Beautiful bridal makeup on the Costa del Sol | Q&A with experienced wedding makeup artist

Last week we shared the first part of a fun interview with an experienced wedding makeup artist, the fabulous Melanie, who has worked in the wedding industry for several years and now brings her skills from other industries such as working on e-commerce shoots for TV and various commercials related to the wedding industry to those brides looking for a destination wedding on the Costa del Sol.

Last week we ended the interview with the all important question: Is it important to have a trial before the wedding? And if this is not possible, how do you proceed?

And this is what Melanie told us:

The trial is most definitely one of the most important parts of booking makeup for a wedding. It’s a chance for the bride to discuss her likes and dislikes. It’s also a chance for myself and the bride to get to know one another; for me to hear her love story and also to really understand what “Look” she’s wanting to achieve for the big day.

Of course my expertise is important, but I also believe that it’s extremely important to listen to the bride and understand her requirements, so the trial is a great opportunity to create that rapport, it is also the perfect time to discuss skin tone and skin type so we can create a buildable look. The beauty of a trial is that you can go from very natural to soft glam bridal makeup.

When a trial isn’t possible, sometimes with distance it is not always feasible, good communication is a must, swapping images and thoughts so that I can create the desired result and allow for more time on the actual wedding day so I can go through all the steps slowly, making sure the bride is happy and comfortable with them. The good thing about working for e-commerce shoots for TV means that I’m pretty much prepared for any scenario / request that may arise.

What tips do you have for keeping makeup in place all day in the Spanish heat?

The best makeup tips for dealing with the heat at destination weddings are all about layering products and the base. The base is the most important part of any makeup look. I love skin to look like skin, but when in heat, a mat finish to the skin is totally necessary.

In order for the makeup to stay on, especially in heat I find cream products layered with powders over the top or the best way to secure and hold makeup in heat. It’s all about layering products to get that extra hold.

What makeup products do you use?

My makeup kit consists of Tom Ford, Charlotte Tilbury, Nars, Dior, I use high end brands.

What advice would you have for someone who never wears makeup but wants to on her wedding day?

I would most definitely advise an individual that has never worn makeup to have a trial. I would also advise that the bride went for something extremely natural. It’s all about enhancing someone’s natural beauty and enhancing their features.

What trends will we see this 2023 season?

For me as an individual my makeup is very natural to soft Glam. I would describe my makeup as very similar to artists such as Charlotte Tilbury, and I could not live without blusher.

You clearly love, have fun and enjoy the glam of your job. If you could restyle someone famous from the past or present, who would it be?

I would love to create a look on Julia Roberts as she is my most favourite actress, I love her in the film Pretty woman, she’s my idol!

On behalf of Sunshine Weddings Spain, a huge thank you for sharing your wedding makeup tips with us and also for all the stunning photos, we hope to see you very soon in this upcoming wedding season and beyond.