Professional Wedding Makeup in Boston :: The Essentials of a Makeup Trial

 What is a makeup trial and what does it consist of?

The makeup trial is the time when the future bride and the makeup artist meet prior to the wedding day.  It is the time when the artist examines your features and skin complexion and creates a look just for you, based on your personal style and skin complexion. 

Why is it important?

Trials are not mandatory, but I strongly encourage all brides to get one; it will simply give you peace of mind.  A trial avoids unpleasant surprises, and it ensures that the makeup process runs smoothly on the day of the wedding.  Every bride should have a vivid of what she is going to look like on her wedding day. 

“Beauty is really in the eye of the beholder”

Every woman’s definition of “beautiful” is not the same.  Part of the artist's task during the trial is to decipher what the bride considers “pretty” in makeup terms.  Sometimes the bride has difficulty articulating what the type of makeup style she likes in terms of color and intensity, and for this reason, I encourage them to bring some photos for inspirations.

Other benefits of a trial:

• You test the makeup, its lasting power, and after wearing it for a little while, you’ll know if you will be comfortable wearing it.
• You test false eye lashes; you will know if they are the right size for your eye shape and look, and after wearing them for a little while, you’ll know if you’re going to wear them for a few hours. This is especially important for brides who have never worn lashes.
• The artist records the colors used so it’s easier to replicate the look on the day of the wedding.
• Take a picture with your own camera! Once you see a few photos with and without flash, you will get an idea of how the makeup photographs.  Makeup plays a big role in photography!  You don’t want to look washed out or too made up in photos.

After your trial:

Try not to attend events at which you know you will be photographed with your makeup look (such as bridal showers), and don’t publish your look on social media sites. It’s a good idea to keep your bridal makeup look a surprise just like other details of your wedding.

If the bride has any concerns or questions about her makeup after her trial session, she should contact the artist.  Some minor concerns can be addressed via email or with a simple phone call.  If there are too many issues and the bride doesn’t feel comfortable with the look all together, it might be a good idea to schedule another trial.

See the below photos of Beth, a bride who gave me the honor of applying her make up for her trial and wedding day last summer. Beth got her inspiration from one of the photos on my website. Although she was very happy with her makeup on the trial, she decided to change her lipstick color on her wedding day.  Changes like this happen sometimes.

Beth's trial - before & after

Beth's final look photographed by the talented Leah Haydock - www.LeahHaydock.com