Have you ever shown a makeup and hair artist a photo that you’d like them do base your hair and makeup off of only to be completely disappointed in the end results? That was me every time I’ve hired someone to make me pretty. I was disappointing in stylists until I was lucky enough to meet Shelby while in California for my closest friends wedding. She blew my mind away with her ability to enhance mine, the other bridesmaids, and the brides natural beauty as well as giving us everything we asked for. That’s why I wanted to feature her in one of our Vendor Spotlight posts. She may be located in California but I think she’s work a look if you’re having a destination wedding in California, or you’re just looking for some good beauty tips for your big day.
On average, how many weddings do you style a month? On a typical month I would say I style about 4 weddings on average. Sometimes I do more and sometimes a little less during the holiday season. In Southern California the weather is so nice year round that typically the only time it really slows down is around the holidays.
What is your favorite part of styling a bride on her wedding day? Helping her look her absolute best! It is so important that you feel comfortable on your wedding day. Also I’m such a girls girl that I love seeing the bride with all her girlfriends having a great time before the wedding. What mistakes have you seen brides make that you want to caution them away from? My biggest tip for brides as far as beauty before the wedding goes is don’t try anything new too close to the wedding! I’ve seen too many times that people try a new facial or a new hair color and things don’t go as planned. Every bride wants to look perfect on her wedding day so sometimes we start trying all different kinds of treatments and products and keeping it simple can be the best thing.
What is your favorite beauty product to recommend to clients? For the wedding day hair styling my absolute favorite products are Kenra. I’ve tried so many different brands and they are the best in my opinion. If you’re looking for something pre-wedding to get your hair in shape, one of my favorite deep conditioners is Alterna’s Kendi Intense Moisture Mask deep conditioner, it is so amazing for dry damaged hair. As for makeup, I use quite a few different brands, Temptu for airbrush foundation, Anastasia of Beverly Hills, Smashbox, and a couple of others. My favorite skin care product is a rosewater and glycerin spray by Heritage Store. First of all, it’s super cheap, about $12 for an 8oz bottle and it’s great for moisturizing, problem skin, and setting makeup!
Weddings are occasions that most women look forward to their entire life. Do you feel that a styling test run is worth the investment for a bride? I would definitely suggest a trial run, there’s lots of little details to be discussed and worked out before the big day! Also its nice to get to know one another so there’s a high level of comfort for the bride on her wedding day.
I’m still obsessed with the airbrush makeup you did on me. What are the benefits of airbrush makeup? The biggest benefit of airbrush makeup besides the beautiful finish is its longevity. Traditional makeup lasts approximately 6-8 hours and airbrush makeup lasts about 12-16.
When a bride is making the schedule for her big day, how much time should she and her girls set aside to get ready with you? Typically i allow 45 minutes per service on a wedding day for bridesmaids and wedding guests. I try to allow an hour per service for the bride so that we have plenty of time. Times can vary on style and the amount of hair someone has. What’s one beauty issue you often see on ladies? A common beauty issue I see is not exfoliating enough. Your skin is going to be the base for your makeup so the better condition your skin is in the better end result you will have. Also, going way too heavy on makeup can also be an issue. Sometimes less really is more.
Finally, what makes you stand out as a beautician? I think what makes me stand apart from other artists is that I really try to listen to what the bride is looking for, and work with them. Communication is so essential with hair and makeup. Although I have my own style of work, I focus on what the bride’s vision is for their big day. Do you feel that a styling test run is worth the investment for a bride?
Shelby was everything the bridal party could have hoped for for the wedding I was in in November. She was fun to hang out with, she listened to all of use and she’s an extremely talented hair and makeup stylist. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading her tips and tricks and if you’re in California for a special event, I highly recommend reaching out to her.
Until next time, Jules