When it comes to planning for the big day, many brides will choose to forego hiring a professional hair and makeup artist as they’re often unsure about whether it’s a worthwhile investment.
However, given that your makeup and hair needs to look fresh and perfect from morning till night, enlisting the support and expertise of a professional will not only alleviate any unnecessary stress but will also ensure you have the perfect bridal look for your special occasion.
So, to give you an insight into the benefits of hiring a hair and makeup specialist, we talked to two experienced bridal beauty experts about what inspires their work and the makeup essentials you should consider for your wedding day.
Meet the experts
Kristina, Kristina Gasperas Makeup
Winner of the prestigious National Bridal Makeup award at the 2013 Wedding Industry Awards, Kristina is a bridal makeup artist with bags of experience who has trained at some of Europe’s most renowned makeup schools.
“On my wedding day in Lithuania I had my makeup done by one of the best makeup artists in the country – she made me feel and look amazing and almost immediately I realised that I wanted to do this for a living.”
Sally, Orchard Makeup and Beauty
Sally is an award-winning makeup designer who specialises in both bridal and editorial makeup. Over the years, Sally has worked with hundreds of brides and now runs her own professional makeup courses alongside her day-to-day work.
“My last job was running a day spa and I was doing my makeup on weekends, but I was finding my makeup was becoming much busier than my day job so I decided to go into it full time.”
Where do you go for inspiration for bridal makeup and fashion? Who or what is inspiring you at the moment?
Kristina: I take a lot of inspiration from the world of fashion and I’m always checking out which makeup styles are popular on catwalks and at red carpet events.
I also follow top beauty bloggers, successful celebrity makeup artists, fashion photographers and clothes designers, and I like to experiment with different colours, textures and application techniques when I can. I am also a professionally trained photographer so participating in test shoots allows me to really get creative and discover new looks and styles that can work for brides.
Sally: Social media platforms like Pinterest and Instagram are great for checking out different looks. I love Karla Powell's work, Nikkie tutorials and Georgiykot, to name a few.
What is trending right now in the world of bridal hair and makeup?
Kristina: At the moment, I’d say the most popular hairstyles are Hollywood waves or loose buns with chunky braids. Chunky, slightly messy waves are also very much in demand.
Brides are following minimalistic red-carpet beauty looks and are not really going for heavy styling. Instead effortlessly appearing elegant looks are what most are looking for these days. In terms of makeup, Kim Kardashian and her sisters are still very influential. This means nude/natural shading is very popular, as well as expertly sculpted looks, fluttery lash extensions and perfectly shaped nude lip shades.
Sally: Rose gold, metals and shimmer are big right now. I have been using rose gold brush sets a lot recently.
What should a bride have to hand in her makeup bag on the big day?
Kristina: A lipstick touch-up kit, blotting paper or fine powder compact to take away the shine from the T-zone. Also, remember to pack a few tissues to catch the happy tears and a bit of concealer for light touch-ups.
Sally: A lipstick and lip-gloss is always good to top up throughout the day. I also recommend finishing powder to take away any unwanted shine, as this doesn't change the colour of the foundation and doesn't go too cakey.
Are you looking for more insightful tips and advice for your big day? Take a look at our blog and news section for more wedding inspiration.
What advice would you give to brides-to-be on their look for the big day?
Kristina: Pinterest is a fabulous resource for bridal beauty inspiration. Create makeup and hair folders and collect your favourite looks to show to your makeup artist and hair stylist. Look at pictures of celebrities who have a similar skin tone and hair length to yourself – it’ll give you a very good idea of what could potentially work best for you.
It’s also useful to remember that the same amount of makeup on darker skins can look very different on paler complexions.
Sally: I always say don't look at what’s fashionable now, but what will suit your face and the wedding. It’s better to pick something chic and classy that you can look back on in 10 years’ time and not regret. Try to pick a look that’s not too dissimilar to what you usually look like, as you want your fiancé to recognise you as you go down the aisle. Remember to choose a look that is you, but on a really good day. Who can ask for better than that!?
Finally, who would be your dream client?
Kristina: I would love to create a gorgeous look on Cindy Crawford. She’s my ultimate beauty icon and still looking fabulous at 50!
Sally: I love Kate Winslet. She has a timeless quality about her. I think she always looks great.
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