Guys… this excites me so much. I’ve wanting to write a post on this subject for a long time and I now feel like I have enough experience to know what really works! If you have your own business, your client is your first priority, and sometimes we get our dream clients. To be clear, this is NOT to say that there is ever a client that we dislike-EVER! But you do have a target market, and sometimes our client is the epitome of who we are most eager to work with, or on, in a makeup artist’s case. Plus, it is always refreshing to have a friendly, outgoing client who has a great conversation with you. However, some ladies are quiet and nervous about getting their makeup done, and there is NOTHING wrong with that! We’re here to make them feel their most comfortable. We obviously love everybody, but every single person is unique and doesn’t have the same vision in mind or style as you, and it can be hard to fit what they want, especially if they are shy or not very vocal about their opinion. So, what do we do in situations like this? I’ve noticed that shy ladies who never wear makeup are the ones who feel uncomfortable when they look in the mirror. But of course, as a makeup artist it is your duty to do at least a bare minimum of techniques to make the application worth their money. However, your idea of “as natural as it gets” is still too much for some women. Here’s what you can do:
- Consultation– This is something that should be done with every client before starting the process. Start asking them questions about what their goal is for their look. These questions are important because people have varying ideas of natural, heavy, and so on.
- The important questions- As a guideline, the first thing I ask is “how do you normally do your makeup?” I learned this when I was getting my certification. This lets you know how far you can go and vary from their everyday look. For example, if they normally only wear mascara, you’ll probably want to keep their eyes very neutral tones but do your normal skin, contour, and highlight routine. On the other hand, if they like a full face, you have more freedom. I’ve noticed that the clients who know a lot about makeup are comfortable with more drama.
- “What look are you going for today?“- This is going to help you find out the difference between what they do daily vs. their goal for this special occasion.
- The result- Unfortunately, sometimes they aren’t completely comfortable with the result. The issue is almost always that it is too heavy and out of their comfort zone. There are several things you can do to make them more comfortable.
Give them some helpful facts, but don’t refuse to change the look.
I always let them know that there are certain components that make a little extra glam necessary. In the case of weddings, (in the case that this application is a bridal trial) I make sure to mention
-Professional photography washes out some of the makeup
-Many people will see them from afar
-The makeup has to last you all day and night
-And, it’s your WEDDING day! You want to outshine everyone else and be a little extra!
HOWEVER, even though I mention these facts, I still make sure to listen to them and offer to change anything they do not like. I also make suggestions for changes when they can’t quite put their finger on what it is that’s too much. Usually just blending the eye shadow in more does the trick. I always tell them that I’ll start by just making subtle changes so that it’s not all of a sudden too bare, and when I have them take a look I ask them to please not hesitate to let me know if it needs even more blending. One last thing to mention to them is that wearing it throughout the day gets you over that initial shock, plus if they had their hair trial as well, it looks more put together. Before they leave, I take down some notes of what they want changed, and tell them that I will keep those on me for the real wedding day- that way they have time to get used to the makeup, and if they still think it is too much, I know exactly what adjustments need to be made for their wedding. I even suggest that they try their wedding dress on with it if they can. Sometimes they even find that they want more makeup on the actual day!
Consultation, listening to their needs, stating the facts to consider, and reiterating your willingness to to whatever it takes to make them feel beautiful will always be the key to make them comfortable and confident!
