Hilary Homes Makeup – the salon experience

 

 

As you open the door to Hilary Holmes’ salon, you instantly take a deep breath and immerse yourself into the beautiful space in anticipation of the signature experience the Geelong-based makeup artist has become renowned for.

Whilst styled beautifully – the newly-opened salon wouldn’t be out of place in a gloss magazine – there’s nothing intimidating about the décor. Beautiful lighting and luxe soft furnishings complete the elegance of the space and all of our senses came to life.

We were warmly welcomed, offered a seat in her luxuriously inviting waiting area and taken through the impressive online client consultation form. The seamless process allows us to make note of whether we’re there for an occasion, how we heard about Hilary and her fast-growing brand, our beverages of choice (anything from herbal chakra tea, coffee, lemon and mint water, electrolyte infused water to beer, wine or champagne), and any personal skin or health concerns.

It’s from the very beginning that Hilary Holmes and her team show that they care.

 

 

It’s then that Hilary offers the opportunity for her clients to undertake the salon’s signature Essential Oils Service – presented with vessels of various essential oils, where we intuitively choose those to which we are most drawn.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, we’re lead to close our eyes, relax and release any energy, breathing in our chosen scent to become grounded in the experience – with the scents specifically designed to evoke a feeling of joy, abundance or even transformation – whichever was intuitively chosen by the client.

And then it’s down to business, but not as you know it.

Once the makeup application starts, Hilary continues to charm her clients with relaxed chat, explaining the importance of the use of natural light and following intuition when it comes to any makeup look. We couldn’t be more impressed by the care taken and the way Hilary chats with ease, and purpose.

Hilary Holmes is transforming the experience of makeup and empowering women to own their beauty – we couldn’t resist chatting with Hilary further to find out more.

 

 

Tell us about yourself Hilary, how have you got here?

Honestly, I’m a country girl at heart who found that doing makeup became a way of feeling better about myself. I have always been led by my own innate passion for makeup, not by a course, so my skills have only ever been developed through my own will to learn. I worked with MAC for a long time and had an incredible experience working with them – they really gave me the opportunity to push myself and my artistry and I’m always grateful for that. Over the years though I felt that something was missing, that clients walked away potentially not feeling fulfilled or not empowered to be able to use their own products at home. To me there was a disconnect between clients and products, that the beauty industry had become too sales focused.  That the only way to look good in makeup was if someone else applied it.

A couple of years ago there was a massive shift in my own thinking, I was ready to personally develop myself and it ended up having a direct impact on my business, in a really great way.

 

Share with us what happened.

Over the last few years I came to a place in my life where I realised that some huge things had changed within me and now was the time to stand in my own power. I had been completing a business Chakra course and it felt like I had endless possibilities to not only empower myself, but others. I realised a lot of other women wanted that same feeling and that message was powerful. Makeup is my vehicle to make a difference. I am lucky enough to have the ability to change someone’s day, week, month or even their life – I need to take that message, use it and hopefully expand it as far and wide as I can.

 

 

So what is that message?

You actually don’t need makeup to make you beautiful. Which may sound strange coming from a makeup artist. However, I am here to empower women with makeup. Hopefully by coming into my salon and using me as a makeup artist, women walk away knowing they are enough and knowing they are worthy of being beautiful.

I understand how women feel sometimes before they sit in my chair – they walk into my salon already feeling flustered and stressed – maybe they have had a stressful day at work, maybe the kids have had them up all night. There’s so much chaos in life that my salon experience is an opportunity to be present, in the moment and for a woman to enjoy her time of being pampered.

 

There must have been a huge array of choice when it came to the fit out of your incredible space, how did the design come about?

Every item within this salon, from the wall hangings, to the greenery and furniture was considered. Every piece has a specific purpose or reason as to why it was put there. Using my own learnings over the past few years from Chakra, I have designed the salon to touch all 7 chakras through the five senses. I’ve even had custom made Frieda and Gus candles deliberately designed to affect clients and uplift them.

 

What is your approach to bridal makeup application?

People always make a comment when I say I do a lot of work in bridal about how hard that must be, dealing with brides all the time. I am quick to tell them that I couldn’t be more lucky to be having fun with a bride and her closest on such a magical life event!

Over the years of doing bridal makeup I have learnt that when a bride has brought me on to do my job & she trusts me- it flows amazingly. They have hired me to do my job and I stand confident when I work with them on what they want. I know the importance of giving advice on what I think will work but how it will compliment them as individuals, as no two people are the same and that very much applies to brides!

Makeup is a very private and personal experience and thats why I know how crucial it is to know them, understand them & value them, because all of that comes into play when I collaborate with them.

 

 

What kinds of things should a bride-to-be consider when planning her wedding day look?

That she is enough. That she is actually stunning, just as she is. Her partner knows that, yet we often scoff at them for thinking it- but how amazing to be told, you are beautiful just as you are? The more she doesn’t believe she is and the more she tries to mimic someone else’s beauty the more she will feel disappointed on the day. A bride should empower herself and ask herself, aside from anything else, how does she want to feel on the day?

I ask all my brides that. If they want to feel earthy and natural, then I choose neutral tones with bronzed accents. If they want to feel pretty & romantic, then I steer them towards a soft pink cheek and lip but she may be a woman who feels exactly herself with a full glam & I love that! No matter what she wants & even if she doesn’t- I can use my skills to bring her deepest desires to life on her face!

All of these things are easily discussed but hugely impactful because if theres one thing I have learnt of the years of doing this, if a bride is lead by her heart and how they want to feel, then they will have a day that I can proudly say they looked back on and loved their makeup.

In a more physical sense, whilst considering her big day the things that can really help from the makeup application side is to drink loads of water in the months leading into the big day, if you feel like your skin could be better head into a skin clinic for a skin plan & do some gentle research for makeup looks you like. Remember, you don’t have to know and thats ok. You hired a professional to make sure they assist you in discovering what you want.

 

 

How crucial is a connection between makeup artist and client, particularly on a wedding day?

For me, its the most important thing. Connection is what creates trust and that trust allows for a really organic, fun process with my brides. They know how important it is for every supplier or service they have for their wedding to positively impact their day, because if there is a chink in the chain then it can disrupt all the work and love they have poured into it.

Nothing makes me more fulfilled in my job than having a bride tell me that my presence had such a positive impact on her day- I know I have done my job by empowering her on a day she wants to feel incredibly beautiful. She deserves a luxury service paired with a high level of skill & experience and on a day that means so much to her and her partner, its my job to give that to her… with lots of laughter and fun thrown in!

 

Read more about Hilary and her signature services, then getting booking to add her to your own wedding day Tribe, here.

 

Photography by Hails and Shine