10 Essentials Every Bride Needs in Her Wedding Makeup Bag, According to Experts

      Your wedding day stands out as one of the most memorable days in your life, so it's only fitting that every aspect contributes to making you feel your best. While makeup significantly boosts our daily confidence, on your wedding day, it can enhance not just your features but also your glow and self-esteem as you walk down the aisle. Whether you're newly engaged or deep into the planning process, one major choice you'll face on your wedding beauty timeline—alongside selecting your wedding nails and hairstyle—is deciding whether to hire a professional makeup artist or to apply your makeup yourself. Each option carries its advantages and disadvantages; however, if you're considering a DIY approach, there are many factors to contemplate, from envisioning your ideal look to selecting the right products for your makeup kit.

      Makeup artist Lan Nguyen-Grealis offers useful guidance: "Reflect on when you feel most confident, particularly in photographs. Makeup goes beyond just how it appears in images—it's about feeling good, smiling, and being yourself." She recommends testing your look throughout the day, taking photos to ensure satisfaction with the outcome. "Invest in primers and setting sprays to maintain a fresh look all day, and care for your skin to achieve a radiant complexion," she notes. Nguyen-Grealis advocates for long-lasting formulas, a dependable setting powder, and a pressed powder for touch-ups. Keep blotting tissues handy (ask a bridesmaid to carry them) alongside lipstick and powder for quick touch-ups. And of course, waterproof mascara is essential, especially if you anticipate tears of joy. For a more refined look, individual lashes are recommended to prevent makeup smearing.

      With an abundance of choices available, how do you select the best products for a lasting wedding-day look? To assist with these crucial decisions, I've consulted leading makeup artists, bridal beauty experts, editors, and the Who What Wear UK team, who have shared their expert suggestions and personal experiences from their wedding days. From the foundation that keeps your complexion appearing airbrushed from the "I do" moment to the final dance, to the powder that keeps your makeup intact throughout happy tears and celebrations, these tested products have received approval from the professionals. Below, the experts share their most highly recommended items for your wedding-day makeup kit.

      **The Primer:** Dior Forever Glow Star Filter

      "I rarely wear a full face of foundation, so the thought of wearing it on my wedding day didn't feel right to me," shares Who What Wear UK Beauty Director Shannon Lawlor. "I dislike the feeling of foundation on my face and worried about it transferring onto others' clothes (not to mention my own dress) and hiding my freckles. Although my makeup style wasn't the typical 'fresh and glowy' (I opted for a dramatic smoky eye, clearly bronzed skin, and plenty of highlighter), I still aimed for a natural appearance with a soft blur. Enter Dior Forever Glow Star Filter (£45), which can be blended with foundation for added radiance or worn alone for a blurred glow. I chose the latter approach. If you've dedicated effort into making your skin clear and radiant for your wedding, remember: foundation isn't a necessity."

      "This product—paired with a creamy concealer—made my skin look its most radiant and natural. Glow Star Filter is truly versatile. It can be mixed with foundation, used alone with concealer, or applied selectively as a highlighter. Trust me—my wedding day wouldn’t have been the same without it."

      **The Foundation:** Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation

      "I usually avoid foundation, so I wanted my skin to look its best while remaining true to my natural self," explains Who What Wear UK Editor in Chief Hannah Almassi. "My best friend did my makeup, and I fully trusted her judgment, so when she suggested the Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow Foundation (£57), considering my reluctance towards heavy coverage, I was confident it would work well. It held up beautifully, felt weightless, and didn’t appear overly shiny in photos, despite my wedding taking place on a hot day in Spain! I don’t even recall having to touch up my makeup apart from reapplying my lipstick, which met my low-maintenance requirement."

      **The Concealer:** Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

      "On my wedding day, this was the only concealer I used and I kept reaching for it throughout the event,” recounts Who What Wear UK deputy editor Maxine Eggenberger. "I actually hid a tube in the bathroom so I wouldn’t have to grab my bag each time. Since I did my own wedding makeup, I used items already in my makeup bag, and the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (£27) blended seamlessly with my skin. On a day filled with happy tears and emotional speeches, it was vital in ensuring I didn’t look like an emotional mess (though I was)."

      **The Powder:** MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation

      "When I got married, I was an aspiring makeup artist