Top 6 Tips for a Successful Bridal Trial

Are you about to have your first hair and makeup trial?!

You may be feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, and indecisive as to what your perfect wedding look could be. Well look no further because these top 6 tips for a successful bridal trial will be a life saver!

Step 1| How to Choose the Right Bridal Artist 

In order to find a bridal artist do a search on Google or Pinterest of hair and makeup artists in your area. Once you narrow down some artists be sure to look through their websites thoroughly. Focus on key aspects of their websites such as their bios, portfolios, and reviews to see which artist is the right fit for you.

This is also a great way to get inspiration from their portfolios for your own bridal look. Aside from looking at their websites make sure to also check their social media pages such as instagram or facebook.

A lot of the time artists will show behind the scenes footage, products they use, and their process of doing makeup which can give you a better idea if you are drawn to their work or not.

Step 2| How to Narrow Down your Inspiration Images

I don’t know about you but I love using Pinterest and I am constantly saving endless inspiration images on this platform! If you’re looking to compile all of your ideas in one place Pinterest is a go to.

I highly suggest creating a hair and makeup mood board for your trial. In the mood board you should include your hair and makeup inspiration images, your wedding dress, venue, and even color scheme. You can also invite your bridal hair and makeup team to join the mood board. This will give the artists the opportunity to look through your ideas and be prepared to execute your desired looks.

Now, I understand It’s easy to get overwhelmed with Pinterest as it provides so much content to look through, so you must be asking yourself “ How do I narrow this all down?”

My best advice is to be as specific as possible when using the search engine. What do I mean by “be specific” you may ask? Here’s an example, if you’re someone who is looking to have natural bridal makeup make sure to include your personal characteristic traits such as natural bridal makeup for brunettes. Or natural bridal makeup for green eyes. The point of being specific is that when you compile all of your images it will be images of women who have a similar complexion, hair color, eye color as you.

This will help you to envision what the look will actually look like on you versus other images of women who don’t have your characteristics. Another great idea which will help your hair and makeup artist is to include a picture of yourself showing how you wear your hair and makeup on a day to day basis. This is a great way to get a sense of your comfort level and will help to determine how to approach your hair and makeup look.

Step 3| Skincare Preparation Prior to Trial

Now that all your research is done the next step is preparing your skin for your trial. In order to have your makeup look flawless it’s crucial to have your skincare regime in tip top shape.

You’ll want to make sure you are cleansing, moisturizing, exfoliating, and drinking plenty of water. Remember that drinks that are caffeinated or have alcohol will dehydrate the skin, so stray away from these types of beverages before your trial.

If proper skincare is an area where you are unsure of feel free to ask for guidance from your local esthetician or even from the makeup artist you are hiring. By taking the time and implementing great skincare products into your routine I can assure you that your makeup will melt into your skin flawlessly giving you a beautiful skin like finish.

Step 4| Preparation on the Day of your Trial

On the day of your hair and makeup trial you’ll want to have your hair freshly washed, a clean face, and wear a button down shirt in a similar color to your wedding dress. Usually a trial can last anywhere from 1Hr. 30mins. to 2 Hrs. so make sure to be prepared with your laptop ready to go with your mood board. This will allow your artist to start your consultation right away and get to designing your look shortly after. If you’re debating as to where the artist should set up I suggest showing them a room that has the most natural light. Please don’t worry if you don’t have the brightest living area because you can always ask your artist about a portable light which in most cases the artist will bring.

Step 5| Have a Thorough Consultation

The consultation portion of the appointment is a really important moment between you and the hair and makeup artist. Communicating openly will be extremely beneficial because it will help the artist understand what you’re looking for. Take the time to go through your mood board and explain your likes and dislikes.

This is not the time to be shy or hold anything back. Your artist will appreciate your honesty and feedback which will only help them to achieve the look you're going for. If you’re curious about experimenting with your look this will be the perfect time to do that.

It’s very common during the trial to try a second lip color , eye liner, or to try a variation with the hair style. The main goal is to create a looking that you feel comfortable and confident in so please share your thoughts and opinions throughout your appointment.

Step 6| How Does the Hair and Makeup Look in Photos

The last thing you’re going to do before giving the final stamp of approval is to take pictures in natural light. Look for natural light either by a well lit window or outside. Take your time taking these photos and try a few different angles. It may even be fun to put on your wedding dress to see the whole look from head to toe! This is a great way to see the entire look come together and gives you a better idea of what you will actually look like on your wedding day and in photos.

If you absolutely love your look book your hair and makeup team asap! It’s a fantastic feeling when you’re able to find an artist that understands you so be sure to lock your date with them!