Interview with Alicia Herraiz

The benchmark for elegant, natural and fresh bridal make-up.

Alicia Herraiz is lhe make-up artist that every bride in Granada dreams of.. She is a reference in the networks (@aliciaherraizm) and through them I got to know her work.

From her, I was attracted by his strength, his passion for his profession, his communication skills and his demanding professionalism.

One day, after seeing her work up close on my own girlfriends, we "devirtualised"; a coffee with soya for me, a Bitter Kas for her, and I was able to get to know Alicia, Ali for her people, first hand. And I can affirm, that in short distances she is even more authentic and beautiful (not only on the outside).

So today, I bring you closer to a woman who for me is... better discover it yourself at the end of this interview.

• Alicia, tell us, for those who don't know you, who Alicia Herraiz is, professionally.

Alicia Herraiz is passionate about her work, she lives by and for her brides. I am specialised in bridal make-up and I have been living love and happiness from up close for more than a decade. In addition, I studied the Diploma of Teaching to later continue training as a graduate in Audiovisual Communication, I never stopped studying to be the best trained and positioned in the sector. I moved to Barcelona to complete my make-up studies specialising in bridal make-up and worked in Madrid before settling professionally in my homeland, Granada.

• How did you make the decision to close your YouTube channel to dedicate yourself professionally and exclusively to the world of social make-up?

I started on Youtube in 2009 almost without thinking about where I was going or what I could achieve. My aim there was to share my knowledge with other users of the platform interested in the world of beauty like me. The growth was exponential, my channel exceeded 100,000 followers and I did campaigns as beautiful and important as the Spanish Ministry of Equality. In a way I overcame the negative aspects of being exposed on a platform where you were recognised in the street, aspects of your life were invented and you even received threats, that and seeing what had become the work of a YouTuber (now called Influencer) where more importance was given to your personal life than didactic aspects made me want to disappear from the most public part and dedicate myself to my profession and evolve in it until today.

• How would you define your style, for those brides who don't know you?

My style is very defined and marked and that is what I like about it, I have worked very hard to be recognised as a reference for elegant, natural and fresh bridal make-up. I like to use neutral tones (browns, champagne, coppers...) and I don't rely on makeup trends but I am guided by what I understand to be a bridal makeup and by what is best for her. My make-up is timeless, I like them to enjoy it in the photographs and video that they have for the rest of their lives and not to say "What did I do at that moment". Fashions come and go, style and elegance always remain. 

• What can't be missing in a bridal make-up by Alicia Herraiz?

For me, the expression and strength of the eyes is fundamental, without a doubt it is my strong point and why many brides want it to be part of their day "I want you to highlight my eyes" (they often say to me). A good highlighter on the face is also a must to give a healthy and fresh look to the skin. I look for naturalness, I always embellish but I don't mask. 

• Do you do eye design for all your brides?

As a rule, yes, for me it is the icing on the cake to make eye make-up look stunning. A good eyebrow design, well groomed and lifted eyelashes can completely change the bride's expression and make her look radiant and perfect on her day. 

• What is the difference between bridal make-up and the guest make-up you do for weddings?

This question could go on for a long time! Bridal make-up has a process and work behind it of up to a year, my bridal service is very complete and each phase is an experience that strengthens the alliance between both of us. Getting to know her, knowing her preferences, even going as far as thinking like her, analysing every detail of her wedding (dress, jewellery, colours that predominate in her look, time of the ceremony and a long etc) make me create her bridal make-up. Also in my team at Alicia Herraiz Bodas I have a professional beautician to improve and perfect the skin for her day. My bride's skin is my canvas so it has to be perfect! 

And yet the guest make-up does not require all this process, on the day of the celebration we talk, I meet her on the spot and I always ask how she would like to look, how the dress is, but it is an on-the-spot job, it does not require a long preparation time. 

• I recently saw that you have launched a new line of business, groom's make-up. How has it been received? 

My life revolves around the female figure and at weddings the bride always has the leading role, but as a hardened fighter I like to break barriers and show that at a wedding the groom is also important, he has to be given his place! 

So I decided to create an exclusive service for them and I was certainly surprised with the reception! I didn't know that my clients would like it so much, now I do bridal interviews and without a doubt they stop me and say "And what are you going to do for the groom? This seemed unthinkable but they are also flirty and want to look perfect for their big day. 

• How can we break down the social barrier that continues to judge men who wear make-up, even on special events such as their wedding day?

Undoubtedly with the information. There are men that the simple fact that someone tells them that they are going to have make-up done makes them nervous and the first word they say is NO. But from experience I can also say that there are others who are worried about aesthetic features such as dark circles under their eyes, oily skin, their eyebrows or other aspects that they would like to improve, and they don't do it because of what people will say. But we professionals are here to give them solutions and adapt to their needs! 

• One of the strengths of your work that I most admire is your approach to empowerment through bridal make-up, can you tell us a little more about your vision?

The truth is that without knowing it consciously, part of my way of being and thinking is reflected in them. When I do interviews I always tell them I don't like brides who go on their wedding day looking down, shy or insecure, my brides go with their heads held high, powerful and with their feet firmly on the ground. That is very much my way of being and I want them to feel so powerful on their day that nothing can shake them. I like that kind of bride and for that reason I work a lot on the bridal service I give to reach that point of connection. 

• What is your experience as a woman entrepreneur in the bridal sector in Granada like?

If I had to define it in one word it would be FREEDOM. I feel I have the tools and energy to be able to do everything I set my mind to. The beauty of being an entrepreneur is that you fight for your dreams and for where you want to be. I am lucky that in Granada there are wonderful professionals with whom I can learn and create wonderful synergies. I always surround myself with women entrepreneurs who enrich me and add to my work.

• You move in Social Media like a fish in water, what are your tips to improve a brand's presence in Social Media?

The best advice I would give is to think before you act. Social networks have a point of immediacy and spontaneity but if you want to do a professional job with them this does not help you. Think about what you want to transmit, what your brand values are, constantly improve and upload quality content, in this way you can create a good brand on social networks and be a benchmark in your sector.

• The end of the year is slowly approaching, and in January you know we start with our New Year's resolutions. What recommendations do you give your brides to prepare their skin and face for their wedding day?

It may sound like a cliché but for me what works best is to eat well, drink water, do sport and reinforce all this with aesthetic treatments at home and by professionals. In my team I have professionals in aesthetic, dental and advanced aesthetic treatments, it is important to leave yourself in good hands to get the best results.  

• What has 2020 been like for Alicia Herraiz, how have you experienced it and what has it been like to work in these times of pandemic?

If I make a balance I will say that it has been positive, obviously the flow of weddings has decreased due to the standstill that we have suffered in the first half of the year, but I still have weddings and to this day I am still booked for this 2020. From the beginning of the pandemic I wanted to live in the present and I have fought hard to maintain the illusion to those brides who were going to get married this year, the vast majority of suppliers think about future years but the reality is that weddings are still being celebrated today, these brides and grooms also deserve to have the magic that always surrounds these events. For me 2020 has been a year to love my job more and to evolve towards a better service.

• What does 2021 look like for you? Both in terms of the social make-up agenda and other projects. 

The year 2021 in the agenda looks like a crazy year, at this very moment without finishing the year 2020 there are more than fifty weddings booked, having even days with up to three weddings. It really looks like a year without stopping but I always live my present and everything will be seen little by little. And as projects I continue to consolidate in the experiences and luxury services in Granada and give a greater value to the makeup service in a more exclusive way. 

Finally, Alicia, I'd like to finish with a quick test...

• Zodiac sign: Gemini (I am from extremes)
• Your colour: Beiges 
• The last book you read: "Life as a way".. I like to explore the field of psychology. 
• Your favourite film: I'm not a film person, it's hard for me to watch a film. now series I like them all! 
• A professional you admire: I admire any professional who achieves his or her goals. 
• Define your work in one word: Elegance
• An express make-up should never be missing: Mascara.
• Finish the sentence: "Alicia Herraiz es.....FORCE. 

And that is Alicia Herraiz, a woman who is sure of herself and her work. Her path is a constant of effort, dedication, perfectionism and infinite passion for her work.

Alicia is that mascara you can't miss on your big day; Alicia is elegance; Alicia is STRENGTH.