Hair and Makeup Checklist

Every bride wants to look her utmost beautiful on her wedding day. It can be hard to know when to take care of certain hair and makeup rituals in the lead up to your wedding. Follow this checklist and you’ll have every head turning as you walk down the aisle.

(Courtesy carlytati.com)

One Year to Go

• Makeup is best applied to a flawless palette. Visit a dermatologist to target any problem areas – like acne, pigmentation or dermatitis – right from the outset. This gives you plenty of time to treat any problems, and allow generously for recovery time, should that be the case.

• Get into the habit of drinking plenty of water. Your skin and hair will thank you for it. Most doctors recommend between 2-3 litres a day.

9 Months

• Start scrapbooking or create a mood board with colour palettes and makeup design styles you like. You can use magazine clippings or print some photos from the net.

• Head to your local salon and flip through some magazines to gain some inspiration for hairstyles and colours. If you have something drastic in mind, this is the time to experiment with cuts and colours, so that any disasters can be rectified in time.

6 Months

• Start scouting for a makeup artist. Take your scrapbook or mood board (or whatever else you have) to your initial consultation, to offer some inspiration.

• If you don’t already have a hairdresser you trust, start having consultations with reputable professionals in your area.

4 Months

• As soon as you’ve found a makeup artist and hairdresser, put down your deposit and pre-book some consultation dates to do at least one trial run.

3 Months

• Do a practice run with your makeup artist. If you want to go for a look that’s a bit of a departure from your go-to makeup style, consider experimenting with makeup by yourself to achieve your ideal look (or as close to it as you can manage). If you like what you see, take a photo and show it to your makeup artist so they can give you a professional, polished version of the look.

• Try a few different makeup brands and types and find the best one for your skin. Experimenting early on like this will prevent any allergic reactions or breakouts that’d otherwise take place right before your big day. Once you find the products you like, stick with them. If you have particularly sensitive skin, stick to hypoallergenic and organic products.

• Do the same type of experimentation with hair products. Figure out which hairsprays, heat serums, conditioning mists, etc work best for your hair. The last thing you want on your wedding day is frizzy, brittle hair because you thought you’d try out a new product on the day of your wedding. This is an important step- even if you’re having professionally done- because you’ll most likely need touch ups throughout the day. Can you imagine a more nightmarish beauty-scenario than dousing perfectly coiffed hair in the wrong product that not only undoes your hairstylist’s work, but ruins your hair’s texture and feel for the rest of the day?

• If you don’t already, start exfoliating once a week. Smooth skin will help your makeup look more natural.

2 Months

• Start hydrating those locks, with regular deep conditioning treatments.

1 Month

• Get your hair cut and coloured, so that the ends can grow out a bit and sit naturally.
• Have a final consultation with your makeup artist and nut out the fine details.

2 Weeks

• If your hair grows fast, consider having your regrowth coloured again. Don’t do it too close to W-day, though, just in case your hairdresser accidentally spills dye on your ear or forehead and you can’t scrub it off in time.

The Big Day

• Try to sit back and relax, as your makeup artist and hairdresser work their magic on you.

• Take a look at how fabulous you are in the mirror, walk down the aisle, and watch your groom’s jaw drop when he sees you for the first time.