Wedding makeup artist and hair stylist is much more than just having nice professional makeup products.  The first thing we hear from all our assistants trying to become professional is, “Wedding hmua is harder than i thought it would be.”  Our answer, “Of course it is!” The goal of this article is to help prevent you from hiring the wrong hmua, or even worse, “aunt Jane.”

This section will cover more of the soft skills that your wedding hmua needs to possess.  These are areas that you need to pay attention to during your meetings and conversations with professional hmua because they are not things that you can determine by asking a question.  We recommend that you read this section first.  Then head on over to our section called, “15 Questions to Ask Your Wedding HMUA” for more specific ideas on what types of questions you should be asking when meeting with potential wedding hmua.

Strong Reviews – How Was The Expreience of Past Clients?

When a business has numerous reviews they are more likely to be established and deliver a great product compared to a company with just a few reviews.  It is common for clients to rave about not only their final product their experience with the company as well.

Website like Wedding Wire or Yelp are great places to read reviews from previous clients and get a feel for what type of experience you may have with your hmua.

Expertise – Being a Technical and Artistic HMUA

A professional wedding hmua should only be well versed in the technical side of the trade, but he or she must also be artistic and creative.  Those are two opposite personality traits.   How many people do you know are very technologically savvy and artistically creative at the same time?

Having great products and technical skill will allow your wedding hmua to create a balance canvas with perfect enhancing colors for the full beauty effect. On the other hand, having a great creative skills will allow your hmua to approach each application with a unique viewpoint and artistic vision ensuring that each line and color placement is to it’s perfection.

Personality – Being Personable and Charismatic

Just as important (if not more important) as their technical knowledge and creativity are the wedding hmua interpersonal skills.  How well do they interact with their clients and those at the wedding?  Are they outgoing, personable, charismatic, professional, and honest?

Not including preview, engagement, and bridal shower sessions.   You are going to be spending half day with your hmua on the most important day of your life.  A wedding hmua with a personality that matches your own is essential to the overall experience of your wedding morning.  As hmua team are the frist vendor that you will see, he or she must set  relaxing vibe for you and your group to start off your big day.

Makeup and Hair Style – Do You Like Their Style Of Wedding Makeup and Hair?

While researching hmua, you’ll come to notice the many styles of wedding hmua.  At the same time, you’ll begin to notice what styles you do and do not like.  You will get a better idea of the hmua’s artistic style from looking at their blog or website rather than a few images on their Instagram.  Taking the extra time to research the complete portfolios of your top choices will definitely be worth it in the end.

Quality – Quality over Quality

When seeking a hmua, it’s best to not get caught up in the brand name products each artists has in their kit.  Stay focused on the actual quality of the work provided.   We realized that some people are working within a budget.  Think to yourself that the wedding album will be enjoy by many for years to come, so it crucial that you look immaculate for your wedding day.

We strive to clients if there is something you need to cut from your package to make it more affordable, start with other details which will not effect your over all wedding.  Dont’t go with a cheaper makeup artist because they are willing to give you a lower price package. It is important that your creative team has that experience and understanding of your groups multi ethnic skintone and facial feature.

Cultural Wedding Experience – How Familiar Are The HMUA With Cultural Wedding Traditions?

From the South Asian Baraat to the Chinese Tea Ceremony, cultural weddings include an abundance of exciting traditions.  We understand a cultural wedding requires additional time and unique application of accessory details when compared to Westernized weddings.  It is important that your creative team has that experience and understanding of your traditional wedding ceremonies and timeline.

Overall Experience – Professinal or Part Time Wedding HMUA

Once you get pass technique, creativity, and personality, the next thing you should be looking for is an experience.  Is the wedding hmua actually a professional makeup and hair artist, or is this their “weekend gig”?  How many weddings and brides has this hmua created beauty?

While experience is important, some of the best and most hardworking wedding muah we have met are experienced artists, but relatively new as wedding artists.  In situations, where you love the hmua’s style but are concerned with them not having enough experience, ask to look at their entire collection of b&a from each event they have worked on.

To help you out further when we hire applicants for assistants and associate artist positions, we base their level of experience off of how many weddings and clients they have work on as a lead hmua.  (i.e. not under another professional hmua’s guidance or direction).

• 1-10 Weddings – Amateur (Qualified as an assistant artist)
• 11-30 Weddings – Knowledgable
• 31-50 Weddings – Experienced
• 51+ Weddings – Professional (Qualified as an associate hmua)