Beautiful Mother of the Bride Makeup Ideas for a Soft, Natural Look

Step this way for natural and soft mother of the bride makeup inspiration, for a ‘you on your best day’ wedding look

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Melanie Macleod

Updated on May 24 2022

Hilary Read

Mother of the bride kissing her daughter on the cheek — Hilary Read

Your child’s wedding will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable days of your life, so it’s only natural to want to look like your best self on the big day. But if you’re not used to wearing makeup, or you want an extra special beauty look for your son or daughter’s wedding, it’s normal to wonder where to start. We've created the ultimate guide to natural and soft mother of the bride makeup to help you.

Mother of the bride makeup has a reputation of being old-fashioned but this needn’t be the case. The right makeup artist will help you choose a soft mother of the bride makeup style that will have you looking fresh-faced and glowing, and will perfectly pair with your mother of the bride outfit.

We spoke to wedding makeup experts for their advice for achieving flawless mother of the bride makeup - and we think you’ll like what they have to say.

How Should The Mother Of The Bride Wear Her Makeup?

Bride being kissed on either cheek by the father and the mother of the bride — Niki Lawrence Professional Makeup Artist

There’s no set way you should wear your makeup as the mother of the bride; it’s all about what makes you feel comfortable.

Enhance Your Features

“For the mother of the bride, I think less is always more and the makeup should enhance the person’s features rather than masking them,” says makeup artist Aimee Connolly. “My go to makeup for the mother of the bride is flawless dewy skin with a lightly dressed eye, lots of mascara and blush and to finish, a lip shade that you either feel most comfortable in, or one that complements your outfit.

“This is a popular look for the mother of the brides as it allows you to still feel and look like yourself but also take part in that glam aspect of the day,” Aimee continues.

Be True To Your Signature Look

Your daughter’s wedding day isn’t the occasion to go for a vastly different look. You still want to look like yourself, after all.

“When you’re the mother of the bride, you want to look and feel your best,” says Benefit’s senior makeup artist Lauren Hogsden. “It’s important not to stray too far from your usual makeup routine – you want to be the perfect polished version of yourself. If you usually sport a bold lip, go for it! If nude is your thing, stick with that. The only thing I’d avoid is metallics as they can add texture to mature skin.”

Focus On Skincare

Mother of the bride with a soft, natural makeup look — Juliet Cunnington

Using hydrating skincare will help create the perfect base for your mother of the bride makeup, as explained by Lauren Hogsden: “Ensure your skin is well moisturised before applying makeup, otherwise the skin could absorb the moisture from your makeup throughout the day, making it look patchy.”

Adding a primer into your makeup routine will also hydrate the skin and help your makeup sit beautifully.

“I focus on skincare and use the radiance-boosting primers to give a subtle glow, making sure the skin is hydrated and feeling plump,” says Hitched Awards winner Nisha Rajput.

Should The Mother Of The Bride’s Makeup Match The Wedding Party?

Mother of the bride with natural, soft makeup, standing next to the bride's wedding dress — Nicky Foster MUA

It’s likely that the wedding party will have a makeup element that ties them all together, be it a similar shade of lipstick or the same shimmering eyeshadow, but there’s nothing to say the mother of the bride needs to rock the same makeup.

“I personally think the days of matching makeup are over, unless it’s something the bride feels very strongly about,” says Aimee.

“Makeup isn’t a ‘one look suits all’, so yes you can incorporate the same tones or colour palette but the placement should be different for everyone. Don't feel under pressure to match the level of glam the wedding party might be going for,” Aimee adds.

Should The Mother Of The Bride Hire An Makeup Artist?

Bronze toned mother of the bride makeup look — Lauren McCabe

One of the most special parts of your daughter’s wedding will be getting ready with her most loved people around her, with a professional makeup artist on hand to make the morning go smoothly.

Hiring the makeup artist to do your mother of the bride makeup too is a lovely way to feel included in the day. “It’s not every day your daughter gets married!” points out Lauren. “Take away unnecessary pressure by letting an MUA work their magic. You deserve to be pampered and to look and feel your best.”

Aimee points out that while an MUA is not a necessity for the mother of the bride, having a pro do your makeup helps you join in on the ‘getting ready’ excitement. “You’ll always look slightly more polished when a professional applies your makeup, so for pictures that will last a lifetime, why not look your best?” Aimee says.

“Having a professional apply the makeup also takes the stress out of getting yourself ready in the morning, which I think most people will agree is super helpful.”

Nisha agrees that booking a professional to do the mother of the bride's makeup is a great way to feel involved on the wedding morning. “It can help the mother of the bride unwind, to be pampered before the wedding,” she says. “This way you feel included in the wedding team. Otherwise, I sometimes notice mothers of the bride start cleaning up and looking after guests,” - not what you should be doing on such a momentous day!

With this in mind, you could also offer the mother of the groom to have her makeup done. “I have many groom’s mums book with me for their son’s wedding as sometimes they can get left behind,” Nisha says.

Essential Makeup Products for a Soft Mother of the Bride Look

Go For Sheer Coverage

Unless you usually wear a full coverage foundation, your daughter’s wedding is a time when pros advise sticking to a natural-looking foundation. “I always recommend mothers of the bride wear a glowy base with less coverage rather than something too full,” confirms Hitched Wedding Award winner Alex McEvoy of Alex Bridal Makeup.

Aimee Connolly agrees, adding: “Due to the fact that there may be more fine lines or dry skin present on a mature skin, anything too heavy could crease and move around so it’s best to always look for a lightweight formula that you can build on.”

TRY: Yves Saint Laurent NU Bare Look Tint, £22.95

Use Pencil Eyeliner

If you love defined eye makeup (Kate Middleton wore lashings of eyeliner for her wedding), Alex McEvoy advises opting for pencil liner. “I find pencil eyeliner more flattering than liquid liner as it’s softer on the eyes,” she says.

TRY: KVD Beauty Tattoo Pencil Liner Waterproof Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, £19

Choose Cream Blusher

“I tend to stick with cream products where possible when it comes to bronzer and blush,” says Aimee Connnolly. “Cream formulas are super blendable and look effortless and youthful on the skin.”

Lauren agrees that cream makeup is the way forward for mothers of the bride, commenting: “Cream and liquid products are best for mature skin to achieve a lightweight, flexible look on the skin without adding texture, as texture can be aging to the skin.”

TRY: Sculpted By Aimee Connolly Cream Luxe Collection, £16

18 Soft Mother Of The Bride Makeup Ideas

Looking for natural and soft mother of the bride makeup inspiration? Here are some of our favourite makeup looks that would be perfect for the mother of the bride.