Centre County makeup artist offers tips for brides

Are you recently engaged and in the midst of planning your wedding? It can be a bit daunting but so much fun too with decisions to make about your dress, a wedding planner, photographer, DJ and maybe a makeup artist.

When your wedding day finally arrives, the last thing you want to do is worry about the details, so here is a list of the top five things to look for when hiring your makeup artist.

1. LICENSE REQUIRED

In the state of Pennsylvania, you must be licensed as either an esthetician or cosmetologist to practice makeup artistry, and you must be employed by a licensed salon. At the drop of a hat, I can provide proof of both and always have that information available for my clients to see as well as proof of liability insurance. Makeup artists can travel to the venue of your choice (in other words, act as freelance makeup artists), but must maintain running appointment books through the salons at which they work.

2. CONTRACT

Your makeup artist should be able to provide a contract for hire with you. The contract/agreement should be detailed with time and date of your wedding, location you would like to have services performed, how many clients she/he will be responsible for, and the payment arrangements for the job. I also like to include information for possible allergies and a photography disclaimer.

Every artist is different, but be sure to read your agreement closely so both of you have a clear understanding of the expectations.

3. RUN-THROUGHS

Your makeup artist should be willing to meet with you for a consultation and ideally a run-through before your big day. You may think you want a smoky eye for your wedding, but a smoky eye to one makeup artist is completely different to another. Run-throughs are a terrific way to meet the artist and get a sense of her/his style and play with colors. Also, run-throughs should be scheduled no sooner than two to three weeks before your wedding. Depending on the season, your skin can change so the closer to your wedding the better.

4. RETOUCHED PICTURES

Pictures are a fabulous tool to guide you and your makeup artist through the process, but please understand that images you see on Instagram and/or Pinterest have been retouched.

I love it when a client brings a picture or two to our run-through session, but the first words out of my mouth are usually, “keep in mind these have been retouched or a filter has been used.” Pictures are great to show the colors you are interested in.

5. DETAILS, DETAILS

Don’t skimp or wait on the details. Do you wax your eyebrows or enjoy facials from time to time? Great! But don’t wait to take care of those services. I tell my clients a rule of thumb is 10 days to two weeks out and not any closer to your wedding day. Also, make sure you use someone you trust and have had experience with before.

Certain skin types are extremely sensitive (redheads or people with fair skin for instance) and while a technician never means to “burn” you or, sadly, tear off your skin, I’ve seen it happen. Even if this doesn’t happen, makeup lays on the skin differently when it’s freshly waxed.

Above all else, enjoy the process from start to finish. Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life and I’ve always considered it a privilege and honor to work with my brides on that special day. Be proactive in your planning and, while it’s important to be true to your everyday look, don’t be afraid to have a little fun with it. Go for the lashes, try a little brighter lip color or try a soft smoky eye.

Kelly Clark is owner of Kelly Clark Makeup Artist, located at Bliss Salon in Lemont. She can be reached at kelly@kellyclarkmakeupartist.com.