Soooo you’ve been proposed to, he put a ring on it! You’ve set the date - venue, photographer, the officiant, the caterer, the florist, have all been chosen. You’ve even said YES TO THE DRESS.

Hubby-to-be has his own check-off list. He’s secured the infamous DJ to get your guest on the dance floor. Let’s keep it real for a sec….as a couple - your playlist calls for both the Electric Slide & Macarena.

Now what - ahhhh selecting a skillful stylist, because looking your best to compliment your Wedding gown is the next priority; so you comb the internet looking for the portfolio that speaks to working with brown skin or Asian eyes, textured hair or just a broad range of features, period! From African American, to Latin or South American, South and Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander and Native, and Middle Eastern and North African. At least if one of the diaspora’s is covered in their portfolio you can feel more assured. You stumble across a few sites that show melanin faces - seems legit, seems trustworthy so you hit the “contact me button” only to discover later - they LIED! Maybe not a boldface lie but they embellished their skill-set and preparedness to cater to your deeper skin tone, so disappointing.

Sure, much of this is left to chance if you’ve never worked with us Pro’s. What do you ask, What do you look for, What is the criteria? Most Brides might feel lost on how to choose from a sea of: website photos, testimonials, reviews or reddit comments. Fret not, I’m here to share 3 useful tips on finding the Makeup Artist that can slay your Wedding look with confidence.

This blog post is intended to highlight 3 hacks during your search for the right Bridal Artist:

• Ask to see the Pro Makeup Kit; look for a complexion range. Check out what brands they traditionally work with (if you follow them on social) look for kit photos that typically live in Instagram highlights.

• Ask the Artist to define the importance of undertones; if you’re having a discovery Zoom call - ask them off the rip, what’s my undertone - see if they get it right? As a bonus, find out their knowledge around skincare too.

• Ask for before/afters that demonstrate a diverse Clientele (hopefully they are honest in sharing their work) not another Artist. This is where you want to see their technique. Does the skin look like skin; Does the color match; Do they have a good understanding the color; Do they have a good eye overall. If they’ve applied a dramatic eye and dramatic lip it can sometimes compete and not look balanced; overall you’re looking for harmony. Even as a newbie to makeup you can watch for all these things.

Always listen to your gut! If during the discovery chat, the Artist lacks confidence, they don’t understand this niche, it’s probably because they truly DON’T know how to work with your skin tone. Confidence tells all. Confidence says, I know what’s required and I know how to execute a professional polished look no matter a persons features or complexion. Listen and watch for it.

The nuances of working with brown-skin require deep knowledge around undertones, color correction, facial anatomy, texture and color harmony. If any of these are missing, your Trial-run can be unsuccessful. Essentially a missed opportunity, missed expenses and a miss use of time. Yikes!!

Don’t get caught up in the smoking mirrors of TikTok, the quick video consumption can be a sure pitfall - but hopefully reading Auntie’s tips can help navigate your Glammy way.