Earlier this month, 5 talented Hair and Makeup Artists from Devizes, Bristol, Swindon, The New Forest and Wimborne were invited to the beautiful private Manor Estate in Wiltshire to take part in a Hair and Makeup trade trade test and training day.

Olga (founder of Barnet + Boatrace) organised the day with the assistance of Senior Makeup Artist Becky Lankester as part of her recruitment process to ensure that all future freelancers are a good fit for her Award Winning Wedding Hair Styling and Makeup Team.

​As more referrals and rave reviews roll in, Barnet + Boatrace is not only offering it's wedding hair and makeup services in Dorset and Hampshire but throughout Wiltshire and Bristol and Swindon too. 

Olga always endeavours to get the right mix of people in her team to maintain the 5 Star Google, and Facebook rating that her and the team have so passionately gained. 

Olga loves to meet all new freelancers face to face and see them in action before they meet their first Barnet + Boatrace Bridal Client.
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​When booking your Hair and Makeup Team for one of the biggest days of your life it's important you can trust that they have these 5 essential qualities!

1.  Reliability. 
No-one wants to be jilted before they even get to the altar!  Every bride wants to feel confident when booking with us that their hair and beauty team will turn up at the right place and on time with a smile on their face.

2. Have high hygiene standards and a well stocked kit.
We find our brides love to see a good variety of premium quality products and tools in our hair and makeup kits as it helps gives them confidence that we are well prepared and can do a good job. 

We use a mixture of long lasting commercial and industry brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, MAC, Kryolan, Illamasqua, TIGI, Maria Nila, OSIS and more! 

Hygiene plays a major part too - clean kits only and no blowing on brushes - EVER!

3. Do a good job (in a reasonable amount of time)
Instagram and website galleries are great to give you an idea of the Makeup Artists and Stylists capability or signature style but sometimes you just want to see someones work in real life, filter free. 

Timing is also key as this plays a crucial part in selecting the right team for larger wedding jobs and putting together an accurate timeline for brides. 

Whilst an experienced Makeup Artist may only take 30 minutes to complete your bridesmaids glow up, a Graduate Makeup Artist may take up to an hour. 

4. Look and act the part 
It's a fact that most wedding Hair Stylists and Makeup Artists are up at the crack of dawn. 

We need to not only make ourselves look presentable (as we're well aware we may be in the background of your wedding prep photos for the rest of your life) but often have to travel up to an hour or more to get to you, and sometimes we frustratingly get stuck behind a tractor or other traffic too!

So if we're suitably dressed and still smiling when we arrive, we're good to go!

5. Remain Flexible 
Brides often change their minds like the wind (no offence!).

We understand it's tricky making so many decisions for your big day! Therefore we set the task for a popular half up, half down style with a quick turnaround into a messy bun to see how our stylists dealt with this under the heat! (they did well!)

It was a successful morning had by all.   All of the makeup artists, models and stylists all enjoyed themselves and did a great job and have all been successful in being offered freelance roles with Barnet + Boatrace.

Pippa who manages the Manor Estate for weddings and corporate events did a great job at hosting us and even stepped in as a hair and makeup model last minute too.  She was so impressed and emailed Olga to say "I will definitely be recommending you and your team for weddings here."

Becky Lankester Senior Makeup Artist also commented, "I feel so lucky to be able to call this my job, and being a part of such a great team with so many talented artist makes you feel so inspired.

I love seeing all the artists work and how their individual style comes through. I love sharing tips and tricks that I’ve learnt along the way from being in the bridal industry and it’s a privilege to be able to say that I love my job."

If you're looking for a friendly and reliable Makeup and Hair Styling team who you can trust your wedding hair and makeup requirements with in Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire or Bristol - please don't hesitate to get in touch!

Your wedding day is fast approaching. You’ve spent months, maybe even years, planning every detail down to the color of the napkins, the perfect flowers, the song for your first dance as well as how you'll be rocking your hair!

But what you didn’t plan for was getting sunburned just days before your big day!

As professional hair and makeup artists we see this situation more common than you might think, especially during the summer months (even with our British summer!) when outdoor pre-wedding events such as beach and boat days or barbeques can lead to unexpected sun (over) exposure!

If your burn is visible you may be concerned about how it will affect your appearance on your wedding day so here's a few tips on how you can manage it so that you and your loved one can still have the wedding day that you've always dreamed of:
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1. Apply a cool compress to the affected area. This will help reduce the heat and prevent any further damage. 


2. Moisturise with aloe vera gel which you can purchase from most chemists.   It is particularly effective for sunburn due to its soothing and healing properties.  If you can get it straight from the plant - even better!


3. Hydrate!  Burns can dehydrate your skin, so drink plenty of water to help your body recover and keep your skin hydrated.


4. Pain Management.  Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen can help manage discomfort and reduce inflammation. Avoid products with lidocaine or benzocaine, which can irritate the skin further.
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5. Avoid Further Irritation. Wear loose, breathable clothing to avoid irritating the burn. If the burn is on your face, avoid makeup as much as possible and avoid even more exposure to the sun!

Fortunately if you've booked a skilled professional makeup artist for your wedding they'll be able to work wonders with skincare suitable for sensitive skin and colour correcting and camouflaging products to minimise the appearance of redness as well as any peeling!

Note: Egyptian Magic Cream for a very dry or flaky nose is a fave with us!

If you've caught the sun on the back of your neck and were dreaming of a 90's inspired Pammy up do to show off your backless dress, you may want to consult with your stylist to tweak your hairstyle to draw attention away from the affected area.   

A knee jerk reaction would be to wear your hair down to cover it instead but Sunburnt skin is often hot skin so opting to wear your hair down could make it feel worse.  Ask your hair stylist to adjust a high bun to a slightly lower one nearer the nape of your neck with a few loose tendrils could be the simple tweak that's needed to disguise the burn!

We all have a 'good side' or angle that we prefer for photography.  You may want to discuss this with your photographer if you are particularly self conscious of any visible sunburn.

You may think your photographer will just edit any sunburn out. However, we spoke to Rachel Elizabeth Photography for her feedback and she comments "As a photographer, I’ve seen firsthand how sunburn can affect both your photos and your enjoyment of your wedding day.

​While I do my best to tone it down during editing and might even touch up a few key photos, it’s a time-consuming process and sometimes may even need to be outsourced to a professional retoucher.

I’ve had brides who have had peeling skin or patchy tan lines, and others who got sunburnt on the day itself. In some cases, brides have even needed to take a break for a cold bath and a rest because of the discomfort.

To avoid this, I always recommend using SPF to protect your skin, ensure your photos turn out beautifully, keep you comfortable and having the best day!"

Getting burnt before your wedding day can be a painful and stressful experience, but with the right steps, you can recover quickly and still look stunning on your big day.

​Remember, while the burn may seem catastrophic now, in the grand scheme of things, it’s just a small bump in the road.

​Focus on the love and joy that your wedding day will bring, and soon enough, the burn will be just a funny story to tell.

If you're looking for an experienced professional makeup artist or hair stylist for your wedding who knows how to handle your hair and beauty needs when the mercury rises - get in touch with us today!