Finding the best makeup artists in Nelson usually comes down to who can hold a look through a long wedding day, a school ball or a photoshoot. Makeup artists in Nelson work across bridal trials, event makeup and one-on-one lessons, some travelling to homes and venues around the region and others working from a studio, with Poppy Makeup Artist and Vine Artistry among the specialists below.
1Poppy Makeup Artist
Poppy MacPhedran is a freelance wedding and editorial makeup artist and hair stylist who trained professionally in Melbourne and works on location throughout Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough. Bridal work is booked as a group package covering the bride and the bridal party, with a consultation and trial built in before the day. She also runs makeup lessons and workshops in Nelson for people who want to learn the techniques rather than book an artist.
Services
- Bridal makeup at your home or venue
- Wedding hair styling
- Bridal consultations and trials
- Editorial and photoshoot makeup
- One-on-one makeup lessons and group workshops
Highlights
- Professionally trained in Melbourne, with experience gained working overseas
- Hair and makeup can be mixed across a single group booking
- Travel included within 20 kilometres of Nelson city, with further travel on request
- Complimentary lashes included with makeup and hair packages
Location & Contact
Name: Poppy Makeup Artist
Address: Nelson
Phone: 021 213 1266
Website: www.poppymakeupartist.com
2Hair & Makeup by Megan
Megan Price is a qualified freelance makeup artist and hairdresser who works from her own private studio in Brightwater, a short drive south of Nelson. She trained at the Kirsten Stewart School of Makeup and has spent 19 years as a senior stylist and colour technician, so hair and makeup for a wedding party can be handled by one person. A hair and makeup trial is available beforehand to agree on tones, styles and the finished look.
Services
- Bridal makeup, with or without a trial
- Bridal hair, including hair up, curls and blow waves
- Bridesmaid, mother of the bride and flower girl hair and makeup
- Ball and special occasion hair and makeup
- Colouring, cutting and styling
Highlights
- 19 years working as a senior stylist and colour technician
- Trained at the Kirsten Stewart School of Makeup in 2010
- Works from her own private studio in Brightwater
Location & Contact
Name: Hair & Makeup by Megan
Address: Brightwater, near Nelson
Phone: 027 348 5566
Website: hairandmakeupbymegan.co.nz
3Vine Artistry
Rhea Vine runs Vine Artistry as a mobile hair and makeup service based in Nelson, after eleven years running a bridal business in Australia. The work centres on natural bridal styling that emphasises a client’s own features, with separate one-hour hair and makeup trials available before the day. Photoshoot and lookbook bookings are quoted at half day and full day rates.
Services
- Bridal hair and makeup
- Bridal party and wedding guest hair and makeup
- One-hour makeup and hair trials, extendable in 30 minute blocks
- School formal hair and makeup
- Photoshoot and lookbook hair and makeup
Highlights
- Diploma in Specialist Makeup and Certificate III in Hairdressing
- Certificates in hair extensions and lash perming
- Masterclasses with Polished Style, Mia Conner, Paula Hibbard and Vanessa Davis
- Industry Award for Best Makeup Installation
- Cruelty-free makeup and hair products available on request
Location & Contact
Name: Vine Artistry
Address: Nelson
Website: vineartistry.co.nz
4Artistic Beauty Nelson
Artistic Beauty is Karyn Stratford’s beauty and skin clinic on Franklyn Street in Nelson South, where freelance makeup artistry sits alongside skin therapy and classic beauty treatments. The makeup side covers weddings, special occasions, parties and photoshoots, as well as personalised and group makeup lessons. Weekday appointments run into the evening, which suits anyone fitting a lesson or a trial around work.
Services
- Makeup artistry for weddings, special occasions, parties and photoshoots
- Personalised and group makeup lessons
- Advanced skin treatments including dermal needling and plasma skin tightening
- Brows, tinting, waxing and IPL hair removal
Highlights
- Member of the Beauty NZ Professionals Association
- Almost 20 years in beauty therapy
- Stockist of the VANI-T mineral makeup and Institut skincare ranges
- Open until 7.30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, with after hours appointments by arrangement
Location & Contact
Name: Artistic Beauty Nelson
Address: 11 Franklyn Street, Nelson South, Nelson 7010
Phone: 021 129 8980
Website: artisticbeautynelson.co.nz
5Pure Opulence Day Spa
Pure Opulence is a day spa on Sundial Square in Richmond, a short drive from Nelson, where the beauty team takes bridal and event makeup bookings alongside the spa menu. Makeup covers the bride, bridesmaids, mothers of the bride and groom and flower girls, with a consultation and trial available beforehand, and balls and formals are priced separately. The team also teaches makeup lessons for people who would rather do their own.
Services
- Bridal makeup, with or without a consultation and trial
- Bridesmaid, mother of the bride and flower girl makeup
- Ball, formal and special occasion makeup
- Makeup lessons
- Strip lash application
Highlights
- Stocks the full Basalaj Beauty range, which is also used for makeup bookings
- Wedding packages can be customised around a bridal party
- Late appointments until 8pm from Tuesday to Thursday
- Group bookings can be combined with manicures, pedicures or a spray tan
Location & Contact
Name: Pure Opulence Day Spa
Address: 11c Sundial Square, Richmond, Tasman District 7020
Phone: 03 922 9915
Website: pureopulence.co.nz
Makeup Artists in Nelson at a Glance
| Business | Highlight |
|---|---|
| Poppy Makeup Artist | Professionally trained in Melbourne, with experience gained working o... |
| Hair & Makeup by Megan | 19 years working as a senior stylist and colour technician |
| Vine Artistry | Diploma in Specialist Makeup and Certificate III in Hairdressing |
| Artistic Beauty Nelson | Member of the Beauty NZ Professionals Association |
| Pure Opulence Day Spa | Stocks the full Basalaj Beauty range, which is also used for makeup b... |
How to Choose the Right Makeup Artist in Nelson
- Book well ahead for summer, when wedding dates and ball nights fill the calendar and some artists take weekend bookings only for larger parties
- Check whether the artist comes to you or works from a studio, and whether travel to your venue is included or charged by the hour
- Ask what a trial covers, since that is where tones, lash choice and staying power get settled rather than on the morning itself
- Confirm whether hair and makeup come from the same person or two separate bookings, which matters most when a bridal party is working to a tight schedule
- Talk about products up front if you have sensitive skin or want cruelty-free options, because kits and stocked ranges differ from artist to artist
Frequently Asked Questions About Nelson Makeup Artists
How much does a makeup artist in Nelson charge?
Published rates in the Nelson and Tasman region generally start around $70 to $110 for ball, formal and special occasion makeup, and run from roughly $100 to $280 for bridal makeup depending on whether a consultation and trial are included. Some artists price bridal work as a group package for the whole party rather than per face, so the quote depends on how many people need makeup and whether hair is booked as well.
Do makeup artists travel to your venue?
Mobile service is common in the region, with artists bringing their kit to a home, a hotel room or the venue itself. Travel is often included within a set distance of Nelson city and charged by the hour beyond that, so it is worth giving the exact address and the time you need to be ready when you enquire.
What is a bridal trial and is it worth booking?
A trial is a full run of the look before the wedding day, usually an hour, where you agree on foundation tones, lash choice, and how soft or bold the finish should be. It also shows how the makeup wears over a few hours, which is the part that matters on a long day, and most bridal packages offer it as an option rather than as a requirement.
How far ahead should I book?
Summer Saturdays are the pressure point, and dates for weddings are often taken six to nine months out. Ball season is a similar squeeze in a much shorter window, so a booking a few weeks ahead is sensible rather than a few days.
Which parts of Nelson and Tasman are covered?
Between them the artists here are based in Nelson city, Nelson South, Brightwater and Richmond, and mobile artists travel further out across Tasman and into Marlborough for weddings. If you are getting ready in a suburb or a rural venue away from the centre, ask about travel time when you enquire rather than assuming it is out of range.
Can I book a makeup lesson instead of an appointment?
Yes. One-on-one lessons and small group workshops are offered around Nelson, typically covering brushes and tools, base and concealer technique, highlighting and shading, and taking a daytime look through to an evening one. Group sessions are usually cheaper per person than a private lesson.
What is the difference between a freelance artist and a salon or spa booking?
A freelance artist typically travels to you and builds the morning around your schedule, while a salon or day spa gives you a fixed appointment on site and can pair makeup with brows, lashes, nails or a spray tan in the same visit. Neither is better for every occasion, so it comes down to whether you need the artist at your venue or would rather go to them.
Should I book hair and makeup with the same person?
Some artists in the region are qualified in both and can do hair and makeup for a whole bridal party, which keeps the morning to one booking and one arrival time. Where they are separate people, check that the two schedules line up, especially if photographs start before the ceremony.
How We Chose the Best Makeup Artists in Nelson
Every business in this guide was found by searching for makeup artists in Nelson, then checked against what the business publishes itself: its own website, or where it has none, its official social or booking page. Names, addresses and phone numbers come from those pages rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what the business says about itself. We also check that each one is still trading and is actually based in or genuinely serving Nelson, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business we can’t confirm from its own pages is not listed.