The Top 5 Mother-of-the-Bride Beauty Mistakes to Never Make

It may be your daughter’s wedding day, but as a mother of the bride, it’s a moment that’s equally as sweet and memorable as the day she was born. Dressing up for the occasion is half of the fun, but your role in the wedding party also dictates that your overall look (hair, makeup, accessories) must be styled appropriately to complement the bride, bridesmaids, and the larger wedding theme. 

From what you wear to how you style your hair, there are certain unspoken rules about how mothers of the bride should look at a wedding; the most essential being “never upstage the bride.” Most people would assume this applies to mom’s attire, but it’s also relevant when it comes to makeup. Wearing too much makeup is one way for a mother of the bride to stand out—and not in a good way. 

“You don’t want guests to remember the makeup look itself per say, but you want them to recognize how beautiful you look,” says professional makeup artist Mally Roncal. “Your makeup should enhance your natural features so you look in the mirror and look and feel like yourself, but at your most beautiful.”

Before you start getting ready, there are a few things you should know that’ll help you avoid any makeup mishaps. So to help you blend in with the rest of the wedding party, here are five mother-of-the-bride wedding beauty mistakes to never make. 

Don’t wear makeup you’ve never worn before.

You would never dye your hair a completely new color the day of a big event, and the same goes for makeup. It’s important you do a test run before the big day if you want to avoid any beauty disasters. “You don’t know how your skin is going to react to new products, so I suggest, especially with your base makeup, using makeup you already love and/or doing a trial run with your makeup artist,” says Roncal. “The last thing you want is to have some sort of allergic reaction on the big day!”

Don’t go for an overly heavy or dramatic look.

More coverage doesn’t always equal a better finished look, especially if you’re someone that doesn’t typically wear a lot of makeup. “You don’t want to look back on pictures and not recognize yourself under three feet of makeup,” says Roncal. If you’re nervous about wearing makeup altogether, again, setting up a makeup trial will help alleviate any uncertainties when it comes to your beauty look. Also, when in doubt, less is more.

Don’t use a translucent setting powder. 

Some translucent powders have a “flashback” effect in photos, which reads on camera as very bright or sometimes even white. Look for a clear or colored formula instead, that blends in and blurs the rest of your makeup. “Try a clear setting balm instead, like my Face Defender, which sets makeup without changing the makeup look underneath,” says Roncal. “Since it’s clear, it will ensure your skin looks perfect all day and night without the flashback.”

Don’t skip primer!

“I know this is a step we often skip for day-to-day makeup, but it’s important on this marathon of a day that your makeup lasts, and primer helps perfect your skin and keeps makeup in place,” says Roncal. Not only does primer make your makeup last longer, but it also evens out your skin, which helps make a small amount of foundation go a long way.

Don’t leave the makeup chair without having a few items for touch-ups.

Most mothers of the bride will have their makeup done hours before the ceremony, so by the time the reception is underway, some of that makeup has either traveled to places where it shouldn’t be or is partially faded. Therefore, keeping a few touch-up items in your purse to refresh your face is of the utmost importance.

If a makeup artist did your look, ask them for a sample of whatever lipstick they used. Additionally, if you plan to have a makeup trial beforehand, it might be helpful to get the name of the products your artist plans to use before the wedding, especially if you want to wear these products again. Finally, don’t forget to carry a pack of tissues in your bag to fix any mascara that may have smeared as a result of happy tears.