August 24, 2026
The best makeup artists in London, sorted by what you actually need
Right, let’s get straight to it. For bridal work, Kristina Gasperas is the name that keeps coming up, an award-winning specialist who does bespoke bridal and destination weddings. For luxury studio bookings in central London, Brush with Blush in Soho has the setting and the polish. For editorial and beauty-shoot work, Elizabeth Hsieh and Sara Hill both have the portfolios to prove it. And if you just need someone reliable, mobile, and easy to book this week, Facebar London and Makeup by Sooni cover that ground nicely.
If you’re getting married in London during the popular May to September season, it is advisable to book well in advance, as top artists tend to fill their schedules quickly during this period. The rest of this guide gives you full profiles, honest pricing, and the exact questions to ask before you hand over a deposit.
- Bridal specialist: Kristina Gasperas — award recognition, bespoke and destination weddings
- Luxury studio setting: Brush with Blush — Soho studio, editorial and event work
- Editorial and beauty shoots: Elizabeth Hsieh, Sara Hill — magazine-ready, natural finishes
- Mobile and quick booking: Facebar London, Makeup by Sooni — online booking, comes to you
- Red-carpet and high-profile events: Andrada Rusu — celebrity client experience
Best makeup artists in London: full comparison
Thirteen artists made this shortlist, and no two do quite the same job. Some are built for the calm choreography of a wedding morning, others for the harder lighting of a photo studio. Here’s how they stack up before you start reading the individual profiles below.
| Artist | Google rating | Best for | Standout | Typical London price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kristina Gasperas Makeup Artist | 4.9★ (186) | Bridal & destination weddings | Wedding Industry Awards recognition | £250–£600+ bridal |
| Wedding Makeup & Hair Stylist | 5★ (173) | Weddings & special occasions | Package flexibility | £250–£600 bridal |
| Facebar London | 5★ (123) | Mobile & studio bookings | Online booking, Boundary Street studio | £60–£120 event |
| Ellie The Makeup Artist | 5★ (107) | Events & personal bookings | Flexible mobile service | £60–£120 event |
| Makeup by Sooni | 5★ (99) | Mobile event bookings | Instagram portfolio | £60–£120 event |
| Hannah Kenney Hair and Makeup | 5★ (91) | Bridal & editorial looks | Combined hair-and-makeup packages | £250–£600 bridal |
| Brush with Blush | 4.9★ (76) | Luxury bridal & editorial | Soho studio setting | £600+ editorial/luxury |
| James Adisai Professional Makeup Artists | 5★ (72) | Bridal, airbrush & headshots | Sample pricing from £79 | £79–£109+ |
| Elizabeth Hsieh Makeup Artist London | 5★ (50) | Editorial & fashion shoots | Magazine-standard portfolio | £250–£600+ editorial |
| Andrada Rusu Hair and Makeup | 4.9★ (46) | Red-carpet & celebrity events | Brand partnerships | £600+ high-profile |
| Eve Bridal Beauty | 5★ (40) | Fashion-forward bridal | Top 13 UK & Best European Makeup Artist 2025 | £250–£600+ bridal |
| Rosie Cerosio Makeup | 5★ (13) | Personal events & bridal parties | Bespoke approach | £60–£250 event/bridal |
| Sara Hill | 5★ (2) | Editorial & bridal natural glow | Beauty-editor client list | £250–£600+ editorial |
Prices above are approximate ranges built from published London makeup artist rates, where mobile and event makeup generally sits between £60 and £120, bridal specialists charge £250 to £600 or more for a bride-only booking, and luxury or editorial artists ask £600 upwards for prime dates. Always check the artist’s own site for a current quote, since seasonal demand shifts these numbers around, particularly through the spring and summer wedding months.
Kristina Gasperas built her reputation on bespoke bridal work and destination weddings, with corrective techniques that hold up under both daylight and flash. Her pricing moves with the season, so an autumn Tuesday costs less than a June Saturday.
Wedding Makeup & Hair Stylist is a freelance operation covering weddings and events across London with genuinely flexible packages, useful if you want hair and makeup from one person rather than coordinating two schedules.
Facebar London runs a studio on Boundary Street with straightforward online booking, a practical option when you need a slot booked this week rather than a six-month wait.
Ellie The Makeup Artist works events and personal bookings with a mobile service that travels to you, no studio visit required.
Makeup by Sooni works almost entirely on location, and her portfolio lives largely on Instagram, which is worth a scroll before you book to check her style suits your event.
Hannah Kenney pairs hair and makeup in one package, a genuine time-saver on a wedding morning when every artist arriving separately adds friction to the schedule.
Brush with Blush operates from a Soho studio with a luxury positioning that suits editorial shoots and weddings where the setting itself matters, not just the finished face.
James Adisai in Islington lists sample prices publicly, day and evening makeup from around £79, airbrush from £109, plus dedicated headshot makeup for actors and professionals who need a camera-ready finish without the drama.
Elizabeth Hsieh specialises in beauty-editorial work, the kind of makeup built for magazine lighting rather than a dance floor, and her portfolio reflects that discipline.
Andrada Rusu has genuine celebrity and red-carpet experience with brand partnerships behind her, a fit for high-profile events where the makeup needs to survive hours of flash photography.
Eve Bridal Beauty was named among the Top 13 Best Makeup Artists in the UK for 2026 and picked up Best European Makeup Artist 2025 from Wedded Wonderland, with destination wedding experience to match the recognition.
Rosie Cerosio covers personal events and bridal parties with a bespoke approach and a smaller, newer review base than some names on this list.
Sara Hill is a beauty-editor favourite known for luminous, natural skin finishes, with an editorial client list that outweighs her modest review count.
How do you choose the right makeup artist in London?
Start with the portfolio, not the follower count. A strong portfolio shows consistency across different skin tones and lighting conditions, which tells you far more than a polished highlight reel shot under one flattering ring light. Look for daylight shots, flash shots, and faces that don’t all look the same.
Beyond the portfolio, weigh five things: trial policy, the products used (ask if they carry your skin type and any allergens you need avoided), how they handle travel and fees, whether they bring an assistant for group bookings, and punctuality on past jobs. Experts warn against choosing purely on price, since product quality and clear communication separate premium artists from cheaper alternatives more than skill alone does.
Before you book, ask:
- How many weddings or events like mine have you done in the last year?
- What does a trial actually include, and is it charged separately?
- Which products do you use, and can you accommodate sensitive skin?
- What are your travel fees and cancellation terms?
- Do you bring an assistant if my bridal party has more than three people?
Red flags are easy to spot once you know what to look for: no portfolio beyond a handful of filtered selfies, evasive answers on price, or a run of reviews that all sound suspiciously similar.
For sought-after wedding dates in spring and summer, book 9 to 12 months ahead. Off-peak or weekday weddings give you more breathing room, sometimes as little as two or three months.
Pro Tip: Ask to see one unedited photo from a recent job, not just the retouched portfolio shot. It tells you exactly how the makeup holds up in real light.
How we verified these London artists
This shortlist came from checking verified Google Places listings, ratings, and review volume for each artist, then cross-referencing portfolios for consistency across skin tones and lighting, not just a single flattering set of images. We also noted industry recognition where it existed and how clearly each artist lays out pricing on their own site.
A photographer’s eye matters here too. Makeup that looks lovely in the mirror can read completely differently under studio strobes or midday sun, which is exactly the kind of detail Lemonsharkstudio pays attention to when clients arrive for a shoot straight from a makeup chair.
What actually matters when picking a London makeup artist
The conventional advice, check the reviews, look at Instagram, pick whoever’s cheapest, misses the point. Review counts on this list range from 186 down to 2, yet the artist with two reviews (Sara Hill) has a stronger editorial pedigree than several artists with a hundred. Star ratings tell you almost nothing when nearly every artist sits at 4.9 or 5.
What separates a good booking from a bad one is logistics and fit: does this artist’s style match your face and your event, will they show up on time with an assistant if you need one, and does their portfolio actually show range rather than one lighting setup repeated fifty times. Bridal clients especially underrate the trial, treating it as a formality rather than the single best chance to fix a mismatch before the day itself.
If you’re booking for photography rather than a party, prioritise an artist who understands how makeup reads on camera, not just in person. That’s a different skill, and it’s worth asking about directly.
Coordinating your makeup artist with a professional photographer
Booking hair and makeup is only half the job if the point is a great photograph. Makeup that looks perfect to the naked eye can wash out or shine under studio lighting, which is why it pays to align your makeup artist and your photographer on timing and finish before the day, not during it.
Discuss matte versus dewy finish, longevity products, and HD powdering with your artist so the look holds up under lights and in retouching. Lemonsharkstudio offers in-studio and on-location headshots and portraits across West London, for corporate professionals, actors, and creatives who want the makeup and the photography working together rather than fighting each other. Sessions run in studio or on location, with directed posing and professional retouching built into the package.
If you’re planning a shoot alongside your beauty booking, book your studio session and mention your makeup artist’s start time so the two can be scheduled back to back.
Sources
- Kristina Gasperas Makeup Artist
- James Adisai Professional Makeup Artists London
- Brush with Blush
- Eve Bridal Beauty
FAQ
Who is the best makeup artist in the UK?
There’s no single “best”, it depends on the job. For bridal and destination weddings, Kristina Gasperas and Eve Bridal Beauty both carry strong industry recognition; for editorial work, Elizabeth Hsieh and Sara Hill are the names beauty editors return to.
Where is the best place to get makeup done in London?
Studio settings like Brush with Blush in Soho or Facebar London on Boundary Street suit those who prefer travelling to a fixed base, while mobile artists such as Ellie The Makeup Artist and Makeup by Sooni come to your home or venue.
How much does a makeup artist cost in the UK?
In London, general mobile and event makeup typically runs £60 to £120, bridal specialists charge roughly £250 to £600 or more for a bride-only booking, and editorial or luxury artists often ask £600 upwards for prime dates.
Who is considered the best makeup artist?
Among this shortlist, artists with award recognition, such as Kristina Gasperas and Eve Bridal Beauty, and those with strong editorial client lists, such as Sara Hill, are generally considered the standout names, though the right choice always comes down to your event and desired look.
How far in advance should I book a wedding makeup artist in London?
Book 9 to 12 months ahead for popular spring and summer wedding dates, and slightly less for off-peak or weekday weddings.
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Need photos of your own?
Headshots, team portraits and personal branding, shot in Fulham or on location across London.