Not a fan of your bridal makeup? Here’s how to tell your makeup artist without offending them.
On January 7, TikTok user Lauren Avery posted a video in which she washed off her professionally done makeup 20 minutes before her wedding.
Alongside visuals of Lauren frantically washing off her bridal
Her reason for starting over? Lauren claims her lip colour was “too pink” and her foundation “not blending into her neck”.
It ends with Lauren sharing pics of the look her makeup artist created, versus the one she did herself. The looks were practically identical.
The now-private clip (which amassed 33.1 million views in two days) divided the internet, with some users commenting that the bride had the right to change what she didn’t like, while others felt it was unfair to the makeup artist to publicly shame her work.
A number of makeup artists were quick to explain how videos such as this can destroy reputations, impact future bookings and shatter confidence.
Kandra Jones, Lauren’s makeup artist who has more than 20 years' experience in the makeup industry, took to the platform to defend herself, saying Lauren had given her zero indication she was unhappy with her bridal beauty look from her August 2024 wedding. She’d even had a trial.
“I was shocked to see this,” she explained. “I had no idea she was unhappy.”
The furore begs the question: is it bad taste to wash off your professionally applied makeup? Or if you don’t like what’s been done to your face, how can you tell them (politely)?
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Advertise with NZME.For Auckland-based makeup artist Sam Hart, the most baffling part of Lauren’s clip was when she quipped she was planning on making a TikTok about it, but added she respected Kandra for speaking out on the subject.
“Her makeup artist’s response was so good: so calm and sincere considering she’s just seen her work go viral for all the wrong reasons,” Sam says. “It’s definitely put a spotlight on situations like this and how to better manage them in the future.”
As with any beauty appointment, there’s a certain level of etiquette required to ensure the service runs smoothly – and that includes the best way to handle a query in private versus putting someone on blast online.
Sam says that while she’s never had someone wash off their makeup, one stressed bride has stuck in her mind for how upset she became over the final look.
“After I completed her makeup she looked in the mirror and said it wasn’t how we did it at the trial and shoved the mirror back at me. I panicked and checked my notes, and assured her it was exactly like the trial and asked what I could do to make her happy. She walked off and I didn’t see her again. I was so upset I cried as soon as I got in the car – she didn’t even give me the chance to fix it,” Sam says.
“It stuck with me all these years later because I pour my heart and soul into making brides feel amazing and confident on their big day. And to get that response with no way to change it really got to me.”
Instead, Sam suggests a list of simple etiquette rules to follow to ensure your wedding morning runs without a hitch – and that the only tears spilled are happy ones.
A bridal trial is key
“It’s the chance to see if that look you have been dreaming of actually suits you. Brides can usually determine if it’s the right look for them after a trial as they get to wear it and see how it looks on their face. In the cases where I truly don’t think that look will suit them, I ask if they are open to trying something else. If so, I do their look on one side and my look on the other so they can see the difference.”
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“The best thing you can do for a trial is come with some images that you are drawn to ready to show your artist. I also like if my brides can show me their favourite picture of themselves when they are wearing makeup so I can get an idea of what they are used to. The makeup artist needs to be the one asking lots of questions and investigating. That’s key to ensuring you are both on the same page.”
Communicate clearly
“Be open and honest. We aren’t mind readers but we are pretty good at reading body language. We can tell when you’re not 100% happy so just let us know. Otherwise we won’t sleep that night wondering what we could have done better. A good makeup artist will never take offence to changes, they will welcome it! So express what you want added or adjusted. It’s just makeup, it’s so easy to be changed!”
Provide feedback in the moment
“I know that might be anxiety-inducing for some people but it’s your big day! You have to love how you look! We will be so much happier that you tell us how we can make it perfect for you. Rather than have to hear later in a bad review that you hated it. If you’re the makeup artist, take a deep breath and carry on. It’s our job to create a stress-free space for brides on their big day. If the bride is unhappy, don’t take it to heart! You are still a great makeup artist despite the changes she wants.”
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