I Did My Own Wedding Makeup—And *This* Foundation Stayed Put Through 18 Hours of Miami Heat

From the moment that my husband and I started planning our wedding, I knew I wanted to do my own bridal makeup. Disclaimer: I’m not and have never been a glam expert, I just knew I wanted to feel like myself on my wedding day, and I also just thoroughly enjoy putting on makeup.

Though plenty of people tried to convince me out of it, positing that it would only stress me out and that it wouldn’t last the entire day and night, I doubled down and did my homework. I knew my foundation would be the single most important piece of my wedding day makeup, so after hours of research, I landed on the following criteria. I needed my foundation to feel breathable on my skin, photograph well, and most importantly, survive long hours in the heat and humidity—because we got married in Miami in September (which is still pretty much summer in the South), outside.

Enter the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation ($69). The best-selling, oil-free foundation is beloved by makeup artists, beauty influencers, and glam enthusiasts everywhere for its buildable, medium coverage that serves stunning looks for special events and everyday wear alike. I knew I couldn’t possibly try out wedding foundations without trying this iconic favorite first. Lo and behold, it outperformed the other foundations I tested by a landslide—and wore beautifully for all 18 of the sun, sweat, tears, and rain-filled hours of my wedding day.

Armani Beauty, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Flawless Oil-Free Foundation — $69.00

It has a flawless and lightweight finish

Jaleesa Jaikaran, a professional makeup artist whose client list includes Sheila Atim, Princess Nokia, and top-model Jourdan Dunn among others, says Luminous Silk has been a longtime favorite of hers and her clients. “Firstly, the shade range is amazing, and I’m able to match my lightest to deepest complexions with it,” she says. “It’s also known to wear and look fantastic on the red carpet.”

And while I didn’t walk a red carpet at my wedding, the Luminous Silk foundation looked great as I (happily) cried my way down the aisle in the 90-degree heat. The result was exactly what I was looking for—natural and airbrushed—yet somehow managed to look even better as my skin’s oils started to come through. Any sweat caused by the persistent humidity was camouflaged by Luminous Silk’s radiant (but not greasy) finish. And it also looked amazing in the photos if I do say so myself, with zero flashback or dreaded lines of demarcation from my jaw to my neck.

It’s oil-free

What’s more, I didn’t have to worry about it causing any pesky breakouts, because the formula is 100 percent oil-free. “[Because it] is an oil free formula, I trust it with all of my clients across skin types,” Jaleesa explains—though if you’re on the drier side, you might want to opt for a hydrating primer or prep your skin with a rich moisturizer.

It applies like a dream

True to its name, the Luminous Silk Foundation applies as smoothly as silk, probably due to the brand’s Micro–fil™ technology that allows pigment to be seamlessly layered without looking cake-y. I applied it with a makeup brush to reap the benefits of the foundation’s medium coverage, then bopped over it with a makeup sponge for a seamless look. And I don’t mean to brag about my skills, but Jaleesa recommends doing the same. “I opt for a combination of brushes and sponges,” she says, “I like to apply the product with a brush so you can control how much product you are actually using and then use a sponge like a Beauty Blender, to help blend the product down and melt it into the skin.”

After putting the Luminous Silk Foundation through the ultimate test, I can confirm that it is 100 percent worth the hype. So if you’ve got a special occasion coming up (hint hint: the holidays), or are on the hunt for a foundation fit for everyday glam, you can’t go wrong adding this MUA-approved foundation to your Sephora cart.

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