One of the most important parts of your wedding day that you need to consider is your makeup. Finding the perfect makeup artist will ensure you look and feel both beautiful and confident on your wedding day. Today we are so priviledged to be talking to the amazingly talented Hilary Ho about all things makeup for your special day. She shares some of her top professional tips from extensive experience working with commercial clients as well as brides to help you achieve the dream look you’re hoping for.
Tell us about what you do.
I’m a Sydney based freelance makeup artist working in the photography, fashion, film, advertising and bridal industries.
Every day is different, creating makeup looks and working with amazing photographers, stylists , clothing companies,
film directors and of course beautiful brides.
What are your favourite make up ‘looks’ for brides?
I create a lot of different looks for brides, and my 3 favourite looks are:
Classic chic – for timeless elegance with flawless satin skin, soft smokey eyes, beautiful shaped brows, contoured
cheeks and a soft pink lip.
Fresh and modern – natural makeup with dewy radiant skin and features accentuated with soft, delicate neutrals.
Coral / peachy toned blush and lips.
Vintage glam – for the bride who loves all things vintage, defined eyes with a 1950s style winged eyeliner, and deep
red lips.
Top 3 makeup products every bride should have on their special day?
A good primer: Your wedding day usually goes from morning into the evening, so you want long lasting makeup that
stays put, won’t crease or melt in hotter climates. I like to use Laura Mercier primers – Normal, Oil-free and Radiance. I usually use different primers on different areas of the face depending on the brides skin type, i.e. oil free on T-zone and radiance if I want to create a dewy radiant base.
Waterproof mascara: Most brides tend to tear up on their wedding day, waterproof mascara, therefore is a must. My
picks are the Giorgio Armani – Eyes to Kill Mascara and the Shiseido Majolica Majorca mascaras from Japan which
having tried and tested, do not budge when you shed a tear.
A blot powder: For touch ups during the day, I like to use MAC Blot Powder which absorbs excess oil, is not too light
reflective, and controls shine. It won’t make you look caked up as it is very sheer and I prefer to apply it with a powder
brush. The shades run very light so make sure you test colours before purchasing.
Any advice for brides before they consult with a makeup artist for their wedding?
- Do your research by looking at images of their work, check client testimonials, their experience and pricing. Lashes
are always included in the makeup I do for my brides and bridesmaids and any additional costs are always stated on
my pricelist. So make sure you are aware of all the costs i.e. lashes, travel, early start charges when it is not clearly
stated. Always remember, when it comes to makeup artists and their kits – you get what you pay for.
- Wear something white or ivory (same colour as your dress) to the makeup trial so you can see how the makeup will
look against the colour of your dress and to make sure you don’t look too washed out.
- Bring a camera and take photos of your makeup with and without flash. Makeup with too much light reflection (e.g.
high SPF foundations) may make you look glaringly white with flash photography.
- Consider whether you want a makeup artist and hairstylist in one. Some artists / stylists are amazing at both trades
but can be difficult to find. Also consider preparation time when only one person is doing both hair and makeup. You
and your bridesmaids may be required to get ready 6 hours in advance and you can cut that time in half by having a
separate hairstylist and makeup artist.
Any tips for brides to help them have picture perfect skin on their special day?
- Hydrate with lots of water every day to clear the toxins from the skin, and try to stay away from too much alcohol,
caffeine and sugary drinks. Although, don’t guzzle glasses of water the night before because you don’t want puffy eyes
in the morning!
- Salty foods can make you feel bloated all over because of the water retention, which can make your face look puffy
and tired.
- Have a good skincare routine (not just for your wedding, this should be every day!) – Cleanse, tone and moisturise
and exfoliate once or twice a week. Always, always, always remove any traces of makeup before bed so your skin can
breathe and repair itself at night.
- I’ve just started using organic coconut oil for my skin because of all the good things I’ve been reading and hearing
about it. I use it on my face and dry areas of my body at night and find that it doesn’t clog my pores or give me
breakouts at all. It takes some time to absorb into the skin, so I apply it at night and I wake up with a beautiful glow.
Coconut oil contains lauric acid which gives it anti-viral and anti-carcinogenic properties and Vitamin E which is essential
for healthy skin growth and repair. You ideally want to look for a coconut oil that is certified organic, made with fresh
coconuts (virgin oil), and made without heat-processing. The brand I like is Loving Earths Raw Organic Coconut Butter,
purchased at Mr Vitamins in Chatswood for about $12.
What is the best part about your job?
The best part of my job has to be seeing people’s reactions after I’ve made them up and seeing how it makes them
feel. I recently made up a lovely lady for a photography competition where we did a shoot with her and her six
gorgeous kids. The following day, I received a call from her telling me how incredible and confident she felt and how
she couldn’t believe how just a little makeup could refresh her appearance. We spent another 20 minutes talking about
makeup products and techniques, just like little school girls discovering makeup for the first time!
Thanks Hilary for sharing so many awesome tips and hints for brides. You can find out more about Hilary’s bridal work here and the rest of her seriously cool commercial work here. Alternatively check out her facebook page here.
Photography credits: Matthew Mead Photography, Lucas Jarvis Photography, iEnvision Photography
