An Interview With A Wedding Makeup Artist

Today we’re chatting with Brittany, a Cincinnati Makeup Artist and owner of Brittany With The Brushes. It goes without saying that makeup artist are one of the top 10 most important vendors on a wedding day. They are responsible for making the bride feel like she’s the most gorgeous human on planet Earth. A professional makeup artist can set the tone for the entire wedding day. The day literally starts in their hands and as far as makeup artist go in Cincinnati, Brittany is hands down one of the best.

I first met Brittany, in 2022, at a private collaborative styled shoot, here in Cincinnati. I had seen her work through multiple photographer’s who had worked with her on styled shoots, at weddings, or creative shoots. Before even meeting her, I had already loved her makeup artistry. When I finally met Brittany I knew I would be reaching out to her for a lot of projects. When I started the boudoir side of my business, Black Orchid Boudoir Studio, she was the first makeup artist I reached out too for my boudoir clients. Not only do I trust her with all my clients, she’s also my go to makeup artist when I need to be glamified.

A big thank-you to Brittany for taking the time to interview with me for this blog. The goal of this is to give you the perspective of a wedding makeup artist when it comes to prepping brides for their wedding day.

• Tell Us Your Story

  My beauty journey really started as an adult. As a kid, my mom was such a huge glamour girl and to be honest, she scared me away from any kind of beauty rituals. I never wanted to be the kind of woman that everybody had to wait on to finish getting ready. Ironically, now, I take double the time to get ready that my mom does.

  It wasn’t until I dropped out of college, when I took a year off to really figure out what I genuinely loved. I played an instrument throughout my childhood, so I thought that that was the only path that I could take. Once I started developing a love of cosmetology, and watching YouTube videos all day every day, I knew the beauty industry is where my heart was.

  When I toured my hair school, it was everything that I needed at the time. But about halfway through, I realized that I didn’t love doing just hair. As I started to flounder, I was lucky enough to meet my mentor and he helped foster my love of make-up. He wouldn’t let me waste my tuition money, so he gave me different assignments, artist drills and things to do that motivated me to at least come to school. He got me my first job at the Cincinnati Opera. The day after I graduated cosmetology school, I walked into JCPenny's Sephora and got a job on the spot. From there I worked in retail until I started my own business.

• Where Are You Based And What Areas Do You Cover?

  My private suite is located inside The Studio on Elm in downtown Cincinnati. I will travel as far as anyone is willing to book me. As of right now, my farthest travel location for a wedding is Los Angeles. 

• What Services Do You Offer?

  I am a fully licensed cosmetologist. So, my menu is actually pretty vast. I am a curly hair specialist, bridal and photoshoot Makeup Artist, and I also provide facials/skincare consultations.

• What advice would you give a bride worried about her skin on her wedding day?

  It depends on what we're discussing. If we are discussing skincare worries at the trial makeup run, then I start the conversation about facial services, recommendations and products. We will go over the products currently being used as well as what the long term goals are.

  If we’re having the conversation closer to the wedding day, I always remind brides that we live in 2024 and almost anything can be corrected with skin retouching. The stress of looking perfect is never worth the acne is causes. Try to drink as much water as possible in the weeks leading up to The Big Day. Don’t overdo it at your rehearsal dinner, and be diligent about wearing sunscreen in the months leading up to your wedding day.

  Dermaplaning is one of my favorite services to recommend for brides, it removes all dead skin a hair, and makes the makeup go on like butter. 

• What advice/tips would you give to brides doing their own makeup on their wedding day?

  To be honest, as someone who is a makeup artist and was a recent bride, I wouldn’t recommend brides doing their own wedding makeup. However, I understand if some brides are making that choice because of budget or location/venue restrictions.

  My biggest piece of advice would be to practice and do multiple wear tests. When you see photos of makeup that you like, save them and come back to them later. It gives them some time to marinate in your brain. Later, you can look at those pictures and really discover what you like about the makeup.

  When looking at inspiration photos, make sure you’re looking at things like color placement and texture differences (where is it shiny, where is it matte). These are the defining factors of a makeup. 

  Waterproof EVERYTHING on the eyes especially in the summertime. If you’re someone who tends to be oily or shiny, definitely grabbing an intense setting spray like, One Size Beauty or from Kryolan, is your best bet. Skip glossy lips for the ceremony and save them for the reception. That way you don’t have to help your groom get lipgloss off his mouth everytime you all kiss.

• When it comes to waxing, threading, and tanning, how close to the wedding day should these be done?

  If you are completely new to waxing, I wouldn’t get a wax within a month of your wedding. There are too many variables and so many skin sensitivities that could flare up following a wax. If you’re not a first time wax client, as long as you’re out of the 24 hour window, you should be OK.

  As for tanning (self or professional), that really depends on the person. If you’re new to tanning, I would treat it the same as waxing. Avoid getting a tan for the first time within 2-3 weeks of the wedding. If you’ve had one before, anything before 24 hours is usually fine. The couple week precaution for first timers may seem extreme, but keep in mind, it takes a month for the skin cycle to complete itself. Worst case scenario, it could take that long to heal from a reaction. 

• On the wedding day, how much time should brides set aside to have their makeup done?

  Brides should set aside as much of their morning as possible to get ready. I know to a lot of people that sounds a little crazy,  but it’s always better to have time you don’t need than to need time that you don’t have. It typically takes about an hour each, for hair and makeup. Please plan extra time for showering, shaving , and brushing teeth (these things somehow seem to be forgotten when setting aside time for getting ready). If you love your glam team, please give us our own dedicated time and spaces to work. While most of us don’t mind working in tandem, it can be a challenge to perfect eyeliner while the hairstylist is trying to perfect an updo. 

• What advice would you have for a bridal party getting ready all together? What tips do you have for remaining on schedule?

  The number one thing I tell my brides is to only give their attendants an arrival time and ready time. I usually suggest for the wedding planner/coordinator, bride, and maybe the Maid of Honor to have each bridesmaid's individual makeup appointment times. The reason for this is, that big events like weddings can be stressful, and any extra minutes are milked for all they’re worth. If given appointment times, in my experience, attendants will try to squeeze in same day appointments, make store runs, etc. Giving them the glam window, parks them with you at the venue or bridal suite. This ensures you’ll have everyone you need with you, preventing any delays having to wait on people to arrive.

  As for logistics, your glam squad will usually work from the back of the line to the front. With the Mom(s), Maid of Honor and Bride going last. This ensures the makeup for the most photographed people is the freshest. This is also why it’s so important for the attendants to be on time and available for their appointments.  One late person can derail the entire makeup timeline.

• What are the benefits of doing a wedding makeup trial? Are they essential and do you offer these as part of your wedding makeup package?

  Trials to me, are very important. They can take a lot of the nervousness out of the entire makeup process. Everyone’s relationship with make up is different. Having some time to see what you look like in bridal makeup and making notes about what you like and don't like, can really help relieve some of the stress and anxiety some have when it comes to wearing makeup. Although, every bride does not do a makeup trial, I offer them to all my brides. Not every makeup artist, recommends it, but brides can get double use out of their bridal makeup trial. Booking your bridal makeup trail on the day of your bridal shower, engagement session, or another wedding event give you and the makeup artist time to vibe on a less hectic and stressful day. But, more importantly, it allows the bride to take the makeup for a test drive. I love getting notes about how the makeup held up for the bride. I always say, "the trial is great, but the wedding day is usually even better".

• What tips would you give a bride to help her stay calm on a wedding morning?

  My biggest tip is to surround yourself with people who promote whatever mood you’re trying to be in. This is your one chance to be as picky or as demanding as you need to be to have the perfect day. Most people will understand. If you need to ask for privacy or for company, definitely do it. Make your bridal party the kind of people that make you feel good and celebrate. You just because someone has played a certain role in your life, doesn’t mean they have to be part of your bridal party or in your bridal suite. There are a lot of roles people can play in a wedding that do not involve them being part of the getting ready process.

  Additionally, taking the time while you’re in the hair and make up chair to relax can really help the process. I recommend that my brides give their phones to someone else during this time. Designate someone to take care of anything that comes up that doesn't need your immediate attention. Don't be afraid of confiding in your glam team. We're use to dealing with relation dynamics, be it family or friends. If you need space from someone, we usually can find a way to articulate that on your behalf. We don’t mind your wedding day entourage being upset with, we're here to work for you.

• What lighting conditions are needed to apply makeup?

  Big, open, natural lighting is always going to be the best for makeup. A lot of brides like to get ready in hotel suites and some of these rooms can be really dark. Any bridal artist should have their own lighting setup. To be honest, if you could look out for us in terms of table space, that makes a bigger difference than lighting. Extra outlets always help too!

• Where are some of your favorite bridal suites/ places to get ready?

  • Airbnbs in Over The Rhine and Mt Adams are some of my favorite places to help brides get ready at. You can find some really unique spaces with amazing lighting and photo opportunities.

  • Pinecroft at Crosley Estate - A classic venue for the classic bride. Has a spacious and perfectly lit bridal suite.

  • The Factory Events - A modern, industrial wedding venue in one of my favorite neighborhoods (Northside) comes complete with a bridal bungalow that has a full kitchen and bath. 

  • The Summit Hotel - A chic but classic option. Brides can use one of their many spacious conference rooms to prep for the Big Day.   

• Where Can We See Your Latest Work And Updates?

  My most recent work is always going to be on my Instagram: @BrittanyWithTheBrushes

  I do lots of free tips and tricks on TikTok: @BrittanyWithTheBrushes

  And I’m hoping to bring long-form content to YouTube soon!

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