Source
r/weddingplanning•
textrovert

Fiancé hated my makeup trial. Feedback and advice?

For reference, here is the before and after of my makeup trial, plus with closed eyes and here is my everyday look. I thought it went pretty well - she did exactly what I asked, which was for airbrush makeup, neutrals with a lighter/shimmery lid and darker outer corner, and false lashes.

My fiancé hates it. When I walked in the look on his face was hard to misinterpret. He says "it looks like you're wearing a mask," that the eyes are too dark and the skin is too light and it makes me look older than I am. He thinks I have an idea of a "glamor aesthetic" I want for my wedding day that he doesn't understand, which he contrasts to what he wants, which is just for me to "look beautiful." He basically just wants me to wear the makeup I wear every day, and thinks a pro should do that but just slightly better.

I do get that it's paler than I usually wear (I go a shade or two darker than my skin tone with foundation, but put it on my neck so it doesn't look crazy), but I told the makeup artist that and she added more bronzer and then said she didn't think I should go any darker. Overall, though, it's my wedding day and I want to look special, not like I look every day, and I fear that anything different and my fiancé is doing to think I look worse during our wedding than I do in normal life (and he did, in fact, say that he thinks the trial made me look worse than normal). Because really, I don't think it's actually that crazy outside of what I normally wear, just amped up a bit.

What do you all think of the makeup? Do you have any advice on how to improve it, how to achieve a compromise between what my fiancé wants and what I do, or what I can tell the makeup artist? I can't afford to do a bunch of trials, especially when I don't really know what I want different. But I definitely want my fiancé to think I look good on our wedding day - and not just normal good, but extra good! Help!

Posted Apr 2, 2017, 6:32 PM UTC

2329
56pi78•

In the pictures without your trial makeup your look....brighter so to say.

The makeup from your trial kind of dulled you down. You look almost powdery and dusty.

Try a liquid bronzer and spray setting this look down. I think it needs more blush and maybe some highlight to bring some life back in.

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textrovertOPOctober 14, 2017 | Michigan | Botanical Gardens Conservatory•

Yeah, the foundation I use is several shades darker. I told her that before the trial, but I figured I don't use (and don't know how to use) bronzer, so maybe she'd use a light shade that matched my skin and then a bronzer to achieve the brightness. I told her after the trial that I felt like I looked really pale, and she added more bronzer but it still looks pale. Or maybe "dull" is what I really mean. It's looked like this all 3 times I've had my makeup done professionally (by 3 different people), so I don't know what I'm doing wrong and worry that switching MUAs won't fix the problem.

6
choppedgreenchili•

A lot of guys aren't comfortable with photo-heavy makeup when they first see it because it is (intentionally) heavy. He's not wrong by any means. They want to see the face they're used to seeing when they get married and photo makeup can be shocking to see up close the first time. I get it. But at the same time it's your face and you need to do what you're comfortable with.

As for your makeup trial, I would maybe do some tweaks. I think what would maybe help is a matte eye. Shimmer can age you and contribute to an "unnatural" look vs. matte. I also am not in love with the finish the foundation she used had on you because I do think it looks a little dull. Maybe a lighter coverage or dewier finish would look better? Experiment with lip colors too, maybe a matte would look more natural to him or a more pink-nude shade.

I would consider doing another trial with a new MUA or the same one with tweaks.

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textrovertOPOctober 14, 2017 | Michigan | Botanical Gardens Conservatory•

Hm, I asked for shimmery eye makeup because I always think it looks so pretty on other people, but maybe it doesn't work on me and I will try matte. I agree that the foundation looks dull - but it's looked like this all 3 times I've had my makeup done professionally (by 3 different people), so I worry switching MUAs won't help. She actually didn't do my lipstick - it's the same one I'm wearing in my "everyday" photo, a matte pinkish nude.

I paid almost $100 for this trial and am stressed about having to do one again. Would you switch MUAs or stick with this one? This is a salon near my house, so it would be way more convenient/less expensive to have hair and makeup there (I have 5 bridesmaids I'm paying for as well), but if it's not working I'll do something else. And honestly with multiple trials it's not turning out to be cost saving.

4
bethanyb00Baltimore Bride 8/12/17•

This MUA's application is good so I would just go back and tell her your concerns. I would ask for a more luminous or dewy finish and maybe a slightly more matte eyeshadow look.

Unfortunately heavy makeup IS a bit aging and it's really hard to find a balance between heavy makeup that looks good on camera and also nice and youthful in person.

13
choppedgreenchili•

Hmm what foundation do you use for daily wear? It's possible the ones the pros are using is just too much coverage or too matte a finish. They might all be using the same foundation or foundation type and it might just not be right for you. It seems like they dull your skin rather than enhancing it like your everyday look does.

Did she do any highlighter? Sometimes adding that can help with dullness.

You could also try x-posting in r/makeupaddiction. I definitely can't give as good of feedback as the people there can! I can often tell if something doesn't look quite right but not always why or how to fix it.

I know that must be disappointing to drop $100 on makeup trial and then come home and your FH telling you he hates it! I bet you'll be able to find good tweaks and then implement them with the same artist on your day.

8
textrovertOPOctober 14, 2017 | Michigan | Botanical Gardens Conservatory•

I rotate between 3 different foundations (and don't remember which I was wearing in the photo): NARS tinted moisturizer (which I use most often but to be fair gives a lot more coverage than most tinted moisturizers), Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse Airbrush Finish, and Clinique Even Better.

Maybe I will post in makeupaddiction and ask them to diagnose the problem. Getting my makeup done always puts me in a bad mood/makes me feel unpretty and I really don't want that to happen on my wedding day! Thanks for your help.

3
bethanyb00Baltimore Bride 8/12/17•

Also, your makeup when you do it is pretty good so you could consider doing it yourself. I'm doing my makeup myself because I want to mostly look how I normally do, except a little more glammed up than usual and with me spending a lot more time perfecting it.

4
kittyl04fAug 7, 2017 | Napa•

I think it's in the eyes--your MUA darkened your lower lashline or waterline and really emphasized it, which kind of pulls your eyes down and ages you. Your everyday look in which you enhance the top of your eyes feels a LOT brighter and more youthful!

I think if you got rid of the darkening of the lower lash line and actually brightened it with some nude waterliner or a touch of shimmery eyeshadow, it would maintain the focus on your upper lid and freshen your look. Or your MUA could only darken the outer third of your lower lash line, instead of almost the entire thing as she did here. I would also add your every day eyeliner back into this look because it's VERY flattering on you and doesn't look as if that's currently in the look!

I also agree with the other posts--a dewier finish might help. Instead of a finishing powder, a finishing spray might work better!

22
textrovertOPOctober 14, 2017 | Michigan | Botanical Gardens Conservatory•

Thanks for the advice - I definitely agree about the lower lashline. She did spray my face at the end, but I think there was also a powder. I will ask for a dewy finish.

4
sweetpumpkinpie6.24.17 - long island, NY•

I think you look gorgeous- very natural. It really isn't intense makeup anywhere. Maybe add blush? I'm assuming fiancé saw you in person? Sometimes up close things look a little more powdery (or as my fiancé puts it- funeral home corpse-ish- man has a way with words) in the pictures it looks pretty close to your everyday look- the eyes have more to them, but you will need that in the pictures. Look through pictures on Pinterest with him- that you already like- and see if you can come up with a different look

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textrovertOPOctober 14, 2017 | Michigan | Botanical Gardens Conservatory•

Thanks! Yeah I think I will try again with stress on making my skin less powdery and with more color.

4
dragonflytypeMay 27, 2017, Zoo wedding!•

I think that's what he's picking up on- the pro makeup is fine, but really matte, whereas your everyday look seems more towards dewy.

8
NotYourAverageMedian•

Ultimately, you should probably do what makes you feel beautiful.

But from the pictures, I would have to agree with your fiancé. I find the make up trial didn't really make you look "better", quite the opposite. Your natural skin tone is much brighter and healthier and the overly dark eye shadow didn't do your eyes justice and dulled your looks a bit. Maybe it's worth trying on a different style if you can afford a second trial. Or maybe a different make up artist. Or maybe it's just the pictures and it looks really pretty in real life.

Seriously, this is just the opinion of a stranger on the internet. Do whatever makes you feel pretty!

8
aRabidGerbil•

First of all I have to agree with your fiance about the makeup trial, it looks like it added 10 stressful years to your life.

You said you want to look special and also look attractive to your fiance so I think one thing you need to do is find out what he thinks is attractive, try going through old pictures and having him point out the ones he thinks you look good in (keep in mind that he might just prefer you with less/no makeup which might not be what you want). The other thing to do is to have a good idea of what "special means to you and to make sure that your fiance understands that.

As far as a compromise goes, you might be able to achieve a "more natural but still done up" look by placing more emphasis on specific highlighted areas (e.g. lipstick, eye shadow, mascara) and less emphasis on the bulk of the face.

7
textrovertOPOctober 14, 2017 | Michigan | Botanical Gardens Conservatory•

Could you explain what you mean by "emphasizing specific highlighted areas instead of the bulk of the face"? I thought this was sort of emphasizing the eyes.

Yikes, I definitely don't want to look like I'm in my 40s - I'm freaked out enough by being 31!

3
aRabidGerbil•

The overarching problem is that the makeup test looked like you were trying to cover up a bad face instead of enhancing your very nice face. Your face has a lot going for it already, you've got cute freckles, bright eyes and a killer smile, unfortunately the makeup test covered the freckles, deadened/weighed down your eyes, thinned out your lips, and accentuated the lines around your mouth.

The make up test mostly darkened your eyes rather than bringing them out, and the heavier brows made them look heavy and brought out sympathetic bags under them. I don't really know what your taste in makeup is, but usually eye make up is used to accent the color in the irises so in your case you could use some greens or golds to help those colors "pop" in you eyes.

The lipstick your makeup artist ​used was also pretty pale which, when combined with the rest of the very pale makeup, gave them a washed out and thin look. Using a brighter and/or richer color could help you draw attention to your mouth instead of drawing it away.

6
seriousallthetime•

This! All this! You look older and heavy-eyed. My fiancée is naturally beautiful too and I'd be disappointed like you fiance was if she came home looking completely different.

3
_cool_beans_3.18.17 | Philly•

I am far from a pro at makeup, so I'm going to leave that advice to everyone else. I just want to say that my husband also disliked my makeup after my trial. He was really thrown off by how much I had on, especially because I chose a fairly bold red lip. I had to keep reminding him that it wouldn't look like too much on the day of, because I'd be wearing a floor length gown and be attending a fancy(ish) event. Of course it looked strange paired with a tshirt and leggings!!

In the end I thought my makeup artist did an excellent job and went with the same look, despite my husband's skepticism. After the wedding, my husband kept telling me that he was amazed at how beautiful I was (in a good way!) and that I was totally right about the makeup looking more appropriate when the rest of me was done up, too. He often tells me I'm beautiful in a lighthearted, lovey tone. But after the wedding he kept taking a serious tone and being all like "I mean it. You looked amazing." It was very sweet :)

So make whatever adjustments you think are necessary with the makeup artist, but I wouldn't worry too much about your fiance's general suspicion of the makeup. It'll all come together better when you're in your dress, with jewelry and flowers etc!

6
griffithchick09.29.2018 Central Coast CA•

I agree that it's dulling your skin. Your eyes are beautiful but I think the skin could look brighter.

5
Nicole-Bolas•

I wonder if you need some highlight / glow and a lighter hand with the foundation. Airbrush foundation can go on VERY thick and look very mask-like; my partner also hated my airbrush look when I got it done for his sister's wedding. It also goes on aggressively matte, which can look even more "fake." I can't really see the texture of your skin because the photos are kind of cloudy but maybe traditional foundation applied with a sponge, plus some highlighter / illuminating powder / illuminating primer could make it look more natural but still special?

Also: Fake lashes can look like Too Much very, very easily. I'd try out some demi lashes, or some really natural ones, or even those little individual lashes just to give you the oomph you're looking for without having that aggressive black band of lashes that touch your eyebrow, yknow?

5
couperAugust 2017•

Do you have freckles? On top of what others have said, it looks like you do in the first photo and they are completely gone after. It makes me wonder if the airbrush was put on too thick/too many layers. Your skin should be even, but you'd hopefully still see identify marks like freckles and moles.

Can they also do less layers and not use matte foundation on your skin? If she uses a dewy foundation instead, it'll reflect the light back and make you look younger instead of older.

5
abacaxi012Sept. 16, 2017 IL•

Hmm. I feel like the shading on the eyes is maybe too dark not quite right for your eye shape. Have you ever requested a "dewy" look? I'd ask for that and a simpler eye- liner on the top, mascara/falsies, shimmery champagne color on the lid, light contouring on the outer corner, and just a light pass of mascara on the bottom lashes. Blush/contouring to add in some color to your cheekbones. Something like your everyday look, but better, you know? Some inspiration: 1, 2, 3

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Mikkiplier♡June 2, 2018♡ | Texas•

Coming from a MUA, I thought the complexion makeup looked very flawless. However, she should've used a concealer to brighten your under eyes and the high points of your face. The foundation looks a little flat, and the concealer would add dimension and would enhance the natural glow your skin has.

You are very warm toned, so I think instead of just brown on the lids, you should opt for some dusty rose/mauve tones with brown contour shades. And your brows need to be filled in a bit more precisely; there are product gaps.

But overall, I think it's beautiful makeup! I would add some more color to the cheeks, and DO NOT go darker with your foundation. It's a perfect color match. Also, if you are going for bolder eyes, try darkening your lip color just a bit. It looks a bit like nothing is there (which may be what you're going for, but you need color to match the eyes!).

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textrovertOPOctober 14, 2017 | Michigan | Botanical Gardens Conservatory•

See, this is what I worry about - it just seems like there's little to no correlation between how "good" the makeup is technically and how good I actually look with it on. Like almost all the comments here agreed that my complexion looks dull, powdery, chalky, aged, etc. compared to my everyday look (in which I slap on a drugstore foundation several shades darker) and suggested a different foundation, different method of application, highlighter, etc., but you, like the MUA herself, think the color is perfect and the application is flawless. If it is, why does everyone (including my fiancé) think I look worse, not better? It's discouraging and makes me think I should give up on professional makeup.

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Mikkiplier♡June 2, 2018♡ | Texas•

Everyone is used to seeing you with a darker complexion. So now, seeing you with a correct shade match seems "wrong" - everyone has gotten used to seeing you with a different skin tone and it catches him off guard.

Don't give up sweetie! It'll all get figured out. Maybe get a spray tan/tan so that your MUA has to go to that shade you normally are?

I think you look stunning, honestly and truly. With the professional OR your everyday look. Everything will get resolved, and I can try and offer as much help as possible!

1
textrovertOPOctober 14, 2017 | Michigan | Botanical Gardens Conservatory•

Oh, by "everyone" I meant everyone on this thread, so they're not used to seeing me with any skin tone since I'm a stranger! But they, like my fiancé, preferred my everyday makeup, in which I use a darker/warmer foundation.

Thanks for the encouragement. I will try again, asking for a dewy finish, highlighter, matte eyes, no liner underneath, and more blush.

3
xtinalalamarried! 8.19.16•

I was ready to side against your fiance bc really what do guys know about this stuff but actually think he's right!

I think the lighter foundation is coming across as chalky. Would you consider lightening up on the eyes and darkening a bit on the lips? I think a taupey eye (no inner liner) and a pinker lip would be great on you. Sorta like your every day look, just amped up. Also wonder if you should stick to a slight cat eye. Did you like the MUA? Maybe you can simply book her and allow extra time to work on tweaking the look. You can always start with a lighter look and build on it.

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trowb20a9.30.2017 | Boston•

here's a theory - your guy is not used to your eye shape looking different! i wonder if it's because you appear to have scrapped your signature winged eyeliner?! what if you mixed that in? do you think the overall look would be less scary to him? i just don't know that guys are THAT observant when it comes to makeup shades, so i am wondering if he couldn't put his finger on what was different so was unfairly ripping apart your face coloring (which i think looks nice in both pictures). i wonder if it's like little kids freaking out when dads shave their beards?? what do you think?

1