A Step-by-Step Beach Wedding Look That Won't Melt in the Heat

Whether you're a bride, wedding guest, or just someone who is headed to a chic outdoor party, you: (a) don't want to look too made up, and (b) need to avoid a makeup meltdown. That's why we enlisted makeup artist Monika Crouch of the Pierre Michel salon in NYC to create a gorgeous, glowing makeup DIY that enhances your natural features without wilting in the Summer sun. Plus, it's simple enough that you can surely master it at home using products you probably already own like BB cream, a shimmery eye shadow, and pink lip gloss. And for those who want a little extra drama, there are also faux eyelash application tips. See? We wouldn't leave you unprepared to look ultrachic all season long.

Step 1: Perfect Your Skin
Photos by Caroline Voagen Nelson

Step 1: Perfect Your Skin

"At a beach wedding, the weather will be hot. You want a look that's light and fresh so that you don't melt," said Crouch. "That's why I didn't use moisturizer, because the heat will probably [make you sweat]." She mixed a bit of primer with BB cream (you can also do a tinted moisturizer). "It evens you out without looking cakey," she noted. Then, go over the base with concealer, fixing spots that need touch-ups, like blemishes, redness, and the under-eye area.

Step 2: Prep the Eyes
Photos by Caroline Voagen Nelson

Step 2: Prep the Eyes

Crouch suggests coating your lids with eye shadow primer so that the product stays. "This ensures it won't melt in the sun or crease," she said. Then, she added a concealer over the primer and all around the eye to neutralize the redness in the eye. "It keeps the color and makes your eyes look less tired," she added. Using a brush to apply the product will ensure it looks smooth, well-blended, and not cakey.

Step 3: Get Bright Eyes
Photos by Caroline Voagen Nelson

Step 3: Get Bright Eyes

Instead of doing a heavy smoky eye, Crouch chose a neutral, shimmery eye shadow. "It keeps it light and pretty," she notes. "It makes the eyes look bright, which is good for photos." She only used one champagne-colored eye shadow applied on the entire lid for this look.

Step 4: Line Eyes
Photos by Caroline Voagen Nelson

Step 4: Line Eyes

Next, Crouch added a black waterproof gel eyeliner, because it's sweat-proof and adds more volume to your lashes. She only applied it on the top eyelid to keep the look more natural. "I just prefer gel to pencils," she enthused. "It's just easier to work. You have more flexibility with control using a brush [to apply it]." If you want to lift the look of the eye a bit, then flick your brush up at the very end to create a subtle cat eye.

Step 5: Do Up Your Lashes
Photos by Caroline Voagen Nelson

Step 5: Do Up Your Lashes

If your eyelashes are a bit straight, Crouch suggests using a curling tool so that they sit better next to the faux lashes. Shorter, fuller lashes add more drama, while individual strands look more natural. If you choose a lash strip, then measure it against your eye and cut off any excess from the end. Add a line of glue along the base, let it dry a bit so it's tacky, and then apply it to your lash line, starting from the inner corner.

"If there's going to be any kind of crying, it's good to wear eyelashes," Crouch said. “It looks good in photos, and since it stays put, you won't have to worry about anything running." She finished by coating both real and faux lashes with waterproof mascara to blend them together.

Step 6: Cleanup and Brows
Photos by Caroline Voagen Nelson

Step 6: Cleanup and Brows

After finishing the lashes, Crouch went back over the under-eye area with a bit of concealer to clean up any smudges. She combed the eyebrow with a spooley brush tool. "I didn't fill them in because, again, you don't want to be too done or dark, you still want to look pretty natural," she noted.

Step 7: Bronzing Cheeks
Photos by Caroline Voagen Nelson

Step 7: Bronzing Cheeks

Crouch swept a bronzy, brownish blush (not bronzer) along the cheekbones. "Again, it's nice to kind of have everything light and shimmery, because for photos, it will give you the illusion like you have stuff on without it being too much," she explained.

She suggests applying blush to the apples of the cheeks. If you smile, you want the powder to go where your cheeks pop.

Step 8: Glossing the Lips
Photos by Caroline Voagen Nelson

Step 8: Glossing the Lips

"I didn't do a pencil or any of that stuff," Crouch said of her decision to line and fill in lips with a pink gloss. "You just want to keep everything light and summery." To make your pucker look even fuller, add a dab of lighter lip gloss or highlighter to the center of your bottom lip, and blend.

Step 9: The Final Look
Photos by Caroline Voagen Nelson

Step 9: The Final Look

"For this look, we just did something that's pretty simple for anyone to do on their own," sums up Crouch. "If you wanted to look more dramatic, you could do eyeliner on the bottom; it kind of gives you the same look but a bit smokier."