What to bring to your appointment

The most practical advice there is: wear something that opens at the front, with buttons or a zip.

Anything pulled over the head damages finished makeup and hair, and it happens often enough to be worth its own note. On a wedding morning it matters more than anything else on this page.

Bring photographs of what you like — and, if you can, of what you do not. The second is frequently the more useful.

The reason is that words work badly here. "Natural" means completely different things to two people, whereas two photographs — one you like and one you do not — show the direction immediately.

This is not an object and it is the most important item on the list. Three things belong at the start.

• Any allergy or sensitivity to a specific ingredient
• Any treatment in the last two weeks
• Whether your skin is currently irritated or flaking
• Any product type that usually does not agree with you

Bringing your own is not necessary, but it makes sense in two cases: very sensitive skin, and when you want to reproduce the result yourself afterwards.

The second case is particularly useful — you see what you can achieve with what you already own, and what a professional product genuinely changes.

You do not need to apply any makeup beforehand or half-prepare. Clean, moisturised skin is the best starting point there is.

You also should not try a new product that day or the day before. How your skin reacts to something new is unknown, and the day of an event is the worst time to find out.