My Favourite Long-Wearing Foundations for Brides
Meghan Lawlor
Having perfect skin on your wedding day is even more important than having the perfect eyeshadow, since the majority of your photos will be taken from a distance where you won’t quite see the details. If you are glowing and healthy looking then you will love the photos, and you will love your look on the big day!
You want your skin to stay covered all day, not give flashback in photos, and control oil all while giving a smooth appearance. It’s a tall order but luckily it’s 2018 and makeup is the most advanced it’s ever been. I keep most of these products in my kit, feel free to use the links to add them to your shopping list!
First of all, the best thing you can use is a good primer with any foundation you use. Most makeup artists I know say no foundation is complete without a good primer underneath. My favourite to use on clients is MAC Natural Radiance. It works on every skin type and feels great all day since it's nice and light. It's a glycerin base rather than silicon so it doesn't slip around on oily skin, and gives a very smooth texture.
If you’re looking for a lighter coverage I would use MAC Face and Body Foundation. This foundation is an old favourite and I always use it on brides that have great skin but need a base for the rest of their makeup to stick to. It’s very hydrating so if oil is a big concern for you then it may not be the best fit. I often use this for mature brides or mothers of the bride. It’s so thin that it doesn’t gather in smile lines and gives a hydrated youthful appearance. Also it does not have SPF so it won’t flash back in flash photography.
If medium coverage is what you’re after I would go for MAC Prolongwear Waterproof Foundation. This works well on any skin type, and it does NOT budge. The waterproof component allows you to sweat while keeping your makeup in place. It also has no SPF and is great for photography. This is the foundation that I use most often in my kit, and if I have a mature client that wants a bit more coverage I will mix this with MAC mixing medium or a moisturizer (like this one) to sheer it out a bit and it works beautifully.
If Full Coverage is what you’re after I would use one of these two foundations:
The first is Marc Beauty Remarcable Foundation. This foundation is the most full coverage I have ever used and it is absolutely beautiful on any skin type. You have to use so little and you’ll be amazed at how well it covers. This foundation would not be great on mature skin as I find it can settle into lines and grab texture, so it’s best used for under 40 brides, but the result is absolutely stunning.
The second full coverage foundation I love is tested and true – the original MAC Prolongwear Foundation. This is best used on normal or oily skin since it actually does not let your oil come through. It works well on dry skin if it’s been properly hydrated, but if you’re so dry that you find foundation doesn’t absorb into your skin then go with the waterproof rather than this one. This foundation is not for the faint of heart, but my goodness does it ever stay on. I wore this when I was a bridesmaid in a wedding a couple of years ago, I made the mistake of sleeping in it and it was even challenging to remove the next morning. My skin did not like me for this so make sure you learn from my laziness and wash it off. This product can be hard on your skin if you’re sensitive, but result is well worth it since my skin looked like glass in the photos.
I hope that this was helpful to those of you wondering what foundations to check if you’re doing your own makeup for your wedding. If you are having a makeup artist do your makeup, they will likely carry one of these in their kit, or have another amazing option I haven’t tried yet, let me know in the comments what your favourite long wearing foundations are!
Meghan xo
Photo Above: Melissa Harding Photography
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