You may have your wedding hair and makeup trial coming up soon and are looking forward to seeing how you might look on your wedding day.  But.... what happens if you don't like it or if it 'goes wrong?'

Some brides decide to completely forgo a trial as they're confident that the portfolio of their Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist is real and unfiltered so have complete faith in their chosen hair stylist and makeup artist or maybe they simply don't have time to fit one in.

However, most brides do decide to book in a hair and makeup trial as they feel more comfortable having a practice run.  Just the same as you might book in a taster session with your caterer, it's to sample the goods and test out the following:
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The kit should look clean and hygienic. You want to ensure that your makeup artist (MUA) has plenty of clean makeup brushes as well as disposable ones for when using mascara and lipgloss.  Your MUA should never double dip the mascara wand into the mascara tube (no-one wants an eye infection or cold sore added to their wedding day gift list!)

Blowing directly on to makeup brushes to dust off excess is also a big no no. If a makeup brush is accidentally dropped on the floor - it is discarded, disinfected or just picked up and used? 

To save previous time it's always best to come prepared to your wedding hair and makeup trial with plenty of images of looks and styles that resonate with you (even better if emailed to your makeup artist and stylist beforehand).  Our booking form with Barnet and Boatrace includes a section for you to upload your inspiration images too.   

We always ask you to bring with you any hair accessories you're thinking of incorporating as well as your current makeup bag. This is so that we can see how the accessories will work in your hair as well as what makeup products you are used to using (and politely advise if any look past their best before date!). We don't want you to have any breakouts before your wedding day.

​If you rarely wear makeup or have your hair styled by a hairdresser or simply don't have a clue on how to describe your vibe, having images to hand that you don't like can really help us to determine what hairstyles and makeup looks to avoid!  ​

We usually aim to carry out your hair and makeup trial during the same appointment so that you can see overall how your wedding hair and makeup will look without having to spend too long in the hair and makeup chair (or without having to travel to two seperate locations).

We aim to complete your trial within 1.5 hours. This time is precious! If you're thinking of bringing a friend or relative with you please bear this in mind as sometimes your wedding party as lovely as they are can be a distraction with different opinions thrown in and you may lose the valuable time required to try out more than 1 look if desired.

However, having said that if you do require more time you can always book in a second or third trial with us (time permitting!).

You might be nervous but your trial should be light hearted and fun. Your wedding makeup artist and hair stylist should make you feel relaxed and confident that it will all come together nicely on the day. 

Once completed take a look in different lights and angles and let us know if you have any feedback or constructive criticism - we promise we can handle it!

If you've not yet been to a Dorset wedding fair before here's our our lump of ice (that's cockney rhyming slang for advice!) before giving up part of your precious weekend.

The old cliché "Fail to Plan - Plan to Fail" is so simple but such good advice when planning your wedding.  

Before deciding which wedding fairs to attend we'd suggest you make a list of wedding services that you still need to tick off your list and research which wedding suppliers are attending each wedding fair.

If you still need to find your dream Wedding Dress, or Wedding Makeup Artist and there's 2 magicians, 1 florist and 9 photographers attending - you may want to give this wedding fair a swerve! 

If you're chatting to a wedding supplier (maybe a Makeup Artist!) whose personality vibes with yours and you haven't yet found the right wedding photographer for you why not ask them if they have any recommendations. They'll be much more likely to have crossed paths with suitable suppliers at previous weddings they've both worked on and be more than happy to make a recommendation to you.

If large venues, lots of people, polite conversations and parking wars stress you out you may want to consider visiting a smaller more intimate wedding fair.

Large wedding exhibitions can be exhausting when you get bombarded with business cards and sales talk with suppliers for services that you may have already sorted (think 10 minutes of polite conversation per supplier could ad up if you don't want to cause offence by walking on!)

If this sounds like your worst nightmare then you may want to consider attending our small, relaxed and informal Hair and Beauty Fair with free goody bags, wine and canapés supported by a handful of carefully selected wedding suppliers on 18th February between 5pm - 7pm at The Hair and Beauty Lounge in Wallisdown. 

Grab your free ticket now via this link.  We can't wait to meet you!

Congratulations if you've just got engaged over Christmas or the New Year period, or perhaps 2023 is your year to go from Miss to Mrs!

Either way there's no doubt that you've had several conversations with family and friends over Christmas about how your wedding plans are coming together with lots of different suggestions, do's and don'ts which can understandably leave your head in a bit of a spin!

To help you alleviate any stress or feelings of being overwhelmed we're going to give you a few insights and tips to bear in mind and when choosing your Wedding Day Suppliers so that you'll be able to sit back and relax when your wedding day arrives.

If you've not yet visited Hitched.co.uk this is a fantastic website to help you plan your wedding, budget and keep everything on track.  

Not only can you search their huge database of suppliers from Wedding venues to Hair Stylists and Makeup Artists (like us!) in Dorset there's lots of handy tools and checklists as well as other brides you can chat to on their forums too - plus there's a free app you can download as well. 

We all love a bargain in the January sale, however watch out for wedding suppliers who consistently offer flash sales, heavy discounts or their prices are much lower than other companies you've shortlisted. If their Black Friday offer runs right through to January and beyond they might not be as busy as they'd like you to think or they may have hidden extra costs not initially advertised. 

Some wedding suppliers have honest reasons for lower pricing perhaps if they are new to the industry, use trainees or have particular wedding dates that they are looking to fill. 

We offer lower prices for our Junior Hair Stylists and Makeup Artists and budget friendly pricing for mid week weddings or those in low season too.  Take a look at our example pricing.

Be wary of companies that post the same status update every week stating that they have 'limited availability' and that their diary for this year is almost full - unless they have listed their limited dates of course ;) then this saves everyone valuable time in administration with messages going back and forth.

If you're interested in finding out more about how we can help you on your wedding day then please do get in touch - we'd love to hear from you.

If you've ever been a part of a brides wedding day morning, typically it's a group of women getting together in their silk robes or matching pyjamas, playing some girly ballads whilst cracking open a bottle of fizz, sharing stories and stepping into their dresses just 30 minutes before the wedding ceremony. 

A couple of years ago I was asked to do a Mother of the Grooms makeup at the grooms house where the groom and his best man and ushers were all getting ready and wow what a different experience this was!

They were suited and booted mega early, the tunes were NOT romantic, 12pm felt more like 12am with the music pumping so LOUD and the guys knocking back the Jack Daniels.

Doing up the ties was a struggle (YouTube windsor knot - just so ya know) and no-one was quite sure where the button holes (flowers) went (FYI left lapel pointing upwards, ladies on the right pointing downwards) so it was quite an amusing eye opener at how different a grooms wedding morning can be compared to a brides!

I'm sure not every grooms wedding morning is like this, however it got us thinking more about the morning from a guys perspective. 

We're more frequently being asked if we can sort out the barnet and boatrace of the groom and his ushers. So for 2023 we are excited to announce we are offering a hair grooming, styling and makeup service for the guys as well. 

Whether it's your barnet or beard that needs grooming, help disguising those under eye circles from the sleepless nights worrying about delivering that speech or perhaps some translucent powder to fend off the shine (summer weddings can be hot!) we are offering a tailored service to suit you!

All of our quotes are prepared bespoke so whether you're after couples pre-wedding pampering such as his and hers facials and massages (our friends at HB Lounge can help) or on the day pampering, just drop us a message to let us know what your requirements are and we will do our best to make the run up to your wedding morning as stress free, organised and relaxed as possible!

Check out Esther and Paul's wedding day story whose hair and makeup we did earlier this month (for Esther and her 3 bridesmaids and not Paul!) at The Connaught Hotel in Bournemouth provided by Charles Thorne Photography.

To find out more about bridal hair styling and makeup with us for your November wedding or any other month  - don't hesitate to get in touch. 

Being a bridal makeup artist one of the most requested thing a bride will ask us for at their wedding makeup trial run is a "natural look".    

According to Google natural makeup means a no makeup look which defines the features without any major changes ie minimal contouring, shading and no bright colours.  Basically a nude or almost no makeup look!

With so many shades of nude or natural it can sometimes be complicated describing what wedding day makeup look you'd like us to create.  That's where as an experienced makeup artist comes in! 

When meeting you for the first time we carry out a consultation for the first 10 - 20 minutes of your trial appointment.  We discuss your wedding ideas, your usual skincare and makeup routine, as well as any known allergies and what makeup you use to transform your look from day to night. 

Some of our bridal clients aren't used to wearing any makeup at all which isn't a problem as makeup for non makeup wearers can be a scary thing!  If this sounds like you, you'll be pleased to know we'll always stick to the left hand side of the chart below for your eyes to start with.  

If your nude inspiration is smokey and sultry eyes paired with a peachy nude lip or more of a light gold shimmer with a bold glossy lip we will work with you to find your wedding day natural makeup look all in your own time and privacy in a strictly hygienic environment too.

We usually carry out your makeup trial together with your hair trial whenever possible approximately 3 months before your wedding day to give you an overall idea of how your wedding day look will come together.  

However, you're always welcome to try before you buy and book in a makeup session with us at any time, even if you haven't yet paid your deposit and secured your wedding date with us yet.

Do you have an upcoming Christmas Party or Black Tie Event? Then why not take the opportunity to treat yourself to a 1 to 1 makeover in the comfort of your own hotel room or home?

We always use top quality products from brands such as Mii Cosmetics (perfect if you have sensitive skin), Fenty Beauty, HUDA Beauty, Laura Mercier to name a few.

​Christmas party makeup from £45. Strip Lashes £5.

Contact Olga to check availability!

We're not talking gummy bears and fizzy cola bottles, (although we can be partial to the odd strawberry lace or two), today we're talking Pick n Mix Pricing!

With the cost of living crisis (is anyone else bored of that phrase yet?!) we understand that you want to get the best value for money when choosing your wedding day suppliers and for your Wedding Hair and Makeup. ​

That's why we you'll be pleased to know we've introduced Pick n Mix Pricing!

If you're looking for the most experienced Makeup Artist and Hair Styling team for your wedding who are used to dealing with all sorts of situations that could crop up on your wedding morning then you'll definitely want to book our Head Makeup Artist, Olga and Head Stylist, Tandee for your wedding day!

• We have over 18 years experience (each) within the industry.  
• We know how to deal with a whole myriad of skin types and ethnicities...
• ..... as well as curly, frizzy or thinning hair types!
• We know how to read people and adapt to situations - this is really important on your wedding day!  
• If you feel like being quiet, we won't chew your ear off!
• If you want to chat to your bridal party - we'll let you chat to them.  
• If you need a moment to yourself or to feed your new born baby, we'll give you that moment (we're both Mums too).
• It's your wedding day and not ours. We don't take over.
• With the number of boat races we've made over and barnets we've styled we are pretty quick with our hands so you'll be pleasantly surprised that early starts and long bridal prep timetables aren't really our thing.
• We've got a back up plan should there be any last minute sickness as we've established relationships with other makeup and hair professionals within the industry (as well as our own team) so you can rest assured that we will turn up on your wedding day.

These girls are a fab addition to our team and happy to assist with weddings following the lead of our Head Stylist and Makeup Artist and can also be booked to work on their own.

• Our Senior Makeup Artists and Stylists have approximately 10+ years experience so have mastered their skills whereas our Juniors have around 5+ years experience.
• Juniors are newer to building up their portfolio as well as their makeup kits so will be still learning some of the tricks of the trade. 
• Our Juniors tend to be younger so often have their finger to the pulse with the most latest trends which can be more appealing to our younger brides and bridesmaids!
• If you're on a budget these artists can sometimes work out to be more affordable too. 

If you can't quite make up your mind or want the best of both - why not pick and choose your level of skill for your hair stylist and makeup artist within the Barnet and Boatrace team?  

It might be that you're a more mature bride so would feel better suited with our Head or Senior Makeup Artist. Or you'd like our Head Makeup Artist but have a more relaxed approach to your hair so would be happy with a Senior or Junior Stylist. Either way, we're happy to work around you.  Just mention in your enquiry whether you'd like a quote for a Head, Senior or Junior Artist.  

All of our quotes are prepared bespoke as at Barnet and Boatrace we feel that one price does not fit all.  

To find out more about how much your dream wedding hair and makeup look will cost for you and your bridesmaids then don't delay - check out our example price list and get in touch today!
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"Dry skin with foundation” reaches 3,480,000 YouTube views and 150 monthly google searches according to an article in October’s Professional Beauty magazine.

I’m not surprised as this is actually one of the hardest situations I come across when meeting a client for the first time, especially during a bridal makeup trial.

I have no rules with regard to how clients should turn up to their bridal makeup trial so I advise them to arrive with or without makeup, whatever feels most comfortable.

If they arrive bare faced I'm happy that I’ve got a blank canvas to work with. If they arrive with some some makeup applied already then I’ve got a better idea of what their 'go to' makeup look is so in my eyes it's win, win.

We always ask clients to bring with them their makeup bags so we can have a quick butchers and also recommend any products that look like they’re past their best before date as did you know that makeup has a shelf life too?

Not sure how long to keep your cosmetics for? Check out 5 Signs you need to spring clean your makeup bag.

It’s not always easy knowing what skin type someone has. Sometimes skin can appear quite smooth and blemish free but once makeup is applied it can start to hi-light any dry patches - which isn’t such a good look! (If this happens by the way, we remove it and start again!)

During the trial I always talk to the client about how they feel their skin is behaving and discuss whether the day we meet is a good skin day or a bad one. I also check what products they use on a daily and weekly basis and whether they are planning to have any treatments before their wedding day. 

Many clients I meet have a limited skincare routine or don't have one at all.  This is my one plea to brides, please, please invest in a couple of suitable skincare products to use every day at very least during the 3 months leading up to your wedding day.

We’re more than happy to recommend suitable products for you as a good skincare routine can make all of the difference to how your makeup lasts on your wedding day.

If you’re interested in finding out more about choosing the right skin care for your skin type get in touch for a 1 to 1 makeup or skincare lesson. We'd love to help you get that blemish free canvas ready for your special occasion or wedding day makeup. 

In the words of Rihanna of Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin "Good skin is the way to good makeup"

You might have the confusion that the hair stylist you love is saying they know a makeup artist or vice versa. Or they know an assistant that can help them if you have a large wedding party. However, when they check their availability they’ve already been booked -  so back to square one!  

​Ideally you'd like a hair stylist and makeup artist that have worked together before to make sure they are flexible and work well together and around each others time lines. 
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This is where an established professional hair and makeup company offering both wedding hair and makeup can really help keep those worry lines at bay!

One company means there's no need to have multiple conversations with the hair stylist and the makeup artist and waiting for their individual replies regarding your ideas and timings for the day and wondering if it will all come together or not.

With Barnet and Boatrace you communicate with the same person (Olga - pictured below) who has built up the relationships with the hairstylist(s) and makeup artist(s) and oversees everything from start to finish.  We co-ordindate  everything wedding hair and makeup related to ensure your journey is as easy as pie right from your initial enquiry to the final execution on the day.  

Think of it like having your own personal Wedding Co-ordinator -  just for the makeup and hair side of things!

With so many different suppliers to pay at different stages having one less deposit and invoice to think about has got to be a good thing right?! 

So there you have it! Our top 3 reasons to chose one company for your barnet and boatrace.

If you need any expert advice regarding your wedding hair and makeup planning then please do get in touch.  We'd love to chat to you and help make those dreams come true!
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You’ve decided that you don’t have the necessary skills, relevant products or nerves needed to apply your own makeup or style your own hair and want to sit back and be pampered on your wedding day! 

You’ve taken the plunge in hiring a professional to style your hair and apply your makeup - fabulous idea!

You'd like your bridesmaids enjoy the experience with you and look great in your wedding pictures too but perhaps you've done some sums and realise everything is adding up to wayyy more than you anticipated!

So.... how do you approach them to maybe, dare I say it….  contribute towards some of the wedding day costs?!

One of the top things that brides sometimes ask for a contribution towards is hair and/or makeup.  
The bride sends out a WhatsApp or Instagram message to gage the feedback which is met with a wall of silence.... eeeek!

To find out more about a staggered payment plan and booking your dream hair and makeup with Barnet and Boatrace pick up the dog and bone and give Olga a call on 07787 566564.