Congratulations, you’re getting married! Now all of the hard work and planning begins. Depending on how long you have until your wedding day you might have a long year of work ahead of you or a few months to get it all together. Where do you start and what should you do first?
Get yourself a great makeup artist! What? Now, so soon? Yes, get a great makeup artist who can help you along the way.
You will need a MUA for:
- Your engagement photos—You never want your kids to compare your engagement photos and wedding photos and say “Is that really you?”, while looking at the wedding photo because a MUA did your makeup!
- Wedding Showers—Remember having a consistently good face on during all of these special events will make you feel better then and every day for the rest of your life when you look at those photos.
- Rehearsal Dinners—Want to feel calm, cool, and collected the night before? Then make sure you look so great that you will find people staring at you and will have their undivided attention for all the last minute instructions you need to give them.
- The Wedding Day—Your MUA will spend hours with you right before your wedding. Make sure you choose one who will calm you down and has the ability to problem solve as things will come up. Also, pick a MUA who works well with photographers and will stay and help with poses during the group shots. Ask her/him to stay (it doesn’t a lot) and is well worth it to ensure that your photos will look amazing.
Why do you need a makeup artist, you ask? I will let you in on a little secret. Are you listening, psssst, come closer … in photos, makeup lasts forever! Yes, when you are strolling down memory lane while celebrating your 25th wedding anniversary, in your photos you will be wearing twenty-five year old makeup and it needs to look fabulous!
As a Professional Certified Master Makeup Artist, I will arm you with all of the things you need to know and need to ask prospective makeup artists in your area.
Here are some things you need to know:
- Just because someone works at a salon and offers to apply your makeup, it doesn’t mean they are a makeup artist (MUA). Actually, it does not even mean they have been trained in makeup application, color theory or anything related to makeup. They might even be a receptionist! Yes, in some states a license is not required to refer to yourself as a makeup artist. So, be careful that they know what to do … and not just think they know what to do!
- An esthetician is not a makeup artist. Estheticians work on your skin. They can give peels, facials, and other treatment and do require a license in each state. Most schools spend about three hours on makeup application during their entire course of study. This means that hairstylists and estheticians have as much experience as you with applying their own makeup daily.
Q & A for a prospective MUA:
Where did you study makeup?
Was makeup your primary area of study?
How long did you spend on makeup at school? Hours, days, or months?
Have you taken any Master Classes?
If so, where and with whom did you take the classes and what were they on?
Good Answers: MAC, NARS, Lauder, Lancôme, etc.
What year did you last go have any makeup education?
A Good Answer: As current as possible. Ongoing education is a must!
Do you have an online portfolio?
Answer: Yes. If they do not … then walk away quickly. This can only mean that they are either very, very new to the business or that no one has ever photographed their work. Either way … politely run.
