Bridal make up if you don't usually wear it?

I don't wear makeup at all ever and didn't wear any for my wedding. No one commented that I looked washed out, and one person even asked where I got my 'natural makeup' done! (Just shows the power of suggestion - because people assumed that I would wear makeup, they 'saw' me as wearing makeup!) And I look fine in our photos. If you're looking washed out in wedding pictures, you've picked a poor photographer.

Go with what makes you feel most 'you'.

All I would say is to be prepared for some huge pushback when people find out you're going makeup-free. For some reason, it's a really contentious issue. Some people couldn't have been more horrified if I'd announced I was going to walk down the aisle naked

I would like to go completely natural, but I’m worried about getting a massive spot or something! I wouldn’t normally wear make up even to a special occasion event, but I’m considering very light make up for my wedding just because I don’t trust the quality of my own skin!

You could always practice a light makeup look just in case, and then decide to use it on the day depending on what your skin was doing.

I've found what I eat has a lot to do with how my skin looks, so I did try to improve my diet some months before the wedding, and I was careful not to suddenly make it healthier in the weeks immediately before - I've found in the past that suddenly increasing the amount of water I drink or fruit & veg that I eat can cause an eruption of spots, so made those changes well in advance!

This sounds like a good approach, thanks!

Thanks for your responses guys, all v helpful

I will probably not bother getting a makeup person, but will get a bridesmaid to practice something on my face beforehand to see what it would look like in case of spot issues on the day, and generally see how I feel on the day maybe - interesting that @RomanticGreenStationery27135 had people thinking she was wearing some despite not!

Good to see other answers as I don't wear make-up either (never, nothing, no mascara, not whatever the skin-coloured stuff is, nothing), but I have booked a make-up artist for the wedding, though that's mostly because my mum told me you wouldn't be able to see my face in photos otherwise. (Even though you can see my face in all other photos usually!) I told mum I didn't want lipstick as I hate the feel of it and she said I had to have it, so I might stick to my guns and say I don't want it. I also get bad eczema so I'm worried about make-up causing a flare up.

Hi Rachel. I sent you a PM about the subject.

Your mum is talking rubbish. I'm naturally very pale skinned, and if anyone is going to look washed out in a photo it would be me, but I'm really pleased with our wedding pics. I did mention to our photographer beforehand that I wouldn't be wearing any makeup, and he was fine with that and said it wouldn't be a problem.

I've also heard the argument that your face will be washed out by comparison with other guests who are wearing makeup - harder for me to be specific about this because our wedding was under Covid regs, so everyone is 2 metres apart in our 'group' photo, but I've had photos taken at formal events when I've been right next to very madeup friends, and I haven't looked washed out by contrast - I've just looked makeup free!

It's interesting how conditioned we all are that we MUST wear makeup to look good. I reckon it's because the beauty industry is terrified of what would happen if women stopped buying all this stuff overnight! And it's easier to keep doing what everyone else is doing.

The only thing I've ever put on my face has been moisturiser, and I don't even do that any more. I started wearing it in my teens because I was told my skin 'needed' it as I got to that age. As I got older, my skin got drier and I was told I needed a thicker moisturiser to protect my skin and prevent wrinkles. During lockdown, I ran out and couldn't get any more, and after 2 weeks of my sking feeling tight and dry, it started to feel fine. I've not worn moisturiser for over 6 months now, and my skin feels softer, more supple and better than ever, and I don't get the rashes and spots that I used to...so I really am starting to question the whole beauty industry, and how much of it we need v how much we want/are conditioned to think we need.

Here is another related one to throw into the mix. Be very careful not to overdo it when tanning for your wedding, fake or natural because you may look healthy and a natural glow in normal clothes or looking in the mirror but against your dress and especially standing next to your partner and guests you may stand way out in the photos.

I think I might just have a bit of mascara then and that'll do!