Selecting Your Makeup Artist | Fresh Face Artistry
By Rachel Sylvester, Owner/Makeup Artist of Fresh Face Artistry
Yay, Congratulations, your big day is just around the corner! At this point, the ball is rolling and plans are under way for your perfect celebration, and you’ve likely already chosen your first few top vendors (Venue, Photographer, and Caterer). Well just like your big vendors, the smaller ones like Makeup and Hair also book up quickly, especially those who are in high demand!! So though you may feel inclined to wait and book those ones down the road, save yourself the heartache and begin to book ALL your favourites right away.
Your wedding makeup is just as important as the wedding dress you’ve selected! After all, you will be wearing both for an entire day of partying, dancing and celebrations. So here are some helpful tips to consider when selecting the perfect fit for your Bridal Makeup Artist.
- Consider your overall Bridal Beauty vision – When researching the perfect makeup artist, it’s very important to first think about the look and style you envision for your special day. Are you wanting a soft and fresh makeup look, something more traditional, or a full-on Glam bridal moment? Consider things like your personal style and aesthetic, how much makeup do you currently wear on a day-to-day basis, what is your comfort level with wearing makeup, and ultimately, what is the style direction of your wedding day? Think about the style of your dress, the way you might want to wear your hair, and the other colour and visual elements of your wedding day décor. A helpful tool in finding some inspiration and clarity around your ultimate look is to utilize Pinterest and create a specific bridal beauty board. That way you can gain some detailed insight you’re the path you might want to go down with your makeup on your big day. From here, once you have some clarity around your beauty vision, it’s next crucial to check out a potential artist’s gallery of work to see if that artist has a consistent style represented which aligns with your vision. Every artist has their own flair and artistic preference, that’s what makes each one so unique! Some are focussed solely on very natural makeup, while others like to go in the full glam direction, and some like to do a bit of everything, more focussing on the individuality of their clients. This will help you to hone in on the artists which might be best for you and make your search more manageable.
2. Reputable – This seems like an obvious point, and to be honest a slightly awkward one to even bring up, but it’s a very important component that is sometimes overlooked. Please make sure to scope out potential artists on as many platforms you can. Their website, Instagram, Facebook page (especially the review section), google reviews (if they have any, not all do) and recommendations from other vendors and or previous brides you might know. Check out all the avenues as you don’t rely on just one source for reviews, as these can sometimes be skewed. You want someone who is VERY reliable, trustworthy and genuine. You want an artist who you can trust to show up on the most important day of your life and not only perform their services but do an exceptional job, and care for you along the way. A tiny bit of time in researching previous experiences from potential artists will be so valuable in helping to guide you to the right artist for you.
3. Budget – Every couple’s overall budget for their big day is so different! How you decide to allocate your budget is completely up to you and should reflect the elements of your wedding day which are most important to you both, and of course, needs to be something that YOU are comfortable with. That being said, the makeup artist you select can directly impact several other aspects of your day. You want your makeup to last through a full day of festivities, to be appropriately applied to meet your specific needs and bridal vision and it should enhance your overall wedding day experience. Also, keep in mind you will be photographed throughout your day, at varying angles and lighting situations. You want your makeup to be amazing in all your photos and meet the quality of your pictures so you love looking back at them for years to come! In general, within the Okanagan, mobile bridal makeup artists can range in rates anywhere from $250-$600 for bridal makeup and $100-$200 for Bridal party makeup. Some may have a minimum service rate as well, so be sure to also ask that question too.
Here are a few key components when it comes to the rate of your makeup artist:
a) Years of experience actively working in the industry- how long have they been in the industry? How many years of bridal-specific artistry?
b) What brands and quality of products do they stock in their makeup kit? Do they use high end/pro lines of makeup (Make Up For Ever, Dior, Hourglass, Laura Mercier to name a few) or do they use mostly inexpensive products? The higher the quality they choose to use on their clients, the higher their rates may be.
c) Beauty Education and continuing training investment- Have they attend an accredited makeup school, do they continue to invest in their development to better their craft and services provided?
d) Exactly what is included in their services?? Do they include the day of makeup in their initial rate, do they offer a trial, is the trial rate separate, or is it all included? These are super important questions to ask, as for example, their base rate could be $250 + an additional $250 for the bridal trial. Are false lashes included in their services or are those extra? Some artists will include these in their rates, others may not. What is included for Bridal party makeup as well?? All things you want to be made very clear and which affect the individual artist’s rate.
So many other things factor in as well (like time commitment, months of emailing, keeping tools and products up to date and sanitized, knowledge of sanitation protocols and practices, etc.) but these will give you a good basis to make an informed decision and to better understand the rate of a makeup artist. Also, please keep in mind, like with any service or vendor; you get what you pay for! This is a very important day and you’ve likely already invested in several other aspects for this to be the day you have always dreamt of. A well-experienced, prepared, and dedicated makeup artist, who can pamper you + help take care of your beauty needs is a vital piece of the wedding day pie, and is one that you don’t want to skimp on!!
4. Business License, Insurance and Contracts – Ok, so the less fun and not so glamorous parts of selecting a wedding vendor, the business side of things. Though they aren’t as much fun to think about or discuss with a potential vendor, they are again important elements to be aware of, and often times differentiate a PRO vendor from a hobbyist. All of these pieces protect not only the vendor, but you as the client as well. Does your potential makeup artist have a local business license to operate their business in the city where you’ll be married? Do they provide a contract that outlines their services (all that’s included with their service) as well as their terms, conditions and agreements, and policies? Do they have a cancellation policy, if so what does it outline? Do they have business insurance in place to protect their investment as well as their clients? I know it can sometimes feel strange to bring these things up, but please do! It’s more information that will help you to make the best-informed decision about the right fit for you.
5. Communication + Connection – When in the process of selecting the perfect makeup artist for your big day, don’t forget about connection!! What type of connection do you want to feel with your vendors and what is your feeling upon your initial interaction with them? In my opinion, this is one of the single most important factors when deciding upon any vendor, not just as it applies to your bridal artist. Remember that you are planning this event, typically, quite far in advance, often times booking your vendors 1-2 years before your big day. They are committing to you and you to them, a fair bit of time quite far ahead, and within this time you are also creating a relationship. Is this person someone you can trust, do their values align with yours, does their artistry style align with your vision and is this someone you feel comfortable with? Your makeup artist is often the first vendor you see on your wedding morning and spends on average 2-6 hours with you on the day of (depending on number of services required). It’s important that you can build a relationship with them and that you feel comfortable and at ease in their presence. There will be so many different emotions and feelings that pop up during the wedding morning. Things can sometimes feel hectic and busy as the energy flows from and with those around you. So having your makeup artist not only provide a makeup service, but also support with the flow and tone of the morning, helping you to feel excited though relaxed, plays a vital role in setting the vibe for the rest of your day!!
I hope these top tips will help offer you some support and guide you in finding the perfect makeup artist for your special day.
With warmth,
Rachel Sylvester
www.freshfaceartistry.com