Special occasion makeup

Makeup for the events that matter, done at your place

Not every occasion calls for a bridal look, but plenty of them deserve better than a rushed attempt at the bathroom mirror. These are the bookings I take most often:

• Formals. A polished look that survives photos, a dance floor and a long night, and still looks right in the family photos afterwards.
• Engagement parties. Usually your first proper round of wedding photos. A lot of brides treat it as a low-stakes run at a look before the wedding trial.
• Milestone birthdays. 21sts, 40ths, 50ths. Whatever the number, the job is the same: feeling like yourself in every photo taken that night.
• Christenings and family events. Softer and warmer, built for daylight. You will end up in more group photos than you planned for.

Bring inspiration photos if you have them. I will tell you honestly how a look will sit on your features and colouring, and adapt it rather than copy it.

Natural, glam, or somewhere in between

The question I get most is whether I do natural looks. I do, and they are about half of my special occasion bookings.

A soft natural look means evened skin, tidy brows, a defined but not heavy eye, and a lip close to your own colour. Full glam means a sculpted base, a deeper eye and a lash. Neither one is the default here. Tell me which way you lean when you book, or show me a photo and we will work from there.

If you rarely wear makeup, say so. It genuinely changes how I build the look, and it matters more than whatever is currently in fashion.

Built to last the whole event

Events run long. A formal starts with photos at five and finishes near midnight. A birthday party goes later than anyone planned. I prep and set the look for the whole night, not for the first hour of it.

For longer events I leave you with touch-up powder and a lipstick so you can refresh without carrying a kit. Most people find they use the lipstick after dinner and nothing else.

Adding lashes or brows, and when to book them

A lash lift or eyebrow lamination does a lot of quiet work in event photos, and lash and brow treatments can be done together in one appointment.

Book them before the event rather than on the day. A lash lift needs to stay completely dry for 24 to 48 hours while the curl sets, and laminated brows need 24 hours, so neither sits well alongside event-day makeup. A few days ahead is ideal, and it also gives the result time to settle into its best shape. My guides to lash lift aftercare and brow lamination aftercare explain why that window matters.

Simple hair styling is different, and can go in the same appointment as your makeup on the day.

Where I travel for event makeup

I am based in Windsor and travel across the Hawkesbury, the Hills District, Penrith and up into the Blue Mountains. Travel within the Hawkesbury and Hills is included, and a small fee may apply further out, always confirmed in your quote before you book.

Special occasion makeup starts from $130, and a $50 minimum applies per visit, which any single makeup booking covers comfortably.

Going to a wedding rather than hosting one? My guide to wedding guest makeup covers what works for a guest look and how far ahead to book it.

Tell me your date and what the event is and I will confirm availability.