DIY hairstyle & makeup for a special occasion -- what do I need?

April 17, 2019 6:53 AM

I have a special day coming up in 3 months, and I want to do my own hair. Please give me all your pro-tips for DIY fancy hair. Bonus points for makeup advice!

I have a special day coming up in 3 months, and I'd like to do my own hair. After watching a bunch of Youtube videos and trying out some of them, I believe this is not a terrible idea, so please refrain from advising me to hire a hairstylist. I want to use this as a motivator to become better at doing hair.

Desired style: some kind of up-do, probably of the loose variety rather than tight & sleek. Braids and details are nice. Some examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QXpaVSzeOw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REUdJocrFqY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZj_sZfZ4nI

My hair: dark (East Asian), mid-back length, naturally straight but holds curls pretty well

I have: a 6-year-old ceramic straightening iron, a hairdryer, one hairbrush, a few sectioning clips, a box of decent hair pins and bobbie pins (Soft'n Style), various elastics.

I plan to practice several times before the day, taking notes and photos. The event is in Portland OR, outdoors in the shade for half the day (sheltered from wind) and then indoors for the evening.

Questions:
- What tools and accessories do you find essential for styling up-dos? Specific brands and models would be great.
- Recommendations for youtube channels or books?
- Other learning options for <$150? I'm in Portland, OR

Bonus:
Relatedly, I'm undecided on makeup. I'm less confident that I can learn how to do it well, especially considering that I may be outdoors sweating all day. I normally wear zero makeup and I want to look like myself. I'm still interested in DIY options if you have recommendations for how to go about that, and I'd appreciate advice for hiring a makeup artist (how much would that cost??). I also have friends and family that I could ask to help me, but I guess I'd have to buy the right products for them to use.

Thanks in advance!

posted by bread-eater to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (11 answers total)

Best answer: I suggest you look at pinterest for ideas and styles, and then start trying them yourself. There is a metric ton ofhair style stuff on Pinterest, and the bulk have explanations for how to do it. Play. Have fun. Do a bunch of different tutorials and "how tos", so that you have lots of skills to work with.

Number one tip is to do a lot of "dry runs". Like, more than several. In the evening do your hair like you intend for the event and then go about your evening as usual. This is part to practice, but in part to see how it wears. See if it flops or stays put. You may THINK you want it a certain way, but you may find it really uncomfortable in practice. (I know for me that bobbypins get really uncomfortable after about 2 hours.)

But really, you get better by practicing, so just practice your butt off.

Same for the makeup. Do many dry runs. Practice/play with your makeup, get comfortable with it.

Oh, make sure you have a mirror that will allow you to see the back of your head. Sounds obvious, but it really is key.

As for sweat, a good setting spray is key. (I like the NYX setting spray myself). But also think about the weight of the makeup. If it is going to be really sweaty and hot you may want to veer more towards a lighter weight makeup (ie. tinted moisturizer vs. full foundation/concealer).
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 7:13 AM on April 17, 2019 [6 favorites]

I am definitely not known for doing hair and have never really gotten the hang of it, so I am going for the bonus make-up question (although I like this video a lot and feel like I could actually do it). I've been using Glossier's skin tint for a few months now and really like it-- it evens up my skin tone, is lightweight, doesn't make me break out, and doesn't look cake-y. I usually use a primer before putting on (any) foundation, just to make foundation/concealer glide on a little more evenly and then finish everything off with a setting spray (like NYX matte finishing spray).
My go to routine is: primer-concealer-skin-tint-mascara-eye brow gel. For a special event it would be more like: primer-concealer-foundation-powder-eyes (liner+shadow)-mascara-eye brow gel. Pretty much everything from NYX (conveniently available at Target, CVS, etc) except the Glossier stuff (skin tint, mascara, brow gel).
posted by thefang at 7:22 AM on April 17, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I almost always do my own hair for special occasions. I have similar hair to you. My tips:

- It’s awesome your hair holds a curl. Definitely curl it! Even if it is up, I find that it holds an updo better if it is curled.
- I use a straightener to curl. There are YouTube videos showing you how to do this. I find it faster and the curls are more to my taste (curling irons end up too Shirley Temple to me) but it does take practice as it requires a certain wrist action
- My method for curling is to use a hair tie and curl in “layers” starting from the top of the neck. I use the hair tie to tie up the non curled hair to keep that out of the way. Loosen new layers of hair and work your way up. Also lightly spray each layer with a soft holding spray.
- I use a combination of Bobby pins (LOTS. Don’t be stingy using them. Use them more often than you think you should, holding less hair than you think you need. It’s more comfortable and more staying power), hair ties and Goody “spin pins”. You’ll have to look that up sorry too hard to link tfrom my phone.
-I used to follow some tutorials but now i’m pretty free form. I’m assuming you have dark hair like me. The good and bad thing about dark hair is that you actually don’t see the intricacies of a hairdo very well (unless you have highlights or something like that). So it’s very forgiving to have dark hair! A hand mirror to hold behind your head to check your work is handy.

Makeup:
- Go to a makeup counter like Bobbie Brown and ask for a look for the day. Only buy foundation from them to make it worth their time. Be clear about the climate conditions. Buy everything else at the drugstore. Foundation is the main thing that is weather dependent and it’s crucial to have a good base layer so that everything on top doesn’t just slide off or fade. A primer might help but a good foundation that is right for your skin type should not need it, unless you tend to be super oily. Practice. (I’m sure some people will suggest MAC but I think they can be overkill for someone who doesn’t wear makeup usually.)
posted by like_neon at 7:26 AM on April 17, 2019 [1 favorite]

Don't forget hairspray!

I think I paid about $125 to get my makeup done for my wedding, that was to have someone come to my hotel and do it there, it's probably cheaper if you go to a makeup counter. I would probably lean toward paying for a makeup artist to do it if only because buying makeup is expensive, and if you aren't a big makeup person who is going to actually regularly use all those products after your event, it is a bit wasteful. (Also, if you hire someone to do it, try to find someone who will do airbrush foundation for you. I was skeptical about having someone airbrush my face, but it looks very natural and lasts alllll day.)
posted by cakelite at 7:33 AM on April 17, 2019 [2 favorites]

If you're doing a style involving bobbie pins to hold a bun/knot/roll construction in place, consider getting some spin pins. They're easier to get in and hold better. Two would likely be enough.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 7:40 AM on April 17, 2019 [2 favorites]

Best answer: For make up there is always the lovely Lisa Eldridge. She has several tutorials for no make up, basic and long-lasting looks as well as several special occasion looks. She is also very good about explaining how she approaches things such as targeted use of concealers so most of your face looks like natural skin - it’s worth watching some of the videos before you go shopping. Chances are you’ll spend less money that way.

For up dos it is generally helpful if hair is not squeaky clean. Most likely your hair will be freshly washed so you may want to use products (hair spray, texturising product of some kind or even dry shampoo) to give it more grip, which means it‘ll stay up more easily. You may also want to consider and practice how you can fix your hair in the ladies if it decides to come loose over the course of the day.
posted by koahiatamadl at 7:47 AM on April 17, 2019 [5 favorites]

For make up go to Sephora and just explain yourself (a light look, need some advice, etc). They have always been super helpful and nice to me and they give samples to take home so you can test stuff out. I maybe wear make up more often than you but far from daily, and I just sort of put myself at their mercy and it works.

For the hair styles you posted practice should get you there, but something like a texture spray helps straight hair stay in up-dos. Also, for the second one, plan on a friend for help. It will just be easier.
posted by wellifyouinsist at 10:22 AM on April 17, 2019 [1 favorite]

Practice, practice, practice! For makeup, I think that you have enough time to choose your products and then learn to apply them yourself. Applying makeup on another person is a skill that isn't automatic, so asking friends/family who are good at their own makeup to help do yours isn't necessarily a successful approach. I'd go to Sephora, ask some questions and get some samples and then schedule a makeup tutorial that's specific to your event's needs. If you don't wear a lot of makeup usually and want something that will last in hotter weather, I'd get a powder foundation, waterproof eyeliner and mascara, a blush, and a lipstick with staying power.
posted by quince at 1:01 PM on April 17, 2019 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thank you for all the amazing advice! I will get myself to a makeup store/counter to get some help and do a LOT of practice (both hair and makeup)! Not ruling out hiring a pro still, but a little bit of makeup skill is good to have.

I've never heard of airbrushing before, so I'll have to look into that. Thanks for the tip! And yes I forgot to mention that I have a pair of spin pins. They are soooo useful. I too would strongly recommend them.

Again, so much good info here. Thanks!!
posted by bread-eater at 3:39 PM on April 17, 2019

A bit of advice from someone who has taught herself to do some rudimentary hairstyles on herself. As other people have said, practice A LOT. But for me, one thing that was really helpful was to practice the style I wanted with wet hair first. Obviously, it's not going to look as good, but it was really helpful for me to get the basic "this is what my hands need to be doing and backwards" muscle memory down without dry hair that is slipping and sliding everywhere.
posted by FakePalindrome at 4:47 PM on April 17, 2019 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Hi everyone. Just want to report back that I did my own hair and makeup for my wedding and am very glad I did :) Thank you all for your advice! I went to Sephora and talked to someone who helped me narrow down my choices (Lancome... I assume each sales rep sticks to a few brands for one reason or another. At least this brand I knew of..) and pointed out the most likely tones to work. I bought of tube of the Skin Feels Good "hydrating skin tint" and also a little jar of overpriced moisturizer to use for the next few months. Everything else (concealer, eyeliner pencil, brow pencil, lipstick) I bought from Target. I watched a bunch of casual and no-makeup make up tutorials on Youtube and wore makeup to work once or twice a week, but kept it light enough that my coworkers probably didn't notice at all.

For hair, I bought a kit of hair pins, clips and ties, and watched a lot of videos. Also once a week or so I would do some kind of updo or a special braid or something and either wear it at home or sometimes even to work. Over a few months I figured out what kind of framing of my face I feel the most comfortable with, and then just created my final hairstyle, practicing parts of it (braiding along my face, the braided bun in the back) a few more times in the weeks just before my wedding.

And now I have nonzero make-up skills and possibly above-average braiding skills to use for the rest of my life!
posted by bread-eater at 8:36 PM on August 16, 2019 [2 favorites]