Hiring a Wedding Makeup Artist – 8 great tips

A woman is supposed to be the most beautiful on her wedding day. And hiring the right wedding makeup artist can make a world of difference.

With the abundance of choices out there, how would you know he or she is THE one?

Get referrals from family and friends
One of the easiest way to start your makeup artist hunt, would inevitably be to ask friends and family for recommendations. This allows you to quickly shortlist tried and tested ones, hence narrowing down your search substantially.

Check the prices
Prices can vary between wedding makeup artists, primarily due to their seniority and popularity. Celebrity makeup artists and artists who have been in the industry for a long time tend to command a higher price. Drop the shortlisted makeup studios an email for their packages to help you shortlist even further. A quick check shows that a wedding makeup and hairstyling package comprising of a day look, a night look, touch-ups during the dinner reception and a full trial session will cost approximately S$850.

Meet the makeup artist
Where possible, make an appointment with the makeup artist(s) you have shortlisted. You would want to be sure that you will be comfortable with him or her doing your wedding makeup.

Ask about the credentials of your makeup artist
Find out if the makeup artist have had any formal training. Did he or she have an apprenticeship with another professional makeup artist? How many years experience has he or she had?

Ask to see the portfolio
Viewing the portfolio helps you decide if you like the makeup artist’s style. Does he or she do mainly bridal makeup? Or is it primarily runway makeup? These could have very different results!

Check if he or she provides professional advice
While it would be great if you have ideas on how you would like your makeup to turn out, your makeup artist should also provide professional advice based on their experience. Jovie Tan from TheLittleBrush Makeup tells us “I would usually use my judgement to suggest some suitable looks for the bride. This would be based on a few criteria, such as the facial feature, hair length and colour, skin, the gown they will be wearing, and the theme of the wedding.”

Request a trial session
A trial session, in my opinion, is absolutely essential.  At TheLittleBrush Makeup, Jovie will discuss the look the bride is after. A trial session is typically held one to two months before the actual day, where Jovie will create the look based on the client’s requirement and her judgement.

Check the booking schedule style
The last thing a bride would want, is to stress over the makeup artist coming late or not turning up at all on her wedding day. One way to prevent this is to ask about the booking schedule. Preferably, select a makeup artist who limits to one booking a day. Some artists tend to book 2 events on the same day. As a result, if the first appointment overruns, the next bride will have to bear the brunt of it.

There can never be too many questions you would need to ask. It’s always better to clarify than to regret it later! Have fun shopping!

*Prices are indicative and courtesy of TheLittleBrush Makeup. It is correct at point of publishing. Prices vary from studio to studio. Please check with your selected studio for the latest prices.

Images courtesy of TheLittleBrush Makeup