One small detail many brides leave to the last moment to consider is their wedding lipstick choice. It seems so minor, but while you can do your whole beauty look early in the day and have it stay flawless, lipstick tends to fall victim to drinking, eating and hours of photos. As a result, it can fade, smudge or look less-than-stellar when it's time for photos or walking down the aisle.
Here are some dos and don't when it comes to the perfect wedding lipstick on your big day.
Do: Shop Wedding Lipstick Ahead of Time
Some brides think ahead and will start shopping for a lip colour in advance. This helps them bring their own product for their wedding lipstick. This is a great option, because you'll have time to test drive it, see how it wears and feels, how it photographs in different lighting, and touch-ups will be a breeze throughout the day.
That being said, some artists like myself will provide a touch-up kit that includes some lipstick, so if you don't bring your own make sure your artist sends you off with some.
Do: Consider Formula
Creamy, satin, sheer, matte, liquid, gloss...there are so many finishes and formulas of lipstick these days, and all offer different results, colour payoff, longevity and more. I often tell clients that while I want them looking and feeling their best, the last thing they should be thinking about when they're in the beautiful moments of their wedding day is whether or not their makeup still looks good or is still comfortable. A long-wearing matte lipstick might look incredible upon application, but feel drying and flaky 2 hours in. A gloss may give a subtle, glam look in the moment, but wear off quickly leaving you to reapply all too often.
This all comes down to preference at the end of the day, so think about formulas and finishes when deciding so you're not stressed about something as small as lipstick!
Don't: Wear Nothing At All
I very occasionally will encounter a bride who never wears anything on their lips - and that's totally cool and ok (some of us are Chapstick girls and we love that). BUT: If you've invested in professional hair, makeup and photography, this is one occasion where something on the lips is really needed, even if it's simply a nude liner and light clear gloss. If you go all the way on the rest of your look but decide to skip out on any product on your lips, it will register in photos as very flat and off-looking, and can really bring down the rest of your pro hair & makeup.
Now, at the end of the day I'll always advocate for comfort over all else, so if it's really an issue and you simply can't fathom something on your lips, no one is going to force it! You do you, but I'll always recommend even just the slightest bit of something to finish off a look.
Don't: Overthink It
I realize this is a bit contradictory to this entire post (ha!), but as I said before - this is a minor detail in the grand scheme of things. If you don't really know what to choose for your lip colour, your artist will make a recommendation. I often default to a creamy or satin formula and a nudeish-pink lip if a bride is unsure (some of my favourites from MAC Cosmetics include Faux and Blankety), as it reads as very natural on camera and if it fades at all and you forget to touch it up, it still looks done.