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 feed or a lipstick color you saw Taylor Swift wear on the red carpet. It’s not wear-a-white-dress about you, rather it’s who’s-that-guest-with-amazing-makeup about you.

While the bride may be 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 a smattering of face gems might not be quite right for the occasion (though there’s a way to pull that off for a wedding too), “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 rock star eyeliner.

It’s a delicate balance, 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.
• Maya Calhoun is a New York City-based makeup artist.
• Lilly Keys is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist.
• Jillian Dempsey is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist.
• Madison Bailey is the former TikTok and new platforms manager for Ilia.
• Lisa Aharon is a New York City-based makeup artist.
• 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.

Twinkling Eyes

If you’re looking to wear statement eye makeup at a wedding, remember, that statement shouldn’t be too loud. Moderation and intentional placement are key to looking extra-cool and guest-appropriate. New York City-based makeup artist Maya Calhoun recommends “adding a few tiny rhinestones along your lash line or at the inner corners of your eyes.”

Want slightly more bling? Opt for tiny pearl eye adornments the way Storm Reid did for her 2021 Met Gala look. The Half Magic Classic Iridescent Self-Adhesive Face Pearls are a perfect way to achieve this look. They don’t require glue and come in pearly white, metallic blue, and regal gold.

Whichever direction you choose, Calhoun says, “add a soft highlight [in the same color] in the inner corner to make them pop.” The E.L.F. Cosmetics Perfect 10 Eyeshadow palette offers blue, white, and gold shimmery pigments (among other colors) to add the right amount of shine to the inner eyes. “It’s a subtle, elegant look that brings in a bit of a festive vibe,” notes Calhoun.

Siren Eyes

Sultry glam might give off a vengeful ex-girlfriend vibe, but we think it’s worth it to look this hot. TikTok's siren eyes trend was big in 2022, but its impact is still apparent today. The supersharp winged liner and smoky eye shadow combo creates killer makeup that will be sure to turn heads at any wedding.

This look is different from your regular smoky eye because “siren eyes are slightly more dramatic, darker around the rims of the eyes, and flicked upwards at the outer corners for a more narrow, cat-eye shape," Los Angeles-based makeup artist Lilly Keys previously told Allure.

Bella Hadid and Alexa Demie have often worn this look on the red carpet, but you don’t need to have a pro makeup artist on call to get it. Keys starts by creating a smoky cat-eye with taupe eye shadow and a fluffy brush. “Concentrate more of the color on your lash line while blending upward and outward to begin the wing,” said Keys. Next, smudge a warm brown or gray eye shadow along the upper lash line. The About Face Smokestick, which has a thick eye shadow pen on one end and a smudging sponge on the other, works well for this technique. Use the sponge side to blend the eyeliner into your base shadow.

Add intensity to this look by creating a sharp winged eyeliner, for which Keys recommended the Catrice 20H Ultra Precision Gel Eye Pencil: “Follow the shape of your upper lash line to intensify and sharpen everything up.” Finally, use a bit of concealer on a thin angled brush to clean up your lines.

Lip Service

If you happen to be whipping up your wedding-guest glam at the last minute (we’ve been there!), Los Angeles-based makeup artist Jillian Dempsey says a glossy, tinted lip is the way to go. It’s minimal effort but still creates a beautiful result.

A wedding is usually a lengthy event, so when crafting your lip look, Dempsey says, go for a “long-wearing stain on your lips” with a layer of lip gloss on top. “It’s the best way to achieve a moisturized and long-lasting lip shade.” To get this result, Dempsey recommends the Dior Addict Lip Tint for its transfer-proof, semi-matte finish.

Of course, a bold lip doesn't mean you’re not wearing any other makeup. But Dempsey does suggest keeping your base natural and glowy with a light-coverage foundation (she loves the Shiseido Revitalessence Skin Glow). Get super-flushed cheeks using a bright pink tone for fair skin, like the Jillian Dempsey Cheek Tint in Bloom, or a deeper, blue-based rose tone for deep skin. We love Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed in Primadonna for this.

Pearly and Radiant

No, it’s not your wedding day, but you can still look like Venus emerging from her scallop shell. Madison Bailey [not to be confused with current Allure Next star, actor Madison Bailey], Ilia’s former 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 Venus’s glow, you’ll need a veil of delicate pearlescent highlighter in the places where it counts: cheekbones, brow bones, nose, Cupid's bow, chin, and maybe even the center of your eyelids. If you want to go all in on pearly skin, mix the highlighter with your foundation before applying for an allover glow.

The Saie Glowy Super Gel liquid highlighter in Starglow is the exact color of a string of pearls from the South Sea (the only kind of pearls Venus would bother with, honestly). Its gel texture also makes it a great product to swirl with foundation to give skin that full-on radiance.

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

The lightweight Ilia Liquid Light Serum Highlighter has a subtle, dewy glow. And if you like your pearls with a tinge of gold, the color Nova offers a bronzy tint. Makeup artist Lisa Aharon recommends the Guerlain Meteorites Setting and Finishing Pearls of Powder, which 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 (for instance, sunscreen contouring gets a hard no from us), but berry girl makeup—makeup in jewel tones or berry-hued colors such as cranberry, burgundy, and plum—is a classic, universally flattering wedding-guest look. (It’s also, you know, much safer than sun damage.)

Makeup artist Shenise Sheena recommends starting with a medium-coverage foundation to even out your skin tone. She suggests using a multi stick on your cheeks and lips to give your look a monochromatic, berry-hued flush. Says Sheena, "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."

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

Danessa Myrick Beauty’s Yummy Skin Blurring balm powder is multi-use, blendable, and the polished, matte finish looks great on lips and cheeks. 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 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.

Wren does her contour with the Milk Makeup Sculpt Cream Contour Stick, a 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). This contour stick is also at a friendlier price point, comes in eight shades, is super blendable, and takes the guesswork out of picking a natural-looking highlighter that vibes with your sculpting.

The Givenchy Prisme Libre Skin-Caring Glow 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 more lightweight and comfortable than full-coverage foundation. Skin tint usually goes with 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 summer wedding when heavy makeup can be a slog.

Makeup artist Joseph Carrillo recommends the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint, a lightweight formula, with glycerin to help retain moisture. And it’s so easy to apply: a few drops blended with your fingertips will give you an even, hydrated appearance.

Carrillo likes the Nars Pure Radiance 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.

A lightweight concealer is what you want to layer on top of a skin tint (a full-coverage formula might look cakey over a sheer base). Carrillo recommends the Tower 28 Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer, which boasts skin-care ingredients including 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 fewer touch-ups than a statement lip. Liberally buff the blush on the apples of your cheeks, up your cheekbones, across the nose, and finish with a flirty lash.

If you know anyone who has tried the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, then you’ve heard 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.” The name of the game is bright, so we love it in Grateful, a vibrant red, and Lucky, a hot pink. Start by blending out a dot on each cheek and build from there.

The Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Glow Blush, a Best of Beauty-winning powder, blends as easily as a cream blush but lasts much longer. Try Offbeat, a spiked apricot, or Desire, a bold raspberry-red.

Long lashes are the perfect compliment to your lively blush. For “the prettiest lashes,” makeup artist Tobi Henney recommends, curling your lashes and following up with the Victoria Beckham Beauty Vast Lash Mascara.

'90s Supermodel

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

The necessary ingredients? Lips overlined with a dark brown pencil, filled with a neutral 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.

Morales recommends overlining the lips with the Ortega Soft Contour Lipliner, a smooth-gliding, blendable pencil, in Cinnamon Girl for a true ’90s look.

For lip color, reach for the Merit Beauty Signature lipsticks. Your lips, with a luscious satin finish, will look super kissable. These lipsticks also come in a great range of neutrals and browns so you can go darker, think ’90s Cindy Crawford, or a true hydrated neutral for more of a Tyra Banks vibe.

And it’s not a ’90s look if you don’t use a MAC product. Morales swears by the MAC single eye shadow in Saddle for a classic brown smoky eye.

It may be a new year but we’re still obsessed with Pantone’s 2024 color Peach Fuzz. 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.

"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.

This sugar-sweet look calls for a glowy, hydrated lip. The Dior Addict Lip Glow balm is formulated with cherry oil and shea butter, and the shade Coral is a great match for Pantone’s Peach Fuzz.

The teensiest flick of eyeliner on the outer edge of your upper lash line lifts the look and is the perfect flirty cherry (er, peach) on top. The Best of Beauty-winning Lancôme Idôle Ultra-Precise Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner has a superfine tip, so keeping liner tight is easier.

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.

"My current favorite and go-to coral blush this spring is the 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.

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

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. The Lancôme Idôle Liner Ultra Precise Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner (a Best of Beauty winner) has a super-fine tip, so keeping the liner tight is easier.

Frosted Eyeshadow

Even some of the most cynical among us can agree: Weddings feel a little magical. Call it love in the air or the massive floral budget, but a shimmery, ethereal look often seems appropriate for such an enchanted day. And nothing quite says magic and whimsy more than frosted eye shadow. "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."

Morales says the 24/7 Moondust Glitter Urban Decay shadows are a go-to for a true shimmery effect. The champagne-colored Space Cowboy is a neutral taupe, just in case you’re not ready for pinks or blues.

If you want more of a ’90s frost than straight-up glitter, try a wash of the ColourPop Super Shock Shadow, a 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 is to start with a blurring primer to create a smooth, doll-like base. Follow with a medium-coverage foundation, a healthy dose of peachy cream blush, baby pink lids, and—most importantly—spiky ’50s baby-doll lashes.

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

For a pretty pastel lid, Zito reaches for the Natasha Denona Retro Glam Eyeshadow Palette. This muted palette comes with matte and metallic shadows in shades like baby pink, mint green, and rosy mauve.

For achieving the star element of this look, reach for the Kiss ImPress Press-On Falsies. "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 the chunky, spiked doll-lash look you’re after.

Mob Wife

In her oversize sunglasses and long fur coat, the mob wife is the epitome of drama and glamour. The makeup trend is the same—bold, sexy, and a little overdone in the best way. "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 dramatic, glossy lip.

Buzzetta loves the Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette, which has everything you need for a mob wife eye: latte browns for lids, chocolate browns for the crease and corners, and black to smudge along the lash lines.

A mob wife’s lips are always glossed and luscious. The Maybelline Super Stay Vinyl Ink Liquid Lipcolor doesn’t lose its patent-leather finish after it dries and stays intact for hours. Carmela Soprano would probably recommend a deep terra-cotta like Extra or a sexy neutral 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 very straightforward, says Buzzetta, with just a strawberry-stained flush and lipstick topped by a high-shine gloss. Go for juicy and hydrated–-you’ll look fresh enough to eat.

Buzzetta recommends buffing out a healthy dose of the Nudestix Nudies Bloom All-Over-Face Dewy Color in Poppy Girl across the cheekbones (there's a handy blending brush on the other end of the stick).

"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 suggests the Victoria Beckham Beauty Bitten Lip Tint in Je T'aime.

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

Feeling extra cheeky? "Adding freckles is always fresh and fun," says Buzzetta. The Freck Beauty Original Freckle freckle pen has a flexible brush, which makes 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, so why wouldn’t your lips? Ombré lips add a sexy, dimensional, mysterious touch to your look and can be done with any color combo, such as burgundy to crimson, chocolate to beige, or mauve to petal pink. This is on the "statement" end of the wedding-guest makeup spectrum, so keep the rest of your look simple.

Everyone you talk to will be looking at your lips, so you want to start with a smooth, hydrated base. "Apply a lip mask a few days before the event," says Carrillo. "The Fenty Beauty Plush Puddin' Intensive Recovery Lip Mask is a great one that exfoliates and helps plump the lips by keeping them hydrated."

The LYS Beauty Speak Love Lip Liner Pencil is a matte formula that glides on like a dream, which is important when you want a perfectly sculpted pout. "Go a little thicker than you usually would," says Carrillo. "Go in with a lipstick a few shades lighter than your lip liner.” We love the Pat McGrath Labs SatinAllure Lipstick, a creamy formula that gives your lips a slight shine.

The final touch is a dab of gloss at the center of your lips for a little extra dimension, says Carrillo, who recommends the Huda Beauty Faux Filler Extra Shine Lip Gloss for creating 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: