The Best Beauty Products for A Destination Wedding

Words by Nateisha Scott

Whether you’re a bride getting married in a gloriously hot destination or a guest attending a thrilling cold destination wedding, you’ll need to adapt your beauty bag to beat the weather conditions. Facing your everyday climate, you’ll know what beauty combinations work well for you, perhaps that is a full-coverage foundation prepped without a primer or reaching for a non-waterproof mascara because you find it lasts longer throughout the day? Either way your usual beauty must-haves may need a little shake-up ahead of a destination wedding. But luckily, we have the ultimate beauty guide below helping you to tailor your arsenal ahead of any upcoming nuptials. Considering warm and cold wedding destinations as well as beach weddings, below are our editor-approved tips, tricks, and product recommendations.

The same ‘less is more’ approach applies to your make-up. You’ll want a light and buildable foundation that you can feather with a stipling brush over a primer and set with a colour-matching powder for a natural and radiant finish. Armani’s Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, Luminous Silk Foundation and Luminous Silk Glow Cushion Powder are the ultimate wedding day trio adored by many. The primer is formulated with shea butter and glycerin to keep skin moisturised as well as crystal-encapsulated pigments to refract light, creating a natural, luminous base under your foundation. A tip from make-up artists would be to avoid white-based or universal powder shades, as no one wants to look back at pictures and see powder streaks under the eyes, and that's where Armani's powder in an array of shades comes in handy. Mattifying and complimentary to your skin tone. And if you’re wearing mascara, always opt for waterproof to withstand any sweat or happy tears! Lancôme’s Lash Idôl Waterproof Mascara is a top contender. Dabbling with blush? Reach for a cream version which you then can set with a matching powder – Nars’ powder and liquid blush make a formidable pairing – to avoid the sun melting the colour away. And for your lip look to stay in place while remaining hydrated, layering is essential. Start with a velvety lip liner such as Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat all over the lips as your primer. Then follow with your lipstick of choice before applying a lip gloss for maximum staying power.

Finally, don’t skip hair and body prep ahead of a warm destination wedding! If you prefer your hair down, pack light, anti-humidity styling products such as R+Co Bleu’s Super Style Crème which reduces any unwanted frizz with ingredients such as avocado oil to treat thermal damage. It also adds shine for a healthy glisten under the midday sun. Similarly, for your body to glimmer from dusk until dawn carry Tom Ford’s Soleil Brûlant Shimmering Body Oil. The oil also leaves skin silky smooth with a subtle floral and amber scent in its trail – it’s the multi-purpose product you need ahead of facing any warmer climate.

You'll crave glowing, luminous skin under the bright sun at a beach wedding, but the trick in achieving this without applying sticky gels and oils is prioritising dry oils or applying fake tan the night before. Moroccanoil Dry Body Oil is incredible for its glow and without the tacky feeling. But on the tan front, Tan Luxe’s Super Glow Body Hyaluronic Self-Tan Serum provides a golden hue without the mess and aroma of a traditional self-tanning product. Instead it’s formulated with skincare ingredients such as antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and caffeine to hydrate, moisturise and awaken skin. Suitable for all skin tones, the transparent technology enhances skin radiance rather than prompting orange discolouration.

For your beauty on the beach – especially make-up and skincare, tinted moisturisers and SPFs are your best friend. While you keep things light with your skincare layering, your SPF is non-negotiable. Between a sunscreen mist such as Shiseido’s Invisible Protective Mist SPF50+ or a cream variation in the world of Saltee’s Daily Protection Formula SPF50, protecting your skin from the blistering sun is your first port of call. Then, for your make-up, the lighter the better (if you even wear any at all). Swap out a lightweight foundation for a tinted moisturiser – MAC’s Strobe Dewy Skin Tint offers a sheer but luminous finish. It is also packed with hydrating and moisturising ingredients including hyaluronic acid, squalene and vitamin E. Complete the look with soft eyeshadow colours (think warm browns and light golds) and define any eye make-up with dark brown eyeliner and waterproof mascara. To alleviate any harsh lines pack a hybrid bronzing-highlighter and powder blush. Editors adore Charlotte Tilbury’s Beautiful Skin Bronzer and Suqqu’s Melting Powder Blush for their soft diffusion on application.

Keep things bright and fresh with a cream blush – Westman Atelier’s Baby Cheeks Blush Stick comes in an array of shades suiting all skin tones and is infused with moisturising ingredients for a soft, nourishing, and natural flush. Still, stick to your waterproof mascara because no doubt happy tears will be shed. Finally, layer a lip balm underneath your lipstick or lip gloss to ensure they don’t feel too dry before the day ends.

Luckily in colder destinations, your hair can weather anything and shouldn’t face any humidity-related roadblocks. With cool and crisp air in mind, consider nourishing and restorative hair masks a couple of days before to ensure your tresses look and feel on top form ahead of styling. Sisley’s Colour Beautifying Haircare Mask is designed to nourish and enrich your hair (especially coloured and bleached hair) revealing brighter and more radiant strands. Also once styled, spritz Frédéric Malle Promise Hair Mist through your hair for a rich floral yet sweet veil. Onto your bodycare. Combine a whipped body butter such as Augustinus Bader’s The Body Cream with a glow-inducing body oil such as Costa Brazil’s Sunlight Body Oil – the two will cushion and caress your skin creating a delightful glow. And for additional radiance dust Bobbi Brown’s Highlighting Powder across the décolleté and down the arms, it'll shimmer in all the pictures.