Tips for choosing your Wedding Makeup Artist

Booking your wedding makeup artist is no small decision; after all, you have to be able to trust your artist to deliver the goods on your special day.

Makeup is such a personal thing and there is no ‘one size fits all’, what suits one bride might not be suitable for another and the definition of of ‘natural’ might differ greatly from one bride to another. It’s so important to make sure that can put your trust into your makeup artist to make you look and feel beautiful for your big day. Here are some helpful tips when looking for your perfect fit.

Take a trial
Having a makeup trial is the perfect way to find out whether your chosen artist is the kind of artist that you’d like for your big day. You need to find somebody who you feel at ease with and who will listen to your requirements and help to create your perfect look. It’s always useful if you have a few ideas prior to your trial that you can show to your makeup artist. This helps them to get a good idea of the kind of look you’d like and gives them something to work towards. If you really aren’t sure what you’d like, talk through the options with your artist and ask for their opinion on the colours and styles that will suit you. Remember, your trial is all about trying things out to determine what you like, it’s your chance to experiment. A great makeup artist will spend the time to discuss your look with you, suggest ideas and come up with the goods. They should also be able to tailor the products to suit your skin type – for example, a bride with oily skin getting married in the summer will need to have their skin properly prepped with an oil controlling moisturiser and mattifyer to ensure that their makeup hasn’t slipped off by midday.

Be honest
Don’t be afraid to tell your makeup artist if you really don’t like something they have applied. Not happy with your brows? Tell them. Personally, I’d be gutted if I thought my clients weren’t happy with my work but were too afraid or embarrassed to tell me. By telling your artist what you aren’t so keen on, they can work to correct it and give you something that you are happy with. If they don’t know, they can’t change it for you.

Check your Makeup Artist’s insurance
In a perfect scenario, your big day will arrive and your makeup artist will show up to make you look and feel beautiful with no glitches at all. In reality, things can go wrong. It’s so important to make sure that you can fully trust in your makeup artist and have peace of mind, which is why it’s really important to book an artist who is fully insured by a professional body such as BABTAC – The British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology.

 

Is your makeup artist fully trained?
I know of quite a few amazing (and famous) makeup artists who are completely self-taught. However, having a makeup artist who has been fully trained in the art and who has some great experience behind them is always an added bonus. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they are better, it just means they’re more likely to be up to speed on new developments or techniques and are more likely to be insured. Most professional insurance companies require evidence of training and certificates. Please do not book a makeup artist for your special day if they are not insured. Cover your back under all circumstances.

Consider the cost
We get what we pay for, and if your makeup artist is charging you £50 for both the trial and the on-the-day makeup, it might be time to question how good they are and whether their products are up to the mark. Professional makeup artists spend a wealth of time building up their kit, expanding their knowledge and paying out for insurance to protect both you and themselves. You are not just paying for their time, but for their expertise and skills and the peace of mind. If something is too good to be true, it usually is.

Check out the brands that your artist uses
Professional makeup artists will use professional products that are high in quality and perform well. If you are paying well for your makeup artistry on your trial and on your actual day, you should expect a kit full of professional products and not a bargain basement selection. It’s important that your makeup artist uses reliable products that are unlikely to cause an allergic reaction on your skin. My own kit consists of the likes of Charlotte Tilbury, MAC, Graftobian, Ben Nye and Illamasqua.

Hygiene
Any professional makeup artist should have a clean kit ready for each client. Ensure that your artist has clean, sanitised brushes ready for your makeup application and that the brushes are cleaned between each persons makeup. Dirty makeup kits and unclean brushes can spread bacteria and cause breakouts and allergic reactions – professionals will deep clean brushes after every set of clients and should also clean off brushes with a quick cleaning spray before each person in your party. If you think your artist isn’t working hygienically, then please speak up. Ultimately, it’s you who could suffer the consequences.

Take a look at their website
Most professionals will have a fully functioning website and even a Facebook and Twitter page. Take a look at their gallery of images and look at any reviews left on their site by past clients. Contact a few of the people who have left reviews and ask for their opinion if you feel that you’d like the extra reassurance.

A few additional tips for brides-to-be

• Have your makeup artist take a before and after shot for reference for your big day.
• Make sure your makeup artist has a clean space to work in with plenty of natural daylight. If you aren’t visiting your artist’s studio for your trial or bridal makeup, it’s so important to make sure that you have a good space for your artist to be able to work in. Natural lighting will show any flaws in the makeup and allow your artist to match your foundation perfectly to your skin.
• Purchase the lipstick and pressed powder that your artist will be using so that you can touch your makeup up throughout the day.
• Get into a great skincare routine to ensure that your skin looks fabulous ready for your big day. Beautiful makeup relies on a good base.
• Bridal makeup can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour or even longer. Give yourself and your artist plenty of time to apply your makeup and perfect your look. Rushing things and being under extra pressure can lead to mistakes. Your wedding morning should be exciting and enjoyable, relax and enjoy every minute.

© This post is copyright of Rachael Divers 2014.