10 questions to ask your make-up artist

1 What sort of experience do you have?

Your make-up artist could be great at doing certain types of make-up styles, but have no experience in bridal make-up. It's one of the most important days of your life and your make-up needs to look good in both photos and in the natural light, so you need a make-up artist who can get this just right. Your make-up also needs to be long-lasting.

2 Do you have a portfolio of pictures you can show me so I can see what kind of work you've done before?

You will need visual material as proof of your make-up artist's past experience and so you can envisage what your make-up will look like on your big day.

3 Are you willing to do a trial before the actual day?

There's no point having your make-up done professionally on the day with no practice beforehand. You might end up hating it, and it will be too late to do anything about it.

4 Do you have waterproof mascara?

It's bound to be a long and emotional day. Tears may make your mascara run and if your skin gets hot, everyday mascara may melt and smudge.
 

5 How will you prime my face before you do my make-up?

For long-lasting make-up that will take you through the whole of your wedding day, you need to make sure your make-up artist uses a good primer. A primer makes an excellent base and will keep your make-up in place all day.

6 How will you ensure my lipstick lasts all day?

Your lips will need to look good for your photos, and there will be lots of talking, kissing, eating and drinking on your day, so regular lipstick will fade too quickly. It needs to be long-lasting, well-primed and you may want to buy the same shade as your make-up artist recommends, so you can reapply it throughout the day.

7 How far removed will my look be from the make-up I wear every day?

You want your wedding day make-up to reflect you and your style, not just what the make-up artist wants. It will need to be inkeeping with your natural day look and not be too extreme.

8 How are you going to achieve a healthy glow on my cheeks?

You want to look naturally rosy for your photos, but not too heavily blushed - the balance is important and it can be tricky to get right. Make sure your blusher is light, but enough to show.

9 How am I going to keep touching up my make-up throughout the day?

There's no point having your make-up done professionally if it's going to dissolve after a couple of hours. Make sure that you have the products your make-up artist has used so you can reapply when needed.

10 What should I do to carry my natural day-look through to the evening reception?

You will want natural, fresh make-up for the daytime ceremony and meal, but as the evening draws in, you'll want to strengthen your look by adding more make-up, or trying different products. A shimmer lipgloss is a good product to have handy!