CuriositiesJUL 5, 2022

Makeup Artist Charges Woman $500 Instead Of $150 After Finding Out She’s A Bride, Asks If They’re A Jerk

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For many soon-to-be brides, their wedding day is one of the happiest events in their lives. No doubt they wish to look their best while walking down the aisle, so they have a pretty clear vision of their dress, hair, and makeup. But nuptial planning is also notorious for an onslaught of expensive decisions that can make their dream wedding feel financially out of reach. That’s why many frugal ladies set their priorities straight and allocate their budget wisely.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t sit well with some professionals who earn a good income by giving them the looks they want. Like this makeup artist who goes by the handle Affectionate_Lie0 on Reddit. They reached out to the 'Am I The [Jerk]?' community to ask for perspective about a recent encounter with a client.

A few weeks ago, one woman booked a regular makeup look that cost $150 while hiding the fact that it was for her big day. While she did not ask for any special treatment, the woman was surprised to see the user’s reaction. See, the artist discovered the customer’s secret but instead of having a conversation about it before going any further, they decided to take a different approach. Read on to find out how the whole ordeal unfolded, and be sure to weigh in on the situation in the comments!

Recently, this makeup artist charged a woman three times the agreed price after discovering she was a bride

Image credits: Magda Ehlers (not the actual photo)

Wondering if they went too far, the user asked people online to evaluate the situation

Image credits: Elina Sazonova (not the actual photo)

User Affectionate_Lie0’s story drew heaps of attention from the AITA community. While some people deemed the bride was in the wrong in this situation, others were divided and believed that everyone was at fault here. However, the vast majority of Redditors determined the makeup artist was being totally unethical for staying silent during the appointment and criticized them for trying to rip off the bride.

To get to the bottom of this whole situation, we reached out to Georgie Lowen, a professional makeup artist based in the UK, who was kind enough to share her thoughts on the matter. She told Bored Panda that from her experience, brides are usually crystal clear about the fact they are getting their makeup done for their big day.

"Clients tend to disclose what the event is in advance of the booking," she said. "And majority of the time, brides want to book in for the bridal service because the level of artistry is higher as it tends to be photographed professionally and we would want the bride to look her absolute best."

But sometimes, women are hesitant to disclose the real occasion since the expense of professional beautification can take them by surprise. "Some clients may not be able to afford the full bridal price, hence why they might not disclose that it is for their wedding," Lowen explained. "Which is totally understandable as everyone’s budget is different. As long as the client is happy with the results and what they are paying for, then that’s the main thing."

Later on, the artist clarified the difference between bridal and regular makeup in the comments

Image credits: Affectionate_Lie0

When asked about the reasons why bridal makeup is much more expensive than standard ones, the makeup artist mentioned a whole list of different motivations. As it turns out, there’s a lot more that goes into creating a flawless makeup look than meets the eye. "The time allocated for bridal makeup can be double or triple the length of time that a normal makeup service lasts. Some makeup artists have had advanced training for bridal, so the cost of their time may increase."

"Artists tend to use more expensive, luxury brands JUST for bridal clients as these may perform and photograph better for the big day," she continued. Moreover, the service may include free bridal trials, a glass of champagne to get into the mood for the occasion, and travel costs to the location. It can even include touch-ups throughout the photoshoot and during the wedding day. "If this is the case, then artists tend to book the bride into one solid day rather than a one-time slot, so the time used needs to be covered and paid for by the bride."

Speaking of this specific incident, there were many communication errors between the two parties that put a damper on the bride’s wedding day and left the author of this story displeased with how they were treated. However, even though the woman lied to the makeup artist about the event, she did not ask for bridal treatment or other special services. According to Lowen, it’s crucial to have a discussion between the client and the artist before the application to understand the goal of the look and the customer’s expectations and budget to achieve it.

"If they both agreed to this and the artist completed the service and fulfilled the brief to the client's level of satisfaction, then I personally would have been happy to leave it at that. However, if the client didn’t disclose that it was for bridal makeup, then I can understand the frustration from the artist's point of view as I would have wanted to spend more time with the client." Still, the professional stressed that naturally, "the cost might be negotiated but ONLY before the application. Not after."

"Clients do not have to disclose what the makeup is for, that is personal information that they do not share. However, being open and honest can make the experience even better. Every artist has their own level of skills and prices, so the line of communication needs to be clear and understood from the get-go," Lowen concluded.