Bridal Beauty During a Pandemic

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Even though we’ve all gotten used to going makeup-free and pairing business tops with pajama bottoms during the pandemic, you want to look best on your wedding day. But, how can you do so while also staying safe?

Of course, the safest option is waiting until the pandemic is over to tie the knot, so you can get your hair and makeup done without any additional risk.

However, if you’re eloping or holding a micro-wedding, there are some proactive steps you can take to ensure you and your beauty team stay COVID free.

The DIY Route

One of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent spreading the virus is to take a do-it-yourself approach to your hair and makeup. Some professionals are even offering online consultations and ZOOM coaching sessions to give you a hand with your wedding day look while still social distancing.

Whether you’re getting virtual assistance or going solo, try not to bite off more than you can chew with your makeup or hair, recommends Lyndsay Simon, owner of Lyndsay Simon Beauty in Boston.

“You really just want to concentrate on making sure that your makeup is just a little more elevated than it is on a day-to-day basis rather than going on YouTube and finding someone who does very complicated makeup and trying to do that exactly,” she says. “You want to feel like you.”

So, instead of trying out an entirely new style of makeup, Simon suggests choosing one element to elevate.

“Maybe that’s investing in a foundation that’s a little more high-end that might photograph better than what you use day-to-day from the drugstore,” she says. Or, perhaps it’s “practicing putting on a pair of false lashes, like every day ‘I’m going to practice putting on false lashes so on my wedding day, I can put them on super easy’ and that feels a touch more glamorous than normal.

And since your wedding is often an all-day event, don’t forget to add a couple setting products to your shopping list to help your makeup last longer.

“Use a translucent powder to set your makeup to make sure you don’t look shiny in photos. Know that you’ll need to use more than normal for the camera,” she says. “I always recommend using a setting spray like Urban Decay or Skindinavia, they both have really great setting sprays to make your makeup water resistant.”

Simon also advises against trying any new beauty treatments right before the big day. So, if you want to look sun-kissed in your wedding photos, do a trial run before another event, like your engagement photos or bridal shower.

The same goes for changes to your normal hair removal or skin routine, since you don’t know if you’ll have a bad reaction.

“Don’t get your first facial ever a week before your wedding. Your skin could totally purge and do something crazy that’s harder to fix on a wedding day. So, if you plan on doing facials, do them regularly – at least six months leading up to the wedding,” says Simon.

The Professional Path

If you’re planning to get your hair and makeup done in person, be sure to choose professional artists who adhere to local ordinances and COVID-19 safety guidelines.

“The most important thing about getting your makeup done is that we keep everybody safe all the time. Anyone at any time could have a virus or something that’s contagious. So, making sure that your tools are clean and making sure your set up is clean, your hands are clean, is always super important, but especially during COVID,” says Simon.

So, in addition to pricing and availability, here are a few other safety-related questions to ask when vetting potential makeup and hair artists:
• What is your mask policy for artists and clients?
• How do you disinfect products and tools to avoid cross contamination between clients?
• How often are you disinfecting surfaces in your workspace?
• How many clients are you seeing? What are your protocols for contact tracing?

Tags: Brides365, beauty, pandemic, COVID