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About this vendor
Licensed/published makeup artist 14 yrs +. Offering on-location bridal, editorial, special occasion makeup. False lashes and airbrush foundation also available.
Details
Beauty
- Makeup
- Airbrushed Makeup
- Eyelash Extensions
- Makeup Artists
- Makeup Trials Available
- On-Site Hair & Makeup
Business Attributes
- Asian-owned Business
- Woman-owned Business
Awards and Affiliations
2-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2022.2021.
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.
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Reviews
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4.9
out of 5.058 reviews
I waited until well after my wedding to post this, because I am concerned Val is vindictive. Go elsewhere.
- No contracts. She is commitment-phobic. She repeatedly noted early th...
at she did not like having a "formal relationship" with clients and if that didn't work for me then I should find another. This is likely because she likes being flexible - meaning, she can flake/bail and doesn't want to be held responsible.
- She doesn't respond to emails in a timely manner (days...), and doesn't give you any other contact info.
- Snarky: In my first email asking about her experience working with diverse brides, she made passive aggr comments about being Asian herself. Okay, I don't know you, your last name is "Hammer," and it's a fair question. Many MUAs are fantastic but have not worked with diverse brides. I didn't spend hours in your IG searching for her personal photos.
- After *she* flaked on my trial and we tried to reschedule, she said certain days weren't good in case they were a "bad day" for her emotionally (the days after the last election). This is after it was clear that I had flown into DC specifically for wedding appointments and only had a few days.
- She "forgot" about my trial. I was planning long distance and mentioned this to her many times. I came to DC to finalize planning and appointments. She never showed up even though I emailed her days in advance. When I finally got in touch through social media, she then tried to schedule it a week later, and I had to remind her I was only in town for a few days, to which she made a huffy remark about having to move things around. I'm sorry, did your flaking on me inconvenience you? I had to drive 2 hours to come back to her during a week when I already had no availability. She was then angry when I asked if she would provide a slight discount given that I had to travel to come back to her house (which was fair bc she charges $45 to travel 6 miles for weddings (15 min drive) and she was the one who bailed). I had NEVER asked for a discount before , nor would I have asked moving forward.
- She never asked what I wanted and has one go-to look for weddings. I don't wear make up, I've never had bridal make up done so I had questions about lashes, lip color, and my foundation seemed too dark / didn't match. She was visibly annoyed and said she has experience and implied that I had no idea what I was talking about. You're right-- I don't-- so I have questions that are not a criticism but about how this will photograph. Also if a bride wants something you personally don't like, it's not your place. Despite this, I followed up with a friendly email and confirmed feedback we had discussed re foundation and lip color.
I got a snarky response: "While I'm glad that you received the validation and confirmation from your friends regarding the lashes, (which I had already explained during your trial run appointment,) I have a few concerns. I have to be honest, I'm not sure that I'm confident that I will be able to fully deliver your look to the very specific requirements that it seems you might require." The email then remarks that the trial took 2 hours, which is puzzling. I'm not sure why you would blame a client for the length of a trial, esp as I was not asked to give feedback during it.
She then spent the next days posting mean girl posts intended for me. Keep in mind, I never responded or said anything rude to her. I ran these by my planner for a gut check and she appalled .
Valerie did the makeup for myself as well as my bridal party and MOG/MOB. She was so professional and made all the ladies look beautiful. I also liked the fact she was very COVID s...
afe and made sure to put in enough time in between girls to clean and sanitize. She made me feel so beautiful on my wedding day!! Thank you Val!!
Valerie is amazing! I booked her for a bridal trial and wedding day makeup. She did the makeup for four others in the wedding party too. Everyone was so impressed with her! She was...
on time, delightful, and professional. She had a dedicated brush/applier set for each person (sanitary and organized). She listened to what we each wanted and even took time to explain how to keep the look fresh and take off the lashes at the end of the night. Everyone looked like themselves, but GLAM. I was astonished by how many compliments I got on my makeup. All the credit goes to Val. Consider yourself extremely lucky if you get to book her for your event or wedding.
Valerie is an AMAZING makeup artist. I received her information as a referral from a friend who contractors with Val for her wedding a few years back and her recommendation did no...
t disappoint. Val is not only an awesome person, she is very knowledgable in the makeup techniques that she applies and also listens to feedback if you want to make certain tweaks after your initial trial. My makeup vendor was extremely important to me and Valerie knocked it out of the park - I was so happy with how she made me look and feel on my wedding day!
Valerie did my make up for my engagement photos and wedding and I couldn’t have been happier. I felt great in my makeup. Since then my mom and I have also taken a makeup lesson wit...
h her. I learned an incredible amount during it and now have a solid makeup routine. I highly recommend Val for makeup for any and all events.
Valerie is amazing! I have never felt so confident in make-up before. I cried when I saw the bride because she was exquisite! As a vendor, I would recommend her to all my clients i...
n her service area.
Valerie is fantastic! I felt the prettiest I have ever been. My bridesmaids looked amazing too. She knows how to bring out your natural beauty and is a true artist. I cannot say e...
nough about her. She is the BEST!
Wish I could give Valerie 10 stars instead of 5! She is such an artist! We of course had a plan for her to do make up for many more people, but she stuck with me when we had to sca...
le down for a micro wedding in Middleburg, VA. She did my make up as well as my step daughter, MOH and two moms. Everyone had different taste style and complexions and she hit every single face out of the park! She was also very diligent with cleaning and other COVID safety measures, so rest assured she will keep you and her safe! Can't say enough about Valerie!
Valerie did some amazing work!!! I absolutely loved my wedding day makeup and felt completely confident in Valerie and her craft! She took the words I used to describe what I wante...
d and turned them into a reality. She also did an incredible job with my mom! Neither of us wear makeup and my mom was very nervous about the whole getting your makeup done process! Valerie made her feel so comfortable and applied her make up in such a natural way. My wedding was on August 8th, 2020 during the current COVID pandemic, Valerie had adjusted her timeline and procedures to make everyone not only feel safe but it WAS safe. The ability to be flexible and innovative during these times truly shows an artists ability!
Valerie was absolutely amazing to work with. Valerie first did my makeup for my engagement shoot in April of 2019. Her home studio was so comfortable and she really listened to wha...
t I wanted and made me feel absolutely comfortable. It was the first time in my life I actually like myself with a filled in brow! The make up turned out perfectly for the photos.
After the engagement photos, I knew Valerie would be perfect for my wedding make up. I made sure to book her well in advanced so someone else did not hire her the same day. She quickly answered any emails I had and was able to give me advice on the final look based on some photos I sent her. She also was helpful in recommending a second MUA, since my bridal party and family was a lot. She made sure to recommend artists similar to her style so that we could keep things consistent. I really appreciated her doing this and not taking any offense to the fact that we didn't want to start our make up at the crack of dawn!
On our wedding day on 12/14/19, Valerie was organized, ready to go, and made everyone feel so comfortable. She really knows how to handle people of different skin tones, types, and styles which I really appreciated because I wanted my bridal party and family to have the freedom of their own make up looks that they desired.
Most importantly, Valerie did a flawless job on my make up. The colors were perfect for my look and she really went above and beyond to make sure I was happy. I could not have asked for anything better. Her attention to detail and natural make up looks made me feel like myself, but not overly done. It is comforting to know the artist you hire not only knows how to use make up, but that she knows what is best for the camera, different lights, and the theme.
I would absolutely recommend Valerie for any bride or person looking for a talented make up artist!
Valerie did my bridal makeup and did not disappoint! I LOVED all of our makeup and the airbrush was flawless and lasted all night! Would def recommend her for quality makeup for yo...
ur wedding day!
I used Valerie for my wedding in December and she was AMAZING! My makeup looked so beautiful and natural, and stayed the whole night. My mom and mother in law were both so nervous ...
to do professional makeup and didn't want it to make them look too overdone, she was so accommodating and did such natural looking makeup on them they were so happy! My mom claimed it changed her entire opinion on professional makeup. She also did a great job doing light makeup for my sister in law (who normally doesn't wear any). She had us all looking beautiful and fancy without feeling like we didn't look like ourselves. Trust me, she is the perfect wedding day makeup artist!
I did two other trials before going to Valerie and she was by far the best artist. Her pricing is reasonable and she was great to work with! I felt beautiful on my wedding day and ...
I am so grateful to Valerie for that, I would highly recommend!
I had Valerie do my bridal makeup as well as several of my bridesmaids, and she was AMAZING. She made me look better than I envisioned and could not have been happier. I'm really p...
icky about makeup, and I'm telling you, she nailed it. She has an incredible selection of types/ shades of makeup, super reasonable pricing, and offers airbrush makeup (which lasted ALL DAY!). Hire her!
Truth be told, I know nothing about makeup and really wasn’t sure what to expect when I went for my makeup trial for the wedding. I knew that I wanted to still look like myself but...
wanted it to be a better version. Valerie did just that and more. She was fun to work with and really understood the look I was going for while still making me look stunning. The day of the wedding she arrived on time and got right to work on my bridal party – not only did she finish early; she was SO much fun to chat with while she was working on us. I highly recommend Valerie for any sort of makeup you need – she’s a gem!
I cannot recommend Val enough! Seriously the best in all aspects. I was looking for a MUA who had a diverse portfolio, offered airbrush in addition to traditional, with reasonable ...
requirements/rates. Not only did Val hit all the marks, she is kind and knowledgeable - she listened to what I wanted while sharing her expertise. My bridal party loved her and I had multiple people ask for her information!
Valerie did an amazing job this past summer on my bridesmaid’s makeup! She did the makeup for half of my bridal party for my July wedding. Not only did the makeup look amazing, it ...
lasted all day and night in over 100 degree weather! I would highly recommend Valerie. She responded quickly to my emails, arrived to our venue on time, was wonderful to work with, and she did an incredible job!
Valerie was such a godsend. Valerie loves what she does, and it makes any experience with her so enjoyable. My makeup as well as my bridal party's makeup was flawless. Valerie was...
a calming force the day of the wedding. She is a true professional. I cannot recommend her enough. I also recommend doing trial.
Val is just AMAZING!!!
I didn’t have the opportunity to do a trial with her – I just trusted the Instagram images where she was tagged and Val’s work elicited the same wonder on ...
my wedding day! I couldn’t be happier with the results - my makeup looked great all night long (with no touch-up) even after we had our portraits taken outside when it was 95 degrees!
I highly recommend using Val and you will be so happy that you did!!!
Valerie is an amazing make up artist!! I'm so happy that I went with her for my wedding. I booked her way in advance, and I'm glad that I did because she fills up quickly. She made...
everyone in my bridal party look gorgeous and she was able to accommodate all skin tones. I got tons of compliments on my make up all night.
Val was punctual, was very good at communicating what she would and wouldn't be able to do with my large bridal party. She was also great at bringing out the girls' natural beauty....
My mom and mother-in-law in particular never wear makeup but felt and looked great with Val's makeup application!
Val is AMAZING and an absolute dream to work with! I couldn’t be happier with my decision to book her for my wedding. From the trial run, to e-mailing back and forth re: logistics ...
on the big day, to the actual wedding day, she was such a professional and so responsive. On our wedding day, Val did the makeup of myself, my 5 bridesmaids, mother, mother-in-law, and my aunt. She was so great about listening to everyone’s preferences- from light, natural looks to full face, bold eye looks. Everyone was beyond thrilled with their makeup and felt their absolute best. Also, Val even stayed ahead of schedule, leaving enough time for touch ups for everyone at the end. My sister, who is obsessed with makeup and has had hers professionally done countless times said that Val was the best makeup artist she’s ever worked with. Val gave her recommendations for various products, which my sister has since bought and loved. One of my bridesmaids just booked Val for her own wedding next year and I can’t wait to see her and have her do my makeup again! In short- if you’re looking for an amazing, genuine, talented, professional, and passionate makeup artist, BOOK VAL! You will not be disappointed!
Val did my wedding day makeup, along with my 4 bridesmaids, mother, & mother-in-law. I booked her because one of my bridesmaids had been in another wedding where Val was the MUA an...
d said it was her favorite makeup look she’d ever had. I am SO glad I booked her for my wedding- I can’t say enough positive things about Val! She also did my makeup for my engagement photos (trial run), and it was flawless, so I knew I was in good hands for my wedding day. I would highly recommend doing a trial, especially if you’re someone like me who isn’t a makeup pro and is not always entirely sure what I want when it comes to a makeup look.
My favorite thing about Val is that she really listens to each individual’s preferences before creating their look. One of my bridesmaids never wears makeup, except for the occasional mascara. Val took that information and gave her a stunning but natural look. My other bridesmaid wanted full glam smoky eye, and Val executed it perfectly. For people (like me) who have almost no idea what they want, she is intuitive about creating a look that is so perfect. Everyone in my bridal party, including the moms, looked like the very best version of themselves on our special day!
Aside from her professionalism and talent, she is a wonderful & sweet person. She is so easy to talk to; both times she did my makeup, it felt like I was chatting with someone I had known for years! She instantly knows how to make you feel comfortable & at ease. Bottom line: BOOK HER!!
Valerie is STELLAR. I booked Valerie for my wedding day. Whatever look you want for your special day/occasion (e.g., natural or a little more glam), she'll talk it through with you...
and make sure you feel comfortable. She's also super knowledgeable, so don't be afraid to ask questions or ask for recommendations. She's flexible, amicable, funny, and an exceptionally talented professional.
Valerie was amazing!!! Accommodating, kind, awesome, and a PROFESSIONAL. She made myself (bride) and my girls look and feel gorgeous. I would recommend her to anyone (already hav...
e). After tons of research on a wedding make-up artist she by far came out on top. Again......HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Val is not only extremely talented and makes you look and feel your absolute best, she is also a DREAM to work with. Super responsive, you will have no concerns about her showing u...
p for you at your event. She has every kind of make up under the sun and made all 6 of my girlfriends including my mother look fabulous. She really went above and beyond by helping my mom (who is immunocompromised) pick out make up for herself so she didn't have to share with others. She even offered to wear a mask during the make up application for my mom. Val is kind but you can also have great conversation with her-- I never felt uncomfortable. We all looked absolutely stunning and she made sure to cover up my 11 lines on my forehead-- I haven't seen them yet in my pictures! I started to cry as she was putting on my make up because my bridal party was starting to rush to get ready and the vibe was really hectic-- Val just reassured me in the best way by staying calm and completely grounded. It was SO appreciated by me. I needed some grounding in that moment and she was exactly what I needed. HIGHLY recommend her to others.
Literally, best make up artist! I was the maid of honor for my sisters wedding this past weekend (8/11/18). The make up Valerie did on the bride, mother of the bride and bridesmai...
d was flawless and very natural. I loved my make up and it last the entire night, despite many many happy emotional tears through out the wedding. Thank you Valerie for all your hard work. I hope you are available for my wedding, after all every since one of us was so estatic with your work.
I LOVED working with Val. I wanted a more dramatic look because my hair and dress were more simple. She did an incredible job, and I got a ton of compliments on my makeup. She was ...
also just fun to work with and clearly loves her job. She also did a wonderful job on my mom and all my bridesmaids. Everyone looked gorgeous!
Valerie is amazing! I wish she could do my makeup everyday. My day of wedding makeup was unreal and I felt like a million bucks, all while still looking like me. She nailed it! She...
is hands down one of the most talented artists I have ever worked with. In addition she is just the nicest person to be around! All of my bridesmaids, the moms and I loved her and agreed that she made the day of just perfect. She made the entire process of hiring a makeup artist easy, seamless and most important stress free! She was super responsive and was always accommodating to my ever changing schedule. She also used GREAT products that made your skill feel amazing!! I cannot recommend her enough for whatever your occasion might be! Thank you Valerie!
Valerie made me feel so beautiful on my wedding day!! She's so talented at what she does. She was easy to work with, super responsive over email and she just has an awesome persona...
lity. I loved meeting her at my trial. She would check in throughout the trial to make sure I liked my makeup which I LOVED. On the day of the wedding, she did makeup for myself, both mom's and 4 of my bridesmaids, who all said they felt so beautiful because of her. Thank you again for making me feel beautiful and confident on my wedding day. I highly recommend Valerie to any future brides!!
Val is an absolutely incredible makeup artist. I booked her well in advance knowing she probably books up fast and I am SO glad I did. Our wedding party was big, there were 11 girl...
s total that needed their makeup done. Val was cool, calm and collected the entire time. She managed her time perfectly with each girl so there was never any rush. Even when my mother in law decided to get her makeup done last minute, Val was so accommodating and made sure there was time to fit her in at the end. This is the first time I have gotten my makeup done where I truly loved how I looked. All in all, my ladies all looked gorgeous and Val was such a calming presence on my wedding day. Highly, highly recommend!!!
Val is absolutely AMAZING! She's done my make up more on more than one occasion and I feel beautiful every time. I trust her so much that I didn't even need a trial run before MY w...
edding! She made me feel gorgeous and confident on my big day! I recommend her to everyone I know. She's reliable, very reasonably priced, super sweet and amazing at what she does! My girls and I couldn't be happier! Thanks Val!
Val was amazing! My cousin recommended her and I am so happy I decided to use her! I don't usually wear a lot of makeup and didn't want anything too heavy for my wedding, and she c...
aptured that perfectly. My bridesmaids all loved their makeup as well. She finished with time to spare, which was a huge relief to not be rushing right up to the first look. Couldn't have been happier with her!
I LOVED Valerie for my wedding day! She was responsive, easy to work with, professional, and affordable. We had a great trial at her house then she travelled to my hotel to do 4 pe...
ople's makeup. She gave me just the look I was going for and it was incredibly long-lasting. She's stylish and very talented. I'm so happy I trusted Valerie with my wedding makeup.
Valerie was amazing for my NYE wedding! She had to get through 13 girls within a limited amount of time and everyone was glamours and flawless. She is a an artist and really crea...
tes the look that you're going for. Very professional & highly would recommend! Lashes & airbrush are a must!
Valerie was absolutely amazing! I originally booked makeup for four people, but then my mom decided she wanted to try out extended eyelashes at the last minute. She started a trend...
and as my bridesmaids arrived, almost EVERYONE said they wanted to get their lashes done too! They all looked stunning. I felt like a princess and my make up lasted all day (which is a huge deal since I got my makeup done at 7:00am and the wedding ended around midnight...) Valerie is a pleasure to work with, very professional, very fun, and she makes you feel relaxed and at ease. I would recommend her to everyone! She was just the best!
Valerie was my makeup artist for both my engagement photos and my wedding and both times I have been blown away by her work. Her ability to work with your personal style while mak...
ing you look flawless is impressive. She doesnt forget any detail either, for my wedding just before going out the door she made sure I (if I wanted it and I did) had a hint of shimmer around my decolletage. Her bubbly personality along with her professionalism drew praise from my bridesmaids to my picky Mom! You just cannot go wrong with Val for any of your makeup needs!
From the trial, to moments before the wedding, Valerie and her assistant made me feel like an absolute princess. Not only is she incredibly talented, but she is professional, promp...
t, and flexible. I had a relatively large bridal party including multiple children and she took it in stride, adapting to the kiddos complaints and schedule changes. I couldn't have asked for a better makeup artist who made me look absolutely perfect!
Val was a wonderfully calming presence to have on my big day. I am so thankful she was available to do my make-up for my wedding.
She did a stunning job on all of my girls and mys...
elf! I definitely highly recommend her to anyone else getting married in the DC/MD/VA area. She did a great job highlighting everyone's features without any of my ladies being overdone.
Thank you so much for sharing your talent and making me feel so beautiful Val!
Val did an amazing job with everyone's makeup for my wedding on November 14! She was able to get all 5 bridesmaids, my mom, and my makeup done early and the makeup looked amazing ...
and lasted all day!
Valerie did my wedding last weekend and she was PHENOMENAL! She listened to our requests, showed up on time with everything in tow, and made us look stunning. Even though I was wea...
ring a lot of make up, it looked very natural. It even felt like she barely put any on! It stayed on all night and my lipstick did its best to survive eating.
My maid of honor was suffering from jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) during my wedding, but Valerie worked her magic and you would never guess! She used brown eye make up to help offset the yellow eyes and made her skin still look natural compared to the rest of her body. Fantastic work!
Valerie was absolutely fantastic! She did my makeup for both my engagement photos and wedding. She also did the makeup for the bridal party.
She did a phenomenal job. She took ...
the time to learn about my regular makeup routine as well as my comfort level with various types of makeup.
She selected colors that accentuated my features, yet they weren't such a departure that I didn't feel like myself.
Valerie is so talented and I would absolutely recommend to anyone that they use her for makeup.
I was a bridesmaid in a wedding Valerie did make up for on labor day weekend-- all i have to say is WOW! She was amazing. Not only did every single person she did make up for look ...
stunning she took the time to ask the important questions to each person- skin type, make up we are comfortable with etc. Everyone looked like an amazing version of themselves instead of overly done up bridal party. None of us wanted to wash our faces at the end of the night! I would highly recommend Valerie! She is the sweetest woman with the most amazing talent and extremely professional! I have been referring her to all my engaged friends (especially if I am a bridesmaid!!)
Valerie did my engagement photo makeup and my bridal makeup and I have been impressed with her work since the day I met her. She is a professional and even gave me advice a long th...
e way. I am SO thankful and happy she was there to make me look absolutely beautiful on my wedding day. She truly is an amazing makeup artist! I HIGHLY recommend her and she is worth EVERY penny!
I was a bridesmaid in a wedding Aug 8th 2015. Absolutely LOVED Valerie! Not only did she do an amazing job on my make up, but she was very easy to talk to. It wasn't one of thos...
e awkward let's just talk about the weather moments so I don't seem rude type of talk. I was able to talk to her like I had known her for years even though I had never met her before. You will not be disappointed! She is great at what she does, and you can tell she takes pride in it too! The next time I have my makeup done they have big shoes to fill!
Val did a wonderful job. I don't wear a lot of make-up regularly but I wanted to look and feel beautiful on my wedding day and I did. I didn't have to give her any direction she kn...
ew what would look good on me. She is professional and kind. Do yourself a favor and book her for your wedding!!!
Valerie is awesome! Not only is she very professional (and does an AMAZING job at making you look your best on your big day), but she is very friendly and her presence makes you f...
eel at ease while getting ready for your wedding! She offers full-service makeup and a la carte services, as well. I have many wedding guests who have come up to me after the fact telling me how "on point" my look was! A lot of that was thanks to Valerie!
I loved my wedding make-up - it was simply beautiful and looked wonderful in all of my photos. I was very concerned about not looking too "done-up" but still looking pretty for my ...
day and Valerie nailed it. I looked like myself but flawless! :) I highly recommend her work- she does a fantastic job!
I tried out four different makeup artists for my wedding and spent lots of unnecessary money on trials. Val did all my bridesmaids and they all loved her makeup. So much, that my f...
riend will also be using her for her wedding! Val does very understated, but glamorous makeup. She even stayed late to do "pretend" make-up once my photographer showed up to get pictures. Normally, someone always hates their makeup or is unhappy in a bridal party. All my picky friends loved her. She shows up on time and is very sweet and easy to work with. I highly recommend her, you get a lot for your money!
For the past year or so I'd been admiring Val's transformation/portfolio pictures, from afar. Once I got engaged and planned my wedding I was thrilled to learn she would be able t...
o do my make-up for my special day! She was my first and top choice!
Val was super easy to work with, very laid back, yet extremely professional and knowledgeable at the same time. I had one trial that went smoothly about 1 month prior to the big day, and picked up some make-up tips along the way. She encouraged taking pictures of myself throughout that day in different lights, to see if I wanted any changes. She encouraged me to provide any negative or positive feedback.
On the day off, Val transformed my into a beautiful princess! I finally got to be like one of the girls in her portfolio. She did my two bridesmaids make-up as well and they looked equally as beautiful.
The professional pictures are just coming back now and my make-up looks flawless!
We all struck up a conversation and may bring Val back for a girls make-up lesson night!
Contact
Silver Spring, MD
Valerie Hammer Makeup Artistry