An Interview With Lipstick & Curls, Bridal Hair and Makeup Specialists

Most of the time, I love my super-short hair. However, there are moments (usually when I’m with Annabel at events) when I yearn for long hair that could be styled to vintage perfection. So when Annabel asked me to interview Amanda, the vintage styling genius behind Lipstick & Curls, I was prepared for those desires to bubble to the surface again, particularly when Annabel told me more about this marvelous company.

“Lipstick & Curls were my number one choice of hair and makeup stylists to work with when it came to producing my first book, Style Me Vintage Weddings. We worked closely, alongside a full creative team to create the images for the book and Amanda was out of this world – professional, reliable and really great to work with. Her encyclopaedic knowledge of the beauty industry over the past 100 years places her in a unique, expert position as a modern day bridal stylist – it always excites me when I learn that a bride whose wedding we’re featuring, had a Lipstick and Curls makeover – her styling is immaculate – plus there are few stylists who can pull of a proper, super glamorous marcel wave – Amanda is one of them.”

Photography Copyright (2014), Joanna Brown

Images above taken from the 1920′s and 1930′s chapters of Annabel’s book, ‘Style Me Vintage Weddings’
Available on Amazon and in all good book stores

With that glowing endorsement ringing in my ears (and dreams of perfect victory rolls and red lips floating in my head), I set out to find out more about Lipstick & Curls and also to pick up some sneaky hints and tips to share too…

Tell me a little bit about how Lipstick & Curls and how it came into being?

I was inspired to start my London-based business in 2008 and with 15 years experience as a hair and make up artist my love of the past had always influenced my work. And in short, I just wanted to help make the world a more glamorous place!

Images above taken from the 1960′s chapter of Annabel’s book, ‘Style Me Vintage Weddings’
Available on Amazon and in all good book stores

What services do you offer?

Our services just keep growing! We get lots of feedback and have put new services in place due to popular demand. We have a wonderful relationship with our business partners and therefore can offer such a wide range of services now that include Vintage Tea and Pampering at Ketttner’s Champagne Bar, vintage photo shoot parties, private tutorials, private parlor hire, Touch up Girls for mobile services at events, bridal styling, hen party packages, fashion and media shoots, festivals and our very popular Lipstick and Curls Training Academy.

Why did you decide to specialise in vintage?

As an artist I love vintage styles and I never get bored of looking though the archives, seeing styles from decade to decade all influencing each other and there was just so much skill involved. The artists of the past were true masters and I will never get bored of their work! I enjoy recreating the classic styles and I now can mix the modern with the past giving me even more scope to be creative.

Photography Copyright (c) 2014, Michelle Waspe
See the full wedding on Love My Dress here

Why do you think the vintage look has so much appeal to brides?

Vintage styling is classic and very tailored and to be honest quite beautiful so this is one day a bride can really live out a starlet fantasy! At Lipstick and Curls we work with a great deal of brides, all with different requirements. Perhaps a bride has purposefully chosen a soft subtle vintage gown and is looking for a stronger image when it comes to hair and make up styling or the opposite. Sometimes, the gown is vintage inspired and they are looking for only a vintage element and a more classic style.

Top right image by Taylor and Porter - full wedding on Love My Dress here
Bottom image by MiKi Photography - full wedding on Love My Dress here

What do brides need to keep in mind when booking hair & make-up?

Choosing a vintage hairstyle for your wedding day and to complement your dress is crucial. If you are working with a stylist on this, bring as much visual information as possible to the trial. Have a strong idea of what you wish to create but be flexible as the stylist will work with your natural features and will create a version of the style.

Images above taken from the 1920′s chapter of Annabel’s book, ‘Style Me Vintage Weddings’
Available on Amazon and in all good book stores

Feeling happy and confident with your vintage hair and make up styling is key to your happiness on the day and as important as the dress in my opinion. Stay in control and only choose a look you are 100% happy with. Always try the style and if possible wear the style before the day to see how you feel. If you’re not comfortable, keep making changes until you are.

Are you wearing a headdress or anything in your hair? If you have chosen not to wear anything you could perhaps be more creative with the style instead. Either way, make this decision before you embark on selecting your hair and make styling.

How far in advance to brides need to book?

We now have a fantastic growing team of wonderful artists bringing a mix of skills to the company so we can accommodate most wedding enquiries across the UK. We have brides that have booked now for 2016 and I have just received an enquiry for a booking in 2 weeks time!

What do you enjoy most about your work?

I love making people feel special. A great deal of my work involves working with people at a special time in their life – birthdays, hen parties and of course wedding days. My role is quite an intimate one and I get to share these moments with so many people. I get to meet lots of new people and get to travel to stunning locations – I love my job!

What’s your favourite era and why?

Ooh … it changes actually! At the moment it’s the short more sculpted styles of the 1920’s. The hair was worn short and shaped around the jaw accentuating the jawline. Some of the most creative styles come from this era, fashions were decadent and flamboyant and this was reflected in the hair and make up of the era.

The Classic 40’s/50’s set is quite high up there too on my list of favorites! This was such an iconic style yet probably one of the hardest to recreate. Most of our Vintage Beauties only washed their hair once a week and had more time to rag and roll their hair. They wouldn’t think twice about heading into town shopping wearing curlers and a head-scarf! Brushed out and shaped, you have a wonderful style made famous by the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth.

Photography by Nabeels Camera

The Beehive is another favorite of mine and it’s a style that I find so satisfying to create. I love this style as every time I do it I do something different because you can be so creative with a beehive and the end result feels like a work of art!

Who are you bridal style icons?

Brigit Bardot is a great one as she has a great look and soft styling that is nice for brides. Elizabeth Taylor is an inspiration for some of my 1950’s work especially if the bride is wanting something stronger but still wants it to look classic, she has a lot of definition but still looks fresh. Veronica Lake has a classic style and works well for a looser less structured style.

What’s the most complicated/intricate bridal look you’ve created?

I love complicated styles and enjoy the collaboration with my customer. I enjoy working with additional hair and pieces. I recently did a bride that had a very high style with lots and lots of extra hair that was twisted and plaited and piled higher and higher as she wanted her hair to be big. The look was a mix of Victoria/1960’s/Pre-Raphaelite. It was amazing it looked like a sculpture!!

How do you ensure the bride’s look lasts as long as possible and is there anything brides can do on the day to keep their look fresh?

Our make up is all designed for TV and hot lights so this works perfectly for brides. I only use waterproof products and give the bride the option of a lipstick sealant applied to the lips for staying power or I can bring them the lipstick I used for touch ups throughout the day.

If you could only have 5 hair products and five make-up products in your kit, what would they be?

Gosh that’s at toughie for someone who carts around two giant bags worth of the stuff!! For hair, I’d take hairspray, tail comb, bobby-pins, styling mouse and bristle hairbrush then red lippy, foundation, brow pencil, blush & powder as make-up.

Are there any wedding top-tips you’d like to share?

A manicured brow will compliment every vintage style. My advice is to seek professional help 8 weeks prior to the wedding date so you can develop or repair your shape. Always choose a vintage style that suits your face and work with your natural bone structure. Make use of the fantastic brow products and tools on the market to complete the look.

Use a waterproof liner! A popular and well-loved product of vintage styling is the black eyeliner, this lends itself beautifully too the 30’s, 40’s 50’s and 60’s. However if you lose this iconic look by smudging, sweating or even crying (tears of joy of course!) you can dramatically change the whole appearance of your make-up. If you are working with a stylist insist that they use a waterproof product.

False lashes can be great additions to a vintage style but do try them out before hand to see whether they are comfortable and you are happy with the results. I always use semi permanent glue so I am 100% confident they will stay where I put them! Also using individual lashes will be more comfortable and give a more classic effect.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I have a scrap book of styles that I collect for my own reference, these are mainly old movie stars. I love watching old movies and am always finding new leading ladies for inspiration – the back catalogue is endless. I love reading old magazines and watching B-movies, searching for that extra twist that isn’t part of the mainstream and that I may not have seen before. I also adore art and find a lot of inspiration in paintings particularly.

What are your proudest moments work wise?

Ah, I’ve got lots of wonderful moments! Seeing my company grow into what it is today is a huge highlight. I’m still very touched to be the winner of Best Vintage Hair & Make-up in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Vintage Awards. It’s amazing that so many people out there love what we do and voted for us in these awards.

What’s next for Lipstick & Curls?

We have included lots of new services and events to our repertoire and even opened our own online boutique and we plan to make these areas of the business fly. We have also taken on 12 new team members since the start of the year and will to continue to make the team strong throughout the U.K.

A huge and beautiful thank you to Amanda for answering our questions and for giving so many insider tips too! We so hope that you’ve enjoyed this feature and you’re feeling inspired by the endless possibilities that vintage hair and make-up offers you on your wedding day. If you’d like to find out more about Lipstick & Curls, do please visit their website or you can explore these pages on Love My Dress. You can also find them on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Love Tamryn x