I have worked in the make-up industry for over eight years. My initial experience was gained whilst working in London's West End. I began working for Colour Houses such as Urban Decay and Lancôme where I gained valuable knowledge and experience in colour placement and application. Working for Fashion brands at some point in a makeup artist's career is vital I feel as it ensures that the looks we create for clients are fashion forward and current but also keeps us in touch with the latest products and cosmetics innovations.
After working for luxury brands for a few years I was very lucky to be awarded a role with Christian Dior as the key Makeup artist for Ireland. This was a huge position with enormous opportunity to work with massive key industry players...it forced my skill set into a whole new place as well as my makeup standards. Since then I have continued to work in the industry for large brands and on a freelance basis also. Most recently I have decided to work independently for a while to re-evaluate my style and identity within the industry.
This gives me the opportunity to work more closely with people that use makeup not so much as a day to day essential but more so for special occasions such as Weddings and formal events. Weddings are a huge deal and it's always an honour to be invited to play a role in a bride's important day. There are a lot of considerations that must be made when preparing for a wedding makeup application that can often be overlooked.
Here are a few tips I feel can benefit other artists or members of the bridal party to ensure a successful and smooth running on the morning of the big day.
HINTS & TIPS
Light is extremely important wherever the application is taking place and it must be natural light where possible. This is to ensure there are no misjudgements in choice of makeup colours and blending that once are exposed to the light of day look entirely different to the initial application.
Time is vital...always make sure enough time is given to each member of the bridal party for often necessary touch ups or potential last minute tweaks. All makeup artists work at different speeds of course but the average time per head is usually 30-45 minutes...I would try where possible to ensure the Bride has a full hour as she is after all, the focus of the day.
When it comes to bridal makeup looks these days there is a very different attitude to that which we may have seen a few years ago. Couples are taking much bigger risks to personalise their days and make them unique. The same applies to the fashion/hair and makeup. There is not one bridal template that fits all...many tutorials or teachers will tell us there is but I strongly disagree with this approach.
The last thing a bride wants is to look like a mannequin...design and create a look that is individual to the Bride that does not mask her features but enhances them. The last thing the Groom wants is to say his 'I dos' to a woman he doesn't recognise. Be brave though, try a red lip with a gold eye, winged liner and a fuchsia lip, and just keep it relevant to the individual.
If I could give any advice to the bridal party in preparation for a makeup artist it would be to hydrate the skin well in advance, drink only water the week of the big day and ditch the booze. The better the skin, the better the makeup its a very good way to look at it.
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