My best friend is getting married in September and she is planning on doing her own makeup!  I love this idea because it gives you the opportunity to go and buy quality makeup that will last you long beyond one day.  But which products do you buy?  With wedding day makeup, you have to be sure to get products that photograph well and this where some hard and fast rules come into play.  Today, let’s take a look at the basics:

Use a Primer

Primer is brilliant because it gives you a blank slate to start as the foundation of your entire look.  My favorite primer that has never let me down is Prime Time by Bare Minerals.  One pump is enough to smooth over my entire face and it helps to make my pores look smaller and fine lines smoother.  But the real reason behind my love is that it makes my makeup last all day.  And that is what you need on your wedding day.  Knowing that your foundation is going to stay put gives you one less thing to worry about!  And speaking of foundation….

Buy Matte

When it comes to foundations, powders and concealers, buying products that have a matte finish will give your skin the polished and beautiful look you want in your wedding pictures.  This is an important note for women who wear mineral makeup on a daily basis.  I am one of those women!  I love my Bare Minerals for everyday looks but every time I’ve been a part of a professional photography shoot, the makeup artists have advised against minerals.  Minerals tend to reflect light and you can end up looking a little oily in photos.  Because of this, Bare Minerals did create a matte formula for their foundations.  So if you are set on minerals, then this is the one to check out.  But if you feel like you’ll be more comfortable with a liquid foundation that has a matte finish, I’d recommend checking out any of MAC’s Select Foundation.  It comes in 18 shades and SPF 15 and finishes with a matte look.

Now that we have the canvas of your look prepped for photos, let’s add on the right layers for the pops of color on your cheeks, eyes and lips….tune in tomorrow for Part Two!