Do

Take care of your skin

At least 6 months beforehand you should start upping your water intake and start a day and night time regime to help ensure your skin will be in its best condition for your big day. This will help ensure the makeup will sit and look its best.

Going to have the sun-kissed look?

If you’re planning to fake bake on the day then be bronzed for your trial too so I can match you perfectly ahead of your big day.

Wear a top which is a similar colour to your dress at your trial

This really is a top tip – it will help give you a real idea of how the makeup will look against your dress. Often I have found that a pale lip which looks fantastic at a trial can make you look a little washed out on the day and this is at times down to the colour of the dress. Other times it can be down to the lighting.

Empathise your eyes

But don’t go overboard. Much like finding the dress that “doesn’t wear you” a lot of the time with bridal –  you want the stand out feature to be your eyes and not the makeup.

Wedding planning can be a stressful time and sometimes lead to a lot of sleepless nights – the goal with makeup is to conceal and brighten your under eye without being too heavy and cause creasing.

Find images you like but be realistic

Love that makeup look on Kim Kardashian but you have the skin tone of Kat Von D? Chances are the look won’t translate well but pick out the elements you like and we can work together to create something that looks fab on you.

Plan for touch-ups

Your makeup will be applied to last and I often hear “I didn’t need to touch up all day” but just in case it’s a scorching day,  you have an emotional moment or hit it hard on the dance floor – I recommend having a face powder with you. Lipstick also is something that is likely to wear off by the end of your wedding breakfast, so packing your favourite colour will enable you to top up and stay looking flawless. You could also take the touch up moment to change up your look – replacing the worn off natural lip with a red carpet red really takes your look from day to evening.

Use natural light

Having your trail during daylight hours allows me to match your foundation correctly and also allows you to see what your guests will see on your big day. Failing natural light being an option at your trial and on the day I carry my own light which mimics daylight.

Don’t

Go for anything too trend led

Naturally, this is totally up to you but bear in mind that your wedding photos will last a lifetime – so going for a more classic look will stand the test of time. This doesn’t mean dull – if have a vintage dress then the cat eyeliner and vampy red lip would look fantastic! On this note, if you are a glasses wearer you may wish to consider lenses as again glasses frames are the thing that can easily age a photo.

Be afraid of going a bit brighter

Neutral lips can sometimes make you look a bit washed out in photos especially if your dress is of a certain colour or if you have gone for a statement with your eyes. Pinks, rose and plums look great on most brides and translate well in photos. Your trial really is the space to test and push your boundaries and often you end up with a look you wouldn’t have thought have worked but you love!