As a child, mom’s makeup box was the stuff of dreams. Lavishly applied lipstick, huge swatches of blush, and the most charming eye shadow imaginable all made it into our arsenal of dress-up delights. Even from a young age, we were all aware of the powerful effects of makeup. Beautifully applied makeup is always a delight. At the hands of a talented makeup artist, it enhances, delineates, and creates style icons.
One of the most important makeup sessions in a woman’s life is the bridal makeup on her wedding day. Bridal makeup not only requires expert understanding of light and dark, soft tones, and gentle highlights, but also a strong sense in beauty. Annie Chang, founder of AC Makeup in Vancouver, has for years been doing stunning things with her makeup brush, specializing in flawless bridal makeup and styling.
Annie’s fabulous makeup work really brings out the natural beauty in her clients, making them look and feel their best. Her background in Fine Arts and Photography serves as a great source of artistic inspiration and sensitivity. As a result of this wonderful combination, Annie’s unique talent is not only admired by many local brides, photographers, models, and producers, but also recognized on newspapers and magazines. We were so impressed with both the breadth and quality of her work that we decided to catch up with her for a chat.
Interviewing Annie was a joyful experience. She is a very fun girl to be around with whom you feel immediately at ease. Her friendly personality and open-minded attitude explain why she has won the trust and friendship of numerous brides. Today we want to share Annie’s story and advice about wedding makeup with you. No matter if you are a bride-to-be seeking an ideal makeup artist, a wedding professional trying to develop your business, or simply a fan of weddings and beauty related stories, this post is definitely for you. Let Annie’s adventure, passion, and amazing work inspire you with a beautiful new vision!
Credits (from top left): Nouvelle Photography / Momento Photography / CM Photography / Vivid Moments Photography / Green Pomme Photography
Praise: How did you start your career as a makeup artist?
Annie: When I was studying Fine Arts at UBC, I had no clue of how to put makeup on myself. This was pretty unusual for a girl that age. After graduating from the Fine Arts program, i decided to learn some makeup skills by joining Blanche Macdonald‘s makeup program. At that time I didn’t know this would become my future career, because I was only there for personal interest. However, as I went further into the program, my passion in this field started to develop, and it kept on growing stronger.
After I completed my makeup studies, I worked at Chanel for 2 years as a makeup consultant and sales representative. One day, a bride-to-be visited my counter and requested for a makeup trial. I knew she visited a few different counters trying to find her ideal makeup style. I carefully done the trial for her, and she was very satisfied. She later became my very first client for bridal makeup, and referrals started to develop from there!
Praise: As we all know, the makeup industry is very competitive and it’s hard to maintain business stability. How did you manage to market yourself and gain popularity?
Annie: To be honest I never thought I was popular, and I didn’t do much to “market” myself. I got most of my clients from referrals. My key to maintaining business in this field is to present a very sincere heart to every client I encounter. I really believe that as a makeup artist, if you truly care about your clients and really want them to look their best from the bottom of your heart, they can definitely feel it. When clients appreciate your service and skills, they will naturally pass the words on to other friends they know.
I also think dedication is very important. I understand it’s hard to dedicate all your time in the beginning, but strong dedication will push you further. I used to be a very shy student when I was studying at Blanche, but I had a very passionate classmate who didn’t want to miss any opportunity out there. She kept a record of all the events, seminars, and makeup sessions promoted at our school, and encouraged me to attend with her. These events not only strengthened my skills, but also taught me how to get along with different people and to grasp every opportunity. I am still keeping the same attitude today.
Credits: Nouvelle Photography
Praise: Some brides don’t do makeup trials before the wedding day. If you are meeting a bride for the very first time on her wedding day, how do you determine what’s the best makeup style for her?
Annie: I would always start by asking her what kind of makeup does she normally wear. Although she might have a dream bridal look in mind, when her imagination becomes reality she might find it hard to accept because it just doesn’t look like her. Bridal makeup should be an enhancement of the bride’s natural beauty. It should definitely be a beautiful transformation, but not a complete transformation turning the bride into someone else. Knowing what the bride desires is extremely important, but it’s best to get an idea of what the bride is used to, and then try to bring out more of her true beauty and style from there.
Praise: What are some important traits a good makeup artist should have?
Annie: I think a makeup artist should be sincere, caring, and calm. Our job is to make the bride look beautiful from the outside, and feel confident and comfortable deep inside. There’s nothing more promising for a makeup artist to step into the bride’s shoes and show her that you really care about how beautiful she can be on her special day.
Credits: L’Estelle Photography
Praise: What is your personal favorite bridal makeup style?
Annie: My personal favorite is the natural look, something that will make the bride shine, but at the same time also very natural and clean. I’m talking about the overall look, not a particular makeup technique – smokey eyes can look very natural too.
Praise: What do you love the most about being a bridal makeup artist?
Annie: The most rewarding moment of doing bridal makeup is when the bride looks into the mirror feeling proud and satisfied! The bride’s beauty transformation is an instant result that you get to see immediately when the makeup session is finished, and that’s something I really love. I also enjoy the opportunities to get to know different brides, families, and talented wedding professionals in this field.
Credits: Top and bottom right – L’Estelle Photography
Check out more of Annie’s beautiful work and learn about AC Makeup online at AC Makeup’s Website. Thanks Annie for sharing your great stories with us!
