12 Wedding Guest Makeup Trends To Try in 2024

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This wedding is not about you. But it could be, like, a little bit about you, right? Your wedding guest makeup look is a chance to play with trends you see on your TikTok feed or a lipstick color you saw Taylor Swift wear on the red carpet. It’s not "wear-a-white-dress" about you but rather "who is that guest with the amazing makeup" about you.

While the bride is likely trying to keep things natural, you definitely don’t have to. But you also don’t want to veer so far into the experimental realm that you draw attention from the newlyweds. A graphic eyeliner look or smattering of face gems might not be quite right for the occasion, “but a pop of pastel, a metallic shadow, a holographic blush, or the perfect fluttery lash can make you stand out in a subtle way,” says makeup artist Christin Cook Zito. Your look will be in the couple’s photos forever, after all. Think of trying understated but pretty trends like pearl skin or berry girl makeup instead of louder looks like neon lipstick or full-on rockstar eyeliner.

It’s a delicate balance to strike, so to help you look like the chicest guest at the reception, we asked the pros which trends are ideal for wedding season and how to look your best on the dance floor.

Meet the experts:

• Christin Cook Zito is a Nashville-based makeup artist.

• Lisa Aharon is a New York City-based makeup artist.

• Madison Bailey is the TikTok and New Platforms Manager for Ilia.

• Shenise Sheena is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist.

• Sara Wren is a Philadelphia-based makeup artist and Director of Artistry at Milk Makeup.

• Joseph Carrillo is a New York City-based makeup artist.

• Paige Pelfrey is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist.

• Tobi Henney is a New York City-based makeup artist.

• Karina Morales is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist.

• Diane Buzzetta is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist.

Pearly and Radiant

No, it’s not your wedding day, but you can still look like Venus emerging from her scallop shell. Madison Bailey, Ilia’s TikTok and new platforms manager (who works with editors and content creators to identify new trends on social media), says she's seeing the “pearl skin” trend take off this year. To get the Venus glow, you’ll need a veil of super-delicate pearlescent highlighter in the places it counts—your cheekbones, brow bones, nose, cupid's bow, chin, and maybe the center of your eyelid. If you want to go all in on pearly skin, mix the highlighter with your foundation before applying for an all-over glow.

Saie Glowy Super Gel

$28.00, Sephora

This liquid highlighter in "Starglow" is the exact color of a string of South Sea pearls (the only kind of pearls that Venus would fuck with, honestly). Its gel texture also makes it a great product to swirl with foundation to give your skin that full-on radiance.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Iced Out Highlighter

$34.00, Amazon

This Anastasia Beverly Hills powder formula has a megawatt finish in an almost holographic shade—so tread lightly. A dusting on the cheekbones is super pretty and will do just fine, lest you go from sea goddess to alien creature from the depths of the ocean.

Ilia Liquid Light Serum Highlighter

$42.00, Nordstrom

This lightweight, serum highlighter has a subtle, dewy glow. The color "Nova" has a bronzy tint if you like your pearls with a tinge of gold.

Guerlain Meteorites Setting and Finishing Pearls of Powder

$72.00, Nordstrom

Makeup artist Lisa Aharon recommends these powder-finishing orbs that both mattify and illuminate, giving skin a soft luster. "They’re amazing for long-lasting radiance and are the original 'pearl skin' product," she says.

Berry-Blushed

Not every TikTok trend is worthwhile (sunscreen contouring is a hard no from us), but berry girl makeup—makeup in jewel-tone or berry-hued colors like cranberry, burgundy, and plum—is a classic and universally flattering wedding guest look. (It’s also, you know, much safer than deliberate sun damage.)

Makeup artist Shenise Sheena recommends starting with a medium-coverage foundation to get the skin looking even. Then, she suggests using a multi-stick on your cheeks and lips to give your look a monochromatic, berry-hued flush. "I also love to take the product I used for my blush and buff it in the crease of my eye with a blending brush to tie the whole look together," says Sheena.

Kylie Cosmetics Power Plush Longwear Foundation

$36.00, Nordstrom

Sheena loves this long-wearing, buildable foundation from Kylie Cosmetics. "I think it gives a hydrated finish with medium coverage leaving the skin looking fresh and plump," she says.

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed

$25.00, Sephora

This blendable multi-use balm by Danessa Myricks looks great on lips and cheeks and has a polished, matte finish. Sheena recommends the shade "Dancing Queen," a dead-ringer for a perfectly ripe boysenberry.

Sculpted and Statuesque

Looking like a Greek goddess will never go out of style, so a sculpted dot contour—a look created by blending a single dot of a contouring cream or liquid from the center of your cheek—is a great wedding guest makeup hack. It gives you statuesque, chiseled cheekbones, but in a more accessible way than painting on brown stripes and blending until you get carpal tunnel.

Starting with your contour and following with a light-coverage foundation or skin tint (a.k.a. "underpainting") helps soften the shadow, says makeup artist and director of artistry at Milk Makeup, Sara Wren, so it looks like Zeus himself gave you that definition.

Milk Makeup Sculpt Cream Contour Stick

$24.00, Sephora

Wren does her contour with this creamy formula that blends well and—this is key for a destination wedding—is a cinch to travel with (small, packable, and won’t leak all over your makeup bag).

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand

$42.00, Nordstrom

If you prefer a more liquid product, this contouring wand has a circular application sponge that takes any guesswork out of applying a single dot. (It was practically made for this technique.)

Nyx Professional Makeup Wonder Stick Cream Highlight & Contour Stick

$14.00, Amazon

At a friendlier price point, this contour stick comes in eight shades, is super blendable, and takes the guesswork out of picking a natural-looking highlighter that vibes with the sculpting you’ve done.

Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin-Caring Glow Foundation

$58.00, Nordstrom

This lightweight foundation is sheer enough to let the contour peek through and has a radiant finish, further adding to your goddess wedding guest vibe.

Dewy and Natural

Skin tints have been trending in every corner of the internet because they’re generally much more lightweight and comfortable than full-coverage foundation. With skin tint usually comes a pared-down look—dewy skin, a natural flush, and maybe just a touch of mascara will do. We’re picturing this look at an outdoor summertime wedding (when heavy makeup can be a slog).

Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint

$28.00, Sephora

Makeup artist Joseph Carrillo recommends this lightweight skin tint formulated with glycerin to help retain moisture. It’s also super easy to apply—a few drops blended with your fingertips will give you an even, hydrated appearance.

Nars Pure Radiance Tinted Moisturizer

$46.00, Nordstrom

Carrillo likes this tinted moisturizer with SPF for added sun protection (which is particularly helpful for outdoor weddings). "It’s also buildable to medium coverage," he adds. So if, on the day of, you’re having second thoughts about a minimalist look, this product can be used to cover up a bit more.

Tower 28 Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer

$22.00, Sephora

A lightweight concealer is what you’ll want to layer on top of a skin tint (as a full-coverage formula might look cakey on top of your sheer base). This serum-like concealer boasts some skin-care ingredients like moisture-retaining hyaluronic acid.

Bright and Blushy

You know that flush you get after a really good glass of Côtes du Rhône? Or after a life-affirming pilates class? Or an all-night tête-à-tête with your soulmate? That’s what an extra bright, statement blush looks like.

"Bright blushes will always be flattering and no-fuss when attending a wedding," says makeup artist Paige Pelfrey, adding that a statement blush requires much fewer touch-ups than a statement lip. Liberally buff the blush on the apples of your cheeks, up your cheekbones, and across the nose, and finish with a flirty lash.

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush

$23.00, Sephora

If you know anyone who has tried this blush, then you’ve heard that it can be punchy (in the best way). "It’s extremely pigmented so you don’t need to use much," says Pelfrey. “It’s stunning and it lasts all day.” Since the name of the game is bright, we love it in "Grateful" (a vibrant red) or "Lucky" (hot pink). Start by blending out a dot on each cheek and build from there.

Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Glow Blush

$39.00, Nordstrom

This Best of Beauty-winning powder blush blends just as easily as a cream blush, but lasts much longer. Try "Offbeat," a super punchy apricot, or "Desire," a bold raspberry-red.

Victoria Beckham Beauty Vast Lash Mascara

$34.00, Violet Grey

Long lashes are the perfect cheeky compliment to your lively blush. Makeup artist Tobi Henney recommends curling the lashes and following with this lengthening mascara for "the prettiest lashes."

'90s Supermodel

We have to imagine that Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell were the life of every wedding they attended in the ‘90s (and maybe still are). So for the next glitzy evening wedding we’re invited to, we’re following suit with our own ’90s supermodel look.

What are the ingredients? Lips overlined with a dark brown pencil and filled with a nude color and a brown smoky eye, says makeup artist Karina Morales. Apply the shadow along the top and bottom lash lines, then smudge and blend it out for a lived-in look.

Ortega Soft Contour Lip Liner

$16.00, Etienne Ortega

Morales recommends overlining the lips with this smooth-gliding, blendable pencil in the shade Cinnamon Girl for a true '90s look.

Merit Beauty Signature Lip Lightweight Satin Lipstick

$26.00, Sephora

These lipsticks look super kissable thanks to their luscious satin finish. They also come in a great range of nudes and browns so you can go darker for a '90s Cindy Crawford look or true hydrated nude for more of a Tyra Banks vibe.

MAC Single Eye Shadow

$23.00, Nordstrom

It’s not a '90s look if you don’t use a MAC product. Morales swears by this eyeshadow in the shade "Saddle" for a classic brown smokey eye.

Sweet and Peachy

The color gods at Pantone hath decreed our favorite hue of the year: peach fuzz. So while we’re ordering bottomless Fuzzy Navels at the bar and seriously considering repainting our bathroom the sweet coral color, we’re also going to every warm-weather wedding with a full peach makeup look. "The great thing about coral blushes is that they look amazing on all skin tones," says Morales. Pair the blush with a balmy coral lip and a flick of a kitten eye for a coquettish look.

Patrick Ta Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo

$38.00, Sephora

"My current favorite and go-to coral blush this spring is this Patrick Ta blush duo," says Morales. She recommends the shade "She’s the Moment" for fair or medium skin and "She’s Vibrant" for darker skin tones.

Dior Addict Lip Glow Balm

$40.00, Nordstrom

This sugar-sweet look calls for a glowy, hydrated lip. This balm is formulated with cherry oil and shea butter and the shade "Coral" is a great match for Pantone Peach Fuzz.

Lancôme Idôle Ultra-Precise Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner

$25.00, Amazon

The teensiest flick of eyeliner on the outer edge of your upper lash line lifts the look and is the perfect flirty cherry (err, peach) on top. This Best of Beauty-winning liquid eyeliner has a super-fine tip, so keeping the liner tight is easier.

Frosted Eyeshadow

Even the most cynical can agree: Weddings always feel a little magical. Call it love in the air or the massive floral budget, but a shimmery ethereal look feels appropriate for such an enchanted day. And nothing quite says magic and whimsy more than frosted eyeshadow. "This trend works for all weddings because you can simply switch up the shades depending on the season," says Morales. "I might do a frosted light pink in the spring, a baby blue or yellow in the summer, and icy white for winter."

Urban Decay 24/7 Moondust Glitter Eyeshadow

$24.00, Amazon

Morales says these shimmery Urban Decay shadows are a go-to for a true glittery shimmer (The champagne-colored "Space Cowboy" is a neutral taupe color in case you’re not ready for pinks or blues.)

ColourPop Super Shock Shadow

$7.00, Ulta Beauty

If you want more of a '90s frost than straight-up shimmer and glitter, try a wash of this pigmented powder over the eyelid in a periwinkle blue or iridescent white.

Dolly Beauty

Bows, ballet flats, and dolly beauty are the Holy Trinity for nailing the coquette-core trend. It’s especially pretty for a wedding where pink roses and lace abound. The key will be to start with a blurring primer to create a smooth, doll-like base. Follow with a medium coverage foundation, a healthy dose of peach cream blush, baby pink lids, and—most importantly—spiky '50s babydoll lashes.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter

$49.00, Nordstrom

Zito recommends this blurring primer-highlighter hybrid to create a smooth base. "You can apply it under foundation or mix it 50/50 with your foundation. You can even tap it on top as a highlighter," she says. "It’s one of my most used products because it’s so beautiful and versatile."

Natasha Denona Retro Glam Eyeshadow Palette

$69.00, Sephora

For a pretty pastel lid, Zito reaches for this muted palette that comes with both matte and metallic shadows in shades like baby pink, mint green, and rosy mauve.

Kiss ImPress Press-On Falsies

$17.00, Amazon

"These look so seamless and natural and you don’t even need an adhesive," says Zito. Applying the clusters with a little space between each strip will also give you that chunky, spiked doll lash look that you’re after.

Mob Wife

Bored from a day of running errands in her oversized sunglasses and long fur coat, the mob wife is the epitome of confidence and glamour. The makeup trend is the same—bold and sexy and a little overdone in the best way possible. "I love the mob wife makeup look for a winter or fall wedding since it has darker tones and goes great with warmer fabrics like velvet and fur," says makeup artist Diane Buzzetta. You’ll want a little bit—er—a lot of everything: a full matte smoky eye, black eyeliner, and a bold, glossy lip.

Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette

$50.00, Sephora

Buzzetta loves this matte shadow palette that has everything you need for a mob wife eye: latte browns for the lid, chocolate browns for the crease and corners, and black to smudge along the lash lines.

Maybelline Super Stay Vinyl Ink Liquid Lipcolor

$13.00, Amazon

A mob wife’s lips are always glossed and luscious. This liquid lipstick doesn’t lose its patent leather finish after it dries and stays intact for hours. Carmela Soprano would likely recommend a deep terracotta like "Extra" or a sexy nude like "Punchy."

Strawberry Makeup

The berry girl trend covers the jewel-toned portion of the food pyramid, but strawberry makeup is a bit brighter and more energetic—ideal for a summer wedding (when strawberries are actually in season). The look is super straightforward with just a strawberry-stained flush and lipstick topped with a high-shine gloss, says Buzzetta. Go for juicy and hydrated so you’ll look fresh enough to eat.

Nudestix Nudies Bloom All-Over-Face Dewy Color

$35.00, Amazon

Buzzetta recommends buffing out a healthy dose of this cream blush in "Poppy Girl" across the cheekbones (there's a handy blending brush on the other end of the stick).

Victoria Beckham Beauty Bitten Lip Tint

$38.00, Violet Grey

"For this look, I like using a lip tint," says Buzzetta, so the color stays in place even if you down an entire bowl of strawberries. She recommends this matte stain in "Je T'aime."

Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment

$16.00, Rhode Skin

You’ll want to be lacquered in gloss like a freshly rinsed berry. Buzzetta likes Rhode’s high-gloss peptide treatment, which has the added benefit of hydrating ingredients like shea butter and, yes, peptides.

Freck Beauty The Original Freckle

$22.00, Sephora

Feeling a little extra cheeky? "Adding freckles is always fresh and fun," says Buzzetta. This freckle pen has a flexible brush, making it easier to create dots that aren’t perfectly uniform (a dead giveaway that your freckles are painted on).

Ombré Lips

You have a dark side and a light side. Why wouldn’t your lips? Ombré lips add a sexy, dimensional, and mysterious touch to your look and can be done with any color combo like burgundy-to-crimson, chocolate-to-beige, or mauve-to-petal pink. It’s on the "statement" end of the wedding guest makeup spectrum, so keep the rest of your look simple and fresh.

Fenty Skin Plush Puddin' Intensive Recovery Lip Mask

$23.00, Fenty Beauty

Everyone you talk to will be looking at your lips, so you want to start off with a smooth, hydrated base. "Apply a lip mask a few days before the event," says Carrillo. "This is a great one that exfoliates and helps plump the lips by keeping them hydrated."

LYS Beauty Speak Love Lip Liner Pencil

$15.00, Sephora

This matte lip liner glides on like a dream, which will be important since you want a perfectly sculpted pout. "Go a little thicker than you usually would," says Carrillo.

Pat McGrath Labs SatinAllure Lipstick

$30.00, Nordstrom

"Go in with a lipstick a few shades lighter than your lip liner," says Carrillo. We love this creamy formula that gives your lips a slight shine.

Huda Beauty Faux Filler Extra Shine Lip Gloss

$19.00, Sephora

The final touch is just a dab of gloss at the center of your lips for a little extra dimension, says Carrillo, who recommends this formula that creates a juicy luster.

More wedding beauty trends:

• These Natural Wedding Makeup Trends Will be Everywhere in 2024

• Bridesmaid Nail Ideas the Whole Bridal Party Will Love

• Stunning Wedding Nail Ideas for Any Type of Bride

Now, watch Sabrina Carpenter's 10-minute makeup routine:

Originally Appeared on Allure