Hair and Makeup Artist Service Agreement: 3 Things to Include

Why are hair and makeup artist service agreements important? 

In nearly every service industry, providers establish terms that protect themselves and their clients in worst case scenarios. You encounter them often as a consumer—when you’re joining a new gym or sending your kid to a new daycare, for example. In a conflict, the purpose of a service agreement is to protect customers and businesses by encouraging smoother conflict resolutions. Additionally, a signed agreement can prevent conflicts altogether by outlining factors like what a service includes, how much it costs, and what you are not responsible for doing. 

This applies to a hair and makeup artist service agreement, too. No one wants a financial dispute with a distraught bride who paid hundreds if not thousands of dollars for your services, and nothing to limit your liability or ensure you’re properly paid. 

To get you on the right path toward better risk management, here are three hair and makeup artist terms and conditions to include in your agreement. We’ll use wedding hair and makeup artist agreements as our main example, but these tips can apply to other events, too.

(Note: It’s always best to consult local legal counsel for comprehensive assistance with your agreement. We are NOT lawyers, and therefore we can’t offer an exhaustive list of provisions or requirements for contracts in your state. Please use this article only as a resource to kick start conversations with a lawyer, not in place of legal counsel.)

3 Clauses for Hair and Makeup Artist Service Agreements

When clients are doing well, they’re more likely to treat themselves. But when they’re struggling financially, beauty treatments and other luxuries are some of the first things to go. 

In the life of an esthetician, how much work you have can be directly tied to how the economy is doing. If the economy takes a turn for the worse, or if people are just worried about potential inflation or recession, your business can take a turn, too.

1. The Basics of Your Hair and Makeup Artist Agreement

What is the agreement between the artist and the client? Every service agreement should be able to answer this question.

Use it to document the basics about the client and the service you’re providing. Wedding hair and makeup artist agreements should outline the bride’s name, the wedding date, and the locations you’re traveling to, bridal hair stylist Megan Lorson says in her video. Victoria Begin of QC Makeup Academy also suggests giving clients a space to write out any allergies that may affect your hair or makeup service.

Furthermore, for a bridal makeup agreement, use your agreement to plainly and clearly document what the bride is paying for and getting. In other words, if you and the client discuss it while booking your service, it should be in your makeup service agreement, Lorson advises. The Legal Paige offers examples such as:

• Number of people whose hair and makeup you’re styling.
• Your available hours for the event.
• If a trial is included.
• Any touch-ups they paid for.

Don’t leave room for ambiguity or misinterpretation. If your client (or their mom, or their sister, or their spouse) accuses you of failing to meet expectations, you’ll want your hair and makeup artist service agreement to back you up. Having your policies, terms, and conditions as a makeup artist written out beforehand makes even the high-stress wedding jitters easier to handle. 

2. Payment Clause​

In addition to what clients are paying for, you also need to specify when and how much they’re paying you. 

Begin says your makeup artist service agreement should not be a place for negotiation. It’s the place for setting hair and makeup artists’ rules for your clients. For example, does your hair and makeup artist booking policy require a deposit before securing the client’s date? How much is the deposit? Also address your rate, when the final balance is due, who the client is paying, and what forms of payment you accept, Begin writes in her QC article.

3. Your Hair and Makeup Artist Cancellation Policy

Broken vows are a casualty in both marriages and wedding day hair and makeup. If the client cancels, then you miss not just that specific client, but also the opportunity to schedule someone else in their stead. Meanwhile, canceling beauticians without a makeup artist cancellation policy have faced accusations of undelivered services and poor customer service.

For example, one hair and makeup artist caused an uproar when she canceled or no-showed for eight different brides. The beautician failed to fulfill her makeup artist agreements with the brides or get them all signed, and ultimately owed each bride between $600 and $1,150, Andrea Ross writes for CBC News. The resulting turmoil has tarnished the artist’s reputation and driven her to bankruptcy. In a slew of similar experiences, a Texas artist victimized 89 ghosted brides and unpaid employees, Alicia Neaves writes for Kens5 News. According to Neaves, the artist owed her victims nearly $50,000.

These examples show why you need a cancellation clause in your makeup service agreement. This type of clause can protect you from inadequate compensation if a client pulls the plug on their big wedding, or finds another artist to bring their Pinterest vision to life. Plus, if an emergency keeps you from the event, it outlines your game plan for making things right with the client.

You might lay down a rule for non-refundable deposits, Begin writes. If that feels too extreme, your makeup artist agreement might allow a grace period in which clients can get their full deposits back. For emergencies you might face, determine if you’re compensating clients for their trouble, for how much, how they’ll receive compensation, and when, Begin says.

Risk Management Tip: Give them time to sign.

In addition to what your hair and makeup artist service agreement says, it also matters that your client signs it. 

Your clients should never feel pressured to sign something they don’t understand. Instead, give them a reasonable time frame before their signature is due. You might set a policy where you check in and answer questions after a certain number of days. But don’t force them to sign before they’ve had sufficient time to read your makeup artist terms and conditions. Otherwise, they could argue they’ve signed “under duress.” (In other words, you forced them to sign something that was not in their best interest.) 

Give them a low-pressure space, make them feel comfortable discussing concerns, and make it convenient for them. But don’t move forward without a signed makeup artist agreement. 

We’re in agreement about your peace of mind.

At WellnessPro, we believe every beauty professional should have the tools they need to feel confident against client claims. Whether you want tips for handling hairdresser and barber shop claims, or preventing infections and overprocessed hair, we’re a beautician’s top risk management resource.

Learn about our coverage for hair and makeup artists here.