Here is a checklist I have compiled that you can take with you to your local drugstore as well as to department stores and your local Sephora/ULTA. If you practically live on the internet and would rather purchase some items online, I have also included websites where you can get some great, professional makeup and skincare:

Skincare:

The basis to great looking makeup is properly preparing your skin. After taking care of your skin for a couple of weeks, you will be amazed at how much better your makeup will look! Here are the three skin care steps recommended by dermatologists, and the products recommended by them:

Cleanse

•Cetaphil cleanser (drugstore)

Tone

•Witch Hazel (drugstore) note: this item is made by different companies, so you can purchase the drugstore's own brand and it will be just fine.

•JASON red elements Calming Toner (drugstore) If you are looking for something that will get rid of makeup and oils as well as help with collagen production, look no further. JASON makes this toner that is filled with red tea, peptides, copper, witch hazel, and allantoin. 

Moisturize

•Cetaphil moisturizer (drugstore)

•Graftobian Oxyderm Moisturizer (www.camerareadycosmetics.com) This moisturizer is found in the makeup kits of many professional makeup artists. 2-Time Emmy Award winning makeup artist and dear friend K.J. Bennett says “Finally, a Pro makeup company has come up with a skincare product that isn't an afterthought.  This stuff actually works!
OxyDerm can be used on all skin types, is a perfect pre-makeup base and has some awesome skincare benefits.” That gives it an A+ in my book!

•Burt’s Bee’s Radience Day Crème with Royal Jelly (drugstore/ULTA) Those who enjoy organic skincare, the entire Burt’s Bee’s line is right up your ally. It’s the facial moisturizer I personally use. Royal Jelly contains 8 essential amino acids, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, D and E. It truly is a really lovely moisturizer.

Foundations

This is the one item that you should spend the most money and time on. It makes all the difference in the way your skin will read on photographs of your Big Day.

•Smashbox (Sephora/ULTA or department store) There is a new liquid foundation that is formulated to work with the flash of a camera. It is called High Definition Healthy Fx Foundation. They also have a great lighter liquid foundation called Studio Seamless Liquid Foundation. If you are not comfortable with a liquid foundation, I recommend their Conversion Cream to Powder Foundation, or their Wet/Dry Powder Foundation. This is a line used by many professional makeup artists.

•Benefit (Sephora, ULTA, or department store) I recommend the Playsticks. They are a concealer and foundation in one, thus cutting down on the time and amount of product you are putting on your skin.

•Nixie Full Coverage Crème Foundation (www.nixiecosmetics.com) A newcomer on the professional makeup scene, Nixie has gained popularity very quickly. Their full coverage crème foundation is absolutely delightful as it is so smooth and soft. A little goes a long way, and if you need help choosing a color, the customer service is excellent.

Powders

•Sally Hansen Cornsilk Powders (drugstore/ULTA) If you start out with a good foundation, you only need to set it with a loose powder. These powders are great because they are colorless, and you can slip a pressed one into your bag to blot out shine.

•Cinema Secrets Ultralucent Loose Powder (www.cinemasecrets.com) Another makeup artist favorite from Cinema Secrets. This super soft powder sets makeup like a dream and won’t cake up with continual use. For pale to medium skin tones I recommend soft custard and for darker skin tones, rich tan. Mary will also give you free shipping for orders over $40 dollars. What a deal!

Blush

•Rimmel London Mono Blush (drugstore/ULTA) I love this blush! It is very subtle and pretty, with very slight shimmer. Camera friendly and it will give you an innocent glow your wedding day. I personally own all the colors and I love them.

•Bourjois Pastel Joues Blush (Sephora/ULTA or www.bourjoisusa.com/face/blush) Another one of my favorites, these blushes are radiance in a pot. If you are looking for a subtle wash of color that imparts and soft focus glow, you’ve found your blush. Excellent for brides with outdoor weddings.

•Tarte Cheekstains (Sephora/ULTA) This past spring/summer the trend was to have a dewy “fresh face”. I used and absolutely fell for these little gel blushes. They also work fabulously for vintage looks. An added bonus is that they are also great for using as a highlighter on your cheekbones.

Eyes:

Primer

•Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (Sephora/ULTA) So many makeup artists tell me that they love this product. It’s so good, that the eyeshadow will not budge once set. Sounds perfect for all you brides-to-be!

Shadow

•Milani (drugstore/ULTA) These shadows are actually quite nice, especially when used a primer. They are also readily available at your local drugstore.

• Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes (Sephora/department store) For those brides who are going for a natural-to-slightly smokey eye, this kit is all you need. It has four shadows to create a beautiful, contoured but natural eye along with directions so you can perfect your look.

•Nixie Mineral Eyeshadow (www.nixiecosmetics.com) This is my new favorite professional eyeshadow. These little gems contain Italian talc which makes them super soft and very easy to blend. They have over a hundred colors, and I love everyone I have. They range from matte to shimmer, but they all photography very well.

Eyeliner

•L'oreal HIP Cream Eyeliners (drugstore/ULTA) Hands down, these are the best eyeliners for your money that I have tried. Sure, other brands have similar products, but if you want to save a few dollars, I would highly recommend these. They are creamy and go on smoothly and once they set, they will not budge.

•Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eyeliner (drugstore/ULTA) These are perfect for getting a slightly softer, smudgy sexy line. I love these to rim the eyes with as well as to “smoke out” a smokey eye. You can take an eyeliner brush to blend it into your shadow without streaking. An all-around great pencil liner.

Mascara

•Maybelline Lash Stylist (drugstore) Make sure you get this in the waterproof formulation. For super separated and thicker lashes, this is a great product. I suggest this if you are looking for a slightly more dramatic look.

•Maybelline Define-A-Lash (drugstore) This is a great mascara for a more natural look. Soft natural makeup looks will pair well with this mascara.

•Diorshow Mascara, Lancome Fatale or Lancome Hypnôse Waterproof (department store) If you want to splurge on something nice, these are luxury brand must haves!

•Bourjois Oui to Volume Mascara (ULTA/Sephora) Wow! Talk about volume! My lashes are never as long as when I use this mascara. For brides who want more dramatic lashes, this is your mascara.

Lips:

Lipstick

•Revlon Super Lustrous® Lipstick (drugstore/ULTA) A makeup artist staple for many years, these are tried and true lipsticks. With a rainbow of colors to choose from, you are sure to find a color you love.

•Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick (drugstore) Even though these lipsticks are long lasting, they glide on very smoothly and contain quite a bit of moisture for lasting lipsticks.

•Chanel or Lancome (department store) Any type of lipstick from these two luxury brands are great if you want to splurge on a lipstick. With an array of beautiful colors and finishes, the possibilities are endless.

Lipgloss

•Milani Lustrous Lipgloss (drugstore) I find myself using these lipglosses more often then not. Not only do they smell and taste nice, impart a beautiful finish, but they are only $5! What a steal!

•Bobby Brown Lipgloss (department store) These glosses are super tacky and will not leave your lips. I would suggest this brand if you are going to have your hair styled up or will be indoors for your wedding.

•Chanel Glossimer Lipgloss (department store) I love these glosses so much! Each color is absolutely beautiful and it’s like wearing satin on your lips. Need I say more?

Extras:

•Model in a Bottle sealer spray (salons, Sephora) You will want to set your makeup once you are done applying to ensure it will last through pictures and the first dance. While it may feel a little sticky while drying, it is well worth the results.

•Oil blotting papers (drugstores, beauty supply stores) Some brides (especially summer ones!) will experience oily breakthrough after a few hours. This is normal, and instead of constantly taking time out to apply powder, you can quickly blot a couple of areas with these papers and save the powder for bathroom breaks.

•Benefit She-Laq (department store, Sephora) If you are only wearing lipstick, then I suggest picking some of this up. It is a sealer that comes with brushes to totally seal your eyeliner, mascara and lipstick. Apply generously and allow to dry.