Based on testimonials on their website and on the fact that I was having a hard time finding a makeup artist who still had availability and would travel to Hamilton, I reserved Pretty in Pink as the makeup artists and hair stylists for my wedding even though the first makeup trial did not go well. I thought that if I just gave Melissa, the owner and makeup artist who was working with me, a better idea of what I wanted, things would work out. Big mistake. The other (paid) makeup trials we had did not work out at all - the makeup simply was not flattering. I ended up cancelling a short while before my wedding date, figuring I'd be better off scrambling to find another makeup artist and, failing that, doing my own makeup, rather than wasting any more money with this business.
The main thing that made the makeup unflattering was that Melissa just did not know how to find colors that were complimentary to my skin tone. I am caucasian, with somewhat tan olive-colored skin, yet she was using the same kind of summery palette on me as would look good on fair-skinned blonde women - and not surprisingly, it didn't look good. While "Pretty in Pink" is a great name for a makeup artist business, it isn't so good as a general one-color-palette-fits-all approach to applying makeup - pastel tones simply do not look good on everyone. When I said that I didn't think the colors were quite right for me, she replied that maybe I just wasn't comfortable wearing so much makeup. Umm, no - the quantity was not the problem.
Before I met with Melissa, I had recently had my makeup done at a friend's wedding, and I'd loved the results. After the first trial, I actually went out and bought the eye shadows, eye liner, and lip pencil that my friend's makeup artist had used, to beautiful effect, on me. (My friend's wedding had been held on the opposite side of the country, or I would have just hired her makeup artist for my own wedding!) I brought these products, as well as more pictures of myself at the friend's wedding, to the second trial. We also did some of the second trial outside, on the back porch, as Melissa thought the lighting in our house was inadequate. (To be fair, the lighting wasn't awesome in our old place in Hamilton. But it's also fair to note that the place wasn't a cave either, and the makeup artist we eventually hired had no problem working in this light, which she had to do on our wedding day, since it turned out to be dark and rainy that day!) Even after seeing the pictures where I was wearing those exact colors, Melissa flatly told me that these colors would not look good on me, and in a way she was right - as she applied them, along with a foundation and blush that were completely the wrong shade for me, they did not.
I also was disappointed with the makeup artist's ability to use makeup for one of its most basic functions - to conceal flaws. I have noticeable circles under my eyes even when I'm fully rested, so one thing I wanted out of my makeup artist was the ability to reduce the appearance of this flaw - it's something I can do pretty effectively when I do my own makeup (even though I'm by no means a makeup geek!). Not only was the concealer she used ineffective in doing this, but the way she applied eyeliner and shadow under my eyes only served to draw attention to the dark circles! When I pointed this out to her, she suggested that I was just unduly focused on that one thing.
It's too bad that the makeup was so unflattering, as their hairstylist was pretty good, and she was very considerate in the follow-up email she sent me, on behalf of the business, to find out why I had cancelled. The hairstylist is the main reason I am giving this business 2 stars instead of 1. The other reason is that I think the makeup artist might be fine for women within a very narrow range of fair skin tones.
In short, if you have fair rosy skin and just want someone to show up at your place on your wedding day and put some makeup on you and your girls, this business might be a good option for you. But if you have any other skin tone, steer clear! I ended up going to a local MAC makeup counter and getting the names of a few saleswomen there who also did freelance work. I was SO much happier with the makeup artist I found this way - totally worth the last-minute search for a good makeup person! read more