Wedding makeup sometimes gets a bad rap. The cakey foundation, the over-sculpted face, the heavy lashes — it can be easy to lean into the instinct to go overboard when you want to look your best. What’s surprisingly harder is paring back. Because in what world is it possible to achieve wedding makeup that doesn’t feel like wedding makeup; makeup so natural, you can’t tell where it ends and your skin begins? According to celebrity makeup artist Carolina Gonzalez, that world exists, and even better, she’s here to take us on a guided tour.
With 31 years of makeup artistry under her belt and a roster of clients like Sabrina Carpenter, Camila Mendes, and Alessandra Ambrosio, Gonzalez has cemented herself as a master of creating glowy looks worthy of every wedding aisle or red carpet. In fact, she’s so good that her clients often report they don’t need to touch up, since she applies makeup in a way that somehow ends up looking better at the end of the day than at the start. Her secret, it turns out, is the most obvious answer in the beauty space (IYKYK): Armani beauty Luminous Silk Foundation. And if you don’t know, it’s time to get acquainted — ahead Gonzalez shares her tips for getting the glowy makeup look of your dreams for your next special event. Just think of her as your beauty fairy godmother.
Invest in the Right Foundation
Gonzalez will be the first to tell you that a good foundation is the crux of a long-lasting beauty look. “If I’m doing makeup for someone that’s going on a carpet, I need my products to stand the test of time,” she says. “The Luminous Silk Foundation has always been a staple for me because of its staying power and performance.”
The lightweight formula helps blur imperfections like texture, pores, and fine lines. It’s also infused with glycerin to help hydrate the skin throughout the day so the end result is always radiant, never cakey. “I always want skin to look like skin, and this foundation mimics skin,” Gonzalez says. “It’s like a polished version of your natural complexion, but at the same time, it’s giving you coverage and it’s also buildable.”
Work in Layers
Gonzalez notes that because the Luminous Silk Foundation isn’t a matte formula, it’s not drying, so you can build up coverage without ever feeling (or looking) like you’re wearing too much on the skin. Still, how you’re applying it can have a huge impact on how your makeup looks and how long it lasts.
“I feel like people go in too heavy at first,” she says. “Because then the foundation just sits in certain places that don’t need it.” Her biggest tip for achieving a flawless application is to work in layers. “I like to do a first quick layer of foundation and then let it breathe a little bit, and then maybe I’ll go touch up a little bit more in areas that need it. If I don’t need to add layers, I don’t do it. I like applying the most minimal amount of makeup, always.”
No matter how many layers of Luminous Silk Foundation you add, it’s a product that blends seamlessly and plays nicely with others. “I really love everything very buffed out and blended,” Gonzalez notes. “I don’t want you to notice where makeup begins or ends.” To that end, she prefers applying the product using a foundation brush, opting for one that’s akin to a full blush brush. From there, she applies the Luminous Silk Concealer under the eyes, around the nose, and on the corners of the mouth.
Then, she stresses the importance of properly setting your makeup. “I wait until everything is really settled before I add Glow Setting Powder to set the under-eye and T-zone,” she adds, noting to choose a shade that’s true to your skin tone and apply using a fluffy brush. “This product is great because it sets everything in place but at the same time, it’s not taking away the glow that you get from the foundation or concealer.”
Since her goal is to create a lived-in glow, Gonzalez often avoids touching up the complexion as the day wears on and encourages her clients to do the same. “I love how makeup wears throughout the day — it starts to work with the natural oils of your skin.”
Go for a Soft Touch
While Gonzalez believes that the best occasion makeup looks are the ones that enhance your natural beauty rather than transform your face, that doesn’t mean she’s immune to incorporating a trend or two when the moment is right. Her current favorite? Flushed cheeks. She likes using the Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer in shade 8 as a bronzer for what she calls a kiss of sun. “I want it to seem like you were out in the sun for a good 20 minutes.”
Still, at the end of the day, her advice is simple: Go clean and soft. “My favorite wedding makeup is just gorgeous glowing skin, a soft sculpt, defined lashes, and a lip stain,” she says.
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