In nearly a decade of working as a makeup artist, I’ve helped many clients look fantastic on their wedding day.
Doing bridal makeup comes with several challenges, since the final look needs to look amazing in photos and last for a long time — through tears, kisses, and sweat.
For me, a great face of makeup starts with thorough skincare prep and involves lots of hydrating, long-wearing products.
Here are a few products I swear by for a fantastic wedding-day look.
Sheet masks are an important part of skin prep.
Right off the bat, I spend a lot of time (and money) on skin prep because a bride’s base can make or break her makeup.
So, I start by applying a sheet mask to my client to help them relax while getting their face ready for more products.
Sheet masks are great because I can tailor them to each person’s needs. I’ve found that the right sheet mask can add hydration and brightness, plus help reduce the appearance of uneven skin tones and blemishes within minutes.
Fresh’s Deep Hydration oil-infused serum is perfect for plumping up the skin.
Keeping with the theme of pampering, I also like to give my brides a mini face massage to help them relax and to increase circulation.
I usually add Fresh’s Deep Hydration oil-infused serum to my hands, apply it to the bride’s face, and watch it glide on the skin like a dream.
This serum gives the skin an intense boost of hydration and a dewy, plump look — the key to the “glow-from-within” look all brides love.
Mehron Skin Prep Pro ensures that makeup doesn’t budge.
Ever wonder how brides are able to have their makeup done in the morning and still look flawless at the after-party?
The Mehron Skin Prep Pro might be the best-kept secret among pro makeup artists. It can keep brides looking fresh after several hours.
This can help makeup last under stressful situations — including hours of taking pictures and gracing the dance floor — by creating a moisture barrier between the skin and the makeup.
Bobbi Brown’s vitamin-enriched face base serves as an incredibly smooth canvas.
This two-for-one priming moisturizer is a rich cream that leaves the skin visibly glowing and prepped for a smooth, flawless makeup application.
I also love that the Bobbi Brown vitamin-enriched face base is great for both oily and dry skin types.
Laneige’s Glowy Makeup serum creates a radiant finish.
This product name is pretty self-explanatory, and who doesn’t want glowy makeup? I intentionally use a lot of glowy products like these early on when doing a client’s bridal makeup.
I’ve found Laneige Glowy Makeup serum gives skin a radiant finish and helps makeup last longer.
Patrick Ta Major Glow body oil is great for a sun-kissed décolleté.
This Patrick Ta Major Glow body oil is my secret weapon to create healthy-looking, glowy body skin. It comes in several different shades, and I think it smells incredible.
I spray this all over my bride’s décolleté and arms to moisturize the skin and get a sun-kissed glow without any greasiness.
Nars’ Natural Radiant Longwear foundation is the best I’ve ever used.
This Nars product is my favorite foundation to use on brides, which is why I have practically every shade in my kit. I love how extensive and inclusive the shade range is.
Nars’ Natural Radiant Longwear foundation is a buildable, full-coverage formula that’s great for all skin types.
It leaves a radiant finish and promises up to 16 hours of fade-resistant wear. I’ve seen firsthand how well it can last on a bride all night long.
Anastasia Beverly Hills has cream blushes that melt into the skin like a dream.
Anastasia Beverly Hills’ cream blushes have a buildable formula, give the face a natural, radiant finish, and blend seamlessly into the skin.
These creamy blushes are easy to apply and help me create the perfect rosy flush on all skin tones.
Velour lashes are my go-to for brides who want a natural look and optimal comfort.
Velour’s falsies are perfect for all brides, whether they prefer a natural “mascara-like” look or want lashes with serious drama.
These lashes are vegan, come in a range of different styles, and have nearly invisible bands to help them look unbelievably natural.
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Finish makes an under-eye area look airbrushed.
We can’t talk about luxury products without mentioning Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Finish powder.
I love applying this ultra-fine finishing product with a powder puff to create an airbrushed under-eye because it doesn’t cake or sit in fine lines.
I also keep this powder on hand for oily T-zone touch-ups to blur imperfections and reduce shine throughout the day.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless setting spray is my final step for a fantastic makeup look.
This is another essential product from Charlotte Tilbury — and it really is my favorite setting spray to use on all my clients.
It’s very lightweight and promises to set makeup for up to 16 hours without it fading, melting off, or settling into fine lines … everything a bride needs on the big day!
I’ve found it’s hydrating and really effective at all those things, so I usually do several sprays of this as my final step when working on a client.
This story was originally published on June 18, 2022, and most recently updated on July 16, 2026.
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