Makeup artist bailed on me - need advice

You’re right, the professional thing to do would be for her to refund the full amount. I would ask her for your trial money back and if she doesn’t just leave a review of what happened.

Why would she refund your trial money if you had the trial? She’s owed for the time she spent working with you, whether she ends up doing your wedding or not. What does your contract say you’re owed if she cancels?

I would ask for a refund. If you had known she was going to cancel on you, you wouldn’t have gone to the trial. Now you have to find a new artist in a rush, and most likely do another trial. I am not sure what her reason was to cancel, but if you scheduled your trial for next weekend instead of this past one, you wouldn’t be out $100. I think it’s fair to ask for your money back.

If you go to Ulta and have hair and makeup done it costs $100 for time and materials used. I wouldn’t expect the trial money back. I think getting your deposit back is good.

I would try to go to Ultra.

I know this is a huge inconvenience but at least you got the deposit back, the trial money back is a tricky one. I understand you’ll need to pay another trial and that’s extra money but she did provide that service. Check your contract and see what the specifics are before you bring it up to her. I hope you can find someone else that you like just as much and it all ends up working out perfect!

I would want the trial money back as well. You would never have had her perform the trial if she weren’t available to provide services on your wedding day.

I think the trial money is gone but there's nothing stopping you from leaving a bad review.
I think with the timeline a review and moving on to finding someone else is a better use of your energy.

I would also ask for the trial money back. Did you have a contract signed with her? You wouldn’t have done a trial if you weren’t going to use her. I would look for someone else on WW right away and I’m sure you will find someone. I would also leave a review for her so other are aware of what she did.

I think you are justified in WANTING your money back BUT I don't think he will give it back. Unfortunately this is a very crappy situation. She did render services so she needed to be paid for her time and effort. She could have had something like a death in the family or something like that that caused her to resign. I think i would check your contract and see what it says. Personally in mine, my trial is an add on and even if we did the trial and I didn't like the work and decided to go another route I would have had to pay the trial rate. It sucks because you wouldn't have gone to the appt if you knew she'd cancel. I just don't think it will be worth the fight. i agree with PP and do a consumer advisory review and note appt went well but she canceled after the fact and I wouldn't try and ruin her but I would leave a truthful review so any future clients know....

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I would completely agree with you if I had decided not to go with her after the trial, but she was the one who bailed on me, not the other way around. The time she spent working with me is now useless to me, not to mention a big waste of my time. (I live 2 hours away from her)

I agree, as a make up artist on my side, I HIGHLY recommend to ask her for the trail money back because that feels to me as if she just used you for money. I would definitely feel ripped off,

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Yes, but the service provided is now rendered useless to me, since she is not doing my wedding makeup.

I had to deal with the same thing except my girl was booked for both hair and makeup. Because she canceled only 4 months out I had to scramble to find someone new and I couldn't find anyone who did both. So I was out the 100 for my trial and had to spend extra on top of that because I now had to book 2 people instead of one. She would not refund my trial costs because of time and materials used. That and I had my trial with her back in October and she canceled in late April.
I would maybe ask why she had to cancel on you. It may not get your trial money back but it might make your feel better knowing the reason. My girl has been trying to start a family with her husband for a few years and suffered a few miscarriages. Her doc told her not to get her hopes up or tell anyone until she hit her 2nd trimester, so that's why I got such a late notice. Her due date is within 2 weeks on my wedding. I'm pissed but I can be that mad.

I’m sorry, but you can’t sleep because MUA cancelled on you? 😳 Two month’s is plenty time to find a new MUA (our wedding is in 3 months & I haven’t even start looking at HMUA lol). I don’t think this is worth all the stress.
For the trial, if your contract says you get a refund if she cancels, then of course ask for refund. If it doesn’t say it then (even though it’s annoying) she technically doesn’t have to refund you. But if this is really bothering you, you can certainly express how you feel & ask her for partial trial refund. See what happens!

Good thing you at least got your deposit back. But as a makeup artist and a bride I can honestly say, the trial was paid for. Her time and product used and applied. Maybe something really did come up that was unavoidable. It does happen. I am sorry that you are experiencing this. It isn't fair at all.
Advice...get your girls together, head to your local Laura Mercier ( known for perfect bridal makeup with 15 hr. coverage, and flawless face). TOTALLY WORTH IT. GOOD LUCK!!!

View Quoted Comment That’s not how services work though so unless your contract includes a refund of the trial money if she cancels, she doesn’t owe you that money back.

I don't think asking for the trial money back is unreasonable. However, you have SO many things to stress about right now. Do you really want to add an extended confrontation to the list? I wouldn't.

I got my makeup done professionally during my elopement. We're now having a bigger wedding in which we can include our friends and family. While my makeup artist did a wonderful job, I've decided to just have my bridesmaids help me with hair and makeup and all do it together. Having a professional in just didn't lend itself to a calming situation and I'd prefer to be in the company of just a few good (and thankfully talented) friends! Best of luck!

I think that you are well within your rights to ask for the trial money back. The entire reason that you did the trial was because she was “available” for your wedding & you were considering her. If you would have reach out to her for your wedding & she would have been like sorry I’m not available on your wedding date than you never would of went to the trial.

Since she did do the trial I would say it would be fair to ask for maybe half of the price back, since she did do the makeup work for that trial day. I don't think she did it to harm you, things can happen all the time. Perhaps something happened in her family or with her friends or something and she needs to be there for them, or something else in her life came up. It stinks, but at least she refunded you the money without you having to ask. If you trusted her with her makeup I would look at the artists she recommended as well.