20 Beautiful Natural Wedding Makeup Ideas (and How to Get The Look)
Want a soft, simple bridal style that brings out your inner glow? Going minimalist with a natural wedding makeup look could be the answer
Natural wedding makeup is a popular choice for brides. After all, the basis of the look is being the best version of yourself - what could feel more appropriate for bridal beauty?
What's more, if you're looking for a classic and timeless look, natural wedding makeup is a great option. There's no chance you'll look back at the wedding photos in ten years and passionately regret that you happened to be going through a fluoro-coral lipstick phase when you got married.
We'll always love a glam bridal look - a berry wedding lipstick for a sparkling winter wedding; a smoky eye for a sophisticated city reception. But there's no denying that soft, simple-seeming makeup works at pretty much every kind of celebration and with most wedding gowns, from boho wedding dresses to sexy bridal gowns.
Note here that we said simple-seeming. Working to a pared-back, minimalist beauty brief can be trickier than it seems and can still involve a range of products. If you're doing your own wedding makeup, you'll need to practise (and time yourself) in the run-up to the day. If you're hiring a wedding makeup artist, ensure you're clear about the look you want during your wedding makeup trial, with plenty of images to show them what you mean.
To get you feeling inspired and to help nail down the perfect natural wedding makeup look for you, we've rounded-up some of the best looks we've seen, each with a unique take on the natural theme, along with an edit of the best natural makeup products. We also chatted to Hitched supplier and founder of Something Blue Hair and Makeup, Natasha Davies, who answered all of our natural wedding makeup questions.
10 Natural Wedding Makeup Ideas
Whether you're after a barely-there finish or you'd like to elevate your look with a red lip or add some megawatt glow, we think you'll find something you love in our edit of natural wedding makeup looks.
1. Barely-There Beauty
Not much of a makeup wearer? That doesn't need to change just because it's your wedding day, in fact we think you should be totally true to yourself when it comes to your wedding day styling. Opt for tinted moisturisers or CC creams rather than full on foundations if you're not used to complexion products, they'll feel weightless and give you that 'your skin but better' look. A slick of tinted lip balm or sheer gloss and brushed-up brows will complete the look.
READ MORE: The Best Wedding Foundations for Flawless Coverage
2. Glow Getter
Glowing skin has always been desirable but with increasing numbers of illuminating primers, liquid highlighters and glow-getting skincare on the market, there's never been a better time to make your skin centre stage in your makeup look. To achieve the gorgeously glowy look above, establish a good skincare routine 3-6 months in advance of your big day - hydrated and exfoliated skin will make a better canvas for your makeup. Next, invest in an illuminating primer and light to medium coverage foundation along with a dewy highlighter to add a subtle – not sparkly – glow.
READ MORE: 18 of the Best Facial Cleansing Brushes for the Ultimate Wedding Day Glow
3. Pop of Pink
Natural doesn't have to mean nudes and beiges; soft pinks, corals and bronze tones can all be incorporated into your look. We love the romantic feel of this softly highlighted sweep of rose-tinted blush across the cheekbones and pop of pink on the lips. Keep skin, brows and eye makeup pared back to keep the look fresh and natural.
4. Vintage Style
Ok, so red wedding lipstick may not be the first product that springs to mind when it comes to natural wedding makeup, but hear us out. If you're rarely seen without your red lippy or you're a big fan of vintage styling, we think finishing a natural look with your signature colour is a great way to keep the look authentically 'you'. Keep your eye makeup and foundation pared back, ensuring all eyes are on your pout.
5. Golden Girl
Golden hues work perfectly for festive nuptials and for brides wearing golden toned accessories. When selecting primers, highlighters and eyeshadows – or discussing products with your MUA – focus on champagne shades for a subtly golden touch that's not too glitzy. Layer a sheer shimmering champagne eyeshadow over a matte nude on the eyelid and add brown shadow to the crease for a defined and illuminated eye. Sweep golden toned highlighter across the cheekbones and finish with a nude lip.
READ MORE: Wedding Makeup: 37 Gorgeous Ideas and Our Top Tips
6. Bronzed Beauty
Calling all summer brides! A subtly bronzed glow is a great wedding makeup choice for the warmer months. We love this warm-toned makeup look with golden bronzer, rose gold eyes and a perfectly nude glossy lip.
7. All About Eyes
We love the contrast of the lined eyes and bold brows with the subtle makeup and softly romantic gown. Individual lashes placed on the outer corners give the eyes a sexy, feline look along with winged eyeliner. Frame your eyes with brushed-up brows, combed through with tinted brow gel for added impact.
8. Nearly Nude
Keep things simple with a nude palette for your natural wedding makeup. All you need to do to nail this look is choose the nude shade to suit you: fairer skin tones tend to look best with pinky nudes, while medium skin tones look great with brown-toned nudes and darker tones shine in coral or peach-toned nudes.
9. Perfectly Sculpted
For a wedding makeup look that's natural yet dramatic, why not opt for sculpted shading? This look beautifully highlights the cheekbones and jawline, putting the spotlight on your features rather than the makeup itself. Finish with warm neutrals to highlight the eyes and a light touch of highlighter on the nose, cupid's bow and forehead.
10. Subtly Smoky
Smoky eyes don't have to be dramatic, you know. Swap the charcoal shades for warm-toned matte brown eyeshadow and keep the colour closer to the eye, rather than winging it out to the edge of the eye socket. Add a light coat of mascara to your natural lashes to keep the look pared back and add a barely-there shade to the lips.
READ MORE: Best Eyelash Growth Serums for Longer Lashes Ahead of Your Wedding
The Best Natural Wedding Makeup Products
Upgrade your makeup bag ready for the big day with our top product picks for creating beautifully natural wedding makeup.
11. Benefit Gimme Brow Eyebrow Gel – £23.50, Cult Beauty
More and more of us are embracing our natural brows and enhancing our hairs with brow gel. We love the tiny applicator on the Gimme Brow gel that allows us to brush up the brows without over-applying product and think this is a must-have for your wedding morning makeup bag.
READ MORE: How to Grow Thicker Eyebrows for Your Wedding Day
12. Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation – £36, Cult Beauty
Created for those lusting after that glowy, natural-looking finish, Beautiful Skin lets beauty spots and freckles shine through while enhancing your complexion, making it the perfect choice for natural wedding makeup.
13. NARS Cosmetics Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation – £37.50, Look Fantastic
If you're after a little more coverage, this buildable foundation will cover blemishes and even skin tone while still feeling light and breathable. Infused with micronised pigments that mimic the skin's tone, the NARS Radiant Foundation will give a natural finish.
READ MORE: The Best Foundations: Tried & Tested Flawless Foundation for Your Wedding Day
14. Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm – £21, Look Fantastic
Cream and liquid formulas tend to look more natural and dewy than powders, so we'd opt for a cream blush like the Clinique Chubby Stick for natural wedding makeup. Available in four shades and infused with a subtle shimmer, this dreamy product will give a lit from within glow in no time.
15. Les Beiges Bronzing Cream – £43, Chanel
Lightweight and blendable, this bronzing gel can be applied all over the face or used to sculpt the cheekbones and temples. Made with wax and powder to mattify and silica and soft focus powder for a smoothing effect, this little pot of magic will ensure your skin looks flawless.
16. NARS Afterglow Lip Balm – £24, Space NK
This nourishing balm from NARS hydrates the lips while adding a subtle hint of colour and a soft shine, making it the ideal finishing touch for natural wedding makeup looks.
17. DIOR Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara – £29, Selfridges
Brown mascara can look more subtle and natural than black formulas, particularly on those with fair hair. We love this curling brown mascara from Dior with a brush designed to boost and lift the lashes.
18. Too Faced Natural Eyeshadow Palette – £36, Look Fantastic
This natural eyeshadow palette from Too Faced offers a mix of matte and shimmering shades, allowing brides to add a touch of glamour to their natural look. If you'd like to keep things simple for the day but add some glitz for your reception, we think this is the ideal palette.
19. Charlotte Tilbury Tinted Love – £25, Cult Beauty
We love a multi-tasking makeup product and Charlotte Tilbury's Tinted Love is one of our faves. Enriched with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E this wonder product hydrates the skin while giving a subtle pop of colour that can be swiped across both cheeks and lips. Available in five shades ranging from pink to peach and rich red, there's a shade for every bride.
20. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer – £36, Selfridges
A primer not only smooths skin and blurs pores ready for foundation application, it can also give an added layer of radiance. We're big fans of this hydrating formula from Giorgio Armani, infused with nourishing shea butter and crystal-encapsulated pigments it makes the perfect base for a glowy natural wedding makeup look.
READ MORE: 15 of the Best Primers for Flawless Wedding Makeup
Your Natural Wedding Makeup Questions Answered
We asked Natasha Davies, founder of Something Blue Hair and Makeup, to answer your natural wedding makeup FAQs.
Can I Have Natural Makeup for My Wedding?
"Yes of course! I am a big advocate of wearing your makeup how it makes you feel your best and happiest. Natural makeup is just as beautiful as a full glam makeup. Natural makeup looks especially beautiful when the wedding has a relaxed vibe – think boho and natural. I have also noticed after the pandemic my brides and bridesmaids are opting for a more natural look."
How Do You Do Natural Wedding Makeup?
"Natural makeup takes a lot more products and effort than most think it does. The key thing when creating a natural look is to go for products that have a lightweight or dewy finish, like tinted moisturisers and cream blushes. Keep your foundation sheer with a tinted moisturiser and then go in with a concealer and cover up any blemishes or areas of redness/darkness etc."
Do I Need a Makeup Artist to Achieve Natural Wedding Makeup?
"By having a makeup artist you are always going to get a more professional finish and longer lasting makeup. Natural makeup doesn’t take less time to do, it isn’t about using less product than a full glam look. In fact, natural makeups will often take longer and use more products. It’s about how they are used and the skill that goes into creating a natural look that a makeup artist will be able to do for you."
What Are Your Top Tips for Natural Wedding Makeup?
"Build your look up gradually until you get the desired makeup look. For example, foundation can be built up and layered until the right coverage is achieved. Avoid heavy powdering like baking (setting concealer with heavy powder). Choose cream products like bronzers and blushers. Lipsticks or balms that are close to your lip colour are a good choice with a natural makeup as well."
When in doubt, call in the professionals! Check out our beauty, hair and makeup supplier directory to start your search for a wedding makeup artist to give you a beautifully natural look.
