Two of our very favourite places in life to visit have to be the hairdressers and the beauty counters of a luxury department store. It’s therefore little surprise that we love to talk all things bridal hair and beauty, particularly with the pros who can offer an abundance of advice and those expert industry tips.
And they don’t come much more knowledgeable than our new Sponsor that we’re introducing on the bog today, the fabulous Lipstick & Curls.
With excess of 150 professional hair stylist and makeup artists on the books, these guys know their MAC from their McGrath and can provide a whole host of treatments to have you looking and feeling your very best for your big day. From bridal hair and makeup through to those all-important little extras, such as manicures, lash extensions and brow grooming, these guys have got it well and truly covered.
And if you like what you see ladies you will be excited to learn that the fabulous team are offering a 10% discount to all brides booking in 2016 if they mention Brides Up North.
Here to explain more about their super services is the director and head stylist of Lipstick & Curls, Amanda Moorhouse.
Tell us a little about the Lipstick & Curls team and the various services that you offer?
amanda says:
Lipstick & Curls is a hair and makeup team of more than 150 artists providing services nationally for brides, parties, fashion and media. I established the company in London and we now have a second office in Leeds for the north of England.We are always adding new services to our website as we try and give our customers the widest choice. We work closely with our customers helping them put a package together that will suit their group booking and event. Our most popular service is our bridal service where we can accommodate any size group and provide a wide range of services including manicure, lash extensions, brow grooming, hair styling and makeup.
We also work closely with other companies so can now help with recommendations for catering, car hire, DJ, photographer and much more.
In addition, we offer a great party service (particularly popular with hen parties) and make over lessons and masterclasses.
What makes you different to other hair stylists and makeup artists?
We are very proud to have a wonderfully talented team of more than 60 artists in the north of England, all of which have been handpicked and have an amazing body of work, outstanding skills and a winning personality!
All of our artists are highly skilled in all aspects of hair and make-up styling and are fully trained, fully insured and fully qualified to a very high standard. Our team are extremely friendly and have lots of experience working with brides on their special day. We want a reputation of being the best and we only employ the best.
What process will a bride go through if they pick Lipstick & Curls to do their wedding hair and makeup?
At Lipstick & Curls, we understand the importance of getting it perfect for a bride. We work with the bride to develop a look that will complement her dress, her features and her own personal style. We offer a very personal experience; we want all our brides to feel special. We develop a relationship with all of our brides and work together to create what they desire for their special day. This often includes sending pictures to each other including images of the dress, themselves and perhaps a colour pallet.
Most of our brides will have a trial, this usually happens six to eight weeks prior to the wedding (every bride is different however and some like to do this earlier). As soon as a bride has sorted her dress we encourage them to get in touch, if not before! We want as much time as possible to work with our brides and to be part of this process by letting us help them along the way. We can offer advice right at the beginning on head pieces, hair extensions and top tips on how to look after your hair and skin in the run up to the big day.
What advice do you offer brides when they are planning their wedding, and where do you advise that they look for bridal hair and makeup inspiration?
I’ve met a lot of brides and whilst most of them relish in the thought of planning a wedding, in hindsight it’s not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’. My main advice is it’s your day, so do it your way! There are no rules, so make this day your absolute fantasy wedding (whatever that may be).
In terms of inspiration, there is lots of information online and so many alternative options when it comes to creating your perfect day. Remember it should be fun so enjoy planning it together!
Pinterest is fab for sourcing images and collecting ideas. However, I‘m a firm believer that showing our customers our past work, often does the same. Look at as many blogs and websites as you can, and in particular look at ‘real brides’ and read about their chosen looks and experiences. It’s the best inspiration!
Why do you encourage brides to hire a professional to do their hair and makeup rather than them do it themselves? What should they look for in a stylist?
Ok so I was adamant on my wedding day that I would do my makeup myself. I am quite fussy and thought only I could achieve the image that I had in my head. On my wedding day a close professional friend offered me the opportunity to do it for me and I then said yes. It was a wonderful experience being able to hand this over to someone else and I feel very relaxed and confident that she would achieve all that I wanted and more. It was actually a real treat!
My advice to anyone looking for an artist is make sure you research the artist and see what she/he has done previously. All professionals will have a website and access to a body of work. Meet the artist and make sure you feel comfortable with them and completely at ease and in control in their presence.
Are there any brands of hair products or makeup that the team tend to use and, if so, why these brands in particular?
I think most of our artists favour MAC, they have great waterproof products and a wide range of colours and products types. We are all crazy about an Urban Decay setting spray that really help the makeup stay put. The one product I couldn’t live without is hairspray (of course!) We all like Schwarzkopf as a hair product brand along with Bumble and Bumble, which do really great fixing sprays too.
What is the feedback like from clients? What do they love about Lipstick & Curls’ approach and service?
I think brides like us as a company because we are very professional throughout. We have lots of images and styles available for them to look through from all of our previous work. We offer lots of advice and support from beginning to end and actually develop a relationship with our customers.
Is the team noticing any particular trends in bridal hair and makeup at the moment?
Ooh good question! Top hair bridal trends at the moment have to include braiding and plaiting! I think a new bridal trend is favouring a less structured up style and actually I have a lot of brides recently just wearing their hair loose and down! It looks great!
In terms of makeup, the red lippy has been a winner for a while now. It just looks stunning with a bridal gown!
What are the team’s top tips for brides to get their hair in the best condition possible for the wedding?
Most brides will grow their hair in the run up to the wedding, but they must get the dead ends trimmed off! It will actually aid the growing process, honestly! Don’t use too many chemicals on the hair and keep the hair well-conditioned. I recommend Moroccan Oil to all my brides it’s just a wonder product and you will really see results.
Similarly, what are the team’s top tips for brides to get their skin in the best condition possible for the wedding?
Good skin products. Don’t overdo it. My advice is keep your skincare simple and don’t do too many fancy treatments in the run up to the wedding as they can have an adverse effect! A weekly scrub will remove all the dead skin cells and actually encourage cell renewal giving you glowing skin. Oils are lovely for the skin too and are great for nearly all skin types. My favourite luxury oil is a rosehip seed oil, for amazing glowing skin use as a night treatment.
As well as wedding hair and makeup, Lipstick & Curls also offer hen do packages. Can you tell us a little about them?
A great choice for a party activity and, from years of experience, one that gives lots of fun and joy for a group of all ages is a Make Over Party. We offer a wide range of party options from make overs to masterclasses and even beauty pampering parties.
Where in the country are the Lipstick & Curls team based and what areas do they cover?
We are based in London and Leeds however we are a national team and we have artists based all over the UK. All our artists drive so we can come to you in nearly every location!
Are you able to offer a discount for Brides Up North readers?
Yes we can offer a 10% discount to all brides booking in 2016 if they mention Brides Up North.
How can Brides Up North readers get in touch with Lipstick & Curls or see more examples of the team’s work?
Via our website www.lipstickandcurls.net or on our social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+.
