As important as it is for your hair to look its best on your wedding day, it's just as necessary for your face to show that you're glowing with happiness. Though some women have the ability to throw on a little lip gloss and mascara and look their absolute best, most of the rest of us need a little help smoothing out the rough edges and perfecting that look of imperfection. Our tools: the cosmetic bag and its contents.

Subtle Magic

Some women are opposed to makeup on principle, thinking that it's ridiculous for society to expect its female members to paint their faces when men can walk around looking pale and drawn and no one seems to care. If this sounds like your set of beliefs concerning makeup, this book isn't going to argue the point. But when it comes to your wedding day, maybe you could open your mind just a little to consider these points:

• You're going to have your picture taken over and over and over again throughout the course of the day.

• A little bit of well-placed makeup can effectively camouflage flaws, such as dark circles under your eyes or redness on your cheeks — flaws that tend to show up more in pictures than in real life.

• This doesn't have to be a lifelong commitment; just try it to see.

No one is suggesting that you go from wearing no makeup to caking it on. Remember, you want to look natural — and like yourself — on the big day and in the photos. Experiment with just the basics first:

• Concealer. Choose a shade that's close to your skin color and use it to hide under-eye circles.

• Foundation. Use a makeup sponge to apply foundation to your cheeks. It should just even out the skin tone. A little foundation goes a long way; just make sure it's blended at the jawline so that your neck and face appear to be the same color.

• Lip color. The rest of your face can appear bright and youthful, but if your lips are colorless, you'll end up looking washed out in pictures. If lip color isn't your thing, choose a subtle shade of lip gloss and try it out for a few days. When you're comfortable, experiment with other shades of gloss and with lipstick.

• Mascara. If you're not a regular user of mascara, you'll be amazed at how long your lashes can appear with one swipe of the wand. Always use a brow brush to separate lashes (and get rid of clumps) after applying mascara.

• Blush. A carefully blended dab of blush on each cheek, and you're all set. Again, a little goes a long way with these products, and you can make yourself look finished without appearing overdone.

• Eye shadow. A smidge of color is all you need to make your eyes appear brighter and more open. Darker colors go on the lid and in the crease; lighter shades are blended up to the brow bone.

• Eye liner. No one's suggesting that you outline your eyes with a black kohl pencil. A light lining of the lower lid defines your eyes and really makes them pop in pictures.

If makeup is relatively new to you, start experimenting with colors and products well before your wedding day. Ask your friends and family for their honest evaluation — and their help!

Get Professional Assistance

Maybe the idea of experimenting with makeup on your own leaves you feeling shaky. You don't know the first thing about color or application, and you don't really trust anyone you know to show you how to do the job the right way. Get your handbag and your shoes; we're going to the cosmetics counter.

When you enter the store, choose a consultant whose makeup looks like what you'd like to achieve with your own face. She will be more likely to listen to your concerns about not looking overly made-up than will the woman whose eyes are done in three very distinct shades of eye shadow. Your consultant will have ideas of her own for your face; if you have any thoughts on the issue of color, speak up before she starts applying products. Also, it's courteous to purchase something from her when she's finished with your makeover; just make sure it's something you want to own.

When you've achieved the perfect balance of natural glow and woman-made beauty, note which products you like best and then practice, practice, practice! You really will get the hang of it fairly quickly, and your wedding pictures will show your expertise.