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Beautiful Mother of the Bride Makeup Ideas for a Soft, Natural Look

Step this way for natural and soft mother of the bride makeup inspiration, for a ‘you on your best day’ wedding look

Mother of the bride kissing her daughter on the cheek

Your child’s wedding will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable days of your life, so it’s only natural to want to look like your best self on the big day. But if you’re not used to wearing makeup, or you want an extra special beauty look for your son or daughter’s wedding, it’s normal to wonder where to start. We've created the ultimate guide to natural and soft mother of the bride makeup to help you. 

Mother of the bride makeup has a reputation of being old-fashioned but this needn’t be the case. The right makeup artist will help you choose a soft mother of the bride makeup style that will have you looking fresh-faced and glowing, and will perfectly pair with your mother of the bride outfit

We spoke to wedding makeup experts for their advice for achieving flawless mother of the bride makeup - and we think you’ll like what they have to say.

How Should The Mother Of The Bride Wear Her Makeup?

Bride being kissed on either cheek by the father and the mother of the bride

There’s no set way you should wear your makeup as the mother of the bride; it’s all about what makes you feel comfortable. 

Enhance Your Features

“For the mother of the bride, I think less is always more and the makeup should enhance the person’s features rather than masking them,” says makeup artist Aimee Connolly. “My go to makeup for the mother of the bride is flawless dewy skin with a lightly dressed eye, lots of mascara and blush and to finish, a lip shade that you either feel most comfortable in, or one that complements your outfit.

“This is a popular look for the mother of the brides as it allows you to still feel and look like yourself but also take part in that glam aspect of the day,” Aimee continues. 

Be True To Your Signature Look

Your daughter’s wedding day isn’t the occasion to go for a vastly different look. You still want to look like yourself, after all. 

“When you’re the mother of the bride, you want to look and feel your best,” says Benefit’s senior makeup artist Lauren Hogsden. “It’s important not to stray too far from your usual makeup routine – you want to be the perfect polished version of yourself. If you usually sport a bold lip, go for it! If nude is your thing, stick with that. The only thing I’d avoid is metallics as they can add texture to mature skin.”

Focus On Skincare

Mother of the bride with a soft, natural makeup look

Using hydrating skincare will help create the perfect base for your mother of the bride makeup, as explained by Lauren Hogsden: “Ensure your skin is well moisturised before applying makeup, otherwise the skin could absorb the moisture from your makeup throughout the day, making it look patchy.”

Adding a primer into your makeup routine will also hydrate the skin and help your makeup sit beautifully.

“I focus on skincare and use the radiance-boosting primers to give a subtle glow, making sure the skin is hydrated and feeling plump,” says Hitched Awards winner Nisha Rajput.

Should The Mother Of The Bride’s Makeup Match The Wedding Party?

Mother of the bride with natural, soft makeup, standing next to the bride's wedding dress

It’s likely that the wedding party will have a makeup element that ties them all together, be it a similar shade of lipstick or the same shimmering eyeshadow, but there’s nothing to say the mother of the bride needs to rock the same makeup.

“I personally think the days of matching makeup are over, unless it’s something the bride feels very strongly about,” says Aimee.

“Makeup isn’t a ‘one look suits all’, so yes you can incorporate the same tones or colour palette but the placement should be different for everyone. Don't feel under pressure to match the level of glam the wedding party might be going for,” Aimee adds. 

Should The Mother Of The Bride Hire An Makeup Artist?

Bronze toned mother of the bride makeup look

One of the most special parts of your daughter’s wedding will be getting ready with her most loved people around her, with a professional makeup artist on hand to make the morning go smoothly. 

Hiring the makeup artist to do your mother of the bride makeup too is a lovely way to feel included in the day. “It’s not every day your daughter gets married!” points out Lauren. “Take away unnecessary pressure by letting an MUA work their magic. You deserve to be pampered and to look and feel your best.”

Aimee points out that while an MUA is not a necessity for the mother of the bride, having a pro do your makeup helps you join in on the ‘getting ready’ excitement. “You’ll always look slightly more polished when a professional applies your makeup, so for pictures that will last a lifetime, why not look your best?” Aimee says.

“Having a professional apply the makeup also takes the stress out of getting yourself ready in the morning, which I think most people will agree is super helpful.”

Nisha agrees that booking a professional to do the mother of the bride's makeup is a great way to feel involved on the wedding morning. “It can help the mother of the bride unwind, to be pampered before the wedding,” she says. “This way you feel included in the wedding team. Otherwise, I sometimes notice mothers of the bride start cleaning up and looking after guests,” - not what you should be doing on such a momentous day! 

With this in mind, you could also offer the mother of the groom to have her makeup done. “I have many groom’s mums book with me for their son’s wedding as sometimes they can get left behind,” Nisha says. 

Essential Makeup Products for a Soft Mother of the Bride Look

Go For Sheer Coverage

Yves Saint Laurent foundation

Unless you usually wear a full coverage foundation, your daughter’s wedding is a time when pros advise sticking to a natural-looking foundation. “I always recommend mothers of the bride wear a glowy base with less coverage rather than something too full,” confirms Hitched Wedding Award winner Alex McEvoy of Alex Bridal Makeup.

Aimee Connolly agrees, adding: “Due to the fact that there may be more fine lines or dry skin present on a mature skin, anything too heavy could crease and move around so it’s best to always look for a lightweight formula that you can build on.”

TRY: Yves Saint Laurent NU Bare Look Tint, £22.95

Use Pencil Eyeliner 

KVD beauty tattoo pencil liner

If you love defined eye makeup (Kate Middleton wore lashings of eyeliner for her wedding), Alex McEvoy advises opting for pencil liner. “I find pencil eyeliner more flattering than liquid liner as it’s softer on the eyes,” she says.

TRY: KVD Beauty Tattoo Pencil Liner Waterproof Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, £19

Choose Cream Blusher

Cream blush for a mother of the bride makeup look

“I tend to stick with cream products where possible when it comes to bronzer and blush,” says Aimee Connnolly. “Cream formulas are super blendable and look effortless and youthful on the skin.”

Lauren agrees that cream makeup is the way forward for mothers of the bride, commenting: “Cream and liquid products are best for mature skin to achieve a lightweight, flexible look on the skin without adding texture, as texture can be aging to the skin.” 

TRY: Sculpted By Aimee Connolly Cream Luxe Collection, £16

18 Soft Mother Of The Bride Makeup Ideas

Looking for natural and soft mother of the bride makeup inspiration? Here are some of our favourite makeup looks that would be perfect for the mother of the bride.

1. Smoky Eye Mother Of The Bride Makeup

Mother of the bride with subtly smoky eye makeup and a pink toned lip

2. Subtly Glam Mother Of The Bride Makeup

Soft and natural mother of the bride makeup showing the MOTB looking down, and away from the camera to highlight the eye makeup

3. Pretty & Peachy Mother Of The Bride Makeup

Asian bride and bridesmaid next to the mother of the bride with peach toned makeup and traditional wedding attire

4. Naturally Beautiful Mother Of The Bride Makeup

A mother of the bride wearing pearls with a soft makeup look

5. Glamorous Mother Of The Bride Makeup Look

A glamorous mother of the bride makeup look with ombre eyeshadow and dramatic lashes

6. Summer Mother Of The Bride Makeup

mother of the bride with a hat and wavy blonde hair with summery wedding makeup including defined eyelashes

7. Natural Mother Of The Bride Makeup

Mother of the bride smiling as she looks at her makeup in the mirror

8. Soft Mother Of The Bride Makeup

mother of the bride with a shimmery lipstick and natural eye makeup

9. Glowy Mother Of The Bride Makeup

Subtle and shimmery mother of the bride makeup with shimmer eye makeup

10. Sheer Mother Of The Bride Makeup

Subtle mother of the bride makeup look with gold toned eye shadow

11. Pretty Mother Of The Bride Makeup

Mother of the bride makeup with a bolder lip in pink and very subtle eye makeup

12. Classic Mother Of The Bride Makeup

Timeless mother of the bride makeup with pink lips and defined lashes

13. Beautiful Mother Of The Bride Makeup

Mother of the bride with subtle smoky eye makeup and a shimmer lip, with glowy cheek makeup

14. Glowing Mother of the Bride Makeup 

Mother of the bride makeup look with peachy glowing cheeks

15. Classic Mother of the Bride Makeup Inspiration

A traditional, natural looking mother of the bride makeup look

16. Understated Mother of the Bride Beauty Look

Bride and mother of the bride both with natural makeup looks

17. Before & After Mother of the Bride Makeup

Before and after shots showing a mother of the bride's makeup look

18. Glam & Glowing Mother of the Bride Makeup Inspiration 

Glowing mother of the bride makeup with subtle highlighter

Once the mother of the bride makeup look is sorted, have you thought about the perfect mother of the bride gift?