Wedding Hair, Makeup, & Beauty Forums

Cost of Bridal Make-Up

Ok I have to rant....I am appalled by the cost of bridal make up! I have been quoted prices from $150-$200 plus $100 for the trial. Am I the only one who thinks this is ridiculous?  For $200 they should follow me around all day and touch up when needed.  

And, they charge $75-$125 per person for the attendants.  Am I being cheap or does this seem expensive for the service they are providing?  I have had my makeup done professionally for weddings I was in, in the past, and never realized the bride was paying that much for it. And, it never took more than 45 minutes to complete, so these women are making $200 or more an hour! 

Please tell me if I am being unreasonable here, because I feel like I am getting ripped off. 
 

Re: Cost of Bridal Make-Up

  • edited June 2010
    I agree its VERY expensive to get makeup done, and it sucks...Mine is under $100 but barely, its $90 total, $45 for the trial and $45 for the day of. (and i live in a smaller city)

    Have you tried checking your department stores? Dillards in my area said they do it for free all they ask is you purchase a product and when you think about it you'll want the lipstick they use for touch ups.

    Otherwise just DIY and go buy some new products to test. I'd recommend some type of makeup primer to hold it in place better to last longer.
  • I got a package that was $510 for all 3 of us makeup and hair +$125 for my trial.  I agree it's very expensive but it was something that I considered mandatory and put it in my budget from the very beginning.  It depends on your area but those prices seem in line for a major city.
  • Mine is $150 for hair, $150 for makeup.  The trial was another $50 for each service, which brings us to a grand total of $400.  :(  The cherry on top is I am contracted with the salon already (because they get such rave reviews) and there were some problems with my trial and I don't think my MUA and I have the right vibe between us.  GL!
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  • dayum, yall. counting the makeup I bought, I spent $114 total on beauty. $50 for my hair (included the trial), $8 for my MUFE fix-it spray, $38 for my foundation (included my primer), and $18 for my concealer. and this was in a large city--Houston. do yall not shop around?
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  • Mine was about $150 including the trial for makeup and $80 inlcuding the trial for hair. I think your attendant prices sound resonable, but I don't understand why your makeup is so much more. That makes no sense. Are they using super-special-stays-on-forever makeup on just you? I don't get it.
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  • danggg. my hair will be 45ish and my makeup will be 25...thank god i live in a small city!
  • Wow, I feel like I'm getting a steal now! Mine is $180 for hair and makeup the day of and a trial of both the day before.
  • 45 for day of and 25 for trial
  • My makeup will be $225 and the bridesmaids will be $85 each. Expensive, yes. But worth it to not have to worry about doing it myself.
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  • Holy crap!  My hair and makeup w/ trial is like $115 and that includes full size concealer, lipstick etc that I get to keep.  And I live in Minneapolis and it's an Aveda salon...

    I would for sure shop around.  And really, BMs dont need their make up done.  I have yet to see a BM w/ her make up done that didnt look exactly like what she would have done on her own!
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  • I was just going through this today! I can not justify spending so much on getting my makeup done.  Would much prefer to put that money towards some nice products and do it myself... as of now that's how it's going to happen!
  • Make up is going to run me about $150 but that's using Estee Lauder and I'm doing it myself. My hair will be about $50 and the lady will do it at the pavilion.  But the makeup is something I will wear again and again and then replace after I use it up! :)
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  • I'm doing my own, and  spent about $115 at Sephora on lipstick, primer, & foundation ... I already have a bunch of Estee Lauder stuff (eyeshadow, etc.) that I already use.

    The hairstylist coming to my house is charging $75 for mine, $60 for my BMs, and $35 for my flower girl.  I didn't have to do my flower girl, but she's my only niece and I like to spoil her.  lol
  • Mine is costing about $275 for the trial, day of make-up, make up for my mom and a younger bridesmaid. But honestly, make up applied correctly really makes a difference in your pictures. I had mine done for a boudouir shoot and it looked fabulous, but I did it myself for my engagement pics and I notice a big difference. Just look at it like an investment, you'll be beautiful and stress free and your pictures (which last forever) will be flawless!
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  • My hair is costing $100 and my makeup is $50, but I'm hiring a friend who does make-up for fashion shoots and she's doing me a favor.  Maybe you could check around with folks who are in reputable cosmetology schools (like, people who are serious about working in the movie, TV, or ad industry, not one of the places that has ads on the sides of buses).   You could also put a posting on Craigslist and see what pops up. 
  • I put "under $100". My sister's doing it, so I don't have to pay her, but I'm still getting special makeup for day of (primer and eye shadow). Plus, I'm figuring in beauty services such as getting my eyebrows waxed!
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  • Wooooowwww very expensive... My hair is $75 and make-up is $45 day of
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  • PiruPiru member
    First Comment
    I'm doing my own. I'll probably end up spending quite a lot on the makeup, but hey, I get to keep it afterward!

    I'm pretty proficient at makeup and my BMs aren't so I'll probably do theirs as well.

    Seriously, start looking at youtube tutorials. All so helpful. Most use expensive products but some don't and you can usually find an acceptable drugstore substitute anyway.

    This is the one I'm using:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kATZOgxzPsk

    I agree with trying to go to a mall. I hear it's considered polite to buy three products afterward but I'd imagine one or two would be acceptable. I'm not getting married anywhere near a mall though- there's like, two in all of Oregon.
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  • You get what you pay for. If you go to the cosmetics counter for an "application with purchase", you are getting a 'freebie' caliber application.

    The artists who charge a high rate, charge that rate for a reason.

    You are paying for someone to come to YOUR location to do your makeup. To expect someone to come to YOU, you are going to pay for it!
  • my updo starts at 80 and my make up is a flat 50 with 1/2 that charged for trial. 
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  • PiruPiru member
    First Comment
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-beauty_cost-of-bridal-up?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:358Discussion:92ff18f9-6804-4427-8f49-f47314a438f7Post:e155f1a6-737c-4667-8062-76c30cb68a0c">Re: Cost of Bridal Make-Up</a>:
    [QUOTE] To expect someone to come to YOU, you are going to pay for it!
    Posted by mandykhan[/QUOTE]
    I didn't know this was that common. For my sister's wedding, we all went to a salon before the wedding to have our hair and makeup done. I sort of assumed that was what most people do but I haven't been to many weddings.

    Maybe that's a cheaper option if you were originally planning on having a MUA on site?
    And if you should die before me, ask if you can take a friend. Pick a flower, close your eyes,and drift away- STP
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  • I have a lot of friends that are make-up artists, and that's about right... for a good makeup artist.  If you go through a salon, it might be less expensive.  Personally, I'm doing my own makeup. I work at a store that sells high-end cosmetics, and I'll have one of my friends give me ideas and then just do it myself.  I'm talented enough with makeup that anything I do woul dbe comparable to what one of my makeup artist friends would do (thanks, 13 years of stage makeup experience!!)
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  • That is very normal in a major city like Boston. I think with when it comes to beauty, you have to decide what is important to you. You have to remember that you will be looking at these photos for the rest of your life, so it is a wise investment. But you always have the option of doing it yourself, or asking a friend who is good with makeup and feels comfortable doing it for you. Good luck!
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