Australian Hair and Make-up Artist of the Year, Sarah Laidlaw shares her most coveted secrets for brides-to-be.
With an illustrious career spanning over 33 years, Sarah Laidlaw has established herself as a true icon in the world of hair and makeup artistry. Known for her signature style, classic beauty with a contemporary edge, Sarah’s work reflects an artistic sensibility and meticulous attention to detail that consistently deliver exceptional results. Her versatility and refined aesthetic have made her one of the most sought-after talents in the industry, effortlessly balancing commercial polish with editorial strength.
Sarah’s impressive portfolio spans editorial fashion, advertising, film, television, and celebrity styling. Her creations have graced the covers of over 100 high-profile magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Marie Claire, and Rolling Stone, while her commercial collaborations boast names like L'Oréal Paris, Dior, and Nivea Japan. From crafting effortless, natural looks to sculptural couture transformations, Sarah’s ability to adapt is unparalleled. As she puts it, “The transformative ability of hair and makeup is what excites me!”
Her work with celebrities such as Lenny Kravitz, Isla Fisher, Debbie Harry, and Ruby Rose, combined with her roles on television hits like X Factor and Dancing with the Stars, further cements her reputation. Sarah’s accolades include an unparalleled dual dominance as both Australian Session Stylist of the Year and Australian Makeup Artist of the Year for two consecutive years, making her the only artist to achieve this distinction.
An advocate for industry education and a long-standing ambassador for brands like Kérastase, Cloud Nine, and Priceline, Sarah has also served as a judge for prestigious awards, including Hair Expo and L’Oréal Style & Colour Trophy. Her countless accolades, including international awards for both hair and makeup in 2023, speak to her enduring influence and artistry.
Sarah Laidlaw continues to push the boundaries of creativity, combining expertise, vision, and passion to redefine beauty on every stage. We had the privilege of speaking with Sarah to gain insight into her expert techniques and uncover some of the industry’s most coveted secrets.
How do you approach creating a personalised look for each bride? I treat hair as the ultimate accessory. It always starts with the face shape – it must suit you above all else. Then I look to the neckline, style and line of the wedding gown to make sure we balance the look and match the era, texture or inspiration of the gown. Then I take into account the weather… hair reacts to the elements and it is an important consideration for your look to stay chic and fabulous all day and night. And finally it’s about creating your dream hair for such a special moment… I want to know who you want to be on that day. Are you a chic, minimal bride? Are you a country garden princess bride? Or anything in between? With Makeup, I love doing what I call a classic beauty makeup. Something that isn’t going to date, it’s really about you being pretty. It isn’t about a makeup “look” but all about framing your features in the most beautiful way. A timeless makeup that means you’ll look back on your pictures in 40 years and love them because you look like ‘you’ at your most beautiful.
What are the key elements of a timeless wedding look? I recommend veering away from anything too current. Hair styles are one of the things that are so obvious as fashion changes, and nobody wants to feel like the 80’s brides who hide their wedding albums away from hair regret! Gorgeous, polished hair that suits you and makeup that enhances your features without changing them too much - a frame for you.
How do you balance a bride’s personal style with current trends? Every bride is different and so I always do a trial day where we go through everything and work out the best approach. For wedding day looks I lean towards personal style over trends. Your personal style will always be something special about you, and you’ll love seeing that reflection of your personality in photos for years to come. Trends are fun, but better suited to a party, red carpet event or wedding guest look.
What advice do you give brides for preparing their skin and hair in the lead-up to the big day? Start as early as you can. If you start planning your wedding day a year out, start your hair and skin glow-up a year out too. Skin improvement takes time and if you want to do any invasive treatments like lasers etc, you’ll need time for the results to really happen. Hair is the same, getting your hair colour just right and the health of your locks back to a shiny, bouncy look can be a project that’s many months long. Also, importantly, don’t do anything ‘new’ in the week before, many a bride has done a last minute skincare product change or intense facial only to have a rash or breakout on their wedding day.
What are some common mistakes brides make when planning their hair and makeup, and how can they avoid them? A common mistake is finding a photo of a celebrity and wanting to copy their hair or makeup when you look nothing like them. Also pressing on with a hair look when the weather is against you, it’s a much better plan to go with what is happening on the day and look chic and glamorous all day and night.
Do you have a signature style or technique that sets your bridal looks apart? Please tell us about your signature amazing pony’s and bows! I love hair with polish… whether it’s a sleek, simple look or a volumised glam look. For me it’s all about hair and makeup that looks incredible in a photograph. And I adore some kind of decorative element worn in the hair! In every culture, when they do any kind of religious or spiritual ceremony they wear a ceremonial outfit, paint their face and wear a headdress to transport them for feeling ordinary into creating a feeling of a MOMENT. And I have worked in fashion for decades so I’m always looking to create a stunning personalised fashion moment for my clients. The power-pony has become a bit of a signature look hasn’t it?! I first did a really volumised ponytail for a friend’s wedding. We changed her hair for the dance floor and the guests literally screamed with delight when she re-entered the reception with a fabulous oversized pony! Then I had SOOO many brides and clients for red carpet events wanting it that I started calling it a ‘power-pony’ and the name has stuck.
Do you have any favourite products or techniques? SOOO many favourite products that I couldn’t even begin. Each has a specific texture or effect and are chosen based on the client’s skin texture, hair texture etc!
What’s the most challenging request you’ve received, and how did you achieve it? I had a lovely bride who wanted big, loose, smooth waves for her day, but the weather had been terrible and was going to be absolutely pouring on her wedding day. She had fine, limp hair that went frizzy… so rain was not our friend. To give her her dream hair I said I could ‘replace’ her hair with hair that would be more weather friendly, so on the day, I cornrowed her hair against her scalp, added in a whole head of hair extensions in her exact colour and length, just with extra volume (just for the day) and she had her dream hair! She got rained on and the hair stayed looking beautiful. It was worth the time and effort so she could look at those pictures for the rest of her life and love them.
What is the one piece of advice you’d give to any bride about hair and makeup on her wedding day?
Do a trial. It gives you time to try a look without the emotional pressure of the wedding day. Without the pressure you can try a makeup look, and then let the artist do what they think, often you’ll love what they did more than your original idea. Doing a trial it gives you the chance to sit with it and think about what you really feel good in.
Take the advice of your hair and makeup artists when it comes to longevity due to weather. And listen to their expertise when it comes to how different hairstyles, and makeup will photograph, because what you see in a photo is not the same as what you see in real life, the proportions and textures change.
Choose something that suits you and enhances your natural beauty rather than trying to look like someone else. Don’t be afraid to stand out – nobody ever thinks a bride is overdressed! Enjoy the glam!
