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Lisa
Rockstar July 2022

Hair/Makeup Contract Question

Lisa, on September 8, 2021 at 10:23 AM Posted in Hair and Makeup 0 22
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So long story short, my hair/makeup artist that I previously signed a contract with went out of business, but didn't tell me (she just took down her website and disabled her email address - I had found out by going to her website and it no longer existed, and my emails to her were returned as undelivered). Through multiple attempts at contacting her through text, I miraculously got my deposit back, and since then I've had to look for a new hair/makeup artist. I found a few options that do beautiful work and fall within my price range, though they don't require contracts, just a deposit.



Is this typical? The last hair/makeup artist I booked had a contract. With everything that's happened over the past year and a half with COVID, and also everything that happened with the previous hair/makeup artist (I'm confident that I wouldn't have gotten my deposit back if I didn't have the contract), I'm extremely hesitant to send a deposit without having a signed contract in place. Many of my friends who've had weddings in the past few years also said their hair/makeup artist didn't have a contract. Should I keep looking for someone who has a contract? Should I insist that the hair/makeup artist creates a contract if they don't have one? Or would a text message with their policies be considered enough of a contract?

22 Comments

Latest activity by Kari, on September 17, 2021 at 1:36 PM
  • Hanna
    VIP June 2019
    Hanna ·
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    I would trust your gut and keep looking for someone that you can have a contract with. Contracts are the best form of protection for you if something happens!

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  • Yasmine
    Master October 2020
    Yasmine ·
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    I don't have a contract with my MUA or hairstylist (but they are also the one's who I use regularly for any event/celebration so we have more of a relationship). I just paid a deposit for them both and will give them the remaining money the day of. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to ask for a contract though if it would make you feel better!

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  • Lisa
    Rockstar July 2022
    Lisa ·
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    Thanks Hanna! I do strongly prefer a contract. If they don't a contract, should I request that create one and book them if they agree to write one? Or should I just find someone else altogether? I'm not quite sure what all goes into writing a legally binding contract, so I don't want to be the one to write it.
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  • Lisa
    Rockstar July 2022
    Lisa ·
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    Awesome that you have used them before! Sounds like they do good work! Totally makes sense why you don't have a contract. I don't have a hair/makeup artist that I ever use regularly, so I'm not familiar with any of the ones I've talked to lately. I know generally what should go in a contract, but not sure how to draw up a fully legally binding contract, or if I should ask her to draw one up. What types of things should I ask to be included in the contract? So far, I have: pricing, deposit info, cancellation/postponement policies, and policies for if the hair/makeup artist is unable to attend (sick, family emergency, etc). Should I ask her to create the contract? Or is that something I should create?
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  • J
    Devoted September 2021
    Jay ·
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    Mine didn’t require a contract but I made it very clear that I wanted one, & I did not send along the deposit until I had the contract filled out & signed. Definitely request one—it protects both of you!
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  • J
    Devoted September 2021
    Jay ·
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    She also did have one she had used before, she just didn’t require one. Definitely ask—they may have one!
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  • Lisa
    Rockstar July 2022
    Lisa ·
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    For sure! Did you write the contract? Or did you request that the hair/makeup artist wrote the contract? If you wrote it, what types of things did you include?
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  • Lisa
    Rockstar July 2022
    Lisa ·
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    Good to know - I will ask! Thank you for your reply!
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  • J
    Devoted September 2021
    Jay ·
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    She had one, but I went through & asked for edits (just adding in things we discussed but we’re not outlined). Her’s was much more casual than my other vendors’, but I also had edit requests for my caterer & photographer—very OK to do! I would make sure it outlines the date & time, price, deposit, cancellation, what happens if she can’t work unexpectedly day of, & number of services.
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  • Lisa
    Rockstar July 2022
    Lisa ·
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    This is super helpful. Thank you!!!
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  • J
    Devoted September 2021
    Jay ·
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    Of course! Good luck! I did notice HMUA artists were most likely to not require a contract, unless it was a larger company that only did weddings. But I think they’re basically needed for every vendor!
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  • Yasmine
    Master October 2020
    Yasmine ·
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    I would also add when final payment is due and the method of the final payment. Honestly you could do either, I am sure you could find a template somewhere online. It doesn't have to be a fancy contract

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  • Meghan
    Master October 2019
    Meghan ·
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    I would never book a vendor that did not provide signed contract. It is your only protection.

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  • Lisa
    Rockstar July 2022
    Lisa ·
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    I've noticed that this seemed to be pretty much the only type of vendor who didn't require a contract. There were a few that did, but so many that didn't. I totally agree that contracts should be needed for every vendor!
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  • Lisa
    Rockstar July 2022
    Lisa ·
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    Good call on adding the final payment info into the contract! Thank you so much for your help!
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  • Lisa
    Rockstar July 2022
    Lisa ·
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    100% agree! I found it odd that there were so many hair/makeup artists that don't have contracts, and I just can't bring myself to book one without a contract. Is it fair to ask one of these vendors to put together a contract if they don't normally have one? Or better to just keep looking for someone who falls into my price range and has a contract?
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  • Meghan
    Master October 2019
    Meghan ·
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    I would explain that you would like to work with them, but are not willing to do so without a contract in place. They might be willing to do one. If not, I would move on.

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  • Hanna
    VIP June 2019
    Hanna ·
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    Yep I would ask them to put together a contract if you like their work and want to go with them. If they seem hesitant to do so after you ask, then I would take that as a red flag and move on.

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  • Lisa
    Rockstar July 2022
    Lisa ·
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    Thank you all for your replies! One of the hair/makeup artists who I was looking to book agreed to sign a contract as long as I wrote it. So, I'm now working on writing up a contract. Your advice has been super helpful to me!
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  • Kari
    Master May 2020
    Kari ·
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    Oooh good question.

    First, lucky you for getting money back from your initial HMUA who went out of business. That seems extremely unlikely but I'm glad you got a refund.

    I would say a contract is a good thing - it protects both the professional offering services and the client, and makes really clear what the expectations are for both parties. Its very possible that some people just starting out or doing HMUA informally or on the side don't have contracts; it doesn't mean that they are necessarily shady at all, they may just never have found a need for them previously and gotten by fine without having them. I would probably write up my own contract in that case and just have both parties sign an agreement that clearly outlines payment, what those services cover, cancelation and refund policies, expectations for communication, etc. It may take a bit of back and forth negotiation between the two of you, but in the end having a mutually agreed upon written agreement will be good for you both.

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