With my bridal trial season beginning at the end of the month, I thought I would share my top tips to help you prepare for your bridal makeup trial.
1.Bring Inspiration Photos
The best way for me to get a feel for the style of bridal makeup you are looking for is through inspiration photos. Whilst these can of course come from places like Pinterest, the best photos for me are ones from my own portfolio! I will then be able to look at what products and shades were used to achieve that look, so it gives me a fantastic starting point to create your unique makeup. Finding makeup looks you don’t like can be equally as helpful – don’t worry, I won’t be offended! Everyone’s preferences are different when it comes to makeup, so learning features that you don’t like is just as helpful as discussing the things you do like.
Extra Tip – If your bridesmaids or mother of the bride/groom are not having trials with me before the big day, ask them to bring along some photos too so I can get a good idea of what they’d like to go for!
2. Wear White
I always recommend for my brides to wear a white or ivory top for their makeup trial. This can help you visualise the full look and help me figure out the best colourings and shades for the big day!
3. Style Your Hair!
Another top tip is to style your hair similarly to how it will be on the big day. Now, this doesn’t have to be anything fancy (I am shocking at hair styling so you can trust me when I say I will never judge!) but if you are having your hair up in a bun for the wedding day, try putting it up before your trial. If you’re planning to have it down, keep it down! This tip goes hand in hand with wearing white – it just helps you visualise everything a little better!
4. Exfoliate
This tip is crucial and links to my Bridal Skincare Tips in my previous blog post (which you can read next by clicking the photo below), exfoliation is such an important step in making sure your foundation sits well on your skin. Think of it like putting paint on a wall; if that wall has texture and bumps, when you apply the paint over the top, the wall will be a different colour but the texture will still be visible. Gently exfoliate your skin the morning of your bridal trial to help remove dead skin and create a flawless base for your foundation.
If you don’t have an exfoliating face wash at home, simply mix some sugar into your cleanser to create a DIY scrub!
5. Be Honest!
Last but not least, you must be honest at every stage of your bridal trial. I work through all my trials step by step and will hand you the mirror multiple times so you can make tweaks at any stage. If you are unsure of any element of your makeup, let me know! Your makeup is a very important feature of your finished bridal look and the last thing I want is for you to be losing sleep over your shade of lipstick! Your trial is the perfect time to try different shades and styles of makeup to make sure every feature is perfect for you, so please don’t ever feel that you’re ever being fussy or difficult.
Following your trial, I will drop you a message to check how the makeup lasted. If anything doesn’t last quite right or you change your mind about any element, it is so important that you let me know. I make notes for all my brides and, for example, if your foundation gets quite shiny after your trial, I will make a note to use a different base or to set everything with a more heavy duty powder. If you realise you’d actually prefer a darker lipstick or lighter eyeshadow, I’ll make a note of this.
By being open and honest, it ensures you get the best service from me and means come the big day, everything will run smoothly without me needing to double check everything with you!
For all of my future brides, remember I am only a message away. If you have any questions or concerns in the run up to your wedding day, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. As I mentioned previously, you will have so many other things in your mind before your big day – your shade of lipstick or amount of blusher do not need to be one of them!
I can’t wait to get started with my trials for 2024 and to meet all of this years brides. If you are looking for an MUA for your big day, get in touch!
