The long awaited sequel to my previous blog post; How To Make The Best Of Your Bridal Hair Appointment is finally here. I’m here to help take some of that stress away by giving you tips to ensure you get the most out of your beauty appointments. Lets dive right into it, shall we?

You’ve dreamed of this day… the dress, the flowers, the venue, but did you take the time to start a skin care routine, drink enough water, and find the perfect makeup look to fit your style? Yupp, you read all that right.. there’s so much more than just finding an inspo photo on Pinterest. Being originally based out of Las Vegas, I did A LOT of bridal makeup with minimal communication leading up to the day. These women were usually flying in from across the country and even internationally for a romantic weekend, the last thing they wanted to do was slow down & add another “to-do” to their list of wedding prep. I like to think this is what made me the bridal makeup artist I am today. So here is my fool proof list to getting the maximum quality from your makeup appointment.

1. Realistic Expectations

Through out my career I’ve had to be the bad news bear too many times to count. I blame this on Pinterest. You see these amazing styled shoots online or perfectly edited beauty bloggers & get starry eyed. Let’s not forget there’s a drastic difference between beauty blogger style makeup & what looks good in real life. The best way to avoid this is to send your inspo photos to your stylist in advance, have a consultation about the desired look, and schedule a trial.

2.Have Inspo Photos

Okay so most people would probably say this as number 1 because it is so so so important that you are able to give your stylist a general idea of what you want. If you can’t find one photo that is exactly what you want..that’s fine! Have a couple and explain what you like about them. If you still can’t find anything that feels right… have some photos of what you don’t like. This helps avoid any confusion when describing what you do want.

3.Skin care routine

I cannot stress this one enough. If you don’t have a skin care routine, START ONE ! Seriously, like yesterday. Ideally you should begin a wedding prep beauty regimen at least a year in advance. This gives you time to get in the habit, perfect your routine, & rule out any irritating ingredients. If you don’t have that long, don’t stress. Try setting up a consultation or appointment with an Esthetician in your area & have them determine a routine & timeline that works for you.

Oh & don’t forget your lips.. utilizing a thick balm with SPF30 will help prevent them from becoming cracked or dried!

4.Stay true to you

I personally am guilty of getting wrapped up in big events & forgetting to stay true to myself. Going all out & doing my makeup to stay on theme.. then looking back on photos and asking “what the hell was I thinking?!” If you don’t normally wear bold makeup, your wedding typically won’t be a place to start with it. It’s also important to stand your ground when getting comments from friends and family. “It looks great but I think you need to put a bright lipstick on” is something I have heard far too many times. It’s easy to buckle under pressure to please what others want to see but remember, this is YOUR day.

5.Communication is Key!!!

Drumroll please…. I cannot stress this one enough!! We are makeup artists not mind readers! If something is not looking right, feeling right, or sitting right you need to tell us with your words! I cannot speak for all artists, but when I complete a look I routinely, without skipping a beat, say “Let me know how you feel, if there is anything you want to fix or change do no hesitate to tell me. You cannot hurt my feelings.” And I’m going to be honest with y’all… I’ve had clients STILL not speak up! It is so heartbreaking to me. I spent so much time and emotion on your style, I want YOU to love it as much as I do. So please, communicate with your artists, do not hold back in fear of being viewed as “picky” or “difficult”.

Following these 5 tips will help ensure a smooth and effortless appointment during a time that can be full of chaos and stress, I promise 😉