The 10 best bridal beauty buys

“The best thing is to look natural, but it takes make-up to look natural,” Calvin Klein once said. And although he wasn’t specifically talking about wedding make-up, he could well have been. Most brides today (excepting those looking to channel an Elizabeth Taylor, red-lips-and-great-lashes look, or Audrey Hepburn’s delicate flick of black eyeliner) want to look like a flawless, radiant version of themselves: it’s about dewy skin, fluttery lashes, rosy blush. But when it comes to staying power, and looking great in photographs, such apparent effortlessness can benefit from some behind-the-scenes “oomph”.

Primers are a wedding-day non-negotiable (for brides and guests alike) to help make-up “grip”. Tatcha’s The Liquid Silk Canvas (£51) and Milk Makeup’s Cloud Glow Priming Foam (£25) include radiance-boosting ingredients such as Mozuku algae and fermented Uji green tea. Avoid the temptation to go for a heavier, “traditional” foundation in the hope it will last longer; the trick is to build up feather-light layers of coverage using concealer, tinted moisturiser and finishing powder. 

Hermès Plein Air Complexion Balm, £65

Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint, £49

Turn to hybrid skin tints for light coverage plus dewy glow: if you’re nervous to stray too far from a traditional foundation, try Dior’s new Forever Glow Star Filter (£45). Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint (£49), meanwhile, is a make-up artist favourite, and Hermès Plein Air Complexion Balm (£65) is good for an outdoor or high-summer wedding.

With concealers, you can go a little heavier if you have redness or dark circles you want to conceal: Merit’s The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick (£40) is great to spot-treat and blend out with a brush, and Jones Road The Neutralizer Pencil (£24) works well in “knocking out” dark circles before you apply concealer.

Merit The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick, £40

Jones Road The Neutralizer Pencil, £24

Westman Atelier Defining Pencil, £35

Chanel Le Volume de Chanel mascara, £34

But being truly photo-ready is all about great brows and lashes – those, and your lips, are what the camera will really focus on. The über make-up artist Gucci Westman recently launched Westman Brides, a hub of make-up tutorials on her website. “Spend extra time on the brows,” she advises (Defining Pencil, £35). “Your eyes need to have a great shape, and be fluffy, groomed and filled in.” Mascara has to be waterproof, of course – and brown can be softer than black, especially if you’re wearing an ivory dress. Try Le Volume De Chanel in Brun (£34). 

Lisa Eldridge mini make-up bag, £48

And for the best rosy blush, subtle bronze and delicate eye washes, invest in a face palette that can do the what-goes-with-what for you. Natasha Denona’s Glam Face Palette comes in two options for different skin tones. It’s glowy, not glittery, and pigmented enough to last (£54, cultbeauty.co.uk).

Finally, for touch-ups on the day: Lisa Eldridge’s mini make-up bag (£48) in Liberty-print peaches and pinks is perfect – just fill with essentials, and bestow on a willing bridesmaid.