Tips and Tricks for Your Wedding Makeup.
Interview with Polina Pyshkina, an award winning makeup artist from Tampa, Florida
Polina Pyshkina is a freelance makeup up artist living in Tampa, Florida. I met her at one of the weddings when she was preparing a bride to look her best for her wedding day.
I noticed how passionate and detail-oriented she is. Polina is sharing her secrets here and I hope you will find these expert tips helpful and will put them to good use when planning your special day.
Tell us a little about yourself.
What made you decide to become a makeup artist and how long have you been in the business?
My name is Polina Pyshkina, and I am a professional freelance makeup artist in Tampa, FL. My work involves doing bridal makeup, makeup for photoshoots, beauty editorials, and makeup for various types of events. I’ve been in this business for 5 years, and I love it.
I love where this job takes me. Every day I go to new places and meet new people, and have gained many friends because of it. I have been interested in makeup all my life but my parents were not thrilled about my choice of profession. They seemed to think that office work would be a “safer” choice and so I had to put my dream on hold for a while.
I just really wasn’t cut out for office life and it put a lot of pressure on me. But, thanks to my husband, I was finally able to pursue my dream. Because of this great career, I was:
- Named “Best of Wedding” on TheKnot portal for brides in 2018 and 2019.
- Guest blogger for Online Makeup Academy, where I wrote about a variety of makeup related topics.
- Chosen to be a makeup team member for Atlantic City Fashion Week.
In my free time, I create different makeup looks for my Instagram page (You can find me @MakeupByPolinaP).
What questions should brides ask when choosing the best makeup artist?
Before hiring a makeup artist, it is extremely important to check his or her portfolio. After all, a bride wants to make sure she looks great on her wedding day and it’s worth taking the extra steps.
If the bride is satisfied with the portfolio, the next step would be to ask about their rates, and if the makeup artist travels on site. If you are satisfied with their portfolio and pricing, then proceed with a trial.
A good suggestion would be to schedule a photo shoot with the same photographer that will do your wedding pictures, and have the makeup artist do your makeup so you can see how the makeup looks in pictures.
It is important to ask what makeup the artist will use ahead of time. The bride may have some allergies or skin sensitivities, and it is imperative for the makeup artist to know this before applying any products.
If the bride has a specific look in mind, send the artist pictures, and ask if they can recreate it.
If the bride wants airbrush makeup, be sure that they can do it (airbrushing looks fresher both in person and in pictures).
How far in advance should a bride start looking for a makeup artist?
This all depends on the bride and her planning schedule. I have had brides in the past that hired me a year before the wedding, and brides who hired me a couple of months in advance. Personally, I would recommend looking for a makeup artist about 6 months in advance, especially if you will be getting married during the bridal season (depending on the wedding location). It is important to secure a makeup artist before then.
What would you recommend for planning the bride’s makeup and hair?
The bride needs to understand that this is HER special day. She has to think about how she envisions herself on this day, and if she will be satisfied looking at her wedding pictures 20 years from now. Try out some looks from bridal magazines until you find what looks good on you. The hair and makeup should complement each other.
How long does it usually take to do bridal makeup?
It all depends on what look the bride wants. A soft, natural look can take between 60-90 minutes, or if they want something bold and sparkly, that would take around 2 hours. For instance, some girls tend to like cut creases and glitter, and that look requires more time to perfect.
Do you have any tips or tricks for a bride to keep her makeup looking fresh for the entire day?
A lot depends on the makeup artist and his/her technique. They would need to apply a good foundation using the right technique to have the makeup last all day!
But, if you tend to have oily skin in the T-zone, make sure to grab some blotting paper or blotting powder to absorb the excess oil. This powder is very light and sheer, and will not cause your makeup to “cake” closer to the end of the evening due to touch-ups throughout the day.
What are the latest trends in bridal makeup?
Right now, Israeli makeup artists are on-trend. They use a few different eyeshadows, making eye makeup simple yet sophisticated, and skin bronzy and glowing. This is a popular look for brides and can be used for many skin tones.
A few important tips:
- When hiring a makeup artist make sure they listen to you and try to do as much as they can to achieve the look you want. Not all makeup looks will look good on everyone due to differences in bone structure, but a good makeup artist can improvise and modify the look to suit you well.
- Be sure that their tools and makeup are clean. It is perfectly acceptable to ask how they clean them during a wedding when there are 5-10 people in their chair on one day. You don’t want them to apply mascara or lipstick straight from the tube, or use one foundation brush for all 10 people
- As for your makeup, it needs to be a bit darker and bolder than you would normally wear it since the photographer's flash brightens the image by 40%. I usually take a picture using a flash on my camera in order to show a client the difference.
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