Alright ladies, today’s post is all about you. We all like to look pretty and in an ideal world, with soft and blemish-free skin. Just how do the celebs pull it off even with their hectic lifestyles? It all comes down to the power of make up (and of course there are those lucky b*tches who have naturally flawless skin) and if you’ve got a professional applying it for you, you too can look like a natural beauty.
Remember a couple of months back, I introduced to you the talented bespoke invitations designer, Kalo of Kalo Make Art? Guess what, her twin sister Ka Lam is also an artist in her own right having been in the make up industry for more than 8 years. What an artistic pair of sisters brimming with energy. With a background in fine arts, Ka Lam has always had a strong passion and interest in make up from a young age; that means having make up and hair styling parties with the daughters of her Mum’s friends whilst the adults played mahjong! Her extensive experience takes her from the catwalk to editorial shoots and most importantly, wedding day make up, with 300 brides under her belt. Whether it’s a natural or a fashionable style you’re looking for, you can be sure that Ka Lam will not only make you look picture perfect but will be there in case of any emergencies (read her experience at the bottom of the interview)!
Putting on make up can be rather daunting for some so Ka Lam has given us the low-down on what it’s like.
What make up and hair styles do you recommend to brides?
Simple and elegant as they would be more timeless and classic. For instance, natural eye make up with a clean French roll or all back bun would be very nice to match with the wedding gown. Fashionable make up or hair styles would be more suitable when the brides are wearing their evening gown (especially when they are saying farewell to their guests in the traditional Hong Kong banquet).
Do you apply different styles for brides wearing a cheong-sam or ‘qua’ (traditional Chinese wedding dress) and a white bridal gown?
Yes I do apply different styles for these two very different outfits. For Qua or Cheong Sam, it’s usually red and warm colors. The eye shadow I tend to use is more earthy with slight champagne gold that will go well with the red and the blush will be slightly stronger in order to prevent the brides looking too pale and dull while wearing the Cheong Sam or Qua. For a white wedding gown, the style is usually softer and more romantic. I tend to use softer color for the eyes, enabling the brides to look sweeter and more romantic.
Is there a difference between Asian and caucasian skin when it comes to make up?
Yes! There’s a big difference as Asians tend to have flatter and less dimensional features, so I will apply slightly more highlights and shading to make sure their features are more prominent especially for the photo shoots. As for Caucasians, they tend to have dryer skin so using the suitable skin care and foundation is a must. Sometimes, they have more facial hair so I have to make sure the powder is invisible on their face.
How about the hair; are there certain styles you think are unsuitable for Chinese brides?
Since Asians tends to have thicker and straighter hair, they tend not to hold the curls too long especially with the high humidity in Hong Kong. To say which certain style will be most suitable for Asians is difficult as it depends on a lot of different factors, such as face shape, the proportion of the forehead and bone structure of the face, the outfit they are wearing, etc. But since most Asian hair tend to be darker, it would be harder to create a lot of texture when compared to Caucasians.
How long does the make up and hair styling take?
It normally takes approximately 1.5 hours for me to get the bride ready in the morning. When the bridesmaids are playing games with the groom men, I will do the final touch up for the bride in her room, as well as helping her to get changed into her first outfit. My team will do the make up and hair styling for the bride’s mom, the maid of honour and bridesmaids.
Photo credit: Kathy Li Photography
You must have seen numerous ‘stressed-out’ brides throughout your career; how do you help calm them down?
I remember one time, when I was working in the U.K., one of the bridesmaids forgot to bring the “lingerie” for the bride’s wedding gown. The bride was totally stressed and hid herself in the bathroom and wanted to cancel the wedding ceremony. Eventually after a bit of persuasion, I helped her sew her bra into the wedding gown and everything looked great. It was extremely memorable!
**All other photos from Kalamakeup.
