Want a sustainable and stress-free makeup routine for the big day? Here's some eco-friendly bridal makeup inspo for clean beauty brides-to-be.

Integrating a clean beauty makeup regimen for your everyday routine (even for your wedding day) is easier than ever in 2024. With a growing number of environmentally-friendly beauty products on the market and more expert help available for sustainably-minded folks, you can plan your wedding hair and makeup your way without having to worry about using makeup that's overly toxic, not to mention over-priced.

Sounds too good to be true? It's really not. To help you plan your perfect bridal makeup routine that's also eco-friendly (for your face and for Earth), we've put together this post on all you need to know when it comes to sustainable wedding makeup advice. From tips on the key ingredients to avoid in your bridal makeup to some insight on the best earth-friendly beauty products and brands, this blog post has it all.

Can I do my own bridal makeup?

First things first, let's talk budget. In 2024, full bridal makeup and hair for your wedding day can cost anywhere between $150-600. It depends on the makeup artist you go with (MUA) and if they bring a team. Sometimes, a whole team for a period of time can be cheaper if they are working on the whole bridal party and mother of the bride. 

Whether it's not in your budget or you would just rather do you own bridal makeup for the big day, it's important to decide this early on in your wedding planning process because lots of makeup artists book up quick. And remember that there's also your wedding party to think about, because they might be excited to get the full-on MUA experience. So it's best to have the discussion with your wedding party and see where y'all are at experience-wise and budget-wise.

Caitlin, owner and head stylist at Hand-Me-Gowns Bridal, has some helpful insight on this: “In the New Jersey area, lots of bridal makeup artists book up 6-8 months, or sometimes more, in advance. So if you think it’s an option to get your bridal makeup done by a professional, look into finding and booking your MUA at least 8 months before the big day.”

And if you want to do your own makeup by all means, it's your day. You'll just have to follow a couple of tips to make sure things run as smoothly as possible, such as planning your bridal makeup timeline, what kind of makeup you'll need, and the products you'll use. If you want to go the clean beauty route, then you'll have to familiarize yourself with some of the best environmentally-friendly beauty products that work best for your skin type.

Clean beauty: what ingredients to avoid in your bridal makeup

They're called the “Toxic Twelve” or the "Dirty Dozen", and it's a great place to start when it comes to making the transition to clean beauty. The Toxic Twelve are industrial chemicals and are still typically found in your personal care products. While many industrial chemicals have been proven to be less harmful than others, experts have come up with this list of the 12 major ones to avoid in your daily routine. Unfortunately, these ingredients can still be found in many products on the market day (even in countries with regulations, and currently the U.S. has no regulations). 

Curious? Here's the list of 12 cosmetic chemicals to avoid in your makeup routine, for your wedding day or any day:

• BHA and BHT

• Coal tar dyes

• DEA-related ingredients

• Dibutyl phthalate

• Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives

• Parabens

• Parfum (fragrance)

• PEG compounds
  Petrolatum

• Siloxanes

• Sodium laureth sulfate

• Triclosan

Now that we've armed you with this little nugget of knowledge, go forward and start reading your labels on the products that you use. And once you start integrating earth-friendly beauty products into your daily routine, it's pretty hard to go back. It's kinda like once you know, you can't NOT know, you know?

The discovery of the "Toxic Twelve" is science and research-based, so of course this process is always evolving. Meaning that we might find out in a couple of years that there's a new type of toxin that's common in the market. So, the best process is to follow sources that you trust, always read your labels, and support a few clean beauty brands (big or small) that work for you.

What kind of bridal makeup do I need for my wedding day?

Sure, your wedding look should be a little more high maintenance than your average night out, but it doesn't need to be soooo complicated. Here's a makeup checklist for your wedding day, from the base to the sparkle. This list has what to include in your natural wedding makeup routine, so just make sure the ingredients in these items aren't from the "Toxic Twelve" list above.

1. Skin & Base: cream, set & hydration spray, foundation, concealer.

2. Eyes: brow pencil, cream or powder for eyelids and corners, liner for lash line and water line, mascara or fakes for lashes.

3. Cheeks: blush or bronzer (or both).

4. Lips: liner, lipstick, and gloss.

Also, we have to remind you that you'll want to start your bridal makeup routine with clean and fresh hair and face. We recommend starting to use a new eco-friendly shampoo, conditioner, and cleanser a few months beforehand and if they work for you, use these same products on the morning of your wedding day. Let your hair air dry before you start your bridal makeup.

Earth-friendly beauty products for your bridal makeup routine

If you've already wandered the aisles of your local Target or CVS and are drawing a blank, we've put together a list of some top environmentally-friendly beauty products to look out for and that you can potentially use for your bridal makeup.

Our priority here isn't to rep any specific product or brand, so use this list as a jumping off point to start your search for your new favorite sustainable and earth-friendly beauty products. 

1. Axiology: Our first earth-friendly beauty product brand is Axiology. They also made it to Peta's list of recommended vegan products. Their plastic-free Color Cream and Tinted Dew Multi-Sticks are made with clean ingredients that will keep your skin highlighted and looking fun and fresh all day. 

2. Saie: If you're looking for organic and cruelty-free makeup from concealer and moisturizer right down to a shiny gloss, this might be your new favorite earth-friendly beauty brand.

3. Adesse New York: Eco-friendly lipstick and gloss made just a couple of hours away in the Big Apple!

4. Ilia: An established clean beauty brand that has everything from an award-winning mascara and multi-stick to a handy hydrating lip crayon and so much more.

5. MD Solar Sciences: This brand's creams, bases, and BB creams all have that much-needed SPF and are reef-friendly. Check out their website on where to find their products in the New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia area.

6. Well People: From brow gels to bronzers, brightening powder and more, this brand has it all. They are also EWG-verified, so you know this is legit clean beauty.

7. RMS Beauty: The brand's founder Rose-Marie Swift started RMS back in 2009 before clean beauty was all the rage.

8. Ogee: Their colorful sculpting sticks are some of the best in the beauty biz. They also have a Leaping Bunny Certification and are NSF-certified.

9. Haus Labs by Lady Gaga: The Gaga herself has done us proud with her clean beauty brand of quality, cruelty-free products.

10. The Fanciful Fox: This fun NYC-based brand has all hand-crafted products. Their affordable Unmask Makeup Remover is the perfect eco-friendly makeup remover for your wedding day.

Hand-Me-Gowns Bridal

At Hand-Me-Gowns Bridal, we value giving every bride-to-be who walks through our doors the best wedding gown shopping experience of their dreams. If you’re in the market for a sustainable designer gown or bridal accessories, our bridal shop in South Jersey has hundreds of pre-loved options waiting for you.

Book your appointment with us today and get ready for that magic to happen!