Mother-of-the-Bride Beauty: A Mom's Guide to the Best Skincare, Hair, and Makeup Products

Jean Prokos couldn’t have been more elated to see her only daughter wed on the coast of Athens this past July. For Prokos, who is in her 60s, creating a glam look that could withstand the summer humidity was a bit of a daunting task, though worth the effort. “I think every mother of the bride wants to stand out a bit—you’re celebrating your child entering a new chapter in her life and you want it to feel special.” As the mother of the bride, Prokos wanted a look that was more elevated than usual, but still felt natural and comfortable.  “My everyday approach [to glam] is easy maintenance. I tend to keep things simple,” she tells Brides. “The church, despite its promises, wasn't air conditioned in 90-degree heat. And at the venue, which overlooked the sea, there was quite a bit of wind. Such is summer in Greece!” 

Ahead, this mother of the bride details how she created a look around her dress, every product she used to prep her skin prior to the wedding, as well as her day-of skincare, haircare, and makeup routine. Getting glam as the mother-of-the-bride is an endeavor, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve done it—so we’ve sourced tried and true tips from a mother of the bride who pulled it off beautifully, and on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, nonetheless.

How This Mother of the Bride Created Her Look

Prokos notes that the hardest part of creating the look was getting started. “I wanted to build the look around the dress,” she says. Finding the perfect mother of the bride dress to match her expectations was a challenge.  “With the setting in mind, I envisioned my dress to be light, soft, and flowy. I must have ordered 25 dresses and returned them until I found the one I wanted.”  In the end, she went with a silk sweetheart neck dress in Marseille Bleu by Alberta Ferretti. (We couldn’t find an exact match, but this draped off-the shoulder midi dress from Rosario or this strapless column gown from Clotilde has a similar aesthetic.) 

Hero Product: Clotilde Strapless Column Gown

Shop now: saksfifthavenue.com 

Mother-of-the-Bride Skincare Routine—Prepping for the Big Day

Prokos maintains an everyday skincare routine that's pretty streamlined. “I cleanse with SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser and apply a vitamin C serum, then I moisturize with Cerave Eye Repair Cream and Cerave Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen. I'm not the best about following a routine in the evening, but as often as possible, I follow a similar regimen: I use Cerave's Hydrating Facial Cleanser and apply a retinol serum before my Cerave Moisturizing Lotion.”

Hero Product: SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser

Shop now: amazon.com

Prior to the wedding, Prokos did indulge in some med-spa treatments to feel more confident about the texture and clarity of her skin. “To prep my skin before the wedding, I had four sessions of radiofrequency microneedling, the last one having been three months before the big day. I felt that the treatments helped to minimize my pores and tighten my skin. I saw a difference in my skin tone, too; it felt brighter. I also did a hydrafacial one month before the wedding, which only boosted the benefits of the microneedling and cleared out my blackheads.”

Mother-of-the-Bride Haircare Routine

Hero Product: Color Wow Root Cover-Up

Shop now: ulta.com

Like many people, Prokos has a hair texture that tends to get puffy in heat and humidity. “My hair is thick and curly, and I usually wear it down, air-dried. I knew I had to control it, so I worked with my daughter Hayley's hair stylist, Alex Parisis, to create a look that was smooth and wavy—a Veronica Lake vibe.” During the trial run, Parisis introduced Prokos to products that helped her feel confident about a sleek ‘do on the big day.

“For heat protection and shine, he used Komee Hair Oil, then on my wet hair he used L'Oréal Professionnel Anti-Gravity Root Spray for controlled volume before blow-drying it smooth and curling it. At the end, he applied L'Oréal Professionnel Super Dust to my roots and ends for volume and humidity control and L'Oréal Professionnel 6-Fix Extreme Hold for hold and shine.”

“Perhaps the thing I'm most strict about is dying my roots, which I do every few weeks to hide the white,” she tells Brides. She dyed her hair in the States prior to departing for Greece, and relied on what she calls a miracle product. “Alex just touched my roots up with Color Wow Root Cover-Up, a go-to product for me as my hair grows out.”

Mother-of-the-Bride Makeup Routine

Because Prokos favors a natural makeup look most days, she wanted something elevated yet simple for her daughter’s wedding. “For everyday makeup, I use it Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer, which I love for its good coverage and anti-aging ingredients. I also use Maybelline Cheek Heat Blush in Rose Vibrant, L'Oréal Paris Lash Paradise Mascara, and a clear lip balm—that's it.”

Hero Product: It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer

Shop now: amazon.com

One of the goals with her overall look was to complement the aesthetic of Hayley, her daughter, and as the mother and daughter duo worked with the same makeup artist, Panagiotis Karakasis, that wasn’t a problem. “Hayley's look was classic and so elegant. She wore her hair sleek, like Grace Kelly, and kept her makeup simple with a nude shadow, some lower lid liner, and mascara on her eyes.”

Hero Product: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick

Shop now: bobbibrown.com

To prep her skin for a minimalist look, Karakasis applied Lierac Lift Integral Eye Cream and primed her face with Waunt Woke Up Like This Skin Retoucher followed by Sisley Paris Phyto-Hydra Teint Tinted Moisturizer. “For glow, we used Sisley Paris Stylo Lumière and Sisley Paris Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Gel, and he gave my face some color with The One Illuskin Liquid Blusher. On my eyes, he used a Bobbi Brown palette of browns and a brown liner, and he finished with a peachy lipstick by The One.”

In the end, she was incredibly pleased with her glam look—and enjoyed the experience of being pampered. But dressing up with her family, and seeing everyone beaming with happiness gave her the most joy of all. Her advice to mothers of the bride prepping a glam look, especially if it’s been a while serving a look: “Think about what you can do to make yourself feel comfortable, confident, and beautiful that day. And, don't sweat the small stuff.” 

Why Trust Brides

Jill Di Donato is the associate editorial director of Brides for commerce, and has over 15 years experience writing about beauty and fashion. She regularly tests out hundreds of skincare, makeup, and haircare products a year, acquainting her with the best drops on the market.