Nikol creates three wedding guest looks by building on one skin base: a sheer bronzy eye and lip for a beach wedding, a soft shimmer eye with pink lips for a garden party, and a smoky gray eye with a bold red lip for black tie. She uses the same eye-primer-first routine and press-and-build eyeshadow technique for all three, only changing the palette, liner color, and lip intensity.
Key takeaways
- Prep skin with a hydrating toner and a primer worked into the T-zone and texture before any color goes on.
- Always apply an eye primer first to neutralize lid discoloration so eyeshadow color shows up true.
- Press eyeshadow into the lid rather than swiping it back and forth for better control and less fallout.
- Line close to the base of the lashes in short strokes, stopping before the inner corner and lifting the outer edge up.
- You can build one full face of makeup into three different wedding looks by layering instead of starting over.
- Layer a lip gloss under a lipstick when you want a brighter color without full opacity.
Nikol's step-by-step routine
- Prep skin with a hydrating toner, then a day cream, then press Fiercely Smooth Face Primer into the T-zone and any textured areas.
- Apply Eye Primer over the lid first to cancel out discoloration before adding any eyeshadow color.
- For the beach wedding look, press the mid-tone of The Cabana 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette onto the lid, dust the lightest shade on the brow bone, then deepen the outer corner and lower lash line with the darkest shade using a smudge brush.
- Curl lashes before lining, then line close to the base of the lashes in small strokes, stopping about three-quarters of the way and lifting the outer corner upward.
- Finish eyes with Volume Up Mascara applied from the base of the lashes, choosing black or brown depending on the look.
- Color correct with Just Peachy Color Corrector and No Redness Color Corrector, then buff BB Crème over the skin with the Foundation Buffing Brush.
- Warm the face using the backwards-three placement with Crème Brûlée or Classic Beach Glow, add a cream blush, and finish lips with a lip gloss layered under a lipstick for a sheer wash of color.
- For the garden party look, build on the beach base: swap in Fresh Beauty 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette, line with a plum waterproof eyeliner pencil for a soft smoky base, and layer pink lipsticks for an ombré lip.
- For black tie, deepen the eye with Rewrite The Rules 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette using the same press-and-build method for a smoky finish, then apply a bold lipstick with a lip brush for precision and top with a lip gloss for shine.
- Soft set underneath the eyes at the end using Nikita Banana Brightening Powder with the Soft Set Technique™ Brush.
How should you prep your skin before wedding makeup?
Nikol starts with completely bare skin, using a hydrating toner, then a day cream. From there she presses Fiercely Smooth Face Primer into her skin, starting in the T-zone and any areas with texture, since that's where she wants everything applied afterward to look smooth, especially for photos.
She notes the primer is hydrating and grippy rather than slippery, so a BB crème or tinted moisturizer applied over it holds on and lasts through a long wedding day.
How do you create a bronzy eye for a beach wedding?
Nikol's go-to for a beach wedding is The Cabana 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette. She always starts with Eye Primer on the lid to neutralize any discoloration so the eyeshadow color isn't altered underneath. She presses the middle shade onto the lid starting in the center, then tapers it into the inner and outer corners rather than sweeping the brush back and forth.
For more color she suggests Le Bottled Blonde 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette as a richer step up, or Strong Brew 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette if you prefer a fully matte, low-sheen finish instead of shimmer.
What's a good eyeliner and mascara technique for mature eyes?
Nikol curls her lashes before lining so she doesn't disturb the liner afterward. She lines right at the base of the lashes in short strokes rather than trying to draw one continuous line, stopping about three-quarters of the way toward the inner corner and lifting the outer end up slightly for a subtle lift.
For a softer finish on the lower lash line, she uses a smudge brush to blur the line right after applying it rather than leaving it stark. She finishes with Volume Up Mascara applied from the base of the lashes, going slowly rather than pumping the wand, which she says helps avoid clumping.
How do you finish a soft, bronzed beach wedding complexion and lip?
After the eyes, Nikol color corrects with Just Peachy Color Corrector under the eyes and No Redness Color Corrector over any redness in the center of the face, then buffs BB Crème over everything with the Foundation Buffing Brush, starting with a small amount.
For bronzer, she sweeps Crème Brûlée (or Classic Beach Glow) in a backwards-three motion from the forehead down to the jawline, or simply from the top of the ear straight down if that feels easier. She adds a cream blush over it, then finishes lips by applying a lip gloss first and a lipstick on top, which gives a sheer, stained color rather than full opacity.
How do you build a garden party look without redoing your makeup?
Rather than removing the beach look, Nikol builds on top of it for the garden party option. She swaps the eyeshadow for Fresh Beauty 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette, pressing the mid-tone over the lid, then uses a plum waterproof eyeliner pencil as a soft smoky base before going over it with the darker eyeshadow shade for more depth. Sweet Carol 3-Well Eye Shadow Palette and Naughty Nancy 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette are her other suggested options for this look if you want it deeper.
For the lip, she layers pink lipsticks starting light and building up (for example, Pretty Smart Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #337, then layering in Actually, I Can Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #33 and Fleur Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #34), topping with Upgrade Lip Gloss #94 for extra shine. She points out you can concentrate the color in the center of the lip for an ombré effect or apply it fully for more intensity.
How do you create a smoky eye and bold lip for a black tie wedding?
For black tie, Nikol removes the previous eye color, re-primes with Eye Primer, and moves into Rewrite The Rules 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette for a smoky effect. She uses the same press-and-build technique, taking the darkest shade along the base of the lashes and bringing it up higher than she would for the daytime looks, then softening the edges with an eyeshadow blending brush.
For the lip, she goes bold with Confidence Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick #173, applying it with a lip brush for more precision and cleaning up the edges with a concealer brush, then topping it with Manifest & Glow #183 for added shine. She finishes by soft setting underneath the eyes with Nikita Banana Brightening Powder using the Soft Set Technique™ Brush.
Shop the look
Nikol uses Eye Primer, The Cabana 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette, Le Bottled Blonde 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette, Strong Brew 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette. Explore the eyes collection for more of the pro-aging makeup she created for women over 40.
Frequently asked questions
What eyeshadow palette does Nikol recommend for a beach wedding?
She reaches for The Cabana 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette for a sheer, pretty wash, with Le Bottled Blonde 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette as a richer option or Strong Brew 3-Well Eyeshadow Palette for a fully matte finish.
How do you make eyeliner look soft instead of harsh?
Nikol lines in short strokes close to the base of the lashes, stops short of the inner corner, and smudges the line with a smudge brush right after applying for a softer, less stark finish.
Can you wear a bright lip color without it looking too intense?
Yes—Nikol applies a lip gloss first and the lipstick on top, which mutes the color into more of a stain rather than full, opaque pigment straight from the bullet.
Do you have to remove your makeup between wedding looks?
No. Nikol builds all three looks on top of the same base, changing the eyeshadow, liner color, and lip intensity rather than starting over each time.
Can mature women wear shimmer eyeshadow for a wedding?
Nikol says there are no rules—shimmer is fine as long as it feels good on you; if shimmer highlights texture you don't love, you can default to a matte palette instead.
How does Nikol set her makeup to last through a wedding?
At the end of each look she soft sets underneath the eyes with Nikita Banana Brightening Powder using the Soft Set Technique™ Brush.
