How to Get Married Without Makeup
Earth Day is just a couple days away, and while I could have written about eco friendly dresses or flowers or wedding venues, I thought I’d go another route. Let’s discuss the mere consideration of a bride going makeup free for her wedding day. It’s a thought that’s shuttering to me, because one of my favorite parts of my wedding was my glam squad, but it’s something that I’m coming around on a wholeeee lot more since having my son last year. New mommyhood rarely leaves any time for beautification - although I’m hoping I can make it to my hair salon sometime in the next month or so to fix the situation on top of my head (my color is so outgrown it’s unidentifiable at this point). I put makeup on maybe once or twice a month now, and hardly give it two thoughts if people other than my fam see me without it. #itiswhatitis.
It’s an amazing thing, too, because taking makeup off at the end of the day is a total pain in the ass, not having to do it every day is pure bliss. And ridding my routine of all those toxins was a game changer: my skin has never looked better. So, what if I had decided to do this 4 years ago, when I got married? I’ll be real honest, it wouldn’t have happened. I had major anxieties even at my sorority initiation, when we were explicitly told we couldn’t wear makeup or use any hair product - to let our inner beauty shine - I could barely handle it. ((I also had to wear a bandaid over my nose ring, which didn’t really help the cause))
For any and all of you who have or are planning to take the plunge sans makeup, we’re in awe. Seriously, it’s such a ballsy thing to do, but one that none of us should ever even have to overthink. Makeup doesn’t make a bride, her veil, her vows and that v. important person anxiously waiting to call her wifey do. And once you can purge yourself of all those pressures to look utterly flawless for the big day, you’ll be sitting pretty, in more ways than one.
Here are a few tips to bare in mind if you’re taking a break from makeup for the day:
Make sure your future spouse knows the score.
Okay, so your fiancé will probably be the most supportive person ever - after all, he/she loves you unconditionally and thinks the sun shines out of your a** whether you’re wearing makeup or not. But it’s still something you should at least give them a heads up about. ‘Hey babe, I’m going completely natural for our wedding day, just wanted to let you know.’ Having the conversation beforehand will save you from annnnny stupid things they could say at the wedding or in the days that precede it. I’ve never known a guy to wonder where his girl’s eyelash extensions are, what happened to her contouring, or why she didn’t rock a wingtip liner, but you never know….
Give your skin some serious lovin’ in the weeks and months before the big day.
If you’re feeling fierce in your own skin, there’s no reason you need to play around with makeup. Get obsessed with some Korean beauty practices - #glassskingoals - and learn what your complexion loves: exfoliation, hydration/moisturization, rinse and repeat. Take some of that money you’ve been saving for a rainy day, and book a few periodic facials. Ask questions of the aestheticians, have them curate an easy and sustainable skincare plan for you. You know that ring you’re always looking down at and smiling over? Well, an on-point skincare routine is going to guarantee that sparkle somewhere else.
Spend your MUA allowance on good prep products.
Makeup artists can be super expensive for wedding services - especially if you’re usually one for upgraded measures (fake lashes, airbrushing, after-hours touchups, etc.) - so if you forgo the maquillage for a fresher face, then use some of your allotted budget to stock up on effective serums, masks, elastin-boosting buys, and antioxidant-rich anti-agers that can help decongest the skin, balance out the tone, and improve overall health - so that your visage is vibrant when it needs to be.
Consider photographers with soft-focus, photojournalistic or documentary styles of shooting.
So, it kind of sounds hypocritical to suggest seeking out a photographer who essentially has clutch credentials for camoflauging the captures or editing out imperfections - after all, the decision to go without makeup for the wedding is a powerful one, indicative of a bride who is confident and comfortable in her vulnerability. That being said, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with finding a photographer who will shoot with soft focus, work with as much natural lighting as possible, and blend and blur in the editing process to create softer, creamier skin semblances. And moreover, find a photographer you vibe with first and foremost - you might need that extra vote of confidence if you’re stripping yourself of what usually makes you feel secure and sexy. So having a supportive shutterbug who will make you feel your best is 👌. Discuss everything with them ahead of time and let them know you’ll be going au natural in your pre-wedding worksheets and shot lists.
If you can’t give it all up all day, then consider going clean for your after-party.
Hey! If you don’t want to ‘brave’ the bare face all day, then by all means, don’t! Wear some makeup for your first look, portraits, cocktail party and reception and then remove it for your after party. Wipe away the foundation and the shadow, and let your hair down - literally and figuratively - so you can let your skin breathe and detox a bit while you relax and have a drink or two with your honey and guests. And there’s no rule that says you can’t simplify your look for the wedding day, either, tinted moisturizer, a bit of blush and some mascara with a lot of lifting and curling can still work magic.
And don’t forget to drink tons of water and get your 8 hours every night. Hydration and rest are everything to a makeup-free bride. That and all the #nomakeup #makeupfree pics of Demi Lovato, Olivia Wilde, Blake Lively and Amy Schumer we can get.
I also could get down with not having to worry about melting makeup making it onto my pretty dress, or black mascara-stained tears dripping down my dewy face. Not a good look, either, brides can certainly feel empowered to take their chances with zero cosmetics….