Whether you choose to do your own wedding makeup or you enlist the help of an expert, deciding on your bridal beauty look is a big deal. Most brides want to feel like themselves in their wedding day makeup. But with literally thousands of lipsticks on the market, the conundrum of waterproof or non-waterproof mascara and trying to avoid classic wedding day makeup mistakes, I actually found it more overwhelming than deciding on my wedding dress.
That being said, it might surprise you to hear that when I tied the knot last June, I actually decided to take on the challenge of doing my own wedding makeup. But while there are certain aspects of my beauty routine that I'm confident with (I know exactly how I like my brows, where to apply my blusher for the rosiest complexion and that a good lippie was an absolute must), I was totally stumped when it came to choosing a wedding-day foundation.
Thankfully, working in the beauty industry meant I had plenty of expert advice on hand, and there was one foundation that came out on top pretty much every single time…
First launched back in 2000, Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation (£42) is one of those cult products that has really stood the test of time. Inspired by charmeuse silk (yes, it really is that silky), it boasts an incredibly lightweight texture that belies its impressive coverage capabilities.
It was undoubtedly the foundation that was recommended to me most by makeup artists when I asked which product they relied on for creating gorgeously glowy wedding day makeup that would last all day. It's not just makeup artists that adore it either. Turns out that Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation has a fan in the form of Duchess of Sussex herself: Meghan Markle. Lydia Sellers, Markle's former makeup artist, revealed to Popsugar that Meghan always looked for makeup products that allowed her natural freckles to shine through.
"She likes to have a very natural, glowing base but still have something long-lasting to see her through long royal engagements and events," explained Sellers. "Her favoured foundation would be Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation, which is lightweight, to keep her stunning freckles on display but has buildable coverage to blur any imperfections."
Although Meghan's wedding-day makeup artist Daniel Martin has never spilt the beans on the exact products that Markle wore on her big day, I wouldn't be surprised if it was that very foundation. After all, her skin looked seriously luminous, and her trademark freckles were very much still on show.
Meghan isn't the only celebrity fan of this foundation, either. Kim Kardashian West also swears by it. In fact, Allure reported that Kim enlisted the help of celebrity makeup artist Patrick Ta for a social media tutorial on how to apply the foundation. In case you're wondering, Ta used a damp makeup sponge to blend the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation all over Kardashian West's face and down onto her neck before using an eye shadow blending brush to apply the foundation under Kim's eyes for seamless, glowy coverage.
Related: Meghan's Wedding Makeup Artist Thinks This Is the #1 Beauty Mistake for Brides
So besides that silky texture, what makes the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation so wedding day worthy? Specially designed to help correct and unify the complexion, this base is a total dream at evening out skin tone, concealing redness and blemishes and blurring over fine lines and pores. But don't worry—there's no risk of it leaving your skin looking one-dimensional. The foundation is infused with Micro-Fil technology, which works to naturally sculpt your skin and brighten your complexion so you'll still look glowy. It's available in 30 shades, and model Jasmine Tookes even told Byrdie she swears by the foundation for her Victoria's Secret Angel glow: "It goes on nicely on your skin, and you feel like you’re wearing nothing."
In the end, I opted to mix a couple of foundations on my wedding day and took the expert advice that one should be the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation. I have to say, as someone who deals with regular breakouts, and has acne scarring and pigmentation to combat on daily basis, I was so impressed by how the foundation managed to cover up all of the bits I wanted to hide whilst imparting a subtle luminosity. It's not just makeup artists that recommend this foundation to everyone for their wedding day—I do too.
Shop the Foundation and My Other Wedding-Day Picks
Potentially the most recommended wedding day foundation ever. Trust me—it's seriously good.
This satin-finish lipstick lasts for up to eight hours on the lips and will see you through from your first kiss to the champagne reception without flaking or fading. Silenzo, shade 102, is a gorgeous dusky pink that looks timeless.
I love this mascara for providing smudge-free volume, length and definition that sticks around all day.
Related: I Haven't Worn Mascara for Months—It's Because of This Lash Treatment
This innovative liquid blush offers a versatile way to wear colour on your cheeks on your big day. Pat it on lightly for a barely there stain or build it up for a more intense pop of colour—whatever feels most you. It meshes seamlessly with your complexion either way for a skin-like glow.
Alongside the foundation, wearing a bronzer was probably the second-most recommended wedding day item from makeup artists. Even if you don't wear bronzer daily like me, it really did make a big difference for creating a healthy glow. This one can be mixed with your foundation for all-over radiance or applied directly to cheeks for a sun-kissed look.
Honestly, if you're using Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation, concealer isn't essential. However, keeping a multipurpose formula like this one in your bag is great for touching up throughout the day if you need to. The skin-like finish looks so natural.
Next up, 33 of the best (and easiest) wedding-guest hairstyles.
-
I'm Done Gatekeeping—This Little-Known Foundation Is My Secret to Flawless SkinI've been using it for over three years.
-
No Lie—This Glowy Base Product Is the Reason My Skin Looks Like I Get Weekly FacialsLuminous skin, right this way.
-
This Undetectable (and Underrated) Foundation Is Meghan Markle's Secret to Flawless SkinAnd it's available on Amazon…
-
From Jenna Rink to Andie Anderson—Here's Every Trending Rom-Com Makeup Look Step-by-StepAn ode to the original lover girls.
-
21 Humidity-Proof Makeup Products I'm Using to Brave My First Sweaty NYC SummerMakeup to defy all odds.
-
Tyla Just Convinced Me to Try This New Charlotte Tilbury Product—Now I'm ObsessedIt has a ring-light effect.
-
I Tried E.l.f.'s New $8 Foundation—Here Are My Honest ThoughtsDid it live up to the hype?
-
Do Foundations With SPF Provide Enough Protection? Experts Weigh InWe got to the bottom of this debate.
