Do You Tip A Makeup Artist? [Are You Supposed To Do So?]

Your makeup artist has a lot of responsibility on their shoulders. Besides, they are getting you ready for one of the most monumental moments of your life. And preferences and requirements are so varied. Its certainly a challenge. While we may be aware of their price upfront, its only natural to question how much, or if we should add on, at all. Here is what you should know.

So, do you tip a makeup artist? It is generally advised to tip a makeup artist. However, you need to consider all the factors that go into how much you need to tip. These factors are things like the number of people getting their makeup done, the number of touchups, and whether it’s a trial or the big day! 

In reality, tipping a makeup artist is one of the best ways that you can show your appreciation for them.

It’s all about gesture here.

And you should consider the circumstances, along with your financial situation.

Let’s talk about the specifics. 

This way, you will know exactly how to approach your makeup artist, set your expectations, and ensure that everyone leaves happy.

Are You Supposed to Tip Your Makeup Artist?

It is advised to tip your makeup artist a percentage of the overall cost. This is especially true if you are satisfied with the experience, and your makeup artist goes above and beyond to provide you with good service. 

We all know weddings can get costly, but a lot of time and effort is put in by your makeup artist, so rewarding them is considered a nice thing to do.

Now, while it is rare if, for some reason, you have a horrible experience, you are obviously not required to tip. 

However, there is a good chance you had a trial and knew your makeup artist well-enough on your big day. 

The details are almost always worked out beforehand, so there is no surprise bridezilla makeup going on. 

Now let’s get into how much and why. 

What’s A Good Tip For Your Makeup Artist?

It is generally advised to tip your makeup artist between 15-25%. 

Although, the exact amount will depend on several factors, including the total cost and level of service given.

Let’s dissect some of the other factors a little more, so you have a better understanding of what is an appropriate tip for your makeup artist. 

• Trial or Wedding Day Makeup
• Number of Girls Getting Makeup Done
• Number of Touchups if Any
• Any Extra’s

The more factors you have, the more you should edge towards 25 percent rather than the minimum of 15. 

Type Of Service

While the two days are vastly different, the minimum tipping standard is not.

It’s expected to tip 15-25 percent even at all of your trials because the reality is the makeup artist may be spending as much or more time than your actual wedding day on you. 

It may take a few tries to nail down the look you want so a good thing to consider here for trials is recognizing the extra time spent to make you happy. 

This is when you should tip more. 

Even if you experiment with a few different artists, it’s important to tip them all and not just the one you end up choosing. 

It’s a judgment call for how much to tip at a trial because of things go efficiently at the trial, then you will end up tipping more for your wedding day. 

When we speak about the wedding day, the other factors start to come into play. 

Number Of Girls

This can get tricky because sometimes the bride asks their bridesmaids to pay for their own makeup. 

If you as a bride are offering to pay for all the girls at the wedding, then you must tip for the total cost. 

The more girls, the more you should offer if possible. 

If you are leaving it up to your girlfriends to pay for their own makeup, it is important that you remind them to tip. 

It’s not something that they would necessarily consider doing, and yes, it may feel awkward asking them to contribute more, but there are ways you can do this without being so forward. 

Such as if you are giving them the option to do makeup in the first place, say, “remember to account for the tip in the price too. It’s good to give 15-25 percent.”

Number Of Touchups

Warning this can be a bank buster. 

If you require your makeup artist to do touchups throughout your big day, then you need to think more about the hours than you do about the service. 

A touchup is quick, so you may be inclined to tip just a tiny bit. 

But if the makeup artist is there all day, they are losing the ability to work for all the hours they’re doing nothing. 

Touchups are an important thing to keep in mind when tipping. 

Let’s Face It

It’s not a wedding day without one minor mess-up, and sometimes it’s not the bride having a meltdown. 

For any mishaps with anyone where the makeup artists have to do anything over, consider giving a little more for dealing with us prima donnas.  

How Much Do Makeup Artists Cost?

Makeup artists charge per person and typically charge between $75-$250, on average. The bride’s makeup is generally more expensive than the bridesmaids. 

Although, it must be acknowledged that there is a huge range here. And it has a lot to do with your budget and the expertise of the makeup artist used.

How far do they need to travel, how much time will it take them?

Let’s talk about the average to high-end makeup costs and what services and options would increase the total. 

Bridal Makeup

The bride’s makeup is always going to be more than the bridesmaid’s makeup. 

They will take the majority of the time, and it makes sense because the bride is the star of the show.  

A bride’s makeup, on average, will cost around $100. 

Now, this number starts to go up when more advanced techniques are used. 

For instance, airbrush makeup is slightly different and will increase the price. 

You can find airbrush makeup starting at $115. 

Bridesmaid’s Makeup

The bridesmaid’s makeup is going to cost per person typically unless there is some package deal where the artist offers the 5th one free. 

This is much less common, and you can see an average price for bridesmaid’s makeup is around $75. 

Extras

Regardless of whether you’re the mother, the bride, or a bridesmaid, any additional service is going to cost you. 

A great example of this is false lashes. False lashes (many do it) maybe $15 to $20 extra per person. 

Other additional services may include some of the things we mentioned before. 

Travel time is a very important thing. 

Some are lucky to be able to do it at a nearby salon, but the farther they have to go, the more potential clients they miss, so you have to cover those expenses.  

Additional touchups are really when things can start to get expensive. 

It’s a good rule of thumb to think it works out to an average of $75 per service, and service may be initial makeup and touchups later. 

On Average

It’s reported that, on average, a couple will spend between $150-$600 on hair and makeup for their wedding day. 

Now, remember, this is the average, so some people are even going higher, and some people are skipping out on the extras and adding their own glam to the day. 

How Much Do Bridal Makeup Trials Cost?

Bridal makeup trials can range from being free through to their standard price, which averages between $75-$250 per person.

The total cost here is, again, entirely variable. It depends on who you are seeing and how high the demand is for them. 

Some artists will include a trial into their price.

Now that doesn’t mean they are cheaper; they just might up the price a little. 

Or some may charge the trial completely separate then your actual wedding day makeup. 

And in that case, you can go back to that average $75 a service cost and add any additions that you experience during that time. 

Some trials actually will include some of the extra services like fake lashes during a trial because the makeup artist wants to do a little experimenting. 

So, if they are kind enough to know the price down for you in the trial, remember to include it in the tip. 

Also, note that just because they gave you a free run during your trial, it doesn’t mean that they are going to give it to you on your big day.

In fact, I would also bank on they are not going to give it to you on your wedding day for free because they wanted you to try it before buying it. 

The one thing that a bride really must remember is that tipping during a trial is as important as tips on your wedding day. 

Even if you tip slightly less for a trial, it is important to remember, as no-tipping is a big faux-pas. 

Say Yes!

So maybe this isn’t the yes you are oh so excited about, but the answer is yes. Yes, you are really supposed to tip a makeup artist both at the trial and on the big day. 

This is because makeup artists are a commission-based service, so tips are a reliant part of their work. 

It’s also great in general to show appreciation for the work that they do for the bride and the bridal party. 

It is not an easy job to make a woman feel and look good on their wedding day, but makeup artists are like superhero’s and do it with ease. 

Remember, for any mishaps on your end concerning extra hours and bridezilla’s; it’s important to show you appreciation. 

A makeup artist doesn’t have to sit there and deal with high-maintenance clients but often they do because they want to help be a part of the team on our big day. 

So whatever you do, remember to tip between 15 and 25 percent where more is encouraged, especially for a job well done. 

And if you wondering who else you may need to tip and how much, then check out my following guides:

• How Much To Tip Wedding Florist?
• Do You Tip A Wedding Venue Coordinator?
• Do You Tip A Wedding Photographer?
• Do You Tip A Seamstress?