22 Natural Wedding Makeup Looks (2024)

If a neutral, subtle beauty look is what you're after, we're here to help.

By

Cristina Montemayor

22 Natural Wedding Makeup Looks (1)

Cristina Montemayor

Cristina Montemayor is a freelance writer and makeup artist whose work has appeared on HelloGiggles, Slate, Elite Daily, and Bustle.

Brides's Editorial Guidelines

Updated on 03/23/22 01:28PM

22 Natural Wedding Makeup Looks (2)

There are two types of brides: those that want to go full glam on their wedding day and those that are after a more natural, effortless wedding makeup look. There’s nothing in between, and one isn’t necessarily better than the other. Once a bride figures out what camp she’s in (after taking into consideration things like dress, venue, and personal style), it’s time to start researching bridal beauty looks and find the one that completes her wedding-day vision.

A natural wedding makeup look may seem effortless, but any makeup artist will tell you pulling off the perfect natural glam look is more difficult than it appears. When meeting with your wedding-day makeup artist for your trial or on the day of your wedding, it’s best to come prepared with plenty of inspiration pictures to clearly demonstrate what you want to look like and, more importantly, what you don’t want.

Want to skip a winged liner for something softer and smokier? Are you curious about the coverage of airbrush foundation? These are all things to consider while planning your natural wedding makeup look, and photos are the best way to help you zero in on the elements you want in your bridal beauty breakdown.

Ahead, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite natural wedding makeup looks from real brides to help inspire your own.

19 Celebrity Makeup Artists to Follow for Wedding Beauty Inspo

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Nude Lips and Fluffy Lashes

22 Natural Wedding Makeup Looks (3)

This bride nailed the elevated natural makeup look. Fluffy false lashes draw attention to the eyes, while the lips are outlined with precision in a brownish, pinky nude shade. Simple, elegant, and beautifully executed.

02of 22

Amber Glow

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This warm-toned natural makeup look is all about glowing skin, which you can achieve by layering a liquid or cream highlight under your foundation. Finding the perfect shade of nude lipstick to match your skin tone is the key to an effortless natural makeup look. Don't be afraid to try multiple shades until you find the one that's just right for you.

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Pinky Natural

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Cheers to a beautiful life and equally beautiful bridal look. This bride went soft and simple with a barely there wing, flushed cheeks, and pinkish nude lip. The combination makes her look put together while still looking effortlessly beautiful.

04of 22

Smoky Natural

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This beautiful bride proves it’s definitely possible to make a dramatic eye look work with a more natural wedding makeup look. The key is in the soft, smoky execution of the eyeshadow. Everything else about this look is very minimal, including the eyebrows, contour, and lip color.

05of 22

Chic Natural Contour

22 Natural Wedding Makeup Looks (7)

For the ultimate subtle snatched cheekbones, blend the color up into the temples. And you can’t forget blush—the reddish pink tone in blush counteracts the cool undertones in contour to bring life back into your face.

06of 22

Blushing Bride

22 Natural Wedding Makeup Looks (8)

Blush can be tricky. You can go from naturally flushed to circus clown-level rouge very quickly. To get that perfectly diffused blush effect, layer a powder blush over a cream or liquid blush. Cream products blend the easiest into the skin, while a powder helps set the cream for a long-lasting finish.

Apply cream blush with (clean) hands to the apples of the cheeks. Then use a blush brush to blend it in, using upward strokes.

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Soft and Simple

22 Natural Wedding Makeup Looks (9)

Your wedding day makeup look doesn’t have to be complicated. Choose one or two features to highlight and keep the rest of your look very subtle. The full, flirty lashes and pinkish lip tint on this bride are pretty simple—emphasis on pretty!

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All About the Eyes

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A little liner can go a long way when it comes to your bridal beauty look. This bride paired subtle liner with a perfectly defined pout and kept the rest of her look soft and subtle.

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Sweet and Sculpted

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This bride said "I do" with sharp, chiseled cheekbones that gave her that wow factor when she turned her face to the side, as pictured here. By keeping the focus on one element of her makeup, she creates a striking, subtle makeup look that doesn't feel like it's trying to do too many things at once.

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A Hint of Pink

22 Natural Wedding Makeup Looks (12)

If your wedding dress is non-traditional, playing with color in your makeup look is a fun way to further express your signature style. A pink wedding gown, like the one pictured here, calls for a rosy makeup theme. The pink eyeshadow, rouge cheeks, and bright pink lips add to the overall look.

11of 22

Light and Fresh

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This look is natural wedding makeup at its best. Every element is subtle in the most stunning way, from the lightly filled-in brows to the flushed cheeks and the glossy pink lips. The bride looks like herself but better, which is what every bride who loves a natural makeup look wants.

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Soft and Defined

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Trust us—you can wear a winged liner and still look natural on your wedding day. The winged liner on this bride takes her look up a notch, but by keeping the rest of her face luminous and minimal, the complete look isn’t too harsh or heavy.

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Your Skin but Better

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Barely there foundation is the key to nailing the elusive your-skin-but-better look. Whatever product you choose, make sure it’s long-lasting. You have hours of celebrating after you say "I do," so you want a natural-looking foundation that’s up for the job.

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Fresh and Natural

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No fancy contouring or complicated eyeshadow techniques, here. Flushed cheeks give a radiant appearance, while a pale pink lip helps this bride’s natural beauty shine through.

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Monochromatic Mauve

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A little bit of blush can make all the difference. Match your lip color to your blush for a simple, monochromatic makeup look that feels effortlessly polished.

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Sunkissed Bronze

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The trick to the perfect sunkissed bronze bridal look is to take the powder all over the face. The sun naturally casts its glow evenly across your face—not just on your cheekbones. Take the bronzer up toward the temples, on the apples of your cheeks, and on the jawline for the most natural sun-kissed look.

Don’t forget to add a touch of highlight to the tops of your cheekbones for a little extra glow.

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No-Makeup Makeup

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Mastering the no-makeup makeup look is an exercise in restraint. Skip the lashes, contour, lip liner, and any other makeup steps you could do without. Keep it simple with just the basics: a light coverage foundation, a hint of concealer, and some color on the cheeks and lips. You’ll feel like the best version of yourself when you walk down that aisle.

Here’s How to Rock a No Makeup Wedding Look

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Bronzy Glow

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A natural glam look must contain the following: a bronzy complexion, a soft smoky eye, and a nude lip. This bride nailed it, defining and highlighting her best features with neutral tones and products with a natural, skin-like finish.

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Nude and Natural

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If you’re going for a more natural look, skip the black eyeliner and reach for a brown liner instead. The color looks more natural, especially on blondes who don’t have natural dark-colored lashes to begin with. The end result still makes your eyes pop but looks much softer overall.

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Flawless Natural Glam

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For the bride who likes wearing makeup but doesn't want to look like a completely different person on her wedding day, this flawless natural glam look is the solution. A full, fluffy brow feels modern and cool, especially when paired with a nice set of false lashes. Blush in the perfect pinch-me shade of pink and a mauve lip complete the look.

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A Pop of Color

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A stunning floral cape calls for a pop of color on the lips. This bride went with a punchy shade of pink, which accentuates her skin tone perfectly. She kept the rest of her makeup fairly light with barely there foundation, bushy brows, and no liner or false lashes. We love the way the unexpected shade of lip color plays with the fun earrings and the dress accents.

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Subtle yet Defined

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This subtle, toned-down bridal beauty look blurs the line between natural and glam. The defined eyes are balanced by the glossy nude lip color, giving the whole look an effortlessly chic vibe.

FAQ

  • Do I need to hire a makeup artist if I'm doing a natural look?

    This is entirely up to you. If you're confident in your makeup skills, go for it—just be sure to do several practice runs in advance. Also, consider a tutorial with a pro if you decide to DIY it.

  • How long will a natural makeup look take?

    The barely there makeup look doesn't always translate to less time. An hour to an hour and a half is a good amount of time to budget. If your trial runs are consistently longer or shorter, adjust the time accordingly.

17 Common Mistakes Makeup Artists Make on Brides

22 Natural Wedding Makeup Looks (2024)

FAQs

What is a natural makeup look for a wedding? ›

Stick to matte or satin-finish foundations and bronzers, then top it off with a mattifying setting powder to keep shine at bay. Patinkin recommends bouncing a satin-finish foundation like Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation onto the skin with a damp makeup sponge to help set it in place.

How do you describe natural wedding makeup? ›

Natural – A natural wedding makeup look is for the bride who prefers to be un-made-up. Using a neutral color palette, your features are enhanced to showcase your natural beauty.

What is the natural makeup look? ›

Stick to a minimalistic approach - less is definitely more when it comes to achieving a natural look. A light foundation or BB cream, some concealer to even out skin tone, a swipe of mascara and a pop of lip color is all you need.

How to ask for natural makeup for a wedding? ›

As well as having photographs prepared, it's a good idea to nail down some words and phrases that sum up your ideal wedding makeup look. Use terms like natural, barely-there, subtle, minimal, understated and fresh. "Makeup that looks like you're not wearing any makeup" is another way to phrase it.

What do you need for a full face of natural makeup? ›

Let's go through a natural makeup tutorial step-by-step with some easy-to-follow tips.
  • Start with the right skincare. ...
  • Opt for a light base. ...
  • Apply a thin layer of concealer. ...
  • Choose a glowy eyeshadows, blush or bronzers. ...
  • Apply a lengthening mascara. ...
  • Highlight chosen areas. ...
  • Apply a lip balm or gloss with a slight colour.

What is minimal wedding makeup? ›

“The key techniques for minimal bridal beauty are gentle contouring to add some definition, using a sheer-coverage foundation and cream-based products that accentuate your natural skin. Cream contour and cream blush can create a seamless, natural finish that blends beautifully into the skin,” says Luthra.

What is the difference between soft glam and natural makeup? ›

Unlike a true 'natural' makeup look, the base of a soft glam look includes a few more complexion steps. Think colour correction, a medium to full coverage foundation and concealer, and a soft contour, blush and highlighter.

What is the difference between natural and full glam? ›

Soft glam makeup is a softer, more natural version of full glam. Full glam is what looks like heavy makeup, with multiple layers, contouring, baking. Thick strip lashes and heavy cut creases. Full glam is what you'll see on Saturday evening TV, on stage, and some beauty influencers favour the full glam style too.

What does natural makeup do? ›

Natural Makeup

This can sometimes be described as “No-Makeup Makeup” or “Second Skin.” This look defines your features without major changes, sculpting, or colors. Simply put… it's minimal makeup! Think your everyday makeup routine...

How do you describe bridal makeup? ›

Bridal makeup is a special type of makeup that is applied to a bride on her wedding day. It aims to enhance the bride's natural beauty and create a look that is both timeless and elegant. Bridal makeup typically focuses on creating a flawless complexion, accentuating the eyes, and enhancing the lips.

How to look pretty without makeup in 5 minutes? ›

This 5-Minute No-Makeup Makeup Look Will Be Your New Go-To
  1. Step 1: Prep Your Skin. ...
  2. Step 2: Use a Buildable Foundation. ...
  3. Step 3: Apply Concealer Sparingly. ...
  4. Step 4: Add Blush and Bronzer. ...
  5. Step 5: Enhance Your Natural Glow. ...
  6. Step 6: Brush Up Your Brows. ...
  7. Step 7: Swipe On Mascara. ...
  8. Step 8: Set Your Look.
Aug 9, 2022

What is a natural glam makeup for a bride? ›

A natural glam look must contain the following: a bronzy complexion, a soft smoky eye, and a nude lip. This bride nailed it, defining and highlighting her best features with neutral tones and products with a natural, skin-like finish.

Should bridal makeup be natural? ›

Don't Overdo It. In my opinion, wedding makeup should be soft, natural, and timeless. You don't want to look back at your wedding photos and all you see is your makeup. I like to work in layers, versus gobbling it on — layers on the face, layers on the eyes.

Is it worth doing your own makeup for wedding? ›

Whether you're pretty talented with an eyeshadow palette, prefer a non-traditional bridal look, are looking to scale back your budget, or just feel better keeping the fate of your face in your own hands, DIY wedding makeup can often be the best option.

Which type of makeup is best for wedding? ›

Airbrush makeup is ideal for brides who want a long-lasting and water-resistant makeup that can withstand sweat, tears, and humidity. Airbrush makeup can also cover any imperfections, such as acne scars, blemishes, or pigmentation, without looking cakey or heavy.

How can I look good at my wedding without makeup? ›

Here's How to Rock a No Makeup Wedding Look
  1. 02 of 08. Forgo Foundation, Opt for Something Lighter. Foundation is simply too heavy to use for this kind of look, so opt for a tinted moisturizer (a BB or CC Cream can work, too!). ...
  2. 04 of 08. Get Wide Awake Eyes With Mascara. ...
  3. 06 of 08. Cream Blush Is Best.
Aug 6, 2021

How can I look beautiful at my wedding without makeup? ›

Prime your face for your no-makeup wedding look by focusing on smoothing and hydrating, says Taylor Dempsey, makeup artist for SIIA cosmetics. In the morning, wash your skin with a balancing facial cleanser. Follow it up with moisturizer or facial oil and an eye cream.

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