No refund on bridal make up after trial

[MakeupWoes]

I booked a highly recommended artist for my bridal makeup, and had to secure with a non refundable deposit before I was allowed a trial.

I've since had a trial, and the makeup was shocking. My face was caked on (I get for pictures), but in the heat, it was literally running down my face. It transferred everytime something brushed my face.

I'm left with proceeding with someone who's make up I really dislike because I can't afford to lose the deposit, or I have to borrow the money to change to someone else. WWYD?

Thats why I hate having my make up done, they always seem to want to trowel it on, where a lighter more natural look always looks nicer.
I'd take pictures and explain what's happened, see if she'll do another trial with lighter makeup at no extra cost.
If not, I'd do my makeup myself, although I'd also he annoyed at losing my deposit, maybe treat yourself to a nice foundation, you can go to a makeup counter who'll help you with choosing the right shade.
How much is the full make up if you've paid £80 deposit? Sounds expensive.

It is very hot at the moment and should be cooler in September, even my usual make up doesn't stay put in this weather let alone anything heavier. I'd talk to the MUA about the issues you've faced and see what solutions she can come up with first. It may be that your skin type doesn't work with the foundation she used and she just needs to try a different one. I don't think you need professional make up, but obviously it is a nice thing to treat yourself too if that's what you want and if you aren't happy with it then £80 is alot of money to lose,so I'd try and work with her first. It could just be the heat though, probably not the best time to have a make up trial.

I read on another thread here that a deposit is refundable as long as you give adequate time for them to find someone else and if the wedding isn’t until sept then surely she can fill your spot. Maybe have a Google about your rights

Gazelda
I was just thinking exactly the same. You obviously don't have £80 to spare, so don't spend it.

If she doesnt have £80 to spare how is she going to do her own makeup?

@chilledbubble perhaps naively I assumed OP already had some make up supplies at home.

It doesn't need to be caked on for the photos that's absolute rubbish.
I had more make up than I usually wear but it was very natural looking and looked great on the photos and in real life. My wedding was in the middle of an august heatwave and didn't melt.
Mine was done by the lady on the Bobbi Brown Counter in Fenwicks ( she did the trial at the counter) and I paid for her time and products on the day, had a chat with her and she did weddings as a side job. Also bought the foundation, eyeshadow and lipstick for myself and have stuck with the brand for the past 16yrs so it was a good thing all round.

The trial is to check you’re happy with the make up she will do on the day.
You are not so you are perfectly entitled to cancel and get your wedding day money back but still pay for the trial.

Sorry meant to say she came to the venue in the day to do the make up.

This has happened to a friend of mine. She booked an “Instagram famous” MUA thinking she’d get a good job done.

I thought it was a bit off when the make up artist demanded an £80 deposit for the wedding (6 months away) as payment up front, cash or bank transfer only, she wouldn’t take payment by card or PayPal and the wedding day deposit was non refundable - even before my friend had had a trial - but she refused to do a trial unless friend had booked in for her wedding.

Basically it’s a way of earning £80 for doing nothing.

On the day of her trial my friends foundation was about 8 shades too dark, looked like it’d been laid on with a trowel, not blended into her neck (however it was such a different shade to her neck it would have been impossible to blend it in to look ok) she had mascara all over her eyelids and the strip lashes the MUA had applied had popped off at the corners before she’d even got home. She asked for fresh, light and dewy and looked like a matt orange.

The MUA blocked her number and blocked her on social media when she complained and asked for her deposit back.

Are her initials KHM?

My wedding hair trial was a disaster - among other reasons, because she trimmed it to length that meant it would no longer go up into the agreed style. I cancelled the hairdresser and did my own hair.

I only paid for the trial.

Have you spoken to her. Can you get her to do another trial , maybe shorter, with a less heavy look before the day. Just explain to her that you are stressed by thought of it running as it has done, and that it just isn’t you and ask her to have another go with your input this time. If she refuses then ask for at least some of money back as say you did say you raised it with her at time and she over ruled your concerns
do you have pictures of it melting? Would be handy if you did.

Saying you need heavy make up is like saying you need an expensive dress. You can wear whatever make up you want and feel comfortable in.

Perhaps you could cancel, use the remaining money you would have spent on some decent make up products and take a tour of John Lewis for some lessons. Most places are more than willing to teach you to use the products if you spend money with them

Why are you having a make up trial during a heatwave?

I imagine the products she used today as a
trial for your actual wedding will be fine in cool September

I was trying to treat myself with this, because I haven't been very well, which is why finance has been tight.
Both are vastly improving, hence why I said to borrow the money, because I will pay it back.

My wedding was moved because of covid, sometimes shit happens

I definitely wouldn’t stick with this MUA. Do you have any friends who are good at doing make-up? For my wedding, I took one such friend with me to a make-up counter (we chose a sales person who looked amazing, make-up definitely not caked on) and she basically showed my friend what to do. We bought a few products so it was good for her, and my make-up looked great on the day. Good luck!

Of course you don't bloody need pancake makeup for photos for a wedding. What utter rubbish.

My wedding make up was very natural and subtle but lasted longer than if I had done it myself. But it most certainly wasn't one inch Instagram blogger style.

No doubt the MUA only works in one way so spun you this bullshit.

However no idea about deposit. I'd cut my losses and run!

Definitely contact her, tell her how your makeup was after the trial and what you did and didn’t like. Suggest a re-trial and the use of a setting spray to help keep your makeup in place after she has done it? Feedback should be important to her.

I think not liking her style (which posisbly includes thickness of product, i cant decide) and the end result is a risk that you accepted when you paid the deposit. I would avoid people who make those sort of demands in the future.

However, makeup that runs down your face is clearly unsuitable for a wedding so I'd say she hasn't delivered on the wedding makeup trial in any way. I would want another trial for free to try a look that won't be prone to running.

If your skin is already relative flawless you don’t need cake makeup. You’re not a stage performer.

Since you’ve spent the money I’d ask her if she can do another trial? Did you not see photos of her other work, were they all caked too?

Also I don’t understand how the deposit is related to the trial.
surely a trial is to decide whether you want services. A deposit means you already do. Contradictory concepts indeee…

Honestly do your own. Look like yourself.

Mine did this and I hated it. I went with it and felt like I didn’t look like me! You don’t need it for photos unless you’ve got really bad skin i.e acne that you need/want covering. Don’t go with it you’ll regret it like I did!
Tell her you don’t like it and try and get her to change it. Ask her to use your normal foundation so you don’t look caked?

On her wedding day?

That's not true. It doesn't have to be thicker for photos! hhaaha! You need good prep, good makeup and then a good setting spray. Usually pros use Skindinavia bridal spray to set makeup.
Looking patchy or cakey comes from bad application and/or bad products. Are you sure you got a pro? A lot of people watch youtube videos and then start doing it "professionaly", others aren't cut out for it. It's not as easy as it sounds, to me anyway. I can make my face look presentable but I could never do it to another person, if anything because what works for me might not work for others.
It's sad you were taken advantage of but look at this way: it wasn't on your wedding day! Then you would have been really distraught.
This can still be fixed. Maybe you can get a proper pro to do it or you can splurge on a few good products and do it yourself.
Go to a good makeup counter and ask for help. Have them do your face. Go for a walk down the shops and see how you look in a few hours. It usually takes me a couple of hours to see if makeup holds or ends up looking patchy (if you're young-ish it shouldn't take you so long).
Go to John Lewis, try to call ahead if you can, that way you have several options. Take an honest friend with you if you can, not your mother. Mothers always think we look bloody great no matter what.

In my experience, Bobbi Brown have the easiest products for a smokey eye if you haven't hit 40 yet but it can pricey. They'll give you a little drawing with the products they've used. For foundation I would go elsewhere or use your own. You could try contouring instead, it looks fab in pictures.

My face was caked on (I get for pictures), but in the heat, it was literally running down my face. It transferred everytime something brushed my face.

It's makeup, not magic. Everything is going to slide off in this heat