If you've ever wondered "why is wedding makeup so heavy?" then please read this!

There is very short answer to this question and its this:

Your wedding makeup doesn't need to be heavy at all!

(And because I like things backed up with proof here you can find three previous clients, all of whom asked for natural skin, all photos taken on my Iphone and not edited)

But as you're here (hi by the way!) lets take a deep dive into the complicated world of wedding makeup.

A lot of the wedding makeup you see online is heavy. In fact a quick search on IG or Pinterest is enough to send the non makeup wearer into a cold sweat. There is a serious amount of makeup layering going on in so many of the images and now to make matters worse we've got a shit tonne of AI images depicting "natural makeup."

It isn't all doom and gloom and *thankfully *not all makeup artists are here to give you the heavy makeup look. You never need to have heavy makeup if that doesn't feel good for you. If you need more proof here is a little snippet of my google reveiws:

She listened to me and my style during the trial and created the most beautiful and cool look that held all day and night! 

It was particularly important for me to wear my curly hair naturally, and Alev helped to create a beautiful style that I was happy with. The makeup situation was perfect too. I even had a last minute wobble on the wedding morning and wanted to change the look slightly from the trial, and Alev took this in her stride and seemed to just know what to do. 

I would 100% recommend her services to any bride wanting to feel like the best version of themselves (but still themselves!) on their wedding day

Despite a day of winter wind and rain, what Alev did with my hair and make-up gave me so much confidence to absolutely own it!

I love my clients so much i copuld actually cry!

Right now that you trust me (you do trust me right??) here’s what’s actually going on

A lot of wedding makeup looks full-on because:

• It’s designed for long hours, bright lights, and high-res cameras. Studio lighting is so different to natural light, it has this abitiy to wash out even the heaviest of makeup - but your wedding probably isn't going to include a lighting rig

• Some artists use full-coverage foundation and strong contour by default, this is great for engagement for some reason

• The internet tends to reward bold looks with perfect symmetry and mattified skin (see my post why i hate the golden ratio for more on this)

Look, if thats your jam there’s nothing wrong with that but that ain't me my darlin' and if it ain't you either then stick around!

My approach is completely different

When I do wedding makeup, I start with you. Not a template. Not a trend.

I work with how you see yourself, what makes you feel good - you know the way you look sometimes when you catch that nice light and think "oh yeah I look good today!" THAT IS THE LOOK!

The most common feedback from my clients? I feel like myself, just elevated.” We'll actually that is not technically true my most common feedback is my ability to keep people calm in situations that could potentially get stressful but that's not for right now.

Natural doesn’t mean no effort, not even by a long shot

Creating a light, fresh look that still lasts the whole day takes skill. It’s not about throwing everything in your makeup bag onto your face. It’s about editing and knowing when to stop.

Heavy makeup can flatten out all the shape in your face, which is why strong contouring became so popular - to add that shape back in. But with a light touch and smart product placement, you just don't need it.

Special note for my neurodivergent babes (or just sensitive to sensation)

So many of my clients are neurodivergent, or just really aware of how things feel on their skin. If the idea of heavy makeup makes you feel a little giddy, you’re not alone.

My kit was designed to be the mopst comfortable version of makeup because as someone who is very sensitive to smell and texture I knew if everything felt comfortable for me it would probably be the same for others too. Without even knowing I'd created the ultimate makeup for neurodivergent and now that I've been diagnosed with ADHD this all makes so much sense!

TLTR?

Ok here's the simplified version - not all wedding makeup is heavy. It just looks that way online because that's what the algorithm pushes. 2016 makeup has a lot to answer for.

If you're looking for hair and makeup that feels light, natural and 100% you but on your best day, you're in the right place.

Getting married in London or Hertfordshire? Let’s chat. I’d love to hear what kind of look you’re dreaming of even if you’re not totally sure yet.

Come say hi on Instagram or drop me a message.

Bye for now

Alev x

Alev is a hair and makeup artist known for her natural, glossy, and effortlessly undone style — think you, but on your best day. Her work spans campaigns for brands like Medik8, YSL, Bouclème and Musto, with a focus on bringing editorial-quality beauty to weddings.