Approaching the hair and makeup selection process for your wedding can be a daunting task. You probably have some sort of understanding that how you look and feel affects the rest of your day. Moreover, you know that your hair and makeup will be on almost every photo that your photographer sends you. And that's probably why you're prioritizing your beauty experience and wanting to book someone who can make the process stress-free and reassuring!

-Hi there! I'm Olivia and I help brides feel like their best self in the most comfortable way. My hair and makeup style is natural, authentic, and inspired by soft glam. I'm located in Baltimore and Connecticut, and serve the East Coast from Virginia to Massachusetts.
It’s so important to have an understanding of what makes you feel like your best self. Maybe you’re that bride that had a disheartening experience with makeup- you felt cakey or you asked for soft glam makeup and it felt heavy. In contrast, you could be the bride that loves getting hair and makeup done and view beauty as one of the most fun parts of wedding planning! Nevertheless, by the end of this article, my hope is for you to have a better understanding of the differences between natural vs. soft glam makeup.
Understanding What Makes You Feel Like You
From my experience, brides are the happiest with their hair and makeup when they look like their best version. Natural makeup and soft glam makeup are often confused and used interchangeably. Recently, soft glam makeup has become a buzzword that many people frequently use to describe their preferences without knowing what it actually means.
In fact, many brides and bridesmaids come to me saying something along the lines of, “I think I want something soft glam- that’s what my sister told me to say.”
My follow up to their request is, “Hmm… okay, tell me about your past makeup experiences and what you normally do for everyday makeup and special event makeup.”
Typically, I get a response similar to, “Oh, I don’t wear much makeup, usually just a tinted moisturizer, some blush, and mascara.
“I got my makeup done last year for my friend’s wedding and I liked it but I just felt like it was heavy and I don’t want anything too cakey.”
It's important to think back to previous beauty experiences to gain an understanding of your current comfort level with hair and makeup. Typically, brides who tend to be the happiest with soft glam makeup usually wear a full face of makeup for special events. Full face makeup typically means, foundation, concealer, contour, baking, bronzer, blush, highlighter, shimmery eyes, false lashes, setting spray, etc.
If you typically wear minimal makeup for events, natural glam could be something you enjoy. It is similar makeup to soft glam but definitely less overall. The main differences between natural and soft glam is how you feel. With soft glam, you will feel the makeup. In comparison, natural makeup will feel light and airy- sometimes my natural brides say they forget they have makeup on!
Quiz Time!
To make it fun and because of the former teacher in me, let’s play a game where we guess which photo is soft glam versus natural glam makeup! Take a guess, and meet me after this photo :)

Key Differences
For simplicity, I've broken up the key differences between soft glam and natural glam makeup:
Soft glam
Full coverage foundation and concealer
More contrast with eye makeup
You will feel the makeup on your skin
Heavier and more pigmented on the contour, blush, and bronzer
Great choice for people who get makeup done regularly or usually wear a full face of makeup for special events
Natural makeup
Spot coverage with color corrector and concealer on blemishes, dark circles, etc.
Light, airy layers of foundation, makeup feels light, your skin will still look like skin
Softer, more subtle eye makeup
Makeup is well-balanced, blush and bronzer don’t look “overdone”, and no “blush-blindness”
Great choice for someone who has gotten makeup done professionally only a few times so far
Hair and makeup is like your wedding dress- you want to look and feel pretty yet comfortable all day; what I love about both natural and soft glam makeup is that it allows for just this! My brides always look and feel like their best version in the most comfortable way.
If you guessed the left photo to be natural glam and the right photo to be soft glam, you were correct!
Which Style is Right For You?
Soft glam and natural glam makeup are similar in that you will still look like yourself after. The only difference is that soft glam is a bit heavier - for the makeup loving girls! And natural glam is lighter, for the Sofia Richie, glowy, minimal brides.
For example, if someone were to give you a compliment and you had soft to more full glam makeup on, they might say, “Your makeup looks so pretty!” On the other hand, if you had natural makeup on, they would say, “You look so pretty!”
From my experience, I find that most of my brides enjoy both the natural and soft glam glam makeup look. They want to look and feel recognizable, authentic, and like their best version. Depending on your comfort level and experience with makeup, you might be more drawn towards one or the other.
I hope this article gave you more clarity about different makeup styles and that you feel more comfortable approaching the hair and makeup selection process! To minimize your stress and enjoy the process, it's important to align yourself with artists who create similar looks to your vision. Additionally, finding the right fit - someone who will listen, collaborate, and help you create a look that you love is just as important!
For more information about what to look for in an artist, read this article!
If you'd like to book me for hair and makeup for your wedding, you can inquire here!
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