One of the main components of a bridal look is the foundation as it helps to create a flawless and beautiful complexion.
Finding the right foundation for you can be super difficult as there is an endless list of brands and ranges out there that are suitable for varying skin tones and shades.
So to help you pick out the bridal foundation that’ll perfect your wedding look on your big day, we’ve created this list of the 10 best bridal makeup foundations to help you out.
Our top pick for the best bridal makeup foundation is the Estee Lauder Double-Wear foundation that’s available in over 60 shades and comes with a semi-matte finish to the skin that doesn’t look powdery.
It has medium to full coverage and is completely buildable to whatever coverage you desire without looking cakey on the skin.
It has 15 hours of staying power that can keep you looking flawless through humidity, heat, and non-stop activities on your special day.
It’s also smudge-proof and won’t transfer over to any guests when you’re dancing or hugging them throughout the day.
It’s oil-free and fragrance-free so should be a good match for sensitive skin. Double wear also feels comfortable and lightweight on the skin despite being able to be so full coverage.
Pros
Oil-free and fragrance-free - Won’t irritate the skin
Buildable coverage - Suitable for all brides
Long-lasting - Will be able to stay put throughout the entire day without touch-ups
Over 60 shades - There will be a color match for every bride
Cons
Not suitable for dry skin - Will highlight dry patches
Planning a wedding can be very expensive and not every bride wants to splash out on makeup for their big day.
If this is you, then why not try out this budget-friendly foundation from Maybelline.
It’s a liquid foundation that is best applied with a damp beauty sponge or a blending brush and dries to a matte flawless finish on the skin.
The Maybelline Fit Me foundation is available in over 40 shades, so you’ll have no trouble trying to find a match for your skin tone.
The foundation is best for oily to normal skin and helps refines large pores for a natural-looking but matte finish.
It won’t be suitable for dry skin as the matte finish will help exemplify dry skin. Its mattifying properties will help control shine, so you won’t look oily in your photographs.
Pros
Helps control oil - Minimizes shine in photos
Available in 40 shades - Easy to match to your skin tone
Budget-friendly - Suitable for every bride
Cons
Medium coverage - May not be suitable for people with problematic skin
Another popular high-end foundation that’s amazing for a wedding makeup look is the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation.
If you like to look naturally glowy but without looking like a lightbulb then this foundation will be able to do the job for you.
It’s silky and lightweight on the skin but still offers a good amount of coverage that’ll hide redness and blur imperfections. It’s available in over 40 shades and is suitable for all skin types.
The foundation contains glycerin to boost the hydration levels of your skin, so you won’t end up looking dry or patchy by the end of the day.
The coverage is buildable and will help you achieve a more natural look to a more full coverage look depending on your preference.
As it’s a more luminous finish, it won’t be as long-lasting so it may start to wear off towards the evening of your wedding day so touch-ups may be needed.
Pros
Buildable coverage - Can achieve light to fuller coverage
Contains glycerin - Keeps skin hydrated throughout the day
Lightweight on the skin - Comfortable for all-day wear
Cons
Luminous finish - Not very long-wearing so touch-ups will be required
Another budget-friendly option is the Revlon PhotoReady foundation that is many makeup artists’ favorite drugstore foundation for clients for special occasions.
It offers full coverage so will be able to hide redness and deliver a poreless and flawless look to the skin which will look incredible in photos.
Despite being full coverage, it still offers a luminous finish and a glow from within effect on the skin.
The PhotoReady foundation does contain SPF20 which is perfect for an outside wedding but produces some flashback in photos but it’s not as obvious as other foundations because it’s a clear base, not a white one.
Unfortunately, it’s only available in 6 shades which are not great and will only suit a small portion of skin tones.
Pros
Contains SPF 20 - Good for outdoor weddings
Full coverage - Ideal for redness and spot-prone skin
Minimal flashback - Still looks great in photographs
This is a firm favorite amongst makeup artists for photoshoots and weddings as it offers lightweight yet buildable coverage that will allow brides to create whatever look they want.
It applies and blends beautifully on the skin to give a smooth and flawless complexion that minimizes the appearance of pores.
It delivers 24-hour wear which is ideal for long and busy wedding days where you’ll be hugging, eating, and partying with your guests.
It’s oil-free so won’t break out oily skin and has a sweat-resistant formulation so you won’t have to worry about blotting or powdering after a boogie on the dancefloor.
It has a vast and inclusive range of colors to suit every skin tone and leaves a matte but not powdery finish on the skin.
It also has SPF15 included, ideal for snapping your wedding photos outside in the sun.
Pros
24-hour wear - Will last all days without touch-ups
Buildable coverage - Natural to very full coverage looks
Vast color range - Suitable for every skin tone
Cons
It’s difficult to apply - Doesn’t come with a foundation pump
Another great budget-friendly option is this Pro Coverage foundation from L.A.
Girl that provides medium to full coverage depending on your application but still has a lightweight formula that will be comfortable on the skin all day.
It’s long-wearing but still provides a luminous glow to the skin, which may require some powder or touch-ups towards the later hours of the wedding.
The formula is paraben-free and contains antioxidants to hydrate the skin and improve the skin’s appearance even after you take it off.
It’s available in over 15 color shades but there is also a white foundation mixer available to adjust and customize the color to be better suited to your skin tone.
Pros
Full coverage - Creates glam and flawless complexion
Luminous finish - Produces a healthy glow to the skin
Contains antioxidants - Keeps the skin hydrated
Cons
May require touch-ups - Luminous finish is not as long-wearing
The Stay Naked weightless foundation will offer brides a long-wearing formula that’s transfer-resistant for up to 24 hours.
It provides a matte finish that still looks like real skin but better and doesn’t cake even when you try to build the coverage.
As the name says, it feels like you’re wearing nothing on your skin to help you feel comfortable throughout such an important day.
Urban Decay is well-known for having a good shade range, and the Stay Naked Weightless foundation is no different, with over 50 shades with nine shade intensities available for you to find the perfect fit.
Finish your look with the Stay Naked foundation off with Urban Decay’s All Nighter setting spray to create a base that’ll stay looking flawless all day.
The formulation is also vegan and cruelty-free.
Pros
Lightweight formulation - Feels comfortable on the skin
Amazing shade range - Perfect for everyone
24-hour wear - Won’t budge or transfer until you use a makeup remover
Cons
Can cling to dry patches around the nose - Not suitable for dry or combination skin
Nars Sheer Glow is a cult classic and is favored by users who want a light and dewy complexion that looks like their skin but a tiny bit better.
Even though it provides a natural finish, the coverage is still buildable and you will be able to cover up imperfections and redness.
It provides good moisture for the skin so is ideal for those with drier skin types and improves skin radiance so you look like you’re glowing from within.
It’s available in over 40 shades and is a paraben-free and alcohol and fragrance-free formulation that will be suitable for sensitive skin types.
You’ll need to buy the additional pump to dispense the product unless you don’t mind wasting any whilst applying it to your hand or brush.
Pros
Provides a beautiful and radiant finish on the skin - The perfect natural look
Available in over 40 shades - Suitable for all skin tones
Provides moisture for the skin - Ideal for all skin types
Cons
No pump included - Will need to pour onto hand or brush
If you love the look of flawless and blurred skin, then you’ll love this Invisible Cover Foundation from Make Up Forever.
It provides natural yet buildable coverage that looks undetectable on the skin whilst still hiding your imperfections and uneven skin tone.
The formula blends amazingly into the skin and also contains hyaluronic acid for a hydrated complexion that won’t crack or dry out by the end of the day.
Despite being able to build to full coverage, the formula is lightweight on the skin and won’t break you out after wearing it.
The foundation is available in over 50 shades and Make Up Forever has a good visual swatch system to find your perfect match online.
Pros
Natural but buildable coverage - Versatile use
Available in over 50 shades - Universally suitable
Skin blurring technology - Creates flawless and airbrushed skin
Cons
Will have to apply a lot to get full coverage - Uses up the product quickly
If you’re low maintenance with your makeup and like to use as minimal products as possible then try out this Hourglass Vanish foundation stick which combines the capabilities of a concealer and foundation in one formulation.
It provides 12-hour coverage and is waterproof so will be able to last through some tears at the altar and even some sweat from being on the dancefloor all night.
The foundation stick offers full coverage which will help cover uneven skin tone and blemishes but has a satin finish to still look natural on the skin.
It’s easy to apply directly to the skin and then buffed in with a brush, which will adapt to your body temperature to create a seamless finish.
The formula contains no horrible ingredients and is also great for cruelty-free makeup users.
The foundation is available in 32 shades which Hourglass’s Foundation Shade Finder will help you find your perfect match.
Pros
12-hour coverage - No touch-ups required on your wedding day
2-in-1 concealer and foundation - Minimizes application time
Waterproof formula - Won’t budge through tears and sweat
Cons
Dries quickly on the skin - Will need to work quickly when applying
10 Best Bridal Makeup Foundation Buying Guide
SPF
If your ceremony or reception is taking place outside on a spring/summer’s day, you’re going to make sure you have SPF on underneath your foundation or formulated within your foundation to prevent you from getting sunburn.
However, whilst SPF is great for protecting your skin, it’s not so great for flash photography as it causes a white cast to appear on the skin.
The main ingredients in SPF that cause this effect are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, so try to seek out foundations without these to prevent you from looking like a ghost in your photos.
Coverage
Something to consider when choosing a bridal foundation is what type of coverage you want to achieve for your skin.
If you’re someone who loves to wear natural makeup in their day-to-day life, then you’ll want to go for a light coverage foundation to allow your natural skin to show through and still look fresh on your wedding day.
However, if you’ve got more problematic skin (acne, breakouts, etc) or you have scarring or redness, you may want to go for a more medium to full coverage foundation to blur these out and make you look flawless.
Some foundations have buildable coverage, allowing you to achieve a natural light coverage to a full-glam coverage depending on your preferences.
Types
There are many types of formulations of foundation out there, from cream to liquid, to powder to mousse, and to mineral to foundation stick, there is an endless amount to choose from.
Some types of foundations are easier to work with, which will be great if you’re doing your own makeup on your special day and don’t have perfect expertise in the field.
Different types of foundations will also give varying amounts of coverage for your skin, just check on the bottle to see if it’s a light or full coverage.
Finish
There are three main types of foundation finishes, matte, dewy, and luminous.
Matte foundations will have no shine to them at all and will make you look airbrushed and smooth.
Dewy foundations will add some shine to your face, but have less coverage, allowing some of your skin’s natural imperfections to come through.
Luminous foundations give you that natural glow from within look but also have a good amount of coverage without looking too matte.
Some foundations are formulated especially for specific skin types, so make sure you look into what each foundation species is on the label, as choosing the wrong one could make your skin look bad.
Some foundations will be a big no-no for certain skin types, for example, oily skin types will not want to use a dewy/luminous finish foundation as it’ll make their face look extra shiny, especially in photos.
Whereas those with dry and patchy skin should avoid matte-finish foundations otherwise it’ll highlight the dry areas on their face.
Shade
An important factor when choosing your foundation is getting the right shade. Anything too dark will leave you with obvious lines by your jaw and anything too light will have you looking like a ghost.
Go into a drugstore and swatch some of the tester foundations on your jawbone to see if it matches your skin tone.
If you go to the make-up counter for your foundation brand of choice, they’ll also be able to perfectly match your skin tone to a foundation.
If you’re buying your foundation online and not sure what shade you are you can use the service at https://findation.com/ which finds the perfect shade in the foundation you want when you enter in the shade of foundation you currently use.
