“I had the fortune of working with The Stylist Abroad and two artists – Gaby for hair, Jenna for makeup – who made me and my girls feel beautiful and kept the vibes light and fun in the getting ready room all day.
When Gaby and Jenna came for my hair and makeup trial, I gave them very little guidance. I showed each a few pictures of what I wanted, but it was mostly vibes-based: I wanted to feel ethereal, to match the outdoor, Renaissance Faire vibe of the wedding, and I wanted to look like myself but elevated when it came to my makeup. I didn’t want hair extensions or fake eyelashes. I wanted styles that I could wear from my first look all the way through the end of the night.
After my trial, I told Gaby and Jenna that I didn’t want to change anything. Based on my bare bones descriptions and a handful of photos, they both nailed exactly what I wanted. And they did it again the day of. I ended up with a half-up, half-done do with bubble braids and two face-framing curls, which perfectly balanced out my face. The curls stayed for the ceremony and gently fell throughout the night, and I never once had to fuss with my hairstyle - the lack of extensions kept it lightweight. I loved my makeup, and several people told me exactly what I wanted to hear: that I looked beautiful, but I looked like myself. I didn’t feel the need to adjust anything but my lipstick throughout the night, and I received an emergency kit with everything I needed, including swabs for gentle sweat removal. Jenna suggested some subtle body glow on my chest since I was in a strapless dress with attached off-the-shoulder sleeves, which was the perfect addition to my look.
Ashley, who runs The Stylist Abroad, was the perfect communicator. She and I did a video call when I was considering booking, and she walked me through all of my options and answered all of my questions. She allowed me to book with a minimum number of people and add hair and makeup as I got responses from my family and bridesmaids, which was a huge relief off my shoulders as several people changed their minds. When my original combined hair and makeup artist fell through for reasons beyond her control, Ashley was quick to recommend Gaby and Jenna, who ended up being the perfect fit. They were laid back and funny, and my girls all enjoyed spending time in their chairs.
Hair and makeup ran on time or ahead of schedule the entire day. Gaby and Jenna bypassed eating until after they were done to keep us going. They set up in our hotel room easily and all of my girls seemed to get the exact styles they wanted. I found the prices to be reasonable, the service to be exceptional and I appreciate that The Stylist Abroad prides themselves on serving everyone – with several queer-identifyng people in my bridal party, I would not feel comfortable booking anyone who is prejudiced. They also commit to being able to style all hair textures and do makeup looks for all skin tones, which was also extremely important to me. All in all, I feel comfortable recommending The Stylist Abroad to everyone.”
