Michelle Stern Beauty — Local services in New York

It was an absolute PLEASURE working with Michelle. She honestly did my makeup as close to perfect as I could have asked for. I knew that finding a makeup artist for my wedding would definitely not be easy as I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to makeup, and am VERY particular about small details that other people might not notice, but would bother me if not done exactly to my liking, for example: eyeliner thickness, blush placement, perfect brow shape, contoured/slightly smokey eye that isn't too dark or heavy, etc (needless to say, I'm difficult). I knew I needed someone that I could put my full trust and confidence in that would do my makeup well enough that I wouldn't feel the need to touch things up here or there afterwards, because I definitely did not want to worry about fixing up my own makeup on my wedding day, god forbid! I found Michelle on Instagram through mutual connections, and I just had a really good feeling about her. Her makeup was so glowy and fresh, and skin looked so smooth. And I loooved how she made everyone's eyes just pop! I also noticed how genuinely happy everyone on her page looked after getting their makeup done, like they were actually loving their results. When I met Michelle for my trial, she was very warm and welcoming, and a true professional. I felt very comfortable giving direction and speaking up if I needed to; she was very receptive to making adjustments, and she also took her time to make sure all the adjustments were exactly to my liking; I never felt like I was annoying her. She has this very down-to-earth confidence about her that says "you can trust me, I know what I'm doing, I will make you look great." Makeup ended up GREAT. I truly didn't think that I would find someone that would actually live up to my crazy expectations since I was being so picky with all of my other makeup trials, but it was just such a relief to find someone that perfected all of those little details that I nit pick- my eyebrows and lashes were more on point than they have ever been And on my wedding day, everything was even more on point! First, she was just so cool and calm, which was exactly what I needed the day of. And then, WOW, the makeup? INSANE, like my skin was so smoooth and silky; I mean it looked like it was still my skin, but just a perfect, blemish-free version. No creasing under eyes and no mascara running, didn't even know that was possible to go a whole night without having at least one of the two happen. I looked just like myself, but the BEST version of myself. Nothing looked "too much." The blending of the eyeshadow colors was pure perfection, just everything was so perfect. And all the bridesmaids were loving their makeup too; I could tell that they felt really good about themselves and I was so happy to give that to them. I already told Michelle that I plan on using her for future events when I need my makeup done. So happy to have found you,...

Michelle is one of the best decisions I made during the wedding planning process, hands down. She was recommended to me by 5 different women in NYC, and after looking through her portfolio and before/afters, it became clear why. I'm extremely particular about my makeup and was really worried I'd have trouble finding the right artist, but Michelle's style resonated with me right away. I wanted to achieve that coveted balance of natural + glam, without looking too understated or too overdone, and that's exactly where she excels.

Working with Michelle was a dream from start to finish. She's a true professional - highly responsive, organized, and accommodating - which was so appreciated during the chaos of planning. My trial was nothing short of exceptional. I arrived at her pristine studio equipped with a few photos for inspiration, but Michelle took one look at me and knew exactly what to do and how to highlight my best features. She also left ample time to experiment with a few different looks (shadows, lashes, etc.) to see how they photographed in natural light. In the end, I was so blown away by the look Michelle created, I cancelled my other trials and hired her immediately. I had worked with other makeup artists in the past, but Michelle's work was so refined... it was clear she was on another level entirely. As if being unbelievably talented wasn't enough, Michelle was also insanely cool, which completely sealed the deal for me. She's warm, funny, patient, relaxed. She is an incredible person and exactly who you want around on your wedding day.

On the actual day, Michelle executed flawlessly. My makeup photographed beautifully, looked smooth/natural in person, and held-up unbelievably well through tears, sweat, you name it; I honestly could not have been happier. Michelle also did makeup for my sister, my mother, and my mother-in-law and everyone looked stunning. She effortlessly flexed to fit everyone's individual style, preferences, and age which - while not surprising given her experience and mastery - made for a really wonderful and stress-free 'getting ready' experience. In fact, Michelle did such an exceptional job, my sister (who's also very particular about her makeup) hired her for an event a few days later.

If you are lucky enough to have Michelle available on your day, do yourself a favor and book her. You would be hard-pressed to find an artist as talented (and all-around awesome)...

I RAN here to give Michelle Stern a five star review. I am very, very picky about makeup: I rarely wear much of it, but when I do, I want to look and feel like myself. I came across Michelle Stern's Instagram page and thought that every single bride she worked with looked absolutely stunning. Scheduling a trial was easy, and I absolutely loved the look that she worked with me on. I would describe her work as "natural glam" - you look like yourself, but in the best way possible.

Michelle and her assistant did makeup for 11 women - bride, 7 bridesmaids, and 3 women in their 60's. Every single person looked fabulous, and my bridal party said how much they loved their makeup. They are true professionals. And Michelle guaranteed me that her assistant (completely necessary for a large group!) would work up to her extremely high standards -- and she did. Lauren was fantastic.

I felt so beautiful, and was floating on cloud 9 the entire day. The day of the wedding, Michelle was organized, calming, and fun to be around. She helped the day run smoothly and keep the stress away. Michelle stuck around to give me touch ups after my first look, and then again after the ceremony. In between giving touch ups, she took hundreds of photos and videos for me on her iphone, and I can't tell you how fun it was to wake up the next morning to a full album to start re-living the day right away -- the photographer's work will be wonderful but it's weeks, if not months, away!

I also wanted to share that I think she is uniquely skilled at making mothers of the bride look and feel very special. I've seen a lot of photos and seen weddings where the mothers have the wrong makeup for their skin type and their overall vibe -- eg. very dramatic eyes, caked-on foundation -- and Michelle tailored her work very very nicely for the older generation. Her work looked great on our variety of complexions and skin types.

Michelle is a premium vendor. There are plenty of other good makeup artists with lower rates. But Michelle brings over a decade of experience, and it shows in her fantastic work, her professionalism, and the ease of communicating and working out details along the way.

I can't say enough great things about Michelle Stern Beauty. Michelle, from my family, and my bridal party, and me, THANK YOU for doing an amazing job with our makeup. We...