2024 Wedding Makeup Trends to Wear on Your Big Day – From Timeless Looks to Trendy Statements

The world of bridal makeup is constantly evolving, with each year bringing new trends and techniques.

In 2024, we’re witnessing a harmonious blend of classic elegance and contemporary boldness.

To gain insights into the latest trends shaping the bridal beauty landscape, we interviewed three makeup artists, whose expertise and makeup artistry has graced countless weddings.

If you’re looking for inspiration for your big day, you’ve landed in the right place!

Meet the Experts

• Airin Lee is a Cosmetic Science and Hair and Makeup Artistry diploma holder, makeup artist, and co-founder of beauty service ARLY. 
• Kaelyn Wu is a Cosmoprof graduate, bridal makeup artist, and lash technician. 
• Mibe Leung is a Makeup & Hairstyling diploma holder and professional makeup artist and hairstylist.

Natural Glow

Natural, understated makeup will never go out of trend. ARLY’s co-founder, Airin Lee, agrees. She says, “A natural makeup look that enhances one’s own features is always in demand.”

Instead, it just gets repackaged with a new touch, with this year’s focal point being a subtle radiant glow. “The no-makeup makeup look continues to trend, with emphasis on glowing, dewy skin,” says bridal makeup artist Kaelyn Wu.

Less is more with this trend — go easy on the base makeup, just enough to set the stage for neutral and soft eye makeup looks. Shades of beige, taupe, soft browns, or peach are key to channelling the natural look.

Professional makeup artist Mibe Leung adds, “This year, we’re seeing a lot of natural, glowing skin with minimal foundation, paired with soft, neutral eyeshadows.”

Thai Makeup

On the flip side, there are brides asking for more bold and expressive styles. Airin shares that more clients have been asking for looks influenced by the Thai bridal scene, which has more emphasis on the eye and lashes.

Thai makeup is best known for its delicate winged eyeliner and fluttery lashes. Warm peaches, oranges, and browns are typically used for the eyeshadow and blush.

It incorporates gentle contouring and blush for subtle definition against a porcelain-like complexion (that stays on even better in the Southeast Asian climate)!

As opposed to the Western smokey eye, Thai makeup gravitates towards softer eyeshadow with more emphasis on the lashes.

Soft and Smokey

The smokey eye is another classic style that maintains its reign over popular makeup looks. Mibe dubs this a “classic bridal makeup style” that goes perfectly with a timeless nude lip.

While the fierce smokey eye has left its mark on runways and editorial shoots, bridal makeup artists have a softer take on it.

“There’s always demand for soft smokey eyes. Shades of brown, grey, or even black [have] to be well-blended for a soft look,” Kaelyn explains.

Every smokey eye needs its own set of voluminous lashes! To give the eyes all the attention it deserves, opt for soft blush in natural shades, as well as nude and light pink lip colours to complete the look.

Wet and Dewy

Dewy makeup has taken over the early 2020s, and what better time to slap on more shine than a wedding by the beach?

Proper skincare and skin prep is the very step to keep your skin looking dewy. Hydrating skincare and glowy primers are your best bet.

While the goal is to achieve that effortless glow (it’s still your big day), lightly powder your T-zone to keep the oil at bay, but not without mattifying your skin.

Now, onto the most important step: highlighting the high points of your cheeks. Instead of going for holographic shimmers, opt for creamy and glossy highlighters — the easier it is to blend, the better!

Kaelyn suggests going for a glossy lip to achieve that fresh-out-of-the-pool look, the finishing step to tie the whole look together!

Monochromatic Glam

Some might find it hard to fathom keeping things simple on their big day, but those who get it, get it.

This look is perfect for those who prefer to keep it simple — you don’t need a whole makeup trolley for this look, just a handful of products in matching shades.

Monochromatic makeup looks follow one simple rule – match the big three: eyes, lips, and cheeks. Find the perfect tone that brings out your features, then paint your eyes, lips, and cheeks with it.

Tap into your undertone and colour palette to pick out the most flattering shade for you — mauves and berry reds are great for cool-toned brides, while peaches and browns are a warm-toned bride’s best friend. Rose shades are also popular options for bridal makeup!

Berry Stained

Strawberry Girl makeup, Raspberry Girl makeup — 2024 is the year of berry-toned makeup, and it has spilt over to the bridal makeup scene!

Kaelyn noticed a rising trend of berry-stained lips and cheeks that complement sunset-inspired eyeshadow colours. These rich hues of pinks, reds and purples blend together for a warm and vibrant look fitting for the occasion!

The goal is to look like you’ve taken a bite out of a juicy berry, staining your pout with its sweet berry juice — perfect for a garden or vineyard wedding.

Reds and pinks reminiscent of strawberries and cherries are great for brides with spring and summer colour palettes, while deeper, cool-toned shades of raspberry and plum are better suited for autumn and winter palettes.

Blush Draping

Forget blush blindness, rosy, sunburnt cheeks are all the rage this year!

“Apply blush not only on the cheeks but also sweep it towards the temples and along the nose to create a youthful, rosy glow,” Kaelyn explains.

Not only does this lean into recent trends, it’s actually recommended for brides to wear more blush on their wedding day to ensure that they don’t look washed out. This is because blush fades the fastest amongst other makeup!

Fluffy Feathered Brows

Brows are incredibly important to any makeup look, especially your wedding look. They frame and add structure to your face, bringing out your features to best complement you.

In true 2024 fashion, fluffy feathered brows have taken over the bridal makeup scene, with brides requesting their own natural and soft arches.

Brush up your brow hair with a strong-hold brow gel. Those with thinner brows can add in an extra layer of tinted gel to emulate natural brow hair.

Statement Lip

Before you hop onto the sheer, glossy lip bandwagon, why not explore this makeup trend?

Statement lips are in, but instead of pairing it with equally bold eye makeup, brides have been choosing to give their lips all the limelight.

Let your natural beauty shine through on your big day and opt for minimal, neutral makeup. Keep your base makeup simple, and go for eyeshadow colours that complement your bold lipstick.

Face and Hair Embellishments

There’s no better time than your big day to bling up your makeup look!

Commonly seen on K-pop idols or celebrity stage makeup, face and hair embellishments have seeped into the bridal makeup scene, with brides choosing to incorporate these minute yet eye-catching elements into their look.

According to Kaelyn, brides have requested to add pearls, rhinestones, or glitter for an extra touch of glam. These embellishments are not limited to your face, they can also be added to your hair!

Featured image credits: @muneera_mua/Instagram, @pare_maneechan/Instagram, @patricktabeauty/Instagram