It’s your special day! The day when the dreams we had as little girls finally come true as we walk down the aisles, towards our Prince Charming, and off to our happily ever after.  Before you make that walk, you gotta make sure that when he sneaks that first glance at you, he will be completely blown away by how beautiful you look but can still recognize you through all the makeup & hair.  This is where the magic of bridal makeup comes in.

Your wedding day will likely be the most photographed day of your life, and the main subject of these photographs is you.  Determining your makeup styling for this big day is definitely one of the most important things you will check off your massive bridal to-do-list.  However, finding the right makeup artist is not an easy task.  Some makeup consultations go as smooth as Sunday brunch with your best girlfriends, but others can get a bit more frustrating.  Finding a skillful makeup artist is not your only goal.  The artist should also have good personality traits, passion, patience, and great communication skills in order to turn the bridezilla into a stunning princess.

Today I’m honored to introduce to you one of the most friendly, passionate, and professional makeup artists I’ve met – Tommy Chiang.   Before I met Tommy, I was already amazed by many of his great celebrity and bridal makeup masterpieces I’ve seen around the web.  I’ve been secretly following his blog, trying to steal some makeup and fashion tips from time to time.  With more than 10 years of makeup experience and participation in countless celebrity events (including Leo Awards, Mercedez Benz Fashion Show, Vancouver Canucks Game Stanley Cup Final, cityTV, Miss Universe Beauty Pageant, etc), Tommy’s talent has gain popularity in Vancouver.  When I finally met him personally, I was surprised by how friendly and open-hearted he was.  His sharing about what it’s like working in the makeup industry and tips for brides are sincere and inspirational.  Let’s enjoy Tommy’s stories and work of art below!

 

 

Praise: Tell us about your background, how and why did you become a makeup artist?

Tommy: I was born and raised in Taiwan, and came to Canada around 13 years ago.  I’m influenced by both Eestern and Western cultures. I stepped into the makeup industry about 12 years ago, and began my career at Mac Cosmetics, where I developed my solid make-up artistry base.  Other than my makeup background, I also went to SFU to study Communications.

 

Praise: Communications seems to be a good combination, since makeup artists really need to communicate well with clients and market themselves.  It’s not easy for a makeup artist to get recognized in Vancouver, how did you gain popularity and market yourself?

Tommy: Yes, it’s not easy, you gotta do a lot to get your work out there and grasp opportunities around you.  Maybe my communication background did help a bit, I do a lot of social media and blogging to share my work with the public.  I am active and vigorous, I like to take initiative and get to know different people. I think relationship building is important, and of course, you have to be very good at what you do, and always keep improving your skills.

 

 

Praise: Tell me about your studio and team (Tommy Beauty Pro Team)!

Tommy: We are a team of bilingual (English and Mandarin Chinese) artists with 10+ years of experience.  Our team consists of professional makeup and hair stylists.   We value beauty quality, so we insist everyone in the team should only focus on our specialty (makeup artists focus on makeup, and hair stylists focus on hair).  We have our in-house studios in Vancouver and Burnaby, but we are also mobile to travel to the client’s location!  We value customer service and provide consultation and trial makeup sessions for brides.

 

 

Praise: How do you treat your bridal clients? How is bridal makeup different from celebrity or other makeup you do?

Tommy: I think bridal makeup involves a lot more consultation and communication.   When I face bridal clients, I usually spend a lot of time on getting to know their thoughts.  No matter if it’s face-to-face consultation, by phone, or countless back-and-forth e-mails, it’s really important to know what the bride has in mind and what is her ideal look.  I do give suggestions based on the style and color of her dresses, but the key is to understand how she would dream to look like on her big day!  Whether the look is romantic, sexy, cute, classic, or glamorous, it has to be her ideal style, and the makeup artist’s job is to make it happen.

 

 

Praise: Any tips you want to give to brides about seeking the right makeup arist?

Tommy:  Most brides tend to choose makeup aritsts by words of mouth.  Yes, words of mouth is reliable, but portfolio also speaks a lot.  I would suggest brides to go through the potential artists’ portfolios, then contact your favourite artist for a consultation.  If the consultation goes well and you think the artist has good personality and understands what you are looking for, then make an appointment for makeup trial session.  Nothing can be a better proof than the actual work of art.

 

 

Big thanks to Tommy for the wonderful interview and great sharing!  To view more of Tommy’s work please visit his website, or visit blog for some awesome fashion and makeup tips!