As a bride, the makeup artist is one of the most personal vendors you will book. You are entrusting them with your face, your look, and your day. And like any industry, as it grows so does the number of “scam” artists in the industry. These people have stolen portfolios, fake makeup, or really bad business ethics.
Are you considering paying a deposit? Here are the signs that you are about to be scammed by a makeup artist.
1. The “Borrowed” Portfolio
The most common scam is an artist showing photos that are not their own. It’s so easy to curate a “dream” portfolio with AI and Pinterest.
The Red Flag: The lighting, background and editing is completely different in each picture. One picture was clearly taken in a studio, the next is a low quality photo taken in a different country.
TIP: Google Reverse Image Search. Right-click the image. Does it show up on a celebrity MUA’s site, or a stock photo website?
BONUS TIP: Check for “Behind the Scenes” (BTS) videos. It is much harder to fake a video of an artist applying makeup than it is to post a stolen photo.
2. No Contract? No Booking.
A professional makeup artist is a business. If they “don’t do contracts” or “just take cash or their personal Venmo and see you there,” you are at high risk of being ghosted.
Red Flag: They require a big deposit (or full payment) upfront, but don’t offer a signed contract specifying the date, time, location, and cancellation policy. No contract means that you are left with no option but to accept it if they don’t turn up.
TIP: Insist on a contract. Any reputable expert will want one for his protection as well as yours.
3. The “Bait and Switch” Kit
Of course, a big part of the cost is the quality of the products.
Red Flag: They post a bag full of Chanel and Dior on social media but come to you with expired makeup, or “fake” palettes off Amazon/AliExpress, or dirty unlabelled jars. Fake cosmetics can be laced with poisonous chemicals, lead or bacteria that can lead to serious allergic reactions or eye infections.
TIP: When they come to you for the trial, examine their kit. Is it tidy? Are the brushes clean? Is the product in the bottle the same as the label on the bottle?
4. The “Ghost” of Social Media
Another red flag is a lack of “Social Proof”: 20,000 followers and 2 comments on their photos. This typically indicates they “bought” followers to appear more established than they are.
TIP: Look at their “Tagged Photos” on Instagram. A busy, successful artist will have been tagged by real brides, photographers, and hair stylists. If no one is tagging them, they probably aren’t working. And very important: they must have a website.
5. Hygiene is Non-Negotiable
You can tell a “con artist” (or an amateur) by the way they treat their tools.
- Using a dirty mascara brush (transfers eye infections)
- Applying lipstick straight from the bullet instead of from a palette
- The “crusty” dirty brushes before it has even gone near your face
6. Communication “Red Zones”
They are “too busy” to answer some simple questions about how they operate, or they take 5+ days to respond to a booking inquiry but are asking for the deposit “immediately” in order to book the date.
TIP: Professional MUAs have good communication skills. If they are unresponsive and flaky during the hiring process, they will be unresponsive and flaky on the morning of your wedding.
Pro-Tip for Arizona Brides
Arizona is hot. A “scam” artist will tell you that “any makeup” will hold up in 100 degrees. A professional will discuss skin prep, silicone bases, and professional sealants. If they have no mention of the weather, they are not the professional for you.
If the price seems too good to be true, or if the artist seems “shady” about their information, walk away. Your face is worth hiring a legitimate, professional artist.