What You Need To Know Before Your Hair & Makeup Trial
Everyone knows you’re supposed to book a trial with your hair and makeup artist before the big day. This is your opportunity to get to know them ahead of time and make sure you’re both on the same page about your look from the volume of your hair to the thickness of your eyeliner and everything in between. But, to get the most out of your trial, there are a few things you need to know. We talked to Kate Johnson of The Bridal Beauty Team (you may have seen their work on Love is Blind Season 2) to get all the deets about hair and makeup trials and how to prepare for one. Here’s what she had to say.
Do hair and makeup artists usually charge for a hair and makeup trial?
According to Kate, it’s actually normal for a hair and makeup artist to charge more for the trial than the day of because of the amount of time that goes into it. “We spend 2.5 hours just on the bride working with them at the trial so we all are on the same page.” So, when you’re planning your hair and makeup budget, be sure to ask your artist ahead of time how much they charge for trials. No matter the price, it is 100% worth it, so if you have to cut costs, look elsewhere. You want to make sure that your look is on point for your big day. The day may fly by, but photos are forever!
What should brides bring with them or send ahead of time for inspiration?
Kate says that pictures are helpful but she always asks her brides to bring an open mind as well. While Pinterest is an incredible planning tool, it can lead to a lot of unrealistic expectations. From photoshop to hair extensions, there’s a lot that goes into a photo that may or may not be possible in real life. Kate says the trial is more about getting the idea or feeling of the look. She also stressed the importance of being open to adding things like extensions etc. to achieve the look you’re going for.
How should brides prep their hair/skin for their trial?
“Wash and blow-dry the hair–BLOW DRY THE HAIR!!!!” she exclaimed. So, we’re guessing that’s super important. “Air-dried hair won't hold a style well, and it's typically flat.” Now, she’s not saying you have to spring for a professional blowout, a DIY job is just fine. She also suggests adding in some mousse to add texture. For skin, she recommends just a clean well-moisturized face and your artist will take care of the rest.
Is there anything brides should avoid before their trial?
Before your trial, Kate said to stay away from flat irons and don’t over-condition. Steer clear of leave-in conditioners completely. Oh, and no air drying!
Should bride’s speak up if there's something about the look that they don't like?
While it may seem awkward, we can’t stress enough how important it is to speak up at the trial, that’s what it’s for. Your HMUA is a professional. “It’s our job,” Kate explained, “we won’t be offended.” Some changes can be made during your trial so you can visualize what they will look like on the day of, and some will just be notes for the HMUA to refer to on the big day. Along those lines, another important thing to stress is that your trial look won’t necessarily look identical to what your final hair and makeup will look like. There are things that will be done day of that there simply isn’t time for in a trial. “As an example, for many people, you will need to curl set the hair-which means leaving it in rollers for 2+ hours to get great volume and hold.” This will change the overall look and feel of the hair for the better so keep that in mind as you’re making notes on your trial.
Documenting The Look
Kate also stressed the importance of taking a good photo of yourself in natural daylight once you’re trial look is locked in. “Things look different in pictures,” she explained. And at the end of the day, that’s what you’ll have. Sure you want to like the look in-person, but you need to make sure it translates in photos as well.
Now that you’ve got your trial on lock, we’ve rounded up ten super-chic updos to give you a little inspiration. Also, videos of brides cutting off their hair mid-wedding are trending right now–here’s our hot take on that daring decision.
- Hair, Makeup & Beauty: Kate Johnson of The Bridal Beauty Team