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Award winner thanks to recommendations from couples on WeddingWire.com.
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Best Face Forward- Skin, Makeup & Hair Artists

Beauty
Makeup
Hair
Men's Grooming
Haylee
Melissa
Paige
Lisa
L

Recommended by 100% of couples

About this vendor

Best Face Forward- Skin, Makeup & Hair Artists is a wedding hair and makeup company that provides its services with teams throughout several major markets: a) northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC, b) Hampton Roads, and c) South Texas. We specialize in on-site skin, makeup and hair services for all ethnicities and weddings of all cultures. Our founders are a mother-daughter team who have established an outstanding award-winning group of diverse professionals to serve any size of event, and provide superb service for couples.


Experience
Susie and Kara have been part of the bridal beauty industry since 2011. Susie has almost 40 years experience in the skincare and makeup industries, while Kara has more than 20 years of experience. The company's artists have been recognized by several wedding websites. The artists have also done hair and makeup for Grammy-nominated musicians, heads of states and cabinet officials, TV personalities, and top beauty pageant titleholders.

**All Artists are Barbicide and COVID-19 Sanitation Certified and insured.**

Services Offered
Best Face Forward- Skin, Makeup & Hair Artists provides touchup hours, multiple stylists for large parties, and men's grooming services in addition to the following:

  • Blowouts
  • Hair extensions
  • Hair trial
  • On-site hair
  • Textured styling
  • Updos/styling
  • On-site makeup
  • Contour, eye, natural, and wedding party makeup
  • Fake lashes
  • Makeup trial

Features

Woman-owned

Large team (21+ members)

Experience

  • 22 years in business

  • We speak English and Spanish

Links

Visit website

Weddings with this vendor

Arthur & Nicole's wedding
Arthur & Nicole
44 photos
Caroline & Greg's wedding
Caroline & Greg
25 photos
Ariel & David's wedding
Ariel & David
62 photos
Daniel & Emily's wedding
Daniel & Emily
17 photos
Trey & Kristina's wedding
Trey & Kristina
51 photos

FAQ

Does makeup price include false lashes?

No

Which of the following are included in prices?

Consultation
Trial Service

What beauty services do you offer?

Consultations
Men's Grooming
Skincare

What hair services do you offer?

Blowouts
Extensions
Textured Hair Styling
Updos / Styling
Hair Trial
On-Site Hair

What makeup services do you offer?

Contour Makeup
Eye Makeup
Natural Makeup
On-Site Makeup
Wedding Party Makeup
Makeup Trial
Fake Lashes

Still have questions?

Reach out about anything you didn't see answered here—no question is too small!

Wedding couple

Reviews of Best Face Forward- Skin, Makeup & Hair Artists

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

Powered by AI

Best Face Forward is professional, organized, and highly responsive, using detailed questionnaires and trials to create personalized, long‑lasting hair and makeup looks. Their talented, calm team handles large bridal parties with punctuality and flexibility, making the morning stress‑free. Guests consistently praise the flattering results.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Best Face Forward is professional, organized, and highly responsive, using detailed questionnaires and trials to create personalized, long‑lasting hair and makeup looks. Their talented, calm team handles large bridal parties with punctuality and flexibility, making the morning stress‑free. Guests consistently praise the flattering results.

L
Laura Sent on 11/18/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Dream team!

I am so incredibly thankful for the beautiful work the BFF team did for my crew on my wedding day! From my initial call with Kara, I knew they were the right team. In the months leading up to the big day, communication was good, and I felt like Kara really worked hard to make sure my vision was heard. My hair and makeup trial with Josh and Gina went better than expected, and they were very open to a few minor tweaks I asked for afterward. Josh, Gina, Priscilla, and Leanne were absolutely wonderful to work with on the big day. My group, which included myself, 5 bridesmaids, and my mom and MIL, had a wide variety of styles in mind and different comfort levels when it comes to wearing makeup, and everyone ended up with looks they loved. We added on groom’s services as well and they were able to tame my now husband’s notorious cowlick, lol. And the team was very efficient—we even finished getting everyone ready ahead of schedule! I highly, highly recommend the BFF team!
Haylee
Haylee Sent on 04/24/2026
5 out of 5 rating

2nd time customer!

This is my second time scheduling through Best Face Forward for hair and makeup for my younger son’s bar mitzvah. The first time I scheduled was 2.5 years ago for my older son’s bar mitzvah. I was able to schedule through the Best Face Forward website and scheduling was easy and detailed with what information is needed.

Natalie was the artist assigned to me and met me at the hotel where the event was at to do my hair and makeup. She was on time and was invited into my room. It took her about 10 minutes to set up and she started on my hair and finished with my makeup. Natalie listed to how I wanted my makeup/hair and delivered! I felt like a movie star and received compliments all night long.

Kara is honestly a gem and you should look no where else for your hair and makeup needs!
Melissa
Melissa Sent on 04/22/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Absolutely the BEST!

I'm a photographer that offers hair and makeup as an add-on to a session for maternity, newborn, and family sessions, and I have been working with Best Face Forward for a few years now. All of my clients that have worked with BFF have been super happy with the experience. Everything about the process is easy. I love having them in my corner to help my clients have the best all around experience for their photo sessions! I highly recommend BFF to anyone looking for hair and makeup artists!
Paige
Paige Sent on 02/12/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Beautifully done!

"I cannot recommend Best Face Forward enough! We had a massive group of 20 women for hair and makeup, and they handled the morning with such professional ease and grace.
What impressed me most was their ability to cater to everyone. Our group included women of all ages, and the team was incredibly flexible in adapting to each person’s unique skin type and personal preferences. They didn't just follow a 'one-size-fits-all' approach; they gave beautiful, personalized ideas that made everyone feel like the best version of themselves.
From the youngest bridesmaids to the mothers and grandmothers, every single woman felt stunning and confident. If you have a large bridal party and want a team that is creative, calming, and exceptionally skilled at working with diverse styles, look no further!".
M
Megan Sent on 11/06/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect hair and makeup

Kara and her team were amazing! Gabrielle (hair) and Yoana (makeup) were so nice, professional, and quick! My hair and makeup was perfect throughout the entire day and my bridesmaids looked amazing! I have never felt prettier! Highly recommend!
S
Sonia Sent on 11/02/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Top notch!

I recently had the pleasure to experience the best hair and makeup by a very professional team from Best Face Artists. We all had to fill out a detailed form before the event and when the team arrived, each professional assigned to the Bride to be, bridesmaids, mother of the Bride, aunt, and mother of the groom (me!) knew our preferences and worked with us to make us all look our best! They all were calm and very personable. They did a beautiful job with everyone’s hair and makeup by listening to us and offering great suggestions! It was such a treat to be in the hands of such a talented team!
J
Josh Sent on 10/27/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Best Face Forward is great to work with!

(From Dana!) Wow! I loved working with Best Face Forward for Hair and Makeup for my wedding. From the beginning, they were responsive, organized, and professional. They do a great job of collecting all the information, from current photos to inspiration photos so they can build a very accurate timeline for the morning of. I also got skincare product recommendations early on so my skin was looking the best it has on my wedding day. Scheduling my trial was seamless and it was great seeing my hair and makeup ideas come to life. The artists I worked with were Priscilla and Alena and both were AMAZING! They listened to what we wanted and also gave great feedback and ideas when asked. As someone who doesn't wear a lot of makeup and who doesn't do her hair often, I truly felt my best on the day of my wedding!
J
Jennifer Sent on 10/15/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Best Face Forward saved the day in the nick of time!

My hair and makeup plan fell threw just 5 days before my big event (my husband's 40th with over 100 guests), so after emailing a bunch of makeup and hair companies in the area, only Best Face Forward replied. It was wedding season (October) but they managed to squeeze me in and I made it to my event on time with no stress! Norma came to my house and she worked fast with great results; the pictures speak for themselves! She did exactly what I asked for: a soft glam look that still looked like me. My friends and family were all complimenting me at the party and I felt so beautiful. I was nervous about doing professional makeup but Norma made me look so amazing! Norma really made all the difference for me and I felt so beautiful while celebrating my husband on his 40th.
Lisa
Lisa Sent on 10/02/2025
5 out of 5 rating

BFF is Amazing!

Kara and her team at Best Face Forward were absolutely wonderful to work with! Meg and Kara were always quick to respond to my emails and made the entire process seamless. I really appreciated the detailed questionnaire each guest receiving services completed, it ensured everyone’s desired look was perfectly captured.

Dixie was fabulous and did an incredible job on my makeup and hair. She also worked on my bridesmaids and flower girls, and they all looked absolutely beautiful and loved their looks. Angie styled the bridesmaids’ and flower girls’ hair, and every style was stunning.

I highly recommend Best Face Forward for any wedding or special event. Their professionalism, talent, and attention to detail made the entire experience amazing!
M
Mary Sent on 10/02/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Best HMU's I have ever worked with!

I am so glad I worked with BFF for my wedding hair and makeup! Communication was reliable throughout the booking process. My trial with Kris and Brenda was fun and really constructive- they were so responsive to my feedback and we got both hair and makeup to the perfect spot with a couple of tweaks. They also followed up with me to see how the hair and makeup held up for the rest of that day to ensure we would be in good shape on the wedding day.

They did a beautiful job on my wedding day and it made hair and makeup completely stress free. They also did an amazing job on my mom, MIL, and bridesmaids and I got nothing but amazing feedback from my bridesmaids that they were the best hair and makeup artists they'd ever worked with (I'm 31 so we've all been in a solid number of weddings by now). If you're looking for the very cheapest option out there BFF may not be a fit, but I can say the outcome and process were worth every single penny.
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

370
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2026 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2025 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2022 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner
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Team

Kara Gomez
Kara Gomez
Owner

Professional Network & Endorsements

ARJ Productions ARJ Productions Wedding Planners

We love working with Kara and her seasoned team. A huge factor for me in hiring a vendor is responsiveness and she is amazingly responsive and attentive! Her team does a great job of making our clients feel at ease throughout the entire process which is why I always recommend her!

Strouse Photography Strouse Photography Wedding Photographers

We LOVED working with Susanne at Best Face Forward! She was so sweet, made everyone look STUNNING and super easy to work with! 100% recommend!

Meredith Ryncarz Photography Meredith Ryncarz Photography Wedding Photographers

A Fantastic company to work with. I can't recommend the amazing makeup artists here enough!

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Map

Location
Travel range
This vendor will travel up to within 100 miles

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