apply lip color again.

Voila! You’re done! And at no point were you ever in danger of looking like you might be auditioning for a John Waters movie. So, pat yourself on the back and file that one away as a win.

Have questions about how to modify this makeup look, or which products would be best for your skin? We’ll do our best to answer them in the comments, but you can always direct your questions at @PGBeauty for their expert advice (or if you’re not on Twitter, post your questions on their Facebook page for more info).

Download a PDF of the shopping list for this look here.

**This post was sponsored by P&G Beauty. Thanks P&G for helping make the APW mission possible!**

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