There are many factors to consider when it comes to planning a wedding. The first thing on your mind may be the venue, the photographer, or even the dress — but what about your makeup? When choosing the perfect look for your wedding, the first step is finding the perfect wedding makeup artist.

Here are five tips on how to find the best makeup artist for your wedding:
1. Referrals and Recommendations – When it comes to narrowing down potential makeup artists, always look to reviews. To start, you need to gather intel for potential makeup artists; consider reaching out to your friends and ask what artist they used, what look they went for, and ask for pictures. Once you find out more about the artist, take some time to look at their social media platforms and further browse their portfolio. Looking at a makeup artist’s ratings can be another great first step into seeing if they are the right fit for you. By doing all the research beforehand, you can dodge a few bullets and spend more time scheduling trials and bookings.
2. Know What You Want – After you consider different artists, it’s time to find your vision for your wedding makeup. This can start by gathering inspiration from Pinterest, magazines, or even social media. Browse through popular trends of bridal eye makeup or trending lip liner. Doing this can help you determine if you lean more towards natural wedding makeup looks or if you want more of a dramatic wedding makeup look. The makeup artist you end up choosing will help you narrow down the specifics, but it is important to start gathering what you want your look to be. In addition, you may need to look into the differences in types of makeup and how they'll impact your skin.
3. Communicate All Wedding Details – Once you’ve got an idea of your look, it’s time to look at availability for your wedding. When booking an artist, you need to make sure that they are willing and able to provide services for the day or days you booked them for. As a bride, having a schedule in order will help the makeup artist account for arrival time, prep time, and what to expect throughout the day.
4. Know the Difference in Makeup – Previously mentioned in step two, knowing the difference in types of makeup will help you figure out what you want your perfect bridal look to be. If you’re looking for something that will fight the sweat, then you’ll want to look into waterproof makeup. Waterproof makeup can stay put on the skin and is known to stick to brow hair, skin, and lashes nicely. While you can use waterproof makeup in the pool or on the beach, waterproof makeup is the perfect choice when it comes to wedding makeup.
5. Settle on a Budget – The most important thing to know as a bride is that different makeup artists have different rates. If you’re settled on a budget, don’t reach out to a makeup artist who has too high of a rate unless you’re willing to bend a little in your budget. Makeup artist rates are dependent on how much time is needed for their service, how difficult the bridal wedding makeup look may be, and possibly how many bridesmaids they have lined up. The rates are also based on experience, and the more experience a makeup artist has, the more expensive of a rate they will have. To prepare for this, look at the makeup artist's portfolio and prices to see if they are in your budget.
If you know what you want, have spent some time vetting your options, and have set a budget, finding the perfect makeup artist for your wedding day will be a breeze. If you are interested in more information about makeup artistry, contact us at Cortiva.