The Ultimate Guide to Doing Your Own Wedding Day Makeup (Really!)

Misty Spinney
Mar 11, 2015

Let’s face it! We all want a flawless face all day, every day and will do everything from turning pantry staples into skin care to honing in on what to eat for glowing skin to get it. While mastering the tips and tricks for daily wear is one thing, it’s a completely different story for those of you beauty DIY-ers up for the challenge of mastering your own look for one of the most special, most photographed days of your entire life: your wedding. This is your blueprint to getting a photo-ready, glowing face that will endure all the events of your big day, no professional help required. Seriously, even makeup novices can — with practice — ace an aisle-ready look. Just consider this the “something new” of your big day.

Prep: Moisturize + Prime

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SMASHBOX Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($36) to make you even more ready to handle the flash.

For the big day you want to have your makeup stay in place, and airbrush makeup does just that. All of the major makeup brands make an airbrush formula, but I am obsessed with Sephora Collection Perfection Mist Airbrush Foundation ($28). Hold the bottle a few inches from a flat, fluffy brush (and away from your big day whites!) and spay it on. Applying from the brush versus straight on your skin will result in a more natural look. Tap the foundation onto your skin for the best results.

Step 1: Apply Foundation

Take the time to find the best type of concealer for your face! This may take a little trial and error, but it can be a fun process. Go to your local makeup counters, become besties with a beauty consultant and ask the right questions, including what color is best for the undertone in your skin, what formulas are best for covering inconsistencies (think: fine lines, blemishes or dark circles), and what consistency and finish would look best. Then they can help you navigate through everything creamy or thin, thick or matte, full or light coverage. Once you’ve found The One, apply your concealer with a brush under the eye and down toward the center of your face in an upside-down pyramid shape. Blend with your brush.

Step 2: Concealer

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beach goddess-type look, which requires a shimmering bronzer, it’s best to opt for a softer, non-reflective finish. For Alicia we used Benefit Cosmetics Dallas ($28).

Step 3: Contour

For that perfectly blushing bridal look, you want to choose a blush that will enhance your natural flush. When you have no makeup on, pinch your cheek and see what color your cheek turns. Whatever the undertone happens to be — be it pink, peach or red — find a blush with that hue. This will make for the most natural blushing effect. Alicia has a pink undertone, so we used NARS Blush in Desire ($30).

Step 4: Blushing Bride

Benefit Cosmetics High Beam

above the bridge of your nose, your upper lip and below your lips as well as directly above your cheekbones into your temples. Use a flat foundation brush to tap and blend over your makeup.

Step 5: Highlight

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

avoiding the spots you put your highlighter. The powder settles in to make your makeup last longer and avoid smudges. It will also aid in keeping that unwanted sheen out of your photos.

Step 6: Strategically Apply Powder

The most challenging part of wedding makeup is making sure it can stand up to the long hours you’ll be pulling. You’ll want to make sure your face is just as radiant while you’re shaking it on the dance floor as it was walking down the aisle! One of the best products to make that happen is Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Setting Spray ($30) — it’s a go-to when I’m working on my clients. Gently close your eyes and lightly mist your entire face a few times, holding the bottle a good five inches away from your face. Trust me: this mist is magical!

Step 7: Seal The Deal

Let’s be honest: with your bridal shower, bachelorette party or even just a date night out, you will have plenty of opportunities to master these steps to a wedding-ready face. The combination of perfect primer, DIY airbrush makeup, shine control, intentional highlighting and a setting spray is the best recipe for you to own your wedding day look.

What else do you want to learn for wedding day makeup? List in the comments below and perhaps we can make it happen for you!

12 "Wacky" Daylight Saving Facts (& How to Make the Transition Easier)

Only two states in the United States don't observe daylight saving time, observing standard time year-round: Arizona and Hawaii. After all, they argue, these states already get plenty of sun. The other 48 states – AKA the rest of us – will spring forward our clocks by one hour on Sunday, March 9, at least for now. It's been reported that it's on the table for abolishing. While it's my favorite time of year (who doesn't love the longer days?), it comes with some not so good health news. Let's get into what you can expect this daylight saving time!

Here are 12 wacky facts you may not know about daylight saving time.

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1. Most of us are saying it wrong.

The correct term is actually "daylight saving time" — singular, not plural. Despite common usage, "saving" is used as an adjective describing the act of conserving daylight, not a plural noun.

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2. The time change has been linked to more hospital visits.

The American Heart Association found that the time change showed an increase in cases of heart attack and stroke. A scientific study found a rise in cases of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), a condition that resulted in irregular heartbeats with symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, and fatigue. The increase was more prevalent among women and occurred only during the spring daylight saving time shift, not with the fall clock change.

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3. There are more car accidents during this time.

Losing an hour of sleep can also impact your road safety. A study found that the spring daylight saving time transition increases the risk of fatal traffic accidents in the U.S. by 6 percent.

Andrea Piacquadio

4. DST can increase your cortisol and stress levels.

Losing sleep and disrupting your body’s natural rhythm can do more than just leave you feeling groggy — it can actually spike your cortisol levels, the hormone linked to stress. Research shows that sleep deprivation and circadian misalignment can trigger an increase in cortisol, along with inflammatory markers and cytokine imbalances. Since cortisol and inflammatory proteins are released in response to stress, chronic elevations could contribute to long-term health issues.

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5. We're at higher risk of depression.

Many people report mood disturbances during this time, but for those with bipolar disorder, the effects can be particularly destabilizing. For instance, a 2020 study found that the change impacts mood disorders, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. An Australian study revealed a significant increase in male suicide rates in the weeks following the start of daylight saving time, compared to both the weeks after the return to standard time and the rest of the year.

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6. Benjamin Franklin first suggested the concept.

He didn’t technically invent daylight saving time (as some have reported), but he did conceive the idea a century before it was credited to George Vernon Hudson, a New Zealand artist who formally proposed it in an 1895 paper. Benjamin Franklin observed that if people in France adjusted their schedules to sleep when it was dark and wake with the sunrise, they could save hundreds of francs on candles — making artificial lighting less necessary.

Andy Feliciotti

7. There's already buzz to make DST permanent.

The Sunshine Protection Act is a proposed U.S. law aiming to make daylight saving time permanent, eliminating the need to change clocks twice a year.

Anna Shvets

8. Farmers actually fought against it.

Contrary to popular belief, farmers have never supported daylight saving time. In fact, they opposed its implementation and, in 1919, an agricultural lobby even pushed for its repeal.

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9. We may actually consume more energy because of it.

While many believe daylight saving time conserves energy, research suggests it may actually do the opposite. A University of California-Santa Barbara study indicated that daylight saving time might increase consumption. A 2017 study in the International Association for Energy Economics Journal further supports this idea, noting that longer daylight hours can lead to more air conditioning in summer and heating in cooler months.

Federico Respini

10. Daylight saving time was extended in 2007.

First started in Germany, the U.S. adopted daylight saving time in 1918 and standardized it across the country with the passage of the 1966 Uniform Time Act, which gave the federal government oversight over the time change. It originally called for the last Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. President George W. Bush’s Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended it from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, starting in 2007.

Bhargava Marripati

11. About 70 countries observe daylight saving time.

Countries like Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and those in the European Union observe daylight saving time either nationwide or in select regions. Meanwhile, most African and Asian nations — including India, China, and Japan — opt out of the time change entirely.

Kaylah Matthews

12. You can beat the clock.

Despite the health risks and safety concerns of daylight saving time, you can take steps to combat fatigue and adjust within a week. Here are B+C's 5 Best Ways to Beat Daylight Saving Time Fatigue.

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You Probably Just Missed The First Clip Of 'The Bear' Season 4

TV viewers are feasting thanks to Hulu. Not only are we getting five seasons of Only Murders in the Building in five years, but we've also gotten a new season of The Bear every year since 2022.

If you watched the Oscars, you were probably tuned into the best dressed stars and Emma Stone's great BFF moment (and maybe even caught moments between Hollywood's new It couple Andrew Garfield & Monica Barbaro) but there's one thing you might have missed: the first footage of Ayo Edebiri in The Bear season 4!

Here's a breakdown of that clip from The Bear season 4 starring Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss Bachrach.

@rottentomatoes Ayo Edebiri in our first look at #TheBear Season 4. #rottentomatoes#tv#tvshow#tvtok#firstlook#hulu#fx#teaser#ayoedebiri#jeremyallenwhite♬ original sound - Rotten Tomatoes

A commercial during the Oscars surprised us with a new clip from The Bear season 4. It's pretty straightforward, but it finally addresses something I've known from the very beginning: the staff of The Bear restaurant are a family, y'all!!

"Sometimes I feel like your work family is part of your family family," Sydney says, while clips Richie, Marcus, Luca, and Sydney's dad play in the background. After all that drama at the end of season 3, not to mention the fact that Sydney accidentally stumbled upon a new job opportunity, this definitely looks like a job interview to me.

Maybe Sydney does go through with the interview for a new restaurant, but when she learns they don't approach staff life the same way, she realizes that, despite its (many) flaws, The Bear is her true family. We haven't even gotten a full episode and I'm making myself emotional!

One question I've had from the very beginning of the series is whether we'll see Sydney and Carmy couple up. And actors Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White finallyaddressed the rumorsduring season 3's press conference.

“There was no talk in the rooms about any romantic implications,” Jeremy said. “[Carmy's] not the best communicator, but he will often make a sort of grand gesture like that to try and communicate to Syd or the kitchen or whomever."

“He’s got a lot going on in his mind all the time, and people aren’t always aware of exactly what’s going on," he continued. "You’ll see, obviously, how that affects Carmen and Syd’s relationship, but I think Carmen’s trying to welcome her in a little bit was the point of the partnership agreement.”

“Carmy is somebody that I think she’s really looked up to, but now is sort of in the thick of doing business with,” Ayo added. “It’s, I think, a lot more chaotic than she might have idealized before they really started working together.”

Check out The 8 Best TV Shows To Watch On Hulu This Month for more amazing shows to stream once you've rewatched all of The Bear.

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7 Spring 2025 Beauty Trends To Glow All Season

City Beauty
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Spring 2025 beauty is all about bold yet wearable, polished yet playful looks. From the return of the lip liner to fresh, nature-inspired nail and eye colors, this season’s trends blend nostalgia with modern minimalism. Expect soft, dramatic eyes, skincare-infused makeup, and lip liner that enhances without overpowering. These trends are all about embracing your natural features in an elevated, beautiful way so you glow, and look your best, all season.

Here are spring 2025 beauty trends to try this season.

City Lips® Defining Liner

Liner Revival

The lip liner trend for spring 2025 embraces bold definition with a fresh, modern twist. This season, it's about pairing rosy nudes with soft, lighter lip colors and rich, warm tones with deep browns and cherry reds for a sculpted, high-impact look. City Lips Defining Liner is our favorite new lip liner. It prevents color fading, smudging, and feathering, so you can keep your look intact all day or night! It’s available in two pretty shades: Blush, a soft, rosy nude that pairs beautifully with pink hues and lighter lip colors, and Willow, a rich, warm-toned nude that complements brown tones and deeper shades.

City Beauty

Multitasking Makeup

The trend toward skincare-infused makeup is making your beauty routine work harder with nourishing ingredients. City Lips Defining Liner features vitamin E, helping to keep the lip line smooth while subtly enhancing its shape for a fuller, more defined look. For the ultimate plump and polish, pair the pigmented liner with City Lips Plumping Gloss — a duo that gives you a naturally voluminous pout, plus extra hydration.

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Pastel Pop

From butter yellow to sage green, this season’s nail trends are embracing soft, yet statement-making hues that bring a fresh pop of color. Alongside these chic shades, almond-shaped nails are offering a sleek, elegant look that flatters your mani aesthetic.

Monserrat Tosca | Dupe

'90s Nostalgia

A softer, smudged take on the classic cat-eye is making waves, with eyeliner staging a bold comeback in full, effortless sweeps. Blue eyeshadow is also back and better. Expect a nod to cool-toned, ’90s grunge eyes, a trend that lends itself to easy, minimalist lines, like a single, clean swipe of liner, proving that less can truly be more.

Claire Craig | Dupe

Lobs, Bobs & Natural Manes

Haircut season is in full swing, and lighter, fuss-free bobs at all above-shoulder lengths, plus natural curls, are making their way in and out of salons for spring. We couldn't be happier for the low-maintenance 'dos!

Katie Mansfield | Dupe

Satin Skin

This understated look highlights healthy, natural skin with a soft-matte finish — radiant, yet never flat or overly glossy.

City Beauty

Glossy lips, instead, shine this season. Upgrade your lip routine this spring with City Beauty’s new City Lips Defining Liner and lip glosses for a refreshed look.

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