Finding an asian bridal makeup artist is easy, especially in London and the surrounding areas, as there are hundreds to choose from. Knowing how to find the right one is the greater challenge. They will be helping you get ready for the most important day of your life. You should feel that they are professional, efficient, reliable and trustworthy. On the actual day they will help you feel relaxed, confident and beautiful.
Whether your budget is high or low here are some tips to help you. First and foremost you should check whether the makeup artist is available for the dates and times of your wedding functions (asian weddings such as Indian, Pakistani, Bengali, etc can last several days incorporating different functions on each day).
A reputable makeup artist should have a website rather than just Facebook and or Instagram. This is important as it will give additional information about the makeup artists work, services, and terms and conditions. Make sure you read and understand the terms and conditions and jot down any questions you may have.
Do not leave the task of finding the makeup artist till the last minute. Ideally you should book your makeup artist six to eight months in advance. This is so that you can get advice about any beauty treatments or programmes you may need to go on to prep your skin, so that it looks at its best by the wedding day. Your foundation and overall makeup will look better if you have taken steps to look after your skin, subsequently making you feel more beautiful and more confident. It is true that the quality of the foundation used by the bridal makeup artist will be better than the one you use on yourself daily, but at the end of the day it is only makeup not a magical cure for all skin conditions.
The website should have a portfolio or gallery of pictures showing the makeup artists work on models or real brides. If they have YouTube videos it is even better. Scrutinise the pictures carefully to assess how versatile the makeup artist is. If they have used models with the same features each time or have pictures of clients with similar features to the models, ask yourself whether this shows any skill with applying makeup on clients with different features or not. For example your eye shape, face shape, etc may be different, you might have a round face requiring special contouring techniques to create balance, you might not have almond shaped eyes but have monolid eyes, etc.
The website should also give information about which brands of makeup will be used. If there are some brands which you are not familiar with, an experienced makeup artist should be able to explain why they prefer to use those and be willing to share their knowledge of makeup with you.
Be sensible about your hair and makeup budget. As the bride the attention will be on you, so naturally you need to look your best. If you go too cheap the results may not be as good. The makeup artist may be charging less because they may be less experienced or may not be using the best makeup brands. If on the other hand you hire an expensive makeup artist, you are paying for the name and not the quality of the makeup used. The final look may not be any different to that achieved by a less well known makeup artist charging less.
The portfolio should also show the makeup artists versatility in different makeup styles. A good asian bridal makeup artist should have pictures of theit work on non asians as well as asians. If all you see is the same makeup look replicated on every model or bride, ask yourself whether they will be able to give you different looks for each of your functions.
The reliability and professionalism of the makeup artist should be apparent from the outset i.e. your initial enquiry whether by text, email, or phone call. The speed with which you receive an answer will demonstrate not only reliability and professionalism but also efficiency. This is very important if you want things to run smoothly on your wedding day.
Good communication with the makeup artist is very important too. The makeup artist can only deliver the results you expect if you explain fully what your requirements are. Remember the makeup artist is seeing you for the first time and is not a mind reader, they are dependant on you for information about your taste in makeup. To help them understand better you may want to collect pictures from magazines or the internet of makeup looks that appeal to you, as the saying goes ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’.
During the trial or phone consultation an experienced makeup artist should ask you questions to gain knowledge of your preferences i.e. whether you normally wear makeup, if so whether your makeup style is bold or natural etc. Some people want to look different on their wedding day whilst others want to look like themselves but enhanced. If in case your chosen makeup look is not suitable for your features or will not make you look your best, a good makeup artist should offer suggestions about alternatives. There is a difference between a makeup artist being arrogant and forcing their opinion on you, and a knowledgeable one who can guide you towards achieving the best results.
Other useful information which the makeup artist will ask about is whether your wedding has a theme and the colour scheme, as these factors could also influence the type of makeup look suitable for you i.e. bollywood glam, contemporary, traditional, etc. Whether during the trial or on the actual day, a good makeup artist should consult you during different stages of the makeup application to find out if you are happy with the makeup or if you want changes to be made (you should have access to a mirror). Again, if what you want is not possible, the makeup artist should offer suggestions about alternatives, explaining why their suggestions might be better for you. Steer clear of any that are not willing to listen to you. Remember you are the client and getting ready on the wedding day should be seamless and fun. Having a good rapport with the makeup artist can make a big difference.
At Asian Bridal Looks we train students to be great makeup artists and help you discover a more confident and beautiful you. Our courses are insurable, certified, and accredited by the The Guild, the UK’s professional trade body for Beauty Therapists. We train makeup artists in different styles of makeup from subtle to bold, from traditional to contemporary makeup looks, so that they can have a great career while making their clients feel listened to as they make them look beautiful in the process.
Yet another very informative blog. Learnt so much while reading it.
Thank you.