Makeup Artist Policies on Refunds and Cancellations: How to Avoid the Drama
By Tanner Weyland
Last minute cancellations, unhappy clients asking for refunds… these are words that make most beauty experts’ stomachs turn. This is why having the right policies and procedures to keep you and your business safe is essential. Our experts at WellnessPro tell all.
“I don’t like her lifestyle.”
This is how one bride on Facebook justified canceling her appointment with a well-reviewed, skilled makeup artist, NyRee Ausler explains in a Your Tango article. The “lifestyle” she referred to was that the makeup artist was unmarried, without kids, and seemed happy with it.
While her complaint was surprising and unique, her request was not. She wanted her 50 percent deposit returned to her.
This isn’t the first time someone ignored a makeup artist’s booking policies. Many brides and clients will assume getting a refund is easy. If they’re not getting their makeup done by you, they shouldn’t have to pay you, right?
You know it isn’t that simple. If a client cancels without enough notice, you usually don’t have enough time to schedule someone else in. That’s money walking out the door.
Why are makeup cancellation and refund policies so important?
People cancel appointments for all kinds of reasons, like:
- No more budget for professional makeup, so they decide to DIY.
- Groom no-showed, so the wedding’s off.
- Sister’s an aspiring makeup artist and will never forgive your client if she uses you instead.
- Getting sick.
If you think it won’t happen to you, remember: Big moments like weddings and celebrations spell big pressure, big emotions, and big misunderstandings. To deal with appointments that unexpectedly fall through, you need policies for cancellations and refunds.
According to QC Makeup Academy and Legal Lotus, helpful policies address:
- Deposits, including when that deposit is refundable.