From brand founders to top bloggers, we asked natural beauty experts to give us their best ‘get gorgeous’ advice, and the result is a text-book status guide to wedding makeup and beauty guaranteed to ease any overwhelm!
From a celebrity makeup artist’s two-month program for perfect skin, to Shiva Rose’s sweet glow-inducing ritual for the morning of, look flawless and feel amazing with these wedding makeup and bridal beauty game changers…
For Your SKIN
The Two Month Mark. Starting one to two months in advance, schedule a visit with a facialist for evaluation of what your skin needs most: microderm, chemical peel, etc., and stick with whatever regimen your facialist prescribes to get your skin glowing! If money is too tight for a few visits to an aesthetician, start a few months in advance, and put yourself on a regimen of gentle enzyme-based peel masks – something to get that top layer of dead skin cells off so that you really do have that lit-from-within look. Do not start experimenting with at-home peels the week before your wedding, on the off chance that your skin has a negative reaction. Some of my favorite enzymatic peels are from True Botanicals, Juice Beauty, Kypris and Marie Veronique. — Katey Denno, celebrity makeup artist
Ancient Traditions. For glowing skin on their wedding day, brides in India exfoliate their faces with chickpea flour. I created the Saffron Rose Face Scrub with this in mind. Also a lovely beauty ritual is for maids of honor to cleans the bride’s feet and hands with rose blossom water. — Shiva Rose, The Local Rose
Calm The Skin. My best advice is to not stress about the small stuff. Nothing leads to inflammation more than stress and many times it can show up in your skin. Simplify as much as possible, including your skincare. Use fewer, but better products. Active Botanical Serum is a great example. It is one product that feeds your skin optimal ratios of the most nutrient-dense organic and wildcrafted botanicals. Skin becomes balanced, healthy and glowing in one easy step. — April Gargiulo, Vintner’s Daughter
Tall Order. Minimize Stress. Taller order: Avoid alcohol at least three days before to minimize redness, puffiness and fatigued skin. Amplify your hydration internally and externally. Sleep! And don’t do anything new, drastic or unfamiliar before your wedding — Shirley Pinkson, W3ll People
Mask It Up. Okay, so my number one tip: Buy the Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask…and literally do a mask every day for seven days leading up to the wedding. I brought a few jars home with me before my wedding (they are expensive, but hey, you only get married once) and I gave one to my mom and dad and they used them with me, before the Thursday, Friday and Saturday events. They are legit the best natural masks and make a huge difference. I usually fall asleep in them or wear them until they dry out. I always bring a jar with me when I travel. For general skincare, my favorite product at the moment is May Lindstrom’s Blue Cocoon. I use it as my morning and evening moisturizer for a really beautiful glow. — Annie Atkinson, She’s In The Glow
Get Hydrated. I got a lot of facials before my wedding, but mainly for hydrating and collagen building. Oxygen is your best friend, so try to do get some super hydrating treatments as often as possible when you are like six weeks out. — Annie Atkinson, She’s In The Glow
Eat For The Skin… based on your dosha! Vata constitutions – when experiencing a vata imbalance, such as flaky skin or eczema (even milia) – should avoid dry fruits, apples, melons, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, beef and peas, as these aggravate vata further. Consumption of avocados, sweet fruits, cherries and oranges will help bring your vata back into balance. Pitta skins will benefit from sprouts, green salads, sunflower seeds, mangoes, pears, plums and mushrooms, while avoiding tomatoes, garlic, sour fruits, bananas, peanuts and spicy foods. This will help those of us who experience rosacea and redness, and frequent sensitivity / allergies. Dry fruits, pomegranate, cranberries and basmati rice will help bring kapha into balance. Coconut, dates, pineapples and dairy products should be avoided by those experiencing a kapha imbalance. This is wonderful for those of us who constantly experience congestion and acne (especially the deep cystic variety). — Shrankhla Holecek, Uma Oils
For Your BROWS
Grow ‘Em Out. About three months before my wedding I went into operation “grow out my brows.” I didn’t touch them, literally not a single hair for three months – and I used Plume brow and lash serum on my brows and lashes religiously, like every morning and night. This made a world of difference. Then right before my wedding I had them cleaned up and trimmed and tinted just ever so slightly and they were in the best shape they had even been in. — Annie Atkinson, She’s In The Glow
Get In Shape. Wax, thread or sugar your brows one to two weeks prior to the wedding. The thin skin around the eye does not take well to makeup directly after shaping. — Shirley Pinkson, W3ll People
For Your FACE
All In The Eyes. Religiously use your eye cream/gel. You’ll be smiling an awful lot on your big day and the very delicate skin around your eyes is prone to crinkling, no matter how close to 20 you may still be. Giving that skin an extra little hydration will mean a smoother look in photos, and less chance of shadow and/or concealer settling into fine lines — Katey Denno, celebrity makeup artist
Shine Bright. Make sure your teeth are looking their best. The cameras will be clicking away and you will have these photos forever to look back on. You want the whitest smile possible so I recommend using Dr. Brite’s Ultimate Whitening Collection – my favorite natural and cruelty-free brand certified by Leaping Bunny and formulated without harmful chemicals, preservatives or artificial flavors. — Britanie Faith, Beauty by Britanie
Perfect Pout. The skin on your lips needs to be at its best on your wedding day. Begin getting it in shape by practicing daily exfoliation rituals – whether that means gently scrubbing small circles with a fine grain wash cloth in the shower over your lips, or using a packaged lip scrub to slough off that top layer of dry skin. Follow it up with your favorite non-petroleum balm, and reapply numerous times throughout the day. — Katey Denno, celebrity makeup artist
For Your Wedding MAKEUP
The Two Week Trial. Do a makeup trial (or two) before your wedding. Make sure to bring photos or images that can convey your desired bridal look. You want to ensure that both you and your artist are on the same page. Wash your brushes! We don’t want to risk an unwanted break out. Also, let your bronzer warm your complexion, and stay out of the sun to avoid unwanted redness and dryness. — Shirley Pinkson, W3ll People
Lock Your Look. Secure your makeup look a few weeks before your wedding. Vapour Organic Beauty makes the perfect wedding-day makeup. I love the colors in the Artist Multi-Use Palette “Afterglow 530.” It delivers a feminine flush and irresistible glow with a bouquet of cool roses (my favorite). For my upcoming wedding, I will use the Mesmerize Eyeliner in Truffle and the Atmosphere Luminous Foundation in 123. For my lipgloss it will be Modern Minerals Makeup “B of Love” Lotus Wei Infused Lip Gloss. The perfect pink with just a hint of lavender iridescent shimmer. — Britanie Faith, Beauty By Britanie
Mist Like Mad. Leading up to the wedding, keep a beauty mist at your desk, in your purse and car and just spray all the time. It’s good for hydrating and to keep your skin balanced. The Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist is really incredible. Have your makeup artist use it and spray before, during and after makeup application. — Annie Atkinson, She’s In The Glow
For Your BODY
The Three Month Mark. Beginning as early as three months prior to the big day, allow yourself to indulge in some nourishing self-care. Make time for bodywork and inner personal work. Take mineral salt baths and add your favorite calming essential oils, like lavender and Roman camomile. — Paula Mallis, WMN Center
Get Scented. Choose your perfume two months before your wedding. You will want to have your special scent chosen well in advance. Scent is a memory trigger and you will want to test a few before making your final decision. I chose Bohemia by One Seed Perfumes (made in Australia) because it’s natural, sensual and playful. Made for the gypsy, the rogue, the traveler and the free-thinker. Bohemia has a composition of amber, smoked tea, dark chocolate set against luscious blood orange and vanilla tones. It’s perfect for me and it’s what I’ll be wearing. — Britany Faith, Beauty by Britanie
All Hands. Don’t neglect your hands! Use a hand moisturizer because one day you will look at your hands and notice that they look so old. And who wants old hands with that sparkly new ring. I swear no one cares about their hands until it’s too late. I like Weleda SkinFood, but only at night because it’s so thick. — Annie Atkinson, She’s In The Glow
Body Love. If you’re showing any skin other than your face (décolletage, arms, back, legs), it’s time to amp up your oil/serums/lotion application on these special parts. The more you hydrate, the deeper layers are quenched, leading to tighter, firmer skin tone. — Katey Denno, celebrity makeup artist
Bathe For Calm. Herbal baths will keep your skin in top shape, as it relaxes your nerves! Use 10-12 drops of your favorite essential oil as a soothing addition to your bath. Alternatively, you can use fresh herbs wrapped in a muslin bag. Almond oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, walnut oil and grapeseed oil can also be added to your bath on account of their deeply moisturizing properties. — Shrankhla Holecek , Uma Oils
Exfoliate Twice. Go for a full body exfoliation two times a week the month of your wedding to slough away dry skin for soft, glowy skin. I often make my own recipe using organic sugar, jojoba, sunflower and coconut oils and a mixture of essential oils. But for special times like this, I’m using Osmia Himalayan Body Buff because it’s perfect for my sensitive skin, and with the scent of Bulgarian lavender and Canadian fir, it’s so relaxing. — Britanie Faith, Beauty by Britanie
Massage Oils. Massages using the right oil for your type are hugely beneficial. Vata types benefit from sesame oil, while pitta types would do well with sandalwood or sunflower oil. Calamus root oil or corn oil are indicated to be ideal for kapha constitutions. Massaging towards the heart will help boost your circulation for glowing skin. UMA’s Absolute Anti Aging Body Oil makes for the perfect indulgence – nourishing skin with vitamin-E rich botanicals, while also energizing skin cells to fight cellulite via a beautiful dose of grapefruit oil! — Shrankhla Holecek , Uma Oils
Lymph Massage Must. You should get a lymphatic massage on your body and your face before your wedding. It literally drains all the excess water out. I did this, so worth it. — Annie Atkinson, She’s In The Glow