We sat down with Joyce Zhou Designs to discuss the latest trends when it comes to bridal hair and makeup for Asian American brides and how to find the right style for your red cheongsam dress.
What do you think is the most impactful part of the makeup routine?
If I could include skincare as part of the makeup routine, then skincare it is. Our skin is like a canvas for makeup products, thus a nice canvas ensures not only a smoother application but also longer-lasting makeup. Skin imperfections inevitably result in having to use more products and a less natural finish.
What is the most popular style for bridal makeup for Asian brides?
Many of my brides tell me, “I want to see myself in a more beautiful version without looking like someone else.” While a natural makeup look has been a trend, it does not necessarily mean using one makeup look for everyone. At the end of the day, it should be a makeup style that you feel the most comfortable with while still enhancing your beautiful features.
What are some trends you love? What are some trends you are not a fan of?
Lash extensions and microblading have been very popular, and I have to agree that they are game-changers in the beauty industry. I admire how much convenience they have brought, and they also inspire me when doing individual lashes for my brides to ensure maximum comfort and staying power.
However, removing lash extensions is something I remind my clients of before their appointments. The extensions usually get in the way when applying makeup, but another challenge is that lash extensions are applied with the eyes closed. So during my makeup routine, I'll have my clients open their eyes after each individual lash is glued on to make sure they are in the right position and angle. Also many Asian brides have problems with uneven eyelids so it’s important to adjust along the way using different lashes and makeup products.
Any makeup tips when wearing a red cheongsam dress?
Red lips and a red dress are always a classic combo. Depending on the occasion, such as a morning tea ceremony or an evening reception, we can switch between using a sheer orange-red or a matte classic red.
How should a bride go about finding the right MUA for them?
I believe there are many resources for the brides to find their vendors. When you see an MUA’s portfolio, try to see if they included any close-ups that can truly show their makeup and hair work. Also, it’d be great to check how their work shows up on a professional camera by looking at brides’ photos taken by the wedding photographer.
At the same time you don’t want to skip those photos taken by the makeup artist themselves, because those photos more closely resemble the makeup/hair in person without professional editing.
Most importantly, what speaks even louder than photos are their reviews. Read reviews to learn more about your makeup artists–are they easy to communicate, punctual, and detail-oriented?
What do you recommend an Asian bride tell their makeup artist to get the right look for their big day?
1. Aesthetics. It’s always good that you have at least a general idea of your wedding aesthetic (your venue, attire, color palettes, photographer, etc.). Yes, photography style is very important when we create a look similar to how the bride envisions, due to the large impact of post-production editing.
2. Likes vs. Dislikes. It's very important to let your makeup artist know what you like and don’t like, so when gathering inspiration photos, make sure you also save some that are less desirable.
3. Embrace yourself. No one is perfect and we all have flaws. Let your artist know which part you would like to be more prominent or to be improved.
4. Get a few pictures of yourself wearing makeup either done by yourself or other professionals. This is extra helpful for the makeup artist to better study your features and give more advice.
What are some hairstyles you recommend when wearing a cheongsam/cultural dress?
Most of the time I suggest going with a simple updo and pair that with matching hair accessories such as gold hairpins, accessories, or the Vietnamese Ao Dai hat.
A clean updo with added volume is nice because the focus should be on the beautiful details of the cultural dress and accessories.
What are the most popular bridal hairstyles for Asian brides?
A soft and airy updo has been popular among Asian brides if they only get to choose one hairstyle for the wedding day. Many Asian brides have more than one outfit during their wedding since there are cultural elements they might want to incorporate, such as door games, tea ceremony, dragon dance, etc. An updo is a nice idea to showcase their intriguing cultural dresses, as well as the beautiful white dress.
Interestingly, leaving your hair down is becoming more popular as the rise of a minimalist look is trending. Soft curls or beach waves give an effortless yet sophisticated look when paired with fresh flowers, delicate hairpins, or even a pair of statement earrings.
However, down hairstyles take extra effort in maintaining the look and it's more recommended when your makeup artist is staying onsite for touchups.
About Joyce Zhou Designs:
Joyce Zhou Designs is a professional makeup and hairstylist studio. Whether it's for your wedding, engagement, maternity, or company headshots, Joyce Zhou Designs' beauty team brings you a natural, yet glamorous look on your special day.
With experience spanning across Asian (Hong Kong/Korean) and American styles, their team offers you the highest quality services when it comes to timeless makeup and hairstyles.
Follow Joyce Zhou Designs:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joycezhoudesigns/
- Website: https://www.joycezhoudesigns.com
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