About this vendor
We truly love makeup and our clients. We think makeup is fun and we want you to think so too! Getting all dolled up by us means you know you'll look drop-dead gorgeous. Best of Weddings Pick by The Knot, 2011-12 and featured on BRAVO TV, and Real Housewives of DC. Browse our Facebook page for pics!
Details
Beauty
- Hair Stylists
- Makeup
- Eyelash Extensions
- Makeup Artists
- Makeup Trials Available
- On-Site Hair & Makeup
Awards and Affiliations
3-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2013.2012.2011.
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Popular with couples like you
Check out our featured vendors.
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
5
out of 5.042 reviews
Lauren was literally the first vendor I booked once I figured out my wedding date and location. I couldn't imagine working with anyone else to make me picture perfect for my big da...
y and highly recommend her to any bride in the DMV! I've known Lauren for years and she was the makeup artist for all of my closest friends who got married in the area so I couldn't wait to have her do my bridal look when it was finally my turn to get hitched. Lauren is very professional and warm and she did an amazing job on my makeup as well as for my mom, MIL, and a few of my bridesmaids. She has perfected the art of elegant, timeless make up that plays up your natural beauty. Lauren did my makeup for my engagement party, bridal shower, wedding, as well as when I was a bridesmaid in my friends' weddings. For my big day, I had on the longest most dramatic lashes I've ever worn and yet Lauren was able to make my whole look so natural that I never felt overdone. I wish I could have Lauren do my makeup everyday but at least I can look back at my wedding photos and admire her flawless work :) My advice to all future brides is to hire Lauren immediately before she gets booked up!
Lauren was PHENOMENAL! She was so sweet and she is so talented! I searched forever for a great makeup artist and I also wanted someone who was patient as I can pretty indecisive an...
d I wanted someone who would make me not only look beautiful on my wedding day but someone who would make me feel comfortable and special. Lauren exceed every expectation and did an outstanding job. Even before booking her she was so responsive to emails and so flexible and accommodating. We scheduled a trail at her home (she has the cutest home studio!) She was so inviting and friendly and took the time to talk to me about what I was looking for, asked me questions about my skin type and took the time to talk me through step by step and explain products. Lauren did makeup for me and my bridal party, she even brought additional help because I had so many girls. Lauren took care of every detail for the timeline and scheduling so that we would finish on time which was amazing! I even booked her to stay til after pictures for a touch up ( which I barely needed because my makeup stayed perfect). Everyones makeup looked flawless and it was probably the hottest day of the year, through sweat and tears everyone still looked great! She was creative and flexible as I made some changes that morning, she has such a sweet demeanor. I am so glad I found her and I wish I could have her do my makeup everyday! If you are looking for the perfect make up artist do not hesitate to book Lauren, she will not disappoint! Thank you for everything on my day I am still in awe of how great we all looked!
My wedding day would not have been the same without Lauren! When I went for my trial I could tell she was really easy going, but knew what she was doing. She was really good about ...
telling me what she was doing and what she was using- for me this was important because I'm not used to wearing a lot of make-up and I had never had someone else do it, so it can be weird having someone else poking at your face. On the day of, she arrived on time and kept to a schedule. Everyone looked wonderful! She offered a touch-up kit for the bride which was very helpful. Although it wasn't needed very much because my make-up stayed on (even through the tears). The best part about Lauren's work is that she made me feel beautiful, but I didn't feel like I had a ton of make-up on.
Lauren from Real Doll Makeup did my engagement shoot and bridal makeup and she is, in fact, an absolute doll! Lauren is so fun and easy to work with and a master artist with makeup...
. When I arrived at Lauren's for my trial, she was ready and everything was all set up. I had no idea what kind of look I wanted and let Lauren do her magic. After, I provided Lauren with feedback, which she incorporated in my engagement shoot look. After the shoot, once I received the pictures, I reached out to Lauren to let her know what I liked/didn't like about the look. On the big day, all I can say is Lauren rocked it! We were still undecided in terms of lip color, but she somehow managed to nail the exact look that I was looking for (in bad lighting too!).
Lauren is so friendly and I absolutely loved every part of working with her. Her skills are amazing and I would definitely recommend her to everyone I know!
I loved my wedding day makeup from Lauren at Real Doll Makeup. She was so great to work with and had the best quality of makeup. She listens to what you desire and definitely make...
s you look and feel beautiful! She did my make up, bridesmaids and the mothers as well. All were highly satisfied with her work. You will not be disappointed!
Lauren was recommended to me by a friend, and I am so pleased I took her suggestion. Lauren is really talented as a makeup artist and was able to make me look my very best on my we...
dding day. I wanted a natural look and she was able to achieve that and was very open to my ideas and feedback. Her style is the perfect balance of glamorous but not overdone. I live out of town, and she was very flexible scheduling multiple trials with me in off hours/days. She is a friendly face and has a calming demeanor and was an absolute pleasure to work with!
I really enjoyed working with Lauren. She was a total professional and really sweet. I have never felt so beautiful in my life and she was really understanding of my mother and mot...
her in law wanting very light makeup. They are some difficult-to-please women and they were both very happy. I'd recommend Lauren to anybody. She also had really fair rates compared to a lot of the makeup artists that I saw online.
Was absolutely perfect--highly highly highly recommend!!!
Lauren at RealDoll was fantastic and I would highly recommend her to anyone! Lauren was referred to me through the salon where I took my bridal party to get ready for my wedding, b...
ecause the salon didn't have enough makeup artists for my entire wedding party. I didn't realize this when I first booked the place, so I only had a couple weeks notice to find someone. I contacted Lauren and she responded right away and was wonderful to work with. On my wedding day, Lauren turned out to be a far better makeup artist than the salon's makeup artist. All of my bridesmaids who got their makeup done by the salon were disappointed with their makeup while those of us who had Lauren do our make up were really happy with the results. She uses great products, is very professional and was on time, and made me look beautiful without feeling like I had tones of makeup on. She even gave me the lipstick and lip gloss so I could do touch ups, and she also got some mac products for me at her discount rate that I needed which was great. Lauren is great and I wouldn't hesitate to book her again!
Lauren was great! I was looking for a more natural look for my wedding day, and Lauren did a fabulous job. The bridal party and the moms all looked wonderful, and everyone raved a...
bout her in the days following the wedding. I would highly recommend her, and will be calling her again!
Great makeup and great price! I highly recommend Real Doll Makeup!
Lauren was wonderful to work with and she made my whole bridal party look incredible! My makeup lasted all night long through tears, dancing, and humidity. She uses high quality ...
Mac products and the bride gets to keep lip gloss and lipstick. She came to my home for a trial and listened to everything I wanted and she really delivered!
Lauren is fantastic! She did make-up trials and wedding day make-up for both me and my mom. She is great at what she does! I was very happy with the look and received so many compl...
iments. Lauren is talented, professional and so sweet. I loved having her with me the morning of my wedding. She helped me relax and made me look fabulous. Her prices are also very reasonable compared to other make-up artists and mobile salons.
Lauren did my wedding day make-up for my July wedding in DC -- it was 101 degrees that day (that's right) and she did an excellent job making sure that my make-up did not melt and ...
lasted the entire day. She is professional, friendly, on-time, uses great products, and was a pleasure to work with. I was really happy with the results (and the pictures). I highly recommend Lauren!
Lauren was amazing... from the first time I met her to the moment I was rushing out the door to the church! She is sweet and genuine and truly wants to get to know you. I can be he...
sistant about these things but Lauren made me so comfortable and really did my makeup EXACTLY how I dreamed it in my mind. She made melook like a stunning Bride but still look like me... which was so important to me. Lauren was down to earth and never made me anxious. She was just calm and awesome to work with. I also think her prices were reasonable compared to the obsurd costs some people charge. Any Bride would be lucky to have Lauren for their wedding day makeup :)
Lauren recently did my makeup for my best friends wedding and she was an absolute doll to work with (no pun intended). Not only is she a sweetheart but she understands how to high...
light your best features and work with your skin type. I have oily skin so she made sure to use primers in order to keep my makeup from sliding off. I also have well-defined eyebrows so she really played up my eyes to compliment my hair and bridesmaid dress. I felt like such a celebrity when she was done with my makeup.
Moreover, my makeup stayed put for the pictures, outdoor ceremony, reception, and after party. That is amazing since the pictures and ceremony were outdoors in close to 90 degree heat! I only had to touch up my lip gloss and use blotting papers for my t-zone throughout the night.
The best part about having makeup done by Lauren is that she knows to work with your unique features. I've had makeup done by artists that really don't understand how to apply makeup to my eye shape or use colors that don't compliment my skin tone. Lauren's application style really lets your "real beauty" shine through. I felt beautiful and not made up.
Lauren did my wedding make up on August 6, 2011 and helped make me feel my most beautiful!! She has great customer service skills and has a very talented hand at making every woma...
n's face enhanced for their special day! She does a great job understanding your style and "look" in advance so all I had to on my big day was lay back and let her "beautify" me and my bridesmaids. What I especially loved about Lauren's skill was how she didn't "overdo" the makeup, but still managed to give me the "dramatic" look I was seeking. She has a hand for makeup for all ages--and created a sophisticated look for my mom's look. too All in all, would highly recommend makeup by Lauren for any occasion!!
Lauren and Buffy did the makeup for my wedding party on May 14, 2011 and they were great!! EVERYONEs makeup looked fantastic. And all of the girls were so happy with how their make...
up turned out. I wish Lauren could come and do my makeup everyday! She will even write down all the products she uses so that you can buy it on your own. From the time of my makeup trial up until the wedding day, Lauren was so nice and super easy to work with. I would highly recommend Real Doll Makeup to any bride!
Lauren and Buffy did the makeup for my entire bridal party, including me, 6 attendants, 2 mothers, and 1 grandmother. Everyone looked amazing! They really listened to each of the...
women to understand what they were going for and in the end everyone was happy. They were on time and stayed right on schedule so everyone was done in time for pictures and the ceremony. I looked into a lot of different options for makeup and these ladies had the best package by far. Their rates are more than fair and the end result was beyond any others I consulted with.
Lauren is AMAZING! She knew exactly what looked good on me; the colors, the eyebrow shape, everything! She's very professional and takes her time to understand what you want/pref...
er so that the end results meshed well with what you want/prefer! I would definitely recommend her to everyone I know and I will surely use her again in the future!!!
Lauren is awesome! I had 3 events to my wedding weekend (for one she had to arrive at 6am!), and Lauren was always on time and prepared for all 3 events. She did my makeup (bride),...
my sister, and my mom for all 3 events. She listened to what each person wanted for their makeup looks and really delivered exactly what we had imagined! I would HIGHLY recommend her to anyone, she is friendly, professional, and VERY talented :).
Real Doll Makeup is the BEST!!!! I couldn't have asked for a better make up artist for my big day. I had a large party, and lots of in laws that wanted to participate in the "getti...
ng ready" session so the task was daunting, but Lauren was the absolute best. She was able to attend to everyone and give them what they wanted. Several of my family members were to pleased, they are still talking about it! I also had the pleasure of having to ceremonies and wanted two different looks. Lauren stayed to make my wish come true and it looked amazing. She is affordable and flexible which was awesome for me. I would HIGHLY recommend that you go for a trial and see what you think...but take your checkbook so you can leave a deposit, becuase you will be AMAZED at how BEAUTIFUL you look! PS....GET THE LASHES....they are uncomfortable at first, but totally worth it...your photos will look amazing!
Lauren did my make up for the wedding and I could not have been happier with my choice!!
Everyone loved it and I felt very elegant and gorgeous on my wedding day!!
She listened...
to my needs and applied make up based on my style!
Thanks Lauren!! Highly recommended!!
Lauren with Real Doll Makeup did a fabulous job on my wedding day make-up. She arrived on-time, had everything that I needed and even provided a sweet little bag with all my weddi...
ng day make-up essentials. She remembered everything discussed from the trial and I loved my make-up on my wedding day. She was even great when I decided to change my lipstick on the day-of and had one ready to go for me in the new shade. Along, with myself she also did make-up for my mother and a couple bridesmaids, they all looked gorgeous. She was professional and a pleasure to work with. I will definitely call her again when I have another wedding or black-tie to go to. Thanka Lauren!!!
They are fantastic! They did my bridal makeup as well as my mom’s. They really knew what they were doing and in the end I felt like a princess. The makeup lasted all night; I even ...
woke up with perfect eye shadows the next morning. They know exactly what works with your skin, hair and eye color. They really make you feel like a celebrity!!!
Fabulous!!! I couldn't be happier with how I looked on my wedding day AND in the photos - Thank you Lauren! She completely understood my request to "look like myself but better" ...
and worked with me to create a look that completely achieved this goal. To quote my now husband when I got to the alter, "You really do look absolutely beautiful" - Exactly what every bride wants their groom to say on their big day!
Practical feedback:
1. Lauren is a professional in every way. She responded quickly to my phonecalls/emails, sheduled my appointment around my hectic wedding calendar, ordered my products immediately and ensured they were delivered on time.
2. She incorporated my existing make-up products with her recommendations and did not push me to buy a thing, very different from your typical make-up counter experience.
3. She took the time to explain what she was doing and then sent me a follow up email with step-by-step instructions so that I could re-create the look on my own.
4. She was very friendly and easy to work with and I was completely comfortable saying what I did and did not like. For example, I am not a foundation person so even the sheerest look seemed too heavy to me. No worries, we took it off and found a better solution.
5. Very affordable and reasonably priced.
I have nothing but very positive things to say about my experience with Lauren at Real Doll Make-up!
Lauren did my makeup for the engagement photos and the bridal party on the wedding day. I don't normally wear much makeup and was a bit nervous about the experience. I thought i...
t maybe too overdone - until I saw the photos!!! I've never looked better in my life. Of course being really happy helps too but I am so thankful I put myself in Lauren's talented hands. She seems to know how much is needed to bring out your best features for the photos without making you look over the top.
On the wedding day - Lauren was at the hotel ON TIME- very early has we had a 10am wedding! She did the wedding party of 5 - all different shades and ages and we all looked fabulous. She is great with KIDS too. My jr bridesmaid (10) and flower girl (6) loved the pampering experience. She was such a calm, spirit to have around on the hectic wedding morning. I was thinking it was like having family - then again - family isn't always that calm and helpful! Can't say enough good things.
Lauren is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I actually contacted her for a makeup lesson since I am getting married in Mexico and even though I would love to hire her for my wedding, she wo...
uld not fit in my luggage:-( Instead of a lesson, she offered for me to come in for a trial/lesson. I told her in the past that I look like a drag queen when I get my makeup done and I like to keep it natural! She listened to my every word, wow for once, someone listened to me:-) She was great, she suggested I bring someone along to watch so they can assist me in Mexico. I brought my cousin and every step of the way, Lauren told us what she did, how she did it and which MAC product she used so I could purchase it. When I left the studio, I felt really excited and couldn't wait to go out that night to show off my new face! Thanks Lauren for being so FABULOUS! I will make sure to tell all my friends that are brides or future brides about you!
Real Doll Makeup is a perfect name for this makeup artist. You really are dolled up, in a beautiful, natural way...I love Lauren's application of makeup, she makes you look pretty ...
without having layers of makeup on. I have been going to Lauren since before this company existed, and she is excellent at what she does. Her team is very professional, they listen to what you do and do not want, which is very important when participating in any weddings. I will always consider Real Doll Makeup!!! ♥
Lauren and Buffy were amazing! They are very professional, yet very easy to talk to and fun to work with.
Lauren was my make up artist. First she asked my opinion and thoughts, th...
en she offered me suggestions and ideas that blew me away! She knows exactly what she is doing, and is so fantastic at what she does!
... Then, about 2 weeks after the wedding, I e-mailed Lauren and asked what she used on my eyes. Not only did she remember, she e-mailed me a shopping list of EVERYTHING she used on me that day! I was stunned.
She is a blast to work with and I will be calling her for my wedding day!
I met with Lauren to do a make up trial run for my wedding. I got Lauren's name through a friend who said what a great job she does with make up! I was impressed with how friendl...
y Lauren was and how quickly she was able to schedule an appointment with me. The make up was perfect and I am so excited for my wedding day so we can do it all over again! I would definitely recommend her to friends, Lauren does a fantastic job!
The first time Lauren did my make-up for my sister's wedding was the day of the actual wedding. I can be very picky about how I like my make-up and I was a little nervous since I ...
did not have a trial done before my sister's big day. She did a fantastic job! My make-up looked great! She listened to what I liked and made it even better! I would absolutely want her to do my make-up when I am the bride! Also, she made my sister look and feel beautiful the day of her wedding! That is what mattered the most!
When I get dolled up to go somewhere, how my makeup looks is key to me. At my really good friends wedding in June, I had the honor of having Lauren do my makeup and make me feel l...
ike that doll. She is amazing at what she does. She listens to what you want, she makes sure to give you everything you are looking for and more. All of us bridesmaids and friends had a different look from one another, I was amazed to see how Lauren was able to get every face down with such perfection. She makes you comfortable, talks you through everything. You can't help but feel gorgeous! I was so thrilled with how Lauren did my makeup that I went back to her for halloween, and have her booked for about 3 more weddings, so excited!! Thanks Lauren for being so talented!
Lauren from Real Doll Makeup made me feel so pretty and confident at my best friends wedding. My make up looked great inperson and in pictures...she helped me be photogenic!
When ...
Stevie "puts a ring on it" Im calling Lauren for my engagement party, rehearsal dinner and the big day. I want her next to me for every memorable moment/ picture.
Lauren from Real Doll Makeup did my makeup for a friend's wedding. She was doing the bridesmaids and they all looked so good, I had her do mine as well. I have been in several wedd...
ings and am never too thrilled because I like my makeup very simple and natural and usually they put too much on for my liking. However, Lauren did an excellent job keeping it simple and natural! I would definitely use her again for a future wedding.
Lauren is a great make-up artist because she takes the time to get to know you and the look you are going for. Also, not only is she is very reliable, she is very knowledgeable a...
nd up to date with the beauty industry, always using the best products on you. She did my trial, and I loved it, I got the exact look I was looking for. I can't wait until she does my wedding day make-up. You definitely get more than what you pay for, I wish she could do my make up everyday!
Lauren from Real Doll Makeup is a fantastic makeup artist. She takes the time to get to know you and the look you are going for. Even better? She is able to exceed all your expecta...
tions with the final result. Highly talented and easy to talk to, Lauren is the best around. She is also very accommodating- she met me and my wedding party at the hotel we were staying at. Even though there wasn't a lot of room to work with she managed to transform me, 3 bridesmaids, and the my mom into fabulous beauties.
I hear a lot of brides end up being late for their own wedding because of how long it takes them to get ready. My hair dresser was two and a half hours late- and even with that time gone Lauren made sure we were all ready to go on time. We actually got to the venue with time to spare.
She's also really great with taking you through the steps of what she is doing so you can recreate the image at home. She's more than happy to write you down the names/brands of what she is using on you and the proper way to apply it.
I really couldn't be more pleased with her or give her enough praise. You get far more than you pay for.
I would highly recommend Lauren if you are looking for a makeup artist who really knows her stuff, very dependable, affordable, and really easy to talk to! She did an absolutely b...
eautiful job on my makeup as well as my bridesmaids and mother! We all looked stunning! She took the time to get to know the bride (me) as well as understand what kind of look I was after. She even mentioned that she would able to come to my condo on the day of the wedding, and that was really a plus for me!!
Lauren was awesome! She's very professional and she did an amazing job. She accentuated my natural features and didnt make me look like someone I was not, which was very important ...
to me. I received compliments all night about my makeup! I would highly recommend Lauren. Thanks Lauren!!
Great service and really nice person to talk to. The makeup lasted the whole day!
Lauren did a fabulous job as a makeup artist for myself and my bridesmaids at my wedding! I found her information after having a horrible trial run with my original makeup artist, ...
and she saved the day! Everyone looked beautiful - she is so sweet and listened to what we wanted. Couldn't have asked for more! Prices were great too ;)
Lauren was absolutely amazing! She is a professional, talented, and gifted make-up artist. There are a lot of things that can go wrong the day of your wedding and your make-up is...
not one you should have to worry about. I was married on June 12, 2010....of course it was hot! My make-up was perfect and lasted through the entire day. Lauren was able to give me the look I dreamed of that photographed perfectly! I I don't know how she did it! The best part was seeing Joseph's expression when he saw me for the first time. Lauren, thank you so much for making me look and feel beautiful and confident on such a special day! XOXO, Alicia and Joseph Lynch
Contact
Silver Spring, MD | Montgomery Co/McLean/DC
Real Doll Makeup