10 Minutes with international recognized make-up artist Karlé Potgieter

Tell me a bit about yourself, who is Karlé?

I absolutely love animals, all kinds of animals.  My dream is to one day own my own cat sanctuary with domestic, wild, and big cats in it.  I also have an interest in drawing and painting since primary school and love doing it in my free time, but as I do not really get time for that I see each client as a blank canvas ready to be painted.  I have such an enormous passion to work with people and making each one of them feel their best.

When did you fall in love with makeup?

I started dancing at an incredibly young age and that really is where my passion for make-up began, even though I never thought that I would be doing it for a career back then.

What should a client look for when selecting a makeup artist for their big wedding day or for a photo shoot?

Never compromise when choosing your make-up artist.  Go through their portfolio and make sure that you are happy with what you see before you decide to book them.  There need to be a level of trust between you and your make-up artist.  You need to feel that you can trust her/him completely and that you feel comfortable around her/him.  You will be in the spotlight during the whole photo shoot or on the day of your wedding and in thousands of photographs; you really want to look your utter best as photos lasts forever.

What advice do you have for future brides?

Always go for a trial approximately a month before your wedding day.  Make sure that you bring at least two references with so that your make-up artist knows exactly what you have in mind.  She/he will then advise you whether what you have in mind will suit your complexion and face shape.

Things your client needs to know before their appointment.

The night before, exfoliate your skin properly and apply moisturizer.  Go for an eyebrow shape and tint at least two days prior to make sure you do not have a rash around your eyebrow area.  If your eyebrows are not nicely groomed it makes it extremely hard for the make-up artist to fill your eyebrows in symmetrically.

Why is it important to get your make-up professionally done?

Style goes beyond your outfit; your make-up and hair also contribute to your overall style.  Make-up can make the worlds difference when it comes to photos.  Do not try to do your make-up yourself, rather leave it in a professional’s hand.  They know what suits your facial features and your skin tone.  Trust their opinion, as make-up is what they do for a living and they know what the outcome will be.

How do you decide on a make-up look you want for your wedding day?

A timeless elegant look will never go out of style.  You want to look radiant and glowing on your biggest day.  When deciding on what to do on your wedding day I never suggest going with trends.  You want your make-up to look beautiful on the day, a month after the wedding and in 10 years’ time you want to look back and still think you looked your best.